Bull Terrier

Temperament

The FCI standard describes the Bull Terrier as courageous, full of spirit and playful, with an even temperament, and, despite its stubbornness, exceptionally good with people. At home it acts like a big kid: it brings toys, does zoomies around the living room and burrows under the covers. The AKC rates its openness to strangers highly but gives it the lowest possible score for tolerance of other dogs. Many Bull Terriers, especially males, can't stand unfamiliar dogs of the same sex, and chasing cats is great fun for them. It can be hyperactive and stubborn, happy to follow a command but only if it sees the point. Boredom and loneliness encourage destructive and compulsive behavior, such as spinning in circles after its own tail.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Barking

quietvocal

With other dogs

difficultgreat

Protectiveness

lowhigh

Drooling

hardly anya lot

Cold tolerance

feels the coldexcellent

Heat tolerance

strugglescopes well

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Bull Terrier for?

The Bull Terrier suits a patient person with a sense of humor who has experience with stubborn dogs, spends a lot of time at home and doesn't need a dog for free play at the dog park. It does well in a family with older children. It's not a good choice for a home with a cat and no prior socialization, for someone who already has another dog of the same sex, or for a first-time owner looking for an easy companion.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day for a Bull Terrier, but young dogs often need more, including tug games, toy searches and short training sessions. Keep it on a leash in public areas, because its reactions to other dogs can be unpredictable. The short coat needs a wipe with a grooming mitt once a week. White dogs are sensitive to the sun, so in summer protect the skin on the nose and belly. Training sessions should be short, varied and reward-based. Teaching it to calm down and rest matters, because a Bull Terrier winds up easily. Choose sturdy toys, since this breed's jaws can destroy weaker ones in minutes. Watch its weight, too, as extra kilograms strain the joints of this compact dog.

Health and breed-related conditions

The AKC recommends that owners of breeding dogs provide kidney and heart test results, and that puppies have a hearing test before leaving the breeder. The Royal Kennel Club lists BAER testing with whole-litter screening as good practice, since congenital deafness, especially in white Bull Terriers, is a problem in the breed. Kidney disease can go unnoticed for a long time, so a urine test (protein to creatinine ratio) is important. The AKC adds a patella evaluation to the list. Bull Terriers from breeders who test the parents are usually healthy dogs. The AKC gives a life expectancy of 12–13 years.

• congenital deafnessEspecially in white dogs; puppies should have a BAER hearing test before going home.
• kidney diseaseInherited kidney disorders; the AKC recommends a urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPC) test for breeding dogs.
• heart diseaseValve defects detected through a cardiac exam of the parents.
• patellar luxationOn the AKC's list of recommended tests.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

The Bull Terrier was developed from crosses between bulldogs and terriers, the so-called bull-and-terriers used for dogfighting in the 19th century. In the 1850s and 1860s an Englishman, James Hinks, standardized the breed type by selecting dogs with the distinctive egg-shaped head. The Bull Terrier in its current form was first shown in Birmingham in 1862, and the breed club was founded in 1887. Hinks's dogs were white; colored ones appeared in the early 20th century. The standard has always deliberately set no height or weight limits. A smaller variety, removed from the registry for years, was revived in 1938 as the Miniature Bull Terrier.

Fun facts

• The FCI standard deliberately sets no height or weight limits for the Bull Terrier.
• A Bull Terrier named Willie belonged to General George Patton.
• The breed was first shown in its current form in Birmingham in 1862.
• Target's mascot is a white Bull Terrier named Bullseye.

Frequently asked questions

This breed also appears in

• Medium dog breeds

Sources

1. 1FCI standard nr 11 – Bull Terrierfci.be
2. 2AKC – Bull Terrierakc.org
3. 3Royal Kennel Club – Bull Terrierroyalkennelclub.com
4. 4Rozporządzenie MSWiA z 28 kwietnia 2003 r. w sprawie wykazu ras psów uznawanych za agresywneisap.sejm.gov.pl

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.