Bull terriers have an independent streak which can make them challenging to train. This dog has a sad history that dates back to 13th century Britain. A group of dogs would participate in a sporting, or blood sport competition known as bullbaiting. The dogs were released to attack a bull while observers bet on the winning dog. Later in the early 1800s, this dog was put into fierce dogfighting competitions held in a pit or cellar below a tavern. These dogs are sometimes referred to as pit bulls.

The Best Wet Food for Senior Dogs for 2022

The 4 Best Dog Food for Allergies (Adult, Puppy, Senior)

The 5 Best Dog Water Fountains, We Checked

See all of our expert product reviews.

Despite its violent history in these sporting activities, the bull terrier is a friendly dog with a playful nature. It’s loyal and serves as an excellent companion and guard dog.

button.pulse {
transform: scale(1); animation: pulse 2s infinite;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(11, 247, 25, 1);
}

@keyframes pulse {
0% { transform: scale(0.90); box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(11, 247, 25, 0.5); }
60% { transform: scale(1); box-shadow: 0 0 0 15px rgba(11, 247, 25, 0); }
100% { transform: scale(0.90); box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(11, 247, 25, 0); }
}

Another type of bull terrier called the White Cavalier was a favorite with royalty in the 1860s. It’s notable for its all white coat of fur.

3 Pros and Cons of Owning a Bull Terrier

Bull Terrier Size and Weight

This is a short-haired breed that’s medium in size. Males grow to be 22 inches tall while females are 21 inches tall at the withers. A fully grown male weighs up to 65 pounds whereas a fully grown female weighs as much as 55 pounds. A seven-week-old puppy weighs around 20 pounds. A standard bull terrier is fully grown at 19 months while a miniature is fully grown at 16 months old. The biggest bull terrier on record weighed 110 pounds.

Bull Terrier Common Health Issues

As with all dog breeds, bull terriers have some common health issues. Heart disease is one example. It takes the form of a weakened heart valve. Kidney disease is another common health issue in this breed. Kidney disease happens when protein leaks from a dog’s kidneys. A special diet can help this condition. Some bull terriers also deal with patellar luxation. This is when a dog’s kneecap moves out of place causing the dog to limp. Sometimes the kneecap can pop back in proper position on its own. Other times, the dog may need surgery. The most common health issues of this breed include:

Health and Entertainment for your Bull Terrier

See all of our expert product reviews.

• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Patellar luxation

Bull Terrier Temperament

Standard bull terriers as well as miniature bull terriers are known for their playful personality. They are strong dogs that like to play frisbee, fetch and chase. These dogs are known for high energy behavior such as running, jumping, digging and more. This makes them ideal for dog sporting and agility events where they are being timed.

One thing to keep in mind about bull terriers is they can be aggressive if not socialized and provided with thorough obedience training. This dog has a strong personality and needs to know what type of behavior is expected of it. One of its most impressive traits is loyalty. They make great companions for adults or older children.

How to Take Care of a Bull Terrier

Learning about the specific dietary needs, exercise requirements and grooming routine of bull terriers can help an owner take the best possible care of their pet. Plus, choosing the right type of food for a puppy or adult bull terrier can help to prevent some of their most common health issues.

The Best Dog Food for Bull Terriers

Of course, puppies need a different type of diet than grown bull terriers.

For puppies, protein is the first nutrient to look for in their food. Amino acids in protein contribute to strengthening the dog’s muscular body. This can promote healthy growth of the knees to prevent patellar luxation. Also, protein supports healthy skin and hair. Calcium supports the growth of healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin E and C contribute to healthy kidney growth in a puppy.

Protein plays an important part in the diet of an adult bull terrier as well. Protein along with a controlled amount of fat give this dog energy to support its various activities. Controlling the fat in an adult dog’s diet can help to prevent heart disease. Calcium contributes to healthy bones and teeth in adult dogs. This can prevent dental issues. Vitamin E and C can help guard against kidney disease. Vitamin A supports the healthy vision of this dog.

Steer clear of dog foods containing legumes, so you don’t exacerbate this breed’s risk of heart disease. Some vets will point owners towards low-phosphorus dog foods if their companion suffers from kidney disease. Stay in contact with your vet about your Bull Terrier’s health and follow their food recommendations.

A-Z Animals thinks the best dog food for Bull Terriers is Wellness CORE Dry Dog Food with Wholesome Grains, High Protein Dog Food.

This muscle-building high-protein dog food cuts out the fillers, artificial flavors and preservatives, and harmful legumes like lentils and peas in favor of whole nutrition. There’s alternative, nutritious grains and quality meats like turkey and chicken. These recognizable ingredients carry sufficient glucosamine and chondroitin to promote stable joints and minimize conditions like patellar luxation. And the taurine helps nurture a healthy heart.

You can order Wellness CORE Wholesome Grains High Protein Dog Food on amazon.

Wellness CORE Wholesome Grains Dry Dog Food, Original Recipe, 4 Pound Bag

• ADVANCED NATURAL NUTRITION TO FUEL YOUR DOG’S BEST LIFE: Premium protein expertly balanced with nutrient rich superfoods for a complete and balanced dog food, with guaranteed levels of all the nutrients your dog needs to thrive and no fillers
• SAVORY FOOD DOGS LOVE: Wellness CORE is available in grain and grain free recipes, as well as limited ingredient diets for dogs with food sensitivities
• LEANER BODY MASS AND MUSCLE TONE: Supported by a high concentration of protein from fresh meat ingredients
• SUPPORTS HEALTHY SKIN AND COAT: With guaranteed levels of omega fatty acids from ingredients such as flaxseed and salmon oil
• WHOLE BODY HEALTH: Supported by omega fatty acids, antioxidants, glucosamine, probiotics and taurine for a healthy heart

Buy on Amazon

Bull Terrier Maintenance and Grooming

How much does a bull terrier shed? A bull terrier sheds a moderate amount. It may shed a little more at the change of seasons.

This dog requires weekly brushing. A soft brush with boar’s hair bristles is a quality grooming tool for a bull terrier’s coat. A grooming glove can be used to groom the dog’s legs and face to remove loose or dead hair. It’s most effective to start at the dog’s head and move toward its tail. This routine is appropriate for both standard bull terriers and miniature bull terriers. A good grooming routine keeps a bull terrier’s coat glossy and gives an owner the chance to bond with this dog.

A White Cavalier terrier needs a grooming routine that’s a little more time-consuming. This dog with its pure white coat needs to be bathed more often to keep its hair looking clean and glossy.

Bull terriers can develop red, itchy patches of skin due to food or seasonal allergies. Asking a veterinarian about the dog’s diet and testing for seasonal allergies can help to clear up this condition.

Bull Terrier Training

Bull terriers are intelligent dogs, but they have an independent nature. This can make training challenging if an owner doesn’t go about it the right way. Words of praise are helpful in keeping this dog focused. Making the lessons fun with delicious treats is also very effective with this breed.

A border collie is another intelligent dog, but it’s easier to train than a bull terrier because it doesn’t have an independent streak.

Bull Terrier Exercise

Whether an owner has a miniature or standard bull terrier, this dog needs exercise every day. This pup has a lot of energy that it needs to burn off in order to stay healthy. It needs at least 40 minutes of exercise each day. Running, jumping, fetching a ball, playing chase, or catching a frisbee are all activities that provide a bull terrier with great exercise. It’s not a good idea to take this dog to a dog park. Generally, bull terriers don’t get along with other dogs.

Bull terriers are muscular dogs that are fast and like to keep moving. They need a large living space. So, they are not recommended for apartment living. A medium to large fenced in backyard is a great place for a bull terrier to stretch its legs.

Bull Terrier Puppies

One of the most important things to remember about raising a bull terrier puppy has to do with diet. These dogs can overeat and become obese. This can lead to a lot of health problems. So, feeding a puppy the right amount of food is just as crucial as feeding it a nutritional diet.

Bull Terriers and Children

Bull terriers aren’t an advisable choice for families with small children. These dogs can be aggressive if they aren’t socialized. They are very strong and could inadvertently injure small children while playing or running in the yard.

Dogs Similar to the Bull Terrier

Other breeds similar to bull terriers include the American Staffordshire terrier, the Airedale terrier, and the Bedlington terrier.

• American Staffordshire Terrier: This dog has a lot in common with bull terriers including a friendly personality, easy grooming routine and loyal nature. But, while these dogs have a lot of energy, they are not as energetic as bull terriers. American Pit Bull Terriersare similar to the American Staffordshire terrier.
• Airedale Terrier: Like a bull terrier, an Airedale is playful, intelligent and an excellent guard dog. But its grooming routine is a little more complicated due to its wiry coat.
• Bedlington Terrier: Bedlington terriers are affectionate, friendly, and active. They do require more grooming than bull terriers because of their long, curly coat.

Famous Bull Terriers

A few celebrities count the bull terrier as a favorite pooch.

• Singer Taylor Swift owns a bull terrier
• Singer Eric Clapton has pet bull terrier
• English singer Lily Allen has a beloved bull terrier

Popular Names for Bull Terriers

Some popular names for bull terriers include:

• Bella
• Lucy
• Harley
• Cooper
• Chloe
• Thor
• Bentley

Last update on 2022-07-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

View all 192 animals that start with B