Skip to main content

Terrier group · England

Bull Terrier

Also called English Bull Terrier, Bully, Gladiator.

Large dog, high energy, trains well with consistency.

  • Playful
  • Charming
  • Mischievous
  • Courageous
  • Devoted
AI-generated illustration of an adult Bull Terrier
AI-generated illustration
Size
Large
Weight
23 to 32 kg50 to 70 lb
Lives
12 to 13 years
Energy
High
Trains
Moderate
Barks
Moderate

Training

Training a Bull Terrier

Terrier breeds. Impulse control and a rock-solid leave it. Short, high-value sessions; they bore fast.

  1. Make It Fun

    Start here

    Bull Terriers are clownish and respond to playful, upbeat training. Boring repetition will be ignored.

  2. Early Socialisation

    Can be aggressive with other dogs if not properly socialised. Start early and be consistent.

  3. Redirect Mouthing

    They love to chew and mouth. Provide plenty of appropriate chew toys and redirect unwanted chewing.

The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.

Add your Bull Terrier and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, on video with Atlas and Shango.

Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.

At home

Living with one

Bred to go to ground after vermin. Fearless, quick, and not built to back down.

Gets on with

  • ChildrenHigh
  • Other dogsLow
  • StrangersHigh
  • CatsLow

Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.

Exercise
1-2 hours daily. Vigorous exercise with plenty of play. Prone to obsessive behaviours if under-exercised.
Grooming
Low maintenance. Weekly brushing to remove loose hair.
Drool
Low
Coat
Short, Flat, HarshWhite, Black Brindle, Red, Fawn, Tricolour, Brindle and White
In a flat
Can work, with enough exercise outside it.

Health

Things to ask a breeder or vet about

  • Deafness

    Moderate

    Congenital deafness common especially in white Bull Terriers

  • Heart Disease

    Moderate

    Mitral valve disease and other cardiac conditions

  • Kidney Disease

    Severe

    Hereditary nephritis can cause kidney failure

Where they come from

History

Created in the 1830s by James Hinks in Birmingham, England by crossing Bulldogs with the now-extinct English White Terrier and Dalmatians. Originally bred for dog fighting but refined to be a gentleman's companion with the distinctive "egg-shaped" head.

  • Spuds MacKenzie · Bud Light's iconic mascot from the 1980s advertising campaigns
  • Bullseye · The Target store mascot featuring the distinctive eye ring

Similar breeds

All breeds

Titan Training Academy

Free on iPhone

Get the app