09/12/2023
A suspected XL Bully breed type does not need to fit the physical description perfectly. If your dog meets the minimum height measurements and a substantial number of the characteristics in the official definition, it could be considered an XL Bully breed type.
If you think your dog meets the minimum height measurements and has a substantial amount of the physical characteristics set out in the official definition, your dog may be in scope of the ban. This includes if it was not sold as an XL Bully.
General impression
Large dog with a muscular body and blocky head, suggesting great strength and power for its size. Powerfully built individual.
Height
Adult male from 20in (51 cm) at the withers
Adult female from 19in (48cm) at the withers
Blue Cross UK has created a video guide on how to measure your dog’s height from the ground to the withers.
Head
Heavy, large and broad
The length from the tip of the nose to a well-defined stop (indentation between muzzle and the head) is equal to around a 1/3 of the length from the stop to the back of the head
Muzzle blocky or slightly squared to fall away below the eyes
Topline of muzzle straight
Prominent cheek muscles with strong, well-defined jaws and lips semi-close
Often having prominent wrinkles on face
Nose is large with well opened nostrils
Teeth
Level or scissor bite.
Neck
Heavy, muscular, slightly arched, tapering from the shoulders to the base of the skull
Medium in length
Forequarters
Shoulder blades are long, well-muscled and well laid back
Upper arm length is about equal to the length of the shoulder blades and joined at a 35 to 45 angle to the ground
Front legs straight, strong and very muscular with dog standing high on the pasterns (area between feet and ankles)
Elbows set close to the body
Distance from the withers to elbows about the same as the distance from the elbow to the bottom of the feet
Body
Heavily-muscled
Large, blocky body giving impression of great power for size
Broad, deep chest with well sprung ribs
Chest may be wider than deep
Topline level and straight
Loin short and firm
Generally appears square shaped from point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks compared with the withers (tallest point on the dogs body excluding head and shoulders) to the ground
Hindquarters
Strong, muscular and broad
Thighs well developed with thick musculature
From behind, both pasterns are typically straight and parallel to each other
Muscular development, angulation and width in balance with forequarters
Feet
Rounded, medium in size and in proportion to body
Compact and well arched
Tail
Medium length and low set
Tapers to a point to end at about the level of the hocks
Generally assumes a straight or pump handle shape when dog relaxed
