02/01/2024
Just to clarify as I keep getting asked this.
NO I will not be exempting Lula. She is an American Bulldog.
She has a long pedigree, has won 2 ABA conformation classes, and looks like an American Bulldog - funnily enough.
and if you're not aware what an American Bulldog looks like, here is Lulas pedigree which can be easily traced back to the mid 50s when the breed was formalized. (https://www.pedigreedatabase.com/american_bulldog/dog.html?id=2674236-lejabulls-need-for-speed?_v=20221113164437)
The breed was recognised by the UKC in 1999, and the AKC in 2019. Largely because most pedigree breeders breed for work & sport, less rarely showing. The majority of the American bulldog population in the UK and USA is made up of non-pedigree pet dogs. The acceptance of ambulls by the AKC is not endorsed by the ABA. The ABA has a standard which you can have a look at here: http://www.ababulldogs.com/conformation-.html
Compare this to the American Bully - the Bullys were bred with showing and conformation/appearance in mind and its played a huge part in their success. They were recognised by the AKC in 2013 because of this.
The American bulldog is still in the "foundation stock service" of the AKC, meaning non-pedigree dogs can apply to become AKC registered.
American Bulldogs are a lean and athletic breed. They should be powerful dogs but not exaggerated in broadness, size, or shortness of face (there are 2 varieties with the unfortunately named "bully" variety with a shorter muzzle).
American bulldogs do not come in a vast array of colours and are typically predominantly white. Bullys are rarely as white as ambulls, and do not have the squared proportions of well shaped ambull.
Photo of my beautiful american bulldog for comparison
