General appearance
Strongly built, muscular, well balanced and active with a keen, determined and intelligent expression.
Characteristics
The Bull Terrier is the gladiator of the canine race, full of fire and courageous. A unique feature is a downfaced, egg-shaped head. Irrespective of size dogs should look masculine and bitches feminine.
Temperament
Of even temperament and amenable to discipline. Although obstinate, is particularly good with people
The skeleton of the Bull Terrier from behind
The skeleton of the Bull Terrier from the front
Head and Skull
Head long, strong and deep right to the end of muzzle, but not coarse. Viewed from front, egg-shaped and completely filled, its surface free from hollows or indentation. Top of skull almost flat from ear to ear. Profile curves gently downwards from top of the skull to tip of nose, which should be black and bent downwards at tip. Nostrils well developed and under-jaw deep and strong.
Mouth
Teeth sound, clean, strong, of good size, regular with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaw. Lips clean and tight.
Correct bite – scissors Incorrect bite – overshot Incorrect bite – undershot Incorrect bite - pincer
Eyes
Appearing narrow, obliquely placed and triangular, well sunken, black or as dark brown as possible so as to appear almost black, and with a piercing glint. Distance from tip of nose to eyes perceptibly greater than that from eyes to top of skull. Blue or partly blue undesirable.
Ears
Small, thin and placed close together. Dog should be able to hold them stiffly erect. When they point straight upwards.
Neck
Very muscular, long, arched, tapering from shoulders to head and free from loose skin.
Upright placement of the shoulder. Note the effect of lengthening the back and shortening the neck.
The outlines are identical
Forequaters
Shoulders strong and muscular without loading. Shoulder blades wide, flat and held closely to the chest wall and have a very pronounced backward slope of front edge from bottom to top, forming almost a right angle with upper arm. Elbows held straight and strong, pasterns upright. Forelegs have strongest type of round quality bone, dog should stand solidly upon them and they should be perfectly parallel. In mature dogs, length of foreleg should be approximately equal to depth of chest.
Correct placement of the shoulder and upper arm.
Body
Body well rounded with marked spring of rib and great depth from withers to brisket, so that latter nearer ground than belly. Back short, strong with backline behind withers level, arching or roaching slightly over broad, well muscled lions. Underline from brisket to belly forms a graceful upward curve. Chest broad when viewed from front.
Pelvis too steep, stifle and hock too straight.
Note the effect on the topline, and width of hindquarters
Hindquarters
Hind legs in parallel when viewed from behind. Thighs muscular and second thighs well developed. Stifle joint well bent and hock well angulated with bone to foot short and strong.
Properly angulated hindquarters
Feet
Round and compact with well-arched toes.
Weak, thin feet
Correct feet from the front and side. Correct shape of pads
Tail
Short, set on low and carried horizontally. Thick at root, it tapers to a fine point.
Gait/Movement
When moving appears well knit, smoothly covering ground with free, easy strides and with a typical jaunty air. When trotting, movement parallel, front and back, only converging towards centre line at faster speeds, forelegs reaching out well and hind legs moving smoothly at hip, flexing well at stifle and hock, with great thrust
Excellent front. Note that the hind legs are in parallel with the front legs
Coat
Short, flat, even and harsh to touch with a fine gloss. Skin fitting dog tightly. A soft textured undercoat may be present in winter.
Colour
For white, pure white coat. Skin pigmentation and markings on head not to be penalised. For coloured, colour predominates; all other things being equal, brindle preferred. Black, brindle, red, fawn and tricolour acceptable. Tick markings in white coat undesirable. Blue and liver highly undesirable.
Size
There are neither weight nor height limits, but there should be the impression of maximum substance for size of dog consistent with quality and sex.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be exact proportion to its degree.
