24-33 lbs
10-14"
England
The Miniature Bull Terrier is a downsized version of the modern-day Bull Terrier whose progenitor was a Bull-and-Terrier crossed with Spanish Pointers. Pre-dating his larger cousin, the Mini Bull was developed from Old English Bulldog and White English Terrier (now extinct) to produce the Bull-and-Terrier. The Miniature Bull Terrier's original purpose was for ratting and pit-fighting, but today he enjoys the good life with the family and is an excellent earth dog. The Miniature Bull Terrier is friendly, feisty, extroverted, and is often referred to as a clown. The Mini Bull is exceedingly fond of chasing his tail, which can be a hard habit to break.
The Miniature Bull Terrier is often confused with its close cousin, the Bull Terrier. In fact, these two breeds once belonged to the same collective breed, known as the Bull Terriers but were recognized as a separate breed by the American Kennel Club in 1991. The Miniature Bull Terrier pre-dates the Bull Terrier, having come first by the cross breeding of an Old English Bulldog and the now extinct White English Terrier. Bull Terriers were derived by adding larger Spanish Pointers and possibly Dalmatians to produce a taller Bull Terrier. The Mini Bull is a smaller version of the Bull Terrier in every respect and has gained significant popularity. This breed hails from England and has deep ancestral roots in the Molosser family as well as the Terrier family. The Old English Bulldog is now far removed from its modern-day appearance and had a strong resemblance to the current day Mini Bull. This Old English Bulldog was crossed with the White English Terrier to produce a feisty, high spirited ratting dog and capable gladiator for pit fighting. When the cruel practice of pit fighting was finally banned, the Miniature Bull Terrier continued to be a useful earth dog and companion. The Mini Bull is considered "so ugly he's cute" by many people and this breed, alongside its close cousin the Bull Terrier, found notoriety in ad campaigns for Bud Light and Target, known as Spuds Mackenzie and Bullseye, respectively. The separation of the two breeds began as early as the mid-20th century when the Miniature Bull Terrier was shown in a miscellaneous breed class but not until 1991 did the American Kennel Club recognize the Miniature Bull Terrier as its breed apart from the Bull Terrier.
The Miniature Bull Terrier is strongly built with a square-like shape. This breed is distinguished by its long oval-shaped head that is often referred to as egg-shaped due to its overall fullness. A gentle curve marks the Miniature Bull Terrier's profile from the forehead to the tip of the nose, but the forehead is flat between the ears. This breed's eyes are small and triangular set as well as sunk low while being closely spaced and high on the head. The ears are small and set close together. The lips are clean and tight, and the teeth can meet either in a level or a scissor bite. The Miniature Bull Terrier has a thick neck and wide shoulder blades. The forelegs are big-boned and of moderate length and straight. The hind legs are parallel when viewed from behind with muscular thighs. The feet on a Miniature Bull Terrier are round. Compact toes are arched like a cat.
Despite having short hair, the Miniature Bull Terrier sheds moderately, and without routine brushing, you will notice an excess of loose course dog hair. Thankfully, their coat is easy to maintain with once a week brushing using a rubber mitt. This breed will go through two shedding seasons annually, and daily brush will significantly help the process. In general, Miniature Bull Terriers do not require bathing unless necessary. In addition to brushing the Mini Bull’s coat, cleaning his teeth at least three times a week will reduce the chance of developing dental diseases. Weekly ear checks for debris and dirt is also important. You should acquaint your Mini Bull with daily and weekly grooming practices at an early age to establish the practice and allow him time to adjust properly. The Miniature Bull Terrier is a rambunctious breed that requires a lot of exercise. However, if given an opportunity to burn off that extra stored energy this breed does well in an apartment and urban areas. When it comes to the weather, this breed prefers it warm and does not tolerate the cold well. Feeding your Mini Bull depends on his activity level, age, and metabolism and the range of recommended food is greater than most. A Mini Bull needs between 1.5 and 4.25 cups of food divided into two meals daily. Consult with your veterinarian if you are unsure of the amount of food you should feed your Mini Bull and always monitor your dog’s weight and reactions to food. Additionally, it is not recommended to give a Mini Bull rawhide toys as this can lead to deadly blockages. Always consult with your veterinarian on any ensure food products.
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Playful, lively, mischievous, and comical just about sums of the Miniature Bull Terrier. The Mini Bull is considered a loyal and affectionate dog for the family, and even though this breed does well with children, the Mini Bull is more suited to older children who can respect the dog. When it comes to strangers, this breed is shy and leery. The Miniature Bull Terrier is good with other dogs its size or larger but smaller dogs, cats, and other animals engage the prey-minded terrier in this breed. It is best to keep cats and smaller animals out of the Mini Bull’s way. This breed is highly intelligent and very easy to train, but the Miniature Bull Terrier needs a lot of interaction. Without human contact, this breed will let its mischievous side loose and nothing is safe from chewing. The Mini Bull will also entertain himself with tail chasing to burn off some of that extra energy and as a tool for anxiety and boredom. You should try to avoid tail chasing by making sure your Mini Bull gets plenty of exercise and human contact.
