American Bully Size Guide: How Big Does an American Bully Get?

Despite their off-putting name, American Bullies have been specifically bred for their gentle and affectionate temperament. They are classified as companion dogs and make lovely, loyal, and loving pets for experienced dog owners. 

Our handy interactive puppy growth chart and calculator takes all the hard work out of predicting your puppy’s potential adult size. This helps you to know exactly what you are in for.

The American Bully is a relatively new breed developed in the ’80s and ’90s. They are not yet recognized by the American Kennel Club, meaning that their size standards aren’t as clearly established as other breeds. This makes answering the question ‘how big will my American Bully get?’ a little more complicated – but we’ve given it a try anyway. 

American Bully Size Predictions by Age 

Confident, exuberant, and friendly, American Bullies are a mix of around five different kinds of Pit Bull, but the American Pit Bull Terrier is considered to be the parent breed. These dogs have an undeserved reputation as aggressive because of their stocky build and history – Pit Bulls were bred to be fighting dogs. 

However, just like their cousins, Bullies are people-oriented dogs. They love nothing more than being around their family, and they crave attention. Their playful and eager-to-please personality makes them quick to train. You do need to get them started early, though – they may be obedient, but they are also strong. This means they can be a little tricky to handle with their notoriously determined nature. 

In terms of size, American Bullies are classified as a small-to-large breed, which doesn’t exactly tell us much! What we do know is that Bullies are much broader, more compact, and have a wider head than their American Pit Bull parents. 

This is where the standards have been set so far at each key milestone of their first year:

Age	3 months	6 months	1 year	Adult
Weight	20 – 35 lbs	50 – 70 lbs	55 – 75 lbs	65 – 85 lbs
Height	8 – 10 inches	14 – 18 inches	16 – 20 inches	16 – 20 inches

*A dog’s height is measured from its withers – this is the point between the shoulder blades.

As American Bullies are so young as a breed, the numbers here are only rough estimates of their growth rates based chiefly on canines of a similar size. 

Most dogs do a great deal of their growing in the first 6 months of their lives. At this time, your Bully will likely be close to their adult height, although they will likely only be around three-quarters of their total weight. They may continue to gain muscle until well after their first birthday, depending on nutrition and exercise levels. 

Are There Different Sizes of American Bully?

Rarely for a pedigree breed, and largely to do with the fact that they are so new, many registering bodies detail four distinct sizes of American Bully: 

• Standards are considered to be the average American Bully size as outlined by the standards above. 
• Classics are of a similar height to the Standard Bully but differ in weight. With more terrier genes, they generally have a less bulky, leggier appearance.  
• Pockets, as the name suggests, are smaller versions of the dog. They are typically somewhere between 13 and 17 inches in height. 
• XL Bullies are right at the top end of the size spectrum sitting somewhere between 19 and 23 inches. 

Owners also name two further types in the Extreme category: Micro and XXL, but neither are officially recognized.

There are also some size variations by gender with these dogs, with females often being very slightly smaller than males in terms of both height and weight. However, the differences aren’t really all that observable.  

American Bully Growth Patterns

While American Bullies come in an assortment of sizes, experts tend to agree that they follow the same initial growth pattern. In fact, all Bullies are considered to be Standard until they reach their first year. Naturally, the smaller types will be on the lower end of the size range. 

Bullies will usually get to around half their height at 3 months, although they will only be at around a third of their weight by then. After they reach the 6-month marker, their growth will noticeably slow. Pocket breeds will generally be at their full height; other sizes will be close. American Bullies can continue gaining muscle mass right up until their second birthday; however, this will only be the case for overall larger dogs. 

How Big is a Full-Grown American Bully?

You might expect your American Bully to be somewhere between 16 and 20 inches in height and 65 to 85 pounds in weight, depending on their gender and the size of the parent dogs. However, the truth is they could be as little as 13 inches and as much as 23 inches when fully grown and weigh as much as 120 pounds. 

American Bullies usually get to half their total weight around 4 to 5 months and their adult size at roughly 18 months. You can calculate their potential mature weight at 4.5 months by taking what they weigh at that age and multiplying it by two.

A different formula you could use is:

1. Growth = current weight / current age in weeks
2. Adult weight = Growth x 52 (number of weeks in one year)

So, for example, if your 12-week old pup weighs 18 pounds. You simply divide the current weight by their age in weeks and multiply the result with 52:

What Age is an American Bully Fully Grown By?

The answer to the question of when you may consider your American Bully fully grown depends on what you feel to be fully grown. 

Depending on their type, they will reach their adult height somewhere between 6 months and a year. They will take somewhat longer, however, to achieve their adult weight. On average, a Standard American Bully will get there around 18 months, although the truth is it could take as long as two years. 

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American Bullies are a new but increasingly popular type of dog with the muscular appearance of a Pit Bull breed and the sweet nature of a companion dog. Breeders have worked hard to remove every last bit of aggression from these adorable canines. 

When it comes to their size, they are a little bit of a mixed bag given that there are several distinct types. However, the breeder that you purchase your pup from should be able to provide you with more details on what to expect. Failing that, keep an eye on their growth rates and make use of our handy interactive puppy weight calculator to gain a reasonable guesstimate of your puppy’s future size.