When Is an American Bully Fully Grown? Growth Chart and Timeline

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If you own an American Bully, you undoubtedly already know that they can go from cute little fluffy critters to large dogs who become a wrecking ball in a matter of seconds. However, if you’re considering getting one, you should start researching their size to make a place for them in your home.

So, when is an American Bully fully grown? An American Bully is usually fully grown at about 12 months old. However, depending on size and genetics, a Bully may take a little longer or a little less time to grow fully. Larger American Bullies will continue to grow their physique, prolonging the growing period to 24 months.

Keep reading to learn more about the American Bully growth chart and timeline to determine if your Bully is growing at a normal rate.

When Is an American Bully Fully Grown?

Although there is an average expected size for each breed of the American Bully, the actual size may vary because some Bullies have a little larger physique than others.

As a result, the skeletal structure of your four-legged buddy will decide how big it gets.

At 12 months old, American Bullies usually reach their maximum growth. However, depending on its size, an American Bully may take a little bit longer or a little bit less time to become fully grown. American Bullies with a larger physique can keep growing for 24 months.

American Bully puppies have bones that get bigger at their soft growth plates. New bone tissues are formed in the growth plates; these tissues frequently begin soft before gradually hardening as the pup grows.

The growth plates halt creating new tissue and become calcified, or “closed,” when the maximum bone size has been reached.

At What Age Are American Bullies Full-Grown?

Even though they are regarded as adults at 12 months old, puppies nevertheless continue to grow. Their size, height, and bone development could take anywhere from 6 to 24 months to complete.

Larger dog breeds like the American Bully require about 24 months to reach adulthood. The weight of an American Bully should always be in proportion to their size; there is no standard weight for all varieties. A typical American Bully weighs 66 to 88 pounds.

Remember that different dogs of the same breed will grow at different rates of size development; moreover, ensure that your Bully gets the best nourishment and develops in a safe environment. Your dog’s physical growth is also not always on the same timeline as their mental growth, and you check out my guide to when bullies fill out here for more on that.

At What Age Is an American Bully’s Head Fully Grown?

The process through which a dog’s head develops till it achieves its full size as it matures and changes from a puppy to an adult dog is referred to as head splitting or cracking. Despite what some owners may think, the dog’s head doesn’t actually “break” or “split.” The dog’s head will fluctuate slightly in size and shape, though.

The muscles in the dog’s face will develop more pronounced, resulting in a dip in the middle of its head and a larger muscle on the top of it.

Due to how subtle and usually sluggish these changes are, some owners might not notice them when they take place. Some dogs’ heads are narrower than others; thus, it may take longer for their muscles to grow and mature appropriately.

The heads of American Bullies are one of their most distinctive features; thus, it is easy to identify their development by the size and growth of their heads.

At the age of 9 months, an American Bully’s head begins to split, and it continues to enlarge until the dog is between 12 and 18 months old. You might not even notice the changes as they take place because they will be sluggish and gradual at this point.

The American Bully should begin to attain a mature height and weight by the time it is 12 months old, though it is common for certain dogs to take more time than that to do so, often taking up to 2 or 3 years.

The American Bully Size and Growth Chart

American Bullies are classified as a small-to-large breed in terms of size. They are bigger, stronger, and have broader skulls than their grandparents.

American Bullies are classified into four types according to size; here’s a breakdown of each type’s average height and weight.

Type	Male Size	Female Size
Standard American Bully	Height: 17 to 20 Inches Weight: 60 to 80 Pounds	Height: 16 to 19 Inches Weight: 60 to 80 Pounds
Classic American Bully	Height: 17 to 20 Inches Weight: 60 to 80 Pounds	Height: 16 to 19 Inches Weight: 60 to 80 Pounds
XL American Bully	Height: 20 to 23 Inches Weight: 74 to 130 Pounds	Height: 19 to 22 Inches Weight: 74 to 130 Pounds
Pocket American Bully	Height:14 to 17 Inches Weight: 10 to 20 Pounds	Height:13 to 16 Inches Weight: 10 to 20 Pounds
Extreme American Bully	No official info.	No official info.

Of course, there are other differences between males and females other than size; I have a guide on the differences between male and female bullies here that you should check out.

Let’s now discuss the types of American Bullies:

Standard American Bully

The average height of a male Bully is 17 to 20 inches, compared to 16 to 19 inches for females. Male and female weight varies between 60 and 80 pounds. They typically have a lifespan of 10 to 14 years.

They often have large, proportionate broadheads for their size, along with noticeable cheek muscles and large skulls. Their mouths are well-defined, and their bodies are powerful and muscular. Their big chests give them the appearance of being very strong.

Classic American Bully

The Classic Bully still exhibits “bully” traits despite having a leaner body shape and a considerably smaller body mass. It resembles the original American Pit Bull Terrier or the American Staffordshire Terrier in looks.

Despite being physically smaller, the Classic Bullies possess the same qualities as the Standard Bullies. The average height of a male is 17 to 20 inches, compared to 16 to 19 inches for females. They typically have a lifespan of between 10 and 12 years and weigh 60 to 80 pounds.

Classics have an imposing physique with broad chests, a leaner body, and fewer muscles. They have strong, slightly arched necks and broad shoulders.

XL American Bully

Despite being larger and taller than the Standard, the XL Bully has a striking resemblance to it. They are significantly heavier than Standards since they have a higher body mass, making them the largest American Bully.

They have huge, powerful heads and deep, broad chests. Their unique features include pronounced cheek muscles and a clearly defined jawline. They also have strong, somewhat arched necks and broad shoulders.

Pocket American Bully

Despite being physically smaller than Standard Bullies, they exhibit many of the same traits. They have large chests, powerful bodies, and heads that are proportionate to their sizes.

Males typically range in height from 14 to 17 inches, while females are typically between 13 and 16 inches. Additionally, they weigh 10 to 20 pounds. They typically have a lifespan of 10 to 12 years.

I have a separate guide here for the growth timeline of the pocket bully and all the basic details you need to know.

Extreme American Bully

The Extreme American Bully doesn’t have a set size. Despite being smaller than the Standard American Bully, they are nonetheless regarded as having a thick, substantial bone structure and being broader. They can expect to live for 10 to 12 years.

Large chests, sculpted necks, and strong shoulders give Extreme Bullies a tough image. They differ from other varieties of American Bullies in having looser lips and a higher rear.

The Timeline of an American Bully’s Growth

It’s normal to wonder whether your American Bully is developing normally, what kind of food you should be giving them, and how much exercise they should be getting.

In the following sections, we’ll explain how to tell if your American Bully puppy is developing adequately for its growth stage.

An American Bully Younger Than a Month

Neonatal American Bully puppies are at their most delicate stage of development. These puppies are still developing, so they completely depend on their mother for warmth and food.

They will eat and sleep for the majority of the day and night. They must be dewormed as soon as possible because they are so prone to contracting worms at this age.

A Month-Old American Bully

Your American Bully puppy’s eyes will open at this time, and his ears will start functioning. Additionally, he will begin consuming solid meals after his milk teeth appear.

As he interacts with his littermates, his tail will soon begin to wag. To avoid eventual social issues, your puppy should connect with people.

A 2-Months-Old American Bully

Before they turn two months old, American Bully puppies grow quickly, and they are now at the age when they can get their first shots at the vet and find their permanent home with their new owners.

At this point, your puppy is also learning social skills and how to interact with other people and their environment.

An 11-Week-Old American Bully

Although your American Bully puppy will be quite energetic at eleven weeks old, don’t overwork it. Its growth plates will be too soft to support sustained exercise, and its joints will still be quite flimsy.

A 3-Months-Old American Bully

Your American Bully puppy reaches adolescence at 12 weeks or three months old. From this point on, his growth will slow down, and his senses ought to be fully mature.

At this age, they require ongoing socializing and instruction but exercise patience because they have a short attention span.

A 4-Month-Old American Bully

Your American Bully is a teenager at four months old and is prepared to challenge the limits. He is attempting to determine his abilities and limitations.

Puppy training at this stage can help reinforce positive behaviors and stop the emergence of negative ones. At the very least, spend 20 minutes every day training your dog.

A 6-Month-Old American Bully

Your American Bully reaches sexual maturity at six months of age, and females may start to go into heat for the very first time. Although male dogs normally mature sexually faster than female dogs, you shouldn’t mate your dogs at this age because they are still regarded as pups.

Behavioral issues, including anger and disobedience, may manifest at this age. Additionally, your American Bully is getting older and becoming pickier about the people it deems friends.

Aggression towards other dogs and strangers may arise if your American Bully is not thoroughly socialized and taught.

A Year-Old American Bully

Your American Bully will already grow to adult size and weight by this age. It will soon be able to transition from puppy food to adult food, requiring a lot of exercise to prevent conditions like obesity and diabetes.

During this phase, your dog’s growth plates start to harden and close. It won’t change much as it gets older, but its muscles can get more defined as it gains weight.

How to Tell How Big Your American Bully Puppy Will Get?

The average height of an American bully is between 16-20 inches. However, given that every dog is unique, there is no way to predict how big yours will be.

Some dog owners don’t have the luxury of having a house with a backyard or living in large apartments. A huge dog needs its own space. Therefore, estimating the size of adult dogs is essential.

Checking the parents is one approach to predicting the size of your puppy. Males typically resemble their fathers, while females typically resemble their mothers. A small puppy cannot be expected from a large parent unless it is the runt of the litter.

The genetic makeup of American Bullies has a significant impact on their development. The American Bully’s growth trend may differ because of its bloodlines, which include Pit Bulls, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bulldogs, American Pit Bull Terriers, and other short-haired canines.

The amount of each particular breed in a dog’s genetics might impact their development and behavior in the Bully world. For instance, a Staffordshire Terrier-dominant American Bully will probably grow taller and thinner than a Pit Bull-dominant American Bully, who will probably be smaller and more muscular.

Your veterinarian might also be able to run a DNA test in some locations to estimate how big your Bully might get. If you want to do the DNA test yourself, check out this guide to testing for Bullies’ DNA with Wisdom panel.

A different approach is to examine the puppy’s paws. It can also hint that the puppy will become a giant dog if its paws are exceptionally large.

How to Tell If Your American Bully Is Growing As Expected?

You don’t need to be concerned if you’ve been giving your dog a nutritious, healthy diet and making it active. However, y our dog could still be overweight or underweight.

Because American Bullies are notorious for having thinner fur than other breeds, you can tell if your Bully is underweight because its ribs will be visible from the underbelly. In this situation, I strongly suggest seeing your veterinarian before increasing your puppy’s food consumption.

If you observe that it is obese. You should increase your Bully’s workout routine to help him lose the extra body fat. On the other hand, if you think your puppy’s weight is abnormally low or high, you should seek advice from your vet.

As for their diet, I have two guides that you should check out: my complete guide to the best foods for American bullies here, and another guide to the foods bullies can and can’t eat.

What Is the American Bully’s Body Condition Score (BCS)?

The appropriate weight of pets, including dogs, is determined using the Body Condition Score (BCS). There are two BCS scales: 1 to 9 and 1 to 5. Either 3/5 or 5/9 is the perfect BCS for an American Bully.

This indicates that your dog has good proportions, an abdominal tuck, a visible waist from above, and ribs that are not covered by extra fat.

Your dog is highly obese if its BCS score is 9/9 or 5/5, and they are severely underweight if it is 1/5 or 1/9. They require veterinary care in both situations.

How to Measure an American Bully’s Height?

Here are the steps you should take to measure your dog’s height.

Make sure your four-legged buddy is standing correctly, paying attention to his neck and shoulder lines. The withers are the intersection between the neck and shoulders. Your American Bully’s height is determined at the withers, just like all dogs.
To properly identify the withers, ensure your animal friend stands upright. Don’t forget to measure there rather than at the head. Consider rewarding it with a treat to keep your Bully calm throughout this process.
Measuring your dog’s height with a measuring tape would be preferable. If your Bully is smaller, you can increase the precision of the measurements by setting it on a higher surface, such as a table.
To acquire accurate leveling, you can also utilize a carpenter’s level when measuring. Don’t forget to ask a friend to help you because you’ll need one for this.
Measure your dog parallel to the ground, starting at the withers until you reach the area that the front paws of your American Bully are touching, and the length you measured is your dog’s height.

How to Properly Weigh an American Bully?

A healthy weight will be maintained by your American Bully throughout their various life stages if you routinely weigh them and monitor their weight. The weight assessments will also enable you to monitor and spot any weight changes in your Bully, like weight gain or loss.

Use a dog weighing machine to weigh your American Bully, particularly if they are too hefty for you to manage. Encourage them to remain motionless while using the scale, then note the result.

What Type of Health Problems Affect a Bully’s Growth?

The American Bully is prone to several health difficulties like other dog breeds. Other Bully mix breeds may also develop the illnesses listed.

The following are the most typical health issues this breed encounters:

Hip dysplasia: Unfortunately, a dog cannot be tested for hip dysplasia until it is an adult. During the puppy stage, it is impossible to find this problem. Hip dysplasia is a malformation resulting from the hip joint growing improperly and impairing the dog’s movement.
Patellar Luxation: This is an example of the kneecap’s aberrant development, which ultimately dislocates and results in limping and excruciating agony.
Cleft lip/palate: A mouth or upper lip deformity is represented by this condition. Although the dog’s lifetime is unaffected by this illness, the comfort of the dog’s life is severely impacted. In order to enhance the pup’s overall quality of life, a cleft palate requires aesthetic surgery.
Demodectic mange: Since American Bullies don’t have a thick, double coat, demodectic mange is rather simple to detect in these dogs. Hair loss and scabs are symptoms of this illness.
Congenital heart failure: This disorder causes a fluid increase in the body and is also referred to as an “enlarged heart.” Even though American Bullies are canines with enormous hearts, their real hearts shouldn’t be bigger than normal.
Ichthyosis: This skin issue also makes the dog’s paw pads thicker and more likely to peel.
Atopy: It should be treated to reduce discomfort and because it is a fairly common skin allergy. It frequently appears with uncommon coat colors, such as the blue Bully.
Cerebellar abiotrophy: One of the uncommon conditions that may be found in puppies is this one. The nervous system and brain of the puppy are impacted.
Hypothyroidism: It causes the dog to develop significant thyroid gland issues that influence its weight, resulting in weight gain and slowing down its activity.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy: This eye condition, also known as PRA, causes the dog’s vision to deteriorate steadily and may even result in blindness.
Cataracts. Another eye condition affecting this breed is this one. Loss of eyesight due to cataracts is possible, although it can be treated surgically.

The rate of the dog’s growth may be impacted by any of the disorders mentioned. You should see your vet get some health tests done if you discover that your puppy is significantly outgrowing the average American Bully growth chart.

How To Help Your Bully Grow Healthily?

Diet

The high proportion of muscle in American Bullies requires a protein-rich diet. As dogs become older, having said diet is even more important.

Puppies typically need more foods high in calcium to help their bones strengthen, as well as foods high in fat, which is a fantastic source of energy for them.

Feed your puppy nutritious food three times a day to give it the necessary nutrition to enhance its genetics.

Exercise

Because of their strong build, American Bullies are noted for possessing a lot of energy, which must be released and channeled via training and activities.

Once your puppies have received the necessary vaccinations, they should exercise for at least 30 minutes daily. For instance, playing the timeless game of fetch with your dog from an early age is a great way to impart obedience and build trust. They can also utilize all that excess energy by swimming.

Training

When you get home with your adorable American Bully puppy, that’s when you should start the obedience training. He will learn social skills and appropriate behavior around other canines and people through training them.

Because Bullies are intelligent animals who thrive on praise, you should consider using treats as a source of motivation during the training process.

Vaccinations and Regular Vet Checks

As was previously said, the first step in caring for your dog is to provide a suitable diet. Because veterinarians are trained to do much more than just check for ticks, having one on your side could be really beneficial for your Bully.

Veterinarians can also give immunizations and advise getting them. Additionally, they will aid in organizing additional booster doses. To keep your Bully healthy for many years to come, vaccinations are essential.

Young puppies, in particular, are more susceptible to infections since their immune systems have not yet fully grown.

Most vaccinations are administered between 6 and 14 weeks of age. The most common vaccinations people receive are rabies, distemper, and adenovirus. They can be fatal to humans and dogs under some circumstances. Bullies may also be affected by COVID-19. The availability of vaccines is wonderful news.

Total immunity is attained in around four months. It is crucial to comprehend that immunizations do not work immediately after injection. They typically take a week or so to start working. Additionally, as necessary, booster shots can be administered.

Other Ways to Support Your Bully

Your American Bully requires a schedule to prevent undesirable behavior brought on by unforeseen and stressful circumstances. Additionally, you need to give it your full attention. Exercise, visits to dog parks, games, and even cuddling are all part of this.

Naturally, you should try your hardest to take proper care of your American Bully for him to grow up to be the best pup ever.

How to Help Your American Bully Lose Weight?

You may wonder, at some point while raising a Bully puppy, “Is my puppy the proper weight?” It is only normal to ask this question if you want the best for your pup and for it to grow up in a secure environment. But if your puppy isn’t the appropriate weight, what should you do?

When you first have a puppy, you should keep an eye on its growth by observing the physical changes on your dog’s body and checking the typical American Bully size charts.

You can determine whether a dog’s weight is acceptable for the stage your dog is at based on factors like the dog’s age. The measurements need not match exactly. You shouldn’t be concerned at all if the sizes are comparable because not all puppies develop at the same rate.

But recently, we’ve noticed that a lot of dogs have started to get a little fat. If a dog’s ribs are covered with excessive fat, you can tell it is overweight. On the other hand, overweight dogs look incredibly worn out and have noticeable rib cages.

Consult your veterinarian as soon as you discover the first indications of extreme obesity or weight loss. Only canines that accurately represent the American Bully growth chart have a chance of realizing their full potential.

Dogs that are overweight or underweight have a major issue that has to be addressed right away. We cannot argue that one illness is simpler than the other because thyroid issues can sometimes be the root of obesity, which is not at all harmless.

If you think your American Bully is overweight, you can help him by doing the following:

Altering the dog’s diet and providing it with wholesome, balanced meals. Real proteins ought to be the initial component. Dog food containing meat byproducts or fillers like soy or maize should be avoided.
Cutting off any unhealthy or unnecessary snacks from your dog’s diet.
Regularly exercising the dog by bringing him on runs and game sessions.

If your dog needs more protein without the increase in calories that come with it, you should consider supplements. I have a guide to the best protein supplements for bullies here that get results.

Consult your veterinarian if your Bully still isn’t shedding weight. Obesity may result from undiagnosed health issues.