Exotic Bully: The Ultimate Guide To The Exotic Bully Dog

The Exotic Bully is a relatively new dog breed that derives from the American Bully.

The Exotic Bully comes in a variety of colors, sizes, and patterns, but is widely regarded as a small version of an American Bully.

The Exotic Bully was first recognized by the US Bully Registry in 2013. However, it is not registered by well-known kennel clubs such as the United Kennel Club (UKC) or American Kennel Club (AKC).

The breed has been subject to much controversy due to the limited lifespan and frequent health issues that Exotic Bullies suffer from.

Increased demands on social media for having mini show dogs have in part, led to the rise of the Exotic Bully breed. However, this rise is also matched by the rise in unethical breeders.

In this article, we will provide you with all the essential information on the Exotic Bully breed. To give you insight into the varieties available, the breed ancestry, characteristics, and temperament.

What Is An Exotic Bully?

You’ll be eager to know what exactly the Exotic Bully breed is. In brief, it is a version of the American Bully with exaggerated characteristics.

Although the breed name is usually shortened to the Exotic Bully, its full name is Exotic American Bully.

Pioneering breeders of the Exotic Bully aimed to enhance the physical characteristics of the American Bully.

They achieved this by breeding the American Bully with other Bulldogs such as the French Bulldog, English Bulldog, and the Olde English Bulldogge.

The results from these breeding programs produced a muscular, more compact dog with a large block head. The dog also had a shorter muzzle and broader chest compared to the standard American Bully.

There is plenty of confusion between the Bully breed and the Pitbull. Often the Exotic Bully is classed within both breeds. Read on to learn more about the differences.

The Bully Breed

Any dog classed in the Bully breed descends from the English Bulldog or British Terrier mix breeds.

The Bully breed term is often used to identify dog breeds that may appear like a bulldog. However, many Bully breeds do not have any genetic link to the bulldog.

The following dogs are classed within the Bully breed:

Bullmastiffs
Boston terriers
American Pitbull terriers
French Bulldogs
Boxers
Staffordshire terrier
American Bulldog
Olde English Bulldogge
American Bully

American Bully Breed

The American Bully is a different dog breed from the American Bulldog. Developed in the US during the 1980s and 1990s, the American Bully was first accredited by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) in 2004.

It was later recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 2013. However, the American Kennel Club continues to not recognize this breed.

The American Bully was initially bred by crossing an American Pitbull terrier with an American Staffordshire terrier.

However, other variations using the American Pitbull Terrier base include cross-breeding with English Bulldogs and American Bulldogs.

Although there are four accredited variations of the American Bully on average, an American Bully measures 16 to 20 inches at the shoulder and will weigh between 65 and 85 pounds.

There have been many high-quality breeding programs to produce the American Bully and improve its character, temperament, and physical characteristics.

In recent years, the American Bully has become one of the most popular breeds in the US and globally.

The breed is renowned for having the muscular physique of an American Pitbull Terrier while having the calm, loyal temperament of a Staffordshire Terrier. The American Bully makes a fantastic household companion.

Pitbull Breeds

The Pitbull breed is often very misunderstood. It may surprise you to learn that there is no single Pitbull breed.

Due to the historical association of the Pitbull having aggressive tendencies, being associated with the ‘Pitbull’ umbrella term can have negative consequences.

The Exotic Bully is often mistaken for an American Pitbull Terrier and has therefore had a fairly negative public perception.

It is widely acknowledged that there are four Pitbull breeds:

American Bully
American Bulldog
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
American Pitbull Terrier

Including the American Bully in this category can be considered controversial. However, it cannot be argued that the American Bully descends from the American Pitbull Terrier.

Exotic Bully Size

The Exotic Bully is not officially recognized by reputable kennel clubs as an official breed. Therefore it can be tricky to find reliable information on Exotic Bully sizing.

Some research shows that average adult Exotic Bullies measure no more than 16 inches in height and will weigh around 81 pounds. Generally, the dog’s weight is proportional to its height.

Within the Exotic Bully breed, we can categorize it into the Standard and Micro Exotic Bully.

Standard Exotic Bullies (also known as Extreme Exotics) can measure up to 18 inches tall at the shoulder, while Micro Bullies are smaller, measuring up to 13.5 inches.

Some breeders may breed Pocket Exotics and Pocket Micro versions of the Exotic Bully dog breed.

Micro Exotic Bully

The Micro Exotic Bully has other names including the Mini Exotic American Bully or the Micro Mini Exotic Bully.

Ultimately, they still resemble the same dog breed, which is essentially a very, very small American Bully.

The Micro Exotic Bully will never stand any taller than 13.5 inches from the shoulder. They are very trendy dogs and may cost up to $30,000.

While this price isn’t the average, if you are after particular colors and there is a limited supply, don’t be surprised to pay as much as that.

Pocket Exotic Bully

As the Exotic Bully is not an officially recognized breed, there can be breeders who crossbreed an American Bully with other dogs and call that creation, whatever they like.

The Pocket Exotic Bully is an example of this and has no real difference from the Micro Exotic Bully.

The Pocket Exotic Bully shouldn’t be confused, however, with the Pocket Bully, which is recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC).

There is much discussion within the American Bully community about standardizing names due to the high levels of cross-breeding.

Exotic Bully Temperament

The temperament of an Exotic Bully is essentially that of an American Bully, just even more endearing.

Exotic Bullies are wonderful family companions. When raised and trained properly, they can be incredibly sociable and love humans.

They are particularly great with kids but make sure you always supervise them when they’re in the room with young kids.

Exotic Bullies are generally amenable to other dogs and you find them also loving fellow pets you have at home.

An exotic Bully is a small-sized chunk of muscle that will happily cuddle you all day. Don’t be fooled by the muscular appearance in thinking that they will serve you well as guard dogs.

While the Exotic Bully may bark a little bit whenever strangers or intruders appear, as they love humans, they generally won’t be effective guard dogs.

Are Exotic Bullies Aggressive?

Because of the Exotic Bully’s connection to the American Pitbull Terrier, many may think that the breed is aggressive.

This combined with its muscular physique and blocky head can make the breed seem fearsome.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are very few aggressive tendencies within the Exotic Bully character.

They can occasionally bite, but after good training and socialization, these incidents are very rare.

In terms of protective instincts, they share the loyal instincts of most canines when their family is in danger.

However, the Exotic Bully is not designed to attack and instead will make some quiet noises. If they are attacked, however, don’t expect them to back down easily.

Exotic Bullies are generally very calm and friendly and will get on with humans and other dogs perfectly well.

Exotic Bully Lifespan

One of the most controversial elements of the Exotic Bully breed is its remarkably short life span. Although some sources say that the Exotic Bully can live up to 10 years on average, there is very limited evidence for this.

In reality, most Exotic Bullies will live between five and seven years.

For a small dog breed, this is a very short lifespan. Even compared to its ancestor, the American Bully, which can live up to 13 years, the Exotic Bully has a very limited lifespan.

The causes of the short life span are due to a variety of reasons:

Firstly, the presence of unethical breeding practices to create the Exotic Bully breed has certainly had an impact on lifespan. The very fact that the American Bully Kennel Club or the United Kennel Club does not recognize the breed speaks volumes as to the presence of poor-quality breeding.

Although the American Bully Registry and International Bully Coalition have produced their breeding standards. These are not as well-known or recognized compared to the UKC and AKC.

Another primary cause for the short lifespan of the exotic breed is because of the high prevalence of health issues. Although most dog breeds suffer from some sort of health issue, the Exotic Bully is particularly vulnerable.

Exotic Bully Coat Colors

The Exotic Bully coat is characterized by a short, smooth, and stiff coat with a glossy finish.

In terms of colors, there is some confusion over the breed standards as they can be seen in a variety of different colors.

The most common colors include:

Brown
Brindle
Tricolor
Chocolate
White
Black

Additionally, the Merle pattern is quite rare, but it is also accepted by Exotic Bully breed clubs.

The merle pattern is caused by a gene that appears naturally in other American Bully breeds.

The gene affects the color of the coat as well as the eye and skin color, and the nose and paw pads. These rare dogs can often be found with different colored eyes or unique blueish skin tones.

Although most Merle bullies are healthy and can live long lives, the gene can cause significant health issues.

If a Bully inherits the gene from both parents, they have a high chance of being blind or deaf. If they inherit from only one parent, they will likely live a healthy life.

Reputable breeders will not risk mating to merle parents as the puppies will be put at serious risk.

How Much Does An Exotic Bully Cost?

Due to the Exotic Bully being a very new and increasingly popular breed, the prices can start from $5000 and above.

For particularly rare breed colors, you may find them costing between $30,000 and $40,000.

When researching online, you may find Exotic Bullies going for the price of $500 or $1000. However, you should be very careful of these breeders, as they will unlikely be from good bloodlines.

One of the downsides of being a new breed is that there are very limited reputable breeders. There is a high chance of being conned.

While you may not have $30,000 to spend on an Exotic Bully, you should also consider the ethics of housing a cheap Exotic Bully that has been unethically bred.

Remember, unethical breeders will only care about the cash, so if you are giving them cash, you are feeding their trade.

The other point worth considering about the cost of an Exotic Bully is their life span. Do you want to invest $30,000 on a dog that will only live five years?

While the Exotic Bully has become very popular with Instagram, Pinterest, or YouTube posts, purchasing unethically will only encourage scammers.

Reputable breeders will always encourage you to visit the site in person, and also will be vetting you. They will likely want to meet your whole family to ensure that their puppy will live a happy, fulfilling life.

Deformed Exotic Bully

Something to be aware of the Exotic Bully breed is that they are the product of overbreeding.

Although it may be an uncomfortable truth for those who own an Exotic Bully, their physical characteristics cause them much suffering.

For example, a flat face can cause breathing issues.

Many welfare groups and dog lovers have called for harsher controls on Exotic Bully breeding because these dog breeds do not live very long and are often suffering.

Common Exotic Bully Health Conditions

As explored in this article, you may not be surprised to learn that Exotic Bullies are not the healthiest of dog breeds.

The Exotic Bully breed has been selectively bred to the point where some puppies struggle to walk properly or run.

The vast majority of health issues experienced by Exotic Bullies are due to over-breeding.

Some examples of common health issues are explored below:

Exotic Bullies are known as a brachycephalic dog breed. This refers to them having a flat-shaped face and a short muzzle. Although these physical characteristics are regarded as cute, they cause breathing difficulties, overheating, and brain issues. One of the common health issues is known as brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). This issue is particularly high risk in Exotic Bullies, causing them to collapse and sometimes die.
Although joint issues are very common in all dog breeds such as hip and elbow dysplasia, the Exotic Bully carries an increased risk of these issues due to the heavy torso and bowed legs. These characteristics add extra pressure on the joints and can increase the chances of arthritis or osteoporosis. Suffering from these issues causes a painful daily existence.

The Exotic Bully ancestry to French Bulldogs and other flat-faced Bully breeds makes it more likely that they will encounter eye issues.
The muscular frame of the exotic Bully causes many of them to have weak backs. The low-quality breeding methods have over time weakened the spinal cord of Exotic Bullies and have increased the chances that they will suffer from back issues and have limited movement.
The Exotic Bully can also suffer dental issues due to the brachycephalic skull. This condensed skull shape can lead to teeth being crammed into the dog’s mouth or they suffer from missing teeth. Dental issues affect the dog’s ability to eat and will cause general discomfort throughout the day. For teeth that cause serious pain, you’ll have to consider getting them extracted.

Based on this, it is clear the Exotic Bully breed is somewhat designed to be unhealthy. Although all Bully breeds suffer elements of these health issues, the problems are exaggerated for the Exotic Bully.

When observing an Exotic Bully, you will likely see them displaying signs of lethargy and breathing difficulties. This is due to the unnatural body formation, which includes bowed legs.

In some cases, unethical breeders will inject Exotic Bullies with steroids to increase muscle tone which ultimately leads to further health issues.

Despite these known issues, the Exotic Bully is still growing in popularity so you should do your bit as a responsible dog owner to do your research and find reputable breeders.

Clean Exotic Bully

As a purposeful ploy to improve the reputation of the breed, the term Clean Exotic Bully has been circulated. This has nothing to do with bathing.

Due to the known health issues of the Exotic Bully, some breeders have sought to distance themselves from the Exotic Bully breed, instead, inventing the term Clean Exotic Bully.

The invention of his term has somewhat divided lovers of the American Bully and the Exotic Bully.

Although there is a lack of clear breeding directives for the Exotic Bully, organizations such as the ABR and IBC have set standards that many Exotic Bully breeders follow.

A separate organization known as US Bully Registry has also set standards for the Exotic Bully following its registration in 2013.

The clean, Exotic Bully exhibits the following characteristics:

The dog’s body is in proportion.
The Pasterns located in the lower part of the leg, between the first joint and the foot, are at a tight correct angle.
The dog’s height measures under 13 inches at the shoulder.
The elbows do not extend past the shoulder.
The muscle length is no more than two inches.
The dog is compact, measuring roughly the same height as its length.
The neck is sufficiently strong and thick to support the blocky head.
The hindquarters are balanced and strong with the dog’s front end.
The ears are cropped naturally or rose.
The tail has no kinks and is neither too short nor too long.
The eyes are oval-shaped and any color except for albino or pink.

Despite these characteristics of a Clean Exotic Bully, the majority of Exotic Bullies currently on the market do not qualify based on these criteria.

Even if they do qualify, there is no guarantee that they will survive the known health issues of the breed that we discussed earlier.

How To Find A Reputable Exotic Bully Breeder

Puppies

Understandably, the majority of dog owners want to get their dog when it’s a puppy so that they can raise it themselves.

When looking for a breeder, most people will now search online or through social media to find a potential breeder.

When Googling breeders for certain dog breeds, such as the Exotic Bully, you’re likely to come across many sites that are classified as add sites.

Our advice is that you ignore these sites and going directly to a breeder is always preferable.

Most reputable breeders will have their own social media pages and websites for you to explore. They will also offer to arrange a visit so that you can see their site and also meet their puppies.

Unfortunately, every year millions of dollars are spent fuelling scammers who sell puppies online. In most cases, these puppies either don’t exist or have been produced on the cheap in unethical puppy mills.

The best way of avoiding this is to try and source local breeders who have a solid track record in your community.

Adults

Purchasing adult Exotic Bullies is also common. Adult dogs are often sold for a few reasons, including them being former studs or that they are being retired from a breeding program. Also, some families simply may not be able to look after the dog anymore.

Choosing an adult dog online is even riskier than purchasing a puppy online. As the dog has already experienced its formative years, you can’t be sure about how well it was treated or if it has any health conditions.

Purchasing an adult Exotic Bully carries extra risks given the short life span. If you were to buy a 2-year-old Exotic Bully, it may only serve you three more years.

If you are interested in an adult Exotic Bully, the first step you should take is to get in touch with your local rescue group rather than searching for dogs online.

We recommend going through rescue groups because they assess every dog that comes in and aims to find good foster homes. Before finding a foster home, the local rescue keep group will provide any medical treatment, training, and socialization to ensure that the dog is well prepared.

Adoption fees from rescue groups are also considerably lower than purchasing from a breeder.

Final Words

Hopefully, you have now gained insights into the Exotic Bully dog breed.

The Exotic Bully dog breed has garnered much debate and controversy. Although it has become increasingly popular, the lack of official accreditation has led to the rise in unethical breeders who have over time created a breed that has a short lifespan and often suffers from health conditions.

The Exotic Bully is a descendant of the American Pitbull Terrier and, more closely, the American Bully.

It is essentially a mini version of an American Bully with exaggerated features. The breed is known for its short, compact, muscular body and incredibly friendly temperament.

When searching for an Exotic Bully, you should take time to get in touch with a reputable local breeder or rescue center to ensure that your hard-earned money is not directed at unethical breeders.

Exotic Bully: The Ultimate Guide To The Exotic Bully Dog | myamericanbully.com (2024)