Miniature Bull Terrier
- Origin
- England
- Type
- Terrier
- Size
- Small
- Height
- 25–35.5 cm (10–14 in)
- Weight
- 9–16 kg (20–35 lb)
- Coat
- Short, flat and harsh to the touch
- Colors
- White, black, brindle, red, fawn and tricolor
- Life span
- About 12 years
- Status
- Recognised by the FCI, AKC and The Kennel Club
The Miniature Bull Terrier is a small English terrier, a shorter version of the Bull Terrier with the same egg-shaped head. Its roots lie in the extinct English White Terrier, the Dalmatian and the Bulldog.
History
When the Bull Terrier was first created in England in the 19th century, it was about the size of today’s Miniature. The small dog was first documented in 1872.
In the early 1900s the two breeds were told apart by weight. That led to Miniatures so small and fine that they looked more like Chihuahuas than Bull Terriers, so in the 1970s the weight limit was replaced with a height limit. The American Kennel Club admitted the breed on May 14, 1991, effective January 1, 1992.
Appearance
A Miniature Bull Terrier stands under 14 inches (35.5 cm) and is usually no smaller than 10 inches (25 cm). The American Kennel Club asks only that weight be in proportion to height, and most dogs weigh 20 to 35 pounds (9 to 16 kg).
The body is full, with muscular shoulders. The head is flat on top with a large nose, the eyes are triangular and set close together, and the ears stand erect. The tail is usually carried level. The coat is short, fine and glossy and lies close to the skin. Dogs may be white, white with another color, or fully colored. Blue and liver are undesirable.
Temperament
Miniature Bull Terriers are commonly described as stubborn and courageous, and also as energetic and playful. For all their small size they tend to challenge bigger dogs, and they can be unpredictable around other dogs. Training makes confrontations less likely.
Care and health
The coat needs very little grooming. A 2024 study in the United Kingdom found a life expectancy of 12.2 years, close to the average for purebred dogs.
Deafness occurs in both white and colored dogs and may affect one ear or both. It is hereditary, and puppies are given a hearing test before they are sold. The breed is among those more often affected by primary lens luxation, an eye condition caused by a recessive gene mutation. Lethal acrodermatitis is a rare inherited disease found only in white Bull Terriers, Miniatures included. Affected puppies grow poorly, develop skin lesions and infections, and most die before the age of two.
Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.