The bully classification of dog breeds is pretty self explanatory. They tend to be medium to large dogs, strong, and look like bullies. Even within history, their name rings true, as bully breeds were strong companions that typically assisted in fighting settings. However, the role bully breeds occupy today is quite different.
Today, bully breeds have become the most popular dog breed in 21 of 50 states. 20% of all dogs in the United States fall under the classification of bully breed or pit bull. Pit bulls are just mixes of various bully breeds, with various potential characteristics. Surprisingly, in contrast to their namesake, bully breeds represent some of the most well behaved dogs today.
The American Bully, for example, scores 100% on the ATTS temperament test—a test that gauges a dog’s reactions to various stimuli. For everything the news makes them out to be, pit bulls’ temperaments can be quite sweet, especially when treated well. Of course, the range of bully breeds is massive. The modern Dogo Argentino, the classic Bulldog, and the massive Mastiff all have significant differences.
However, they are all, at the end of the day, bully breeds. They’re big, a little grumpy looking, and strong. Americans have a clear love for these dogs today. However other countries aren’t slacking either. The Cane Corso, for instance, was bred in Italy and remains one of the most popular dog breeds today. Bully breeds aren’t going anywhere, but their status as bullies has certainly changed.