Currently, there are hundreds of dog breeds in the world, most of which have been recognized by the kennel clubs as safe to keep at home as pets. One of the most popular dog breeds is the Pocket Bully. If you are planning to have the Pocket Bully as your pet, you need to start by familiarizing yourself with the dog breed. This article provides you with everything you need to know about this dog.
Introduction to the Pocket Bully Breed
What Is a Pocket Bully?
A Pocket Bully is a crossbreed of a Patterdale Terrier and an American Pitbull (or the American Staffordshire Terrier). This resulting breed is a smaller version of the American Pitbull Terrier weighing around 11 to 22lb. Its purebred parent weighs around 30 to 60lb.
The popularity of Pocket Bully, especially among pet lovers, is mainly because of its warm, loyal, and friendly nature. Its strong build, which is similar to that of a Pit Bull, has also made it very famous among dog lovers. So, if you are looking for a good pet dog with the fierce looks of a Pit Bull but smaller in size, then a Pocket Bully is the ideal choice.
What’s the Origin of a Pocket Bully?
Since a Pocket Bully is a hybrid, it is difficult to, authoritatively, say where it originated from. But many scientists suggest that this dog breed emerged from the crossbreed of the American Pit Bull and Patterdale. The original aim of breeding the American Pit Bull Terrier and Patterdale Terries was to create the perfect family pet dog.
This crossbreed was originally done two decades ago to merge the positive traits of the two parent breeds. But this doesn’t mean that the resulting breed only acquires the positive traits of the parent breeds. Sometimes it also takes the negative traits.
Physical Appearance of a Pocket Bully
A Pocket Bully is usually short with a stiff and firm body. It is also incredibly muscular. Its muscular stature is a treat for your eyes to watch. Its coat is somewhat glossy, which makes the dog easy to maintain.
This dog’s build is also very stocky, giving it a sturdy figure. It has a very bulky neck with a wide head. Although its chest is a bit wide, it is not as wide as that of other dog breeds. A Pocket Bully has short, muscular legs and a low-level back.
A Pocket Bully also has small floppy ears and a very firm and muscular back. Its tail is medium-length and thin. When you see a Pocket Bully walking on the road, you will be excused for mistaking it with a miniature American Pit Bull. It looks well-built, heavy, and husky.
Pocket Bullies come in various colors that are either solid or have patterns of a second color. Some even have blue markings. But the most common colors of a Pocket Bully include Red, Fawn, Black, Black and Tan, Blue, Blue and Tan, Brown, White and Seal, Buckskin, among others. Since this dog is a crossbreed, its coat type is unpredictable.
The Pit Bull has a short and smooth coat without an undercoat while the Patterdales have a coarse and thin coat with a dense undercoat to keep them warm. But most Pocket Bullies have a short and smooth coat like the American Bullies.
However, some of them take their coat from the Patterdales. That’s why the grooming of a Pocket Bully depends on its coat type.
What’s the Lifespan of a Pocket Bully?
Research has revealed that a Pocket Bully can live between 11 and 13 years, or even longer if it’s taken good care of. For your Pocket Bully to live longer than the average age, it needs a healthy lifestyle, enough space to play around, and a healthy diet. Male Pocket Bullies become fertile at the age of 6 months and reach sexual maturity at the age of 12-15 months.
Once a male Pocket Bully has reached sexual maturity, it can mate at any time as long as it is in good health. It can continue to impregnate female dogs regardless of its age. This means that a healthy male Pocket Bully will still be active and fertile even in its old age.
On the other hand, a female Pocket Bully attains sexual maturity at the age of six months. However, some female Pocket Bullies can remain infertile until their second birthday. It is also important to note that female Pocket Bullies are the most fertile dogs during oestrus – the female heat cycle.
Oestrus in female Pocket Bullies happens after every six months until the dog hits old age. It is also important to note that you shouldn’t breed your female Pocket Bully dog during her first heat cycle. The heat cycle of a female Pocket Bully comprises four main parts: proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus.
The Temperament of a Pocket Bully
Some people wrongly believe that a Pocket Bully will be as aggressive as a Pit Bull because it is its crossbreed. But the truth is that a Pocket Bully is a warm, loving, and friendly dog. However, its temperament may vary depending on which parent the dog takes its traits from. In some cases, a Pocket Bully may borrow traits from both parents.
One thing about a Pocket Bully’s temperament is the fact that it is a very loyal dog. It is also very playful, brilliant, and full of energy. This dog breed is also highly trainable. That’s why it makes a perfect family pet.
Another notable thing about this dog breed is the fact that it is very protective of its owner and extremely courageous. It is also intelligent enough to differentiate between a threat and a non-intimidating stranger.
What’s the Relationship of a Pocket Bully with Its Owner?
As mentioned above, a Pocket Bully is a loving, warm, and friendly dog. It is also very charming and gentle. So, it will interact cordially with you and other people in your family, especially children. In fact, this dog breed is also referred to as the “nanny dog” because it is very protective and loyal.
If you train your Pocket Bully properly, it will even learn to be friendly to strangers pose no threat. However, you need to be careful with this dog when you have small children because at times it can become frisky out of excitement.
Tips for Training and Grooming Your Pocket Bully
If you want your Pocket Bully dog to be obedient and meek, you have to train it properly. One of the reasons why your dog may become aggressive is a lack of proper training. Here are some useful tips on how you can train and groom your pocket Bully dog.
1. Reward-Based Training
This is the easiest and most effective way to train your Pocket Bully. It helps to make your dog well-mannered and intelligent. Another benefit of using this method is that it will be stress-free for you and the dog because you will just be rewarding the dog if she follows your instructions and behaves appropriately.
When you reward your dog for following instructions, she will make a habit of behaving accordingly because she knows she will be rewarded.
2. Clicker Training
This type of training requires you to invest in a clicking device. The device makes a clicking sound that you can use to get your dog’s attention. Make sure that the dog understands the clicking sound.
That way, your Pocket Bully can associate the clicking sound with the particular behavior you are trying to inculcate. Once the dog can react to the particular sound in the desired way, reward it. This training enables your dog to utilize its brain and energy to build a mental capacity.
3. Praising Your Pocket Bully
Like small children, dogs watch and learn from the conduct of their owners. Therefore, your Pocket Bully will study your body language, especially when you are trying to teach it something new. So, learn to praise your dog, even when its learning progress doesn’t seem to happen as fast as you had hoped.
Learn to appreciate every little effort your dog puts in. You can do this by showing excitement and saying words like “you can do it” and “good job”. This may seem trivial but it is very useful in building a strong relationship with your Pocket Bully.
Other important points to remember when training your Pocket Bully include:
- Keep the sessions as short and fun as possible
- Choose small treats for your dog when rewarding it
- Choose different treats from its usual diet to grab its attention
- Repeat the lessons as many times as possible
- If your dog is not interested, stop and try again later
- If you are tired, take a break and start again later
The process of grooming r Pocket Bully is quite easy and fast because this dog breed doesn’t shed too much fur. As a general rule, a Pocket Bully should be bathed every eight weeks or so. But don’t wait until your dog starts to smell, has an oily coat, or has grime on its skin and coat. However, you should not bathe your Pocket Bully too frequently.
Also, do not allow your dog’s nails to grow too long because they will affect its movement. If its nails are left unattended for a long time, they will break, split, or cause its paws to become deformed. Although most people leave the work of trimming their Pocket Bullies’ nails to the veterinarian, you can easily do it at home, provided you have the right dog nail clippers.
Common Health Problems of a Pocket Bully
Like any other dog breed, a Pocket Bully is susceptible to several health problems, especially if it is not given proper care. Unfortunately, some of these health issues are inherited from their parents. One of the most common health problems of a Pocket Bully is Hypothyroidism. It occurs when your dog’s thyroid glands are unable to produce sufficient thyroid hormones.
Hypothyroidism is characterized by obesity, unexplained weight loss, loss of hair, anemia, lethargy, skin problems, and a slow heart. It is more prevalent in Pocket Bullies between 4-10 years. Hip dysplasia is another health problem that affects Pocket Bullies. It causes severe pain in the dog’s hip joint, especially when walking or running.
This problem is mainly caused by a malformation in the hip joint. This malformation occurs when the hip ball and socket grind and rub against each other. The most common symptoms of hip dysplasia include difficulty getting up, lameness, inactivity, and loss of muscle mass.
Pocket Bullies also suffer from various eye problems, including cherry eye, corneal wounds, dry eye, pink eye, glaucoma, and cataracts. It is also possible to find your Pocket Bully suffering from heart diseases including valvular, myocardial, and heartworm. Some of the common signs of heart disease in Pocket Bullies include loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and breathing problems.
Are Pocket Bullies Good Family Dogs?
According to the American Bully Kennel Club, a Pocket Bully is an excellent family companion. Exceptionally dedicated and loyal, a Pocket Bully is focused on pleasing its owner, eager to learn, and easily trainable. It is gentle and warm with children, friendly to non-threatening family friends, and even tolerant of friendly strangers.
In Summary
A Pocket Bully is a smaller version of the American Pit Bull and a crossbreed of the Pit Bull and Patterdale Terrier. This dog will win the heart of every member of your family with its warm and loving personality. With this information, you should be able to keep a Pocket Bully in your house as a pet without a problem.
