Miniature Bull Terrier

		Miniature Bull Terrier
		FCI standard Nº 359

Origin		Grande-Bretagne
Group		Group 3 Terriers
Section		Section 3 Bull type Terriers
Working		Working trial optional
Acceptance on a definitive basis by the FCI		Tuesday 05 July 2011
Acceptance on a provisional basis by the FCI		Tuesday 05 July 2011
Publication of the official valid standard		Tuesday 05 July 2011
Last update		Friday 23 December 2011
En français, cette race se dit		Bull Terrier miniature
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar		Miniature Bull Terrier
En español, esta raza se dice		Bull Terrier miniatura
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd		Miniatuur Bull Terrier

Usage

Terrier.

Brief historical summary

It was a certain James Hinks who first standardised the breed type in the 1850s, selecting the egg-shaped head. The breed was first shown in its present form at Birmingham in 1862. The Bull Terrier Club was formed in 1887. The truly interesting thing about the breed is that the standard says quite deliberately, “There are neither weight nor height limits, but there should be the impression of maximum substance for size of dog consistent with quality and sex. Dog should at all times be balanced”.
A smaller example of the Bull Terrier has been known since the early 19th century but fell out of favour prior to the First World War and was removed from the Kennel Club Breed Register in 1918. In 1938, a revival was spearheaded by Colonel Richard Glyn and a group of fellow enthusiasts who formed the Miniature Bull Terrier Club. The standard is the same as that of the Bull Terrier with the exception of a height limit.

General appearance

Strongly built, muscular, well balanced and active with a keen, determined and intelligent expression. A unique feature is a downfaced, egg-shaped head. Irrespective of size dogs should look masculine and bitches feminine.

Behaviour / temperament

Courageous, full of spirit, with a fun loving attitude. Of even temperament and amenable to discipline. Although obstinate is particularly good with people.

Head
Cranial region
Head		Long, strong and deep right to end of muzzle, but not coarse. Viewed from front egg-shaped and completely filled, its surface free from hollows or indentations. Profile curves gently downwards from top of skull to tip of nose.
Skull		Top of skull almost flat from ear to ear.

Facial region
Nose		Should be black. Bent downwards at tip. Nostrils well developed.
Lips		Clean and tight.
Jaws and teeth		Under-jaw deep and strong. Teeth sound, clean, strong, of good size, regular with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i. e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes		Appearing narrow and triangular, obliquely placed, black or as dark brown as possible so as to appear almost black and with a piercing glint. Distance from tip of nose to eyes perceptibly greater than that from eyes to top of skull. Blue or partly blue undesirable.
Ears		Small, thin and placed close together. Dog should be able to hold them stiffly erect, when they point straight upwards.

Neck

Very muscular, long, arched, tapering from shoulders to head and free from loose skin.

Body
Body		Well rounded with marked spring of rib and great depth from withers to brisket, so that latter nearer ground than belly.
Back		Short, strong, with backline behind withers level, arching or roaching slightly over loins.
Loin		Broad, well muscled.
Chest		Broad when viewed from front.
Underline and belly		From brisket to belly forms a graceful upward curve.

Tail

Short, set on low and carried horizontally. Thick at root, it tapers to a fine point.

Limbs

Forequarters
Generality		Dog should stand solidly upon legs and they should be perfectly parallel. In mature dogs length of forelegs should be approximately equal to depth of chest.
Shoulders		Strong and muscular without loading. Shoulder blades wide, flat and held closely to chest wall and have a very pronounced backward slope of front edge from bottom to top, forming almost a right angle with upper arm.
Elbows		Held straight and strong.
Forearm		Forelegs have strongest type of round, quality bone.
Pastern		Upright.
Forefeet		Round and compact with well arched toes.

Hindquarters
Generality		Hind legs parallel when viewed from behind.
Upper thigh		Muscular.
Lower thigh		Well developed.
Stifle		Joint well bent.
Metatarsus		Bone to foot short and strong.
Hock		Well angulated.
Hind feet		Round and compact with well arched toes.

Gait and movement

When moving appears well knit, smoothly covering ground with free, easy strides and with a typical jaunty air. When trotting, movement parallel, front and back, only converging towards centre line at faster speeds, forelegs reaching out well and hind legs moving smoothly at hip, flexing well at stifle and hock, with great thrust.

Skin

Fitting dog tightly.

Coat
Hair		Short, flat, even and harsh to touch with a fine gloss. A soft textured undercoat may be present in winter.
Colour		For White, pure white coat. Skin pigmentation and markings on head not to be penalised. For Coloured, colour predominates; all other things being equal, brindle preferred. Black brindle, red, fawn and tricolour acceptable. Tick markings in white coat undesirable. Blue and liver highly undesirable.

Size and weight
Height at withers		Height should not exceed 35,5 cms. There should be an impression of substance to size of dog consistent with quality and sex. There is no weight limit. Dog should at all times be balanced.

Faults

• Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

Disqualifying faults

Aggressive or overly shy dogs.

NB :

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Bibliography

https://www.fci.be/

Details: Written by: Francis Vandersteen; Also available:; Last Updated: 29 January 2024; Hits: 708

Miniature Bull Terrier