Miniature Bull Terrier

The miniature bull terrier is a friendly and active dog that only stands about 14 inches tall as an adult. This breed likes to get plenty of exercise, but there’s always a chance that their playtime can become a little rambunctious. They have shiny coats, and they are rather easy to groom. Though they come with a few health concerns, they are still a great companion for owners that like to stay active.

Though the miniature bull terrier is a specialty breed, there are many rescues that they can be adopted from as well.

Bull Terrier vs. Miniature Bull Terrier

Reports suggest that there is only one difference between the bull terrier and the miniature bull terrier. As the name might suggest, the main difference between the two is that of their sizes. According to the American Kennel Club, the size of a miniature bull terrier is limited to 10 to 14 inches while that is certainly not the case with a full-grown bull terrier (which is about 22 inches tall from its paws to its shoulder).

Since the Miniature Bull Terrier is a smaller dog, it also requires less food than the bull terrier.

3 Pros and Cons of Owning a Miniature Bull Terrier

Keeping pets always come with some caveats. This set of pros and cons could be helpful in deciding if it is the right animal for you.

Miniature Bull Terrier Size and Weight

As the name suggests, these dogs are tiny or miniature in size. They are only 10 to 14 inches. It cannot grow beyond 14 inches. They weigh in proportion to their height. But on an average, they weigh about 9.1 to 16 kilograms.

Miniature Bull Terrier Common Health Issues

Before you adopt a miniature bull terrier from a rescue shelter, make sure you have adequate resources to take care of it and are equipped enough to handle all the health issues it might have. When purchasing this dog from breeders instead, it is much easier to understand the genetic risks of the pup. Miniature bull terrier dogs are prone to multiple health conditions, considering breeding to make them smaller.

Miniature bull terriers have a genetic disposition to deafness, but that’s hardly their only problem with their ears. They can also deal with infections, which is why cleaning the ears is so important.

Some miniature bull terriers can develop lens luxation or entropion. Lens luxation is an inherited condition that causes weakness in the threads of the eyeball, causing it to become loose. Entropion causes the eyelashes to be pointed towards the eye as the eyelid turns inward. It causes incredible irritation and pain.

In total, the common health problems in miniature bull terriers include:

• Eye problems
• Ear problems
• Lens luxation
• Deafness
• Entropion

Miniature Bull Terrier Temperament

Considering the personality of the miniature bull terrier, you can almost guarantee that nothing will be boring. Their active and playful demeanor keeps them (and you) quite busy. They are always looking for something to do.

Their energy must be directed to something productive. If it isn’t, they could create a huge mess. Luckily, the right redirection can be entertaining for everyone. These dogs love to be around their families, playing and engaging with them as much as possible.

These dogs want to be up and about on their feet, and they’ll use their quick movements to protect their family if threatened. Since they can be wary of others, giving them social interaction with other dogs and people prevents them from becoming aggressive with people who mean no harm. While that might not stop them from chasing other pets in the home, training them properly can prevent major behavioral problems later on.

How to Take Care of a Miniature Bull Terrier

Before you buy or adopt a miniature bull terrier from a rescue shelter, make sure that you have the resources to take care of it and you have the compatibility to make it a part of your family. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind when you consider the miniature bull terrier for the family.

The Best Dog Food for Miniature Bull Terriers

It is best to feed your miniature bull terrier high-quality dog food once daily, choosing a dry dog food that can keep their teeth healthy. Avoid overfeeding your miniature bull terrier to prevent excessive weight gain or vomiting.
If you’ve chosen a dog from breeders, speak with the owners of the parents to determine if the dog is used to any particular diet as well.

In our analysis at A-Z Animals, the best dog food for Miniature Bull Terriers is Inception Dry Dog Food – Complete and Balanced Dog Food.

Made with real ocean whitefish and catfish, this food is overflowing with natural omegas, plus selenium to optimize the immune system, so an ear infection once in a while is no big deal. Since the breed is also prone to eye issues, we like that this ocean recipe also includes taurine.

Check Chewy and Amazon for this product.

Inception Dry Dog Food Complete and Balanced Dog Food Meat First Legume Free Dry Dog Food

• INCEPTION IS PROTEIN FIRST – Inception is formulated with animal protein first to serve your canine companions’ needs. We understand your canine companions are carnivore first, omnivore second and thrive with good animal protein in their diets. At Inception, we ensure our first two ingredients are animal protein.
• INCEPTION CHICKEN FORMULA - Our Inception Chicken recipe contains chicken and chicken meal as the first two ingredients. Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein providing high-quality, essential amino acids, and trace minerals. Chicken is a “protein-dense” ingredient, meaning that it provides a lot of protein compared to fat in a given amount of meat. This makes it an excellent source of protein that may help in weight control because fat contains more calories than protein. Chicken is high in vitamin B3, vitamin B6 and vitamin B5. It’s also a great source of selenium and phosphorus.
• INCEPTION IS LEGUME FREE – Inception formulas are free of legumes, potatoes, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. We want to give your canine companions everything they need for a long and happy life with you.

Check Amazon

Miniature Bull Terrier Maintenance and Grooming

It is quite easy to groom a miniature bull terrier, even if you decide to do it at home. They don’t have any substantial odor to them, and their coat is naturally clean. Most people give their dog a bath every few months, and you only need a mild shampoo. Keep the fur detangled and smooth with weekly brushing, using a bristle brush or a rubber mitt. To brighten the look of his coat, you can use coat conditioner and/or polish.

Generally, only basic care is needed. Trim the nails and brush their teeth so that their dental hygiene remains intact. Clean out the ears of the miniature bull terrier to maintain the PH levels inside its ears.

Miniature Bull Terrier Training

It is mandatory to train miniature bull terriers. Otherwise, they can turn into dogs that blatantly ignore the owner, allowing their behavior to get out of control. Proper training can turn these dogs into civilized members of your family. Train these dogs as early as their puppy years to keep healthy habits. Consistency is the key with them.

Miniature Bull Terrier Exercise

Your miniature bull terrier requires daily exercise. It can be in the form of a walk, short jog, and/or any kind of energetic game. Even though these dogs love being outside, their short coat does not make it suitable for them to live the always-outside life.

Miniature Bull Terrier Puppies

You would need to take care of the miniature bull terrier puppies the same way you would take care of an adult one. Meals should be divided into additional portions to fit the small stomachs of puppies.

Miniature Bull Terriers and Children

While miniature bull terriers (like bull terriers) are good with children, they can get very rough while playing. Some experts say that they shouldn’t be brought into a home that has small children, but supervision during playtime is ideal for any new pet.

This breed can be a great playmate with plenty of energy to tire everyone out.

Dogs Similar to Miniature Bull Terriers

As fun and loving as the miniature bull terrier is, the breed isn’t the right match for every family. Here are a few dogs that are similar to the species that may work better for your family.

• Bull terriers: These dogs are the same as miniature bull terriers except that they are larger.
• Kerry Blue Terrier: These dogs are known to have incredibly beautiful coats. However, they are pretty rowdy when they are young and are not kind towards other animals.
• Australian terrier: These dogs are known to be healthy and friendly with other pets. However, they might run after smaller pets in a bid to catch hold of them.

Famous Miniature Bull Terriers

There are many owners that love their miniature bull terriers, but none of them have quite made it to the small or big screens notably. While the bull terrier is found in many movies (like Toy Story and It’s a Dog’s Life), the pint-sized version of this dog hasn’t gotten the same big break.

Popular Names for the Miniature Bull Terrier

Here are a few popular names for your miniature bull terrier:

• Spunky
• Chaos
• Rascal
• Bowie
• Anjou