American Bulldog vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Compare the American Bulldog to the American Pit Bull Terrier. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between American Bulldogs and American Pit Bull Terriers.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - The American Pit Bull Terrier is an okay choice for new or inexperienced owners, but the American Bulldog is not recommended for new owners.
Children - Both the American Bulldog and American Pit Bull Terrier are great with children.
Grooming - Both the American Bulldog and American Pit Bull Terrier are very low maintenance and easy to groom.
Barking - The American Pit Bull Terrier has an above-average tendency to bark, while the American Bulldog is an average barker.

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American Bulldog vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Breed Name	American Bulldog	American Pit Bull Terrier
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	10-16 yrs.	12-14 yrs.
Height	20-28 in.	17-20 in.
Weight	60-120 lb	30-90 lb
Intelligence	Below Average	Average
History
Origin Country	United States	United Kingdom
Origin Year	1700 AD	1898 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Below Average	Poor
Stranger Friendly	Below Average	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Aggressive Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Stubborn	Affectionate Aggressive Loving Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	Yes
Large Yard	Yes	Yes
Temperature Tolerance ¹	55°F to 80°F	45°F to 85°F
Barks/Howls	Below Average	Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High	Medium-High
Exercise Required	Medium	Medium-High
Top Running Speed	23 mph	30 mph
Strength	Very High	Very High
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low-Medium	Low
Shedding	Medium	High
Dander	Medium	Medium
Drool Amount	Medium	None-Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	American Bulldog	American Pit Bull Terrier
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	Yes
Family/Pack	Yes	No
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	Yes	No
Average	No	No
Focused & Patient	No	Yes
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Below Average
Chasing	Below Average	Average
Follow Commands	Below Average	Average
Fighting	Below Average	High
Guarding	Below Average	Average
Herding	Below Average	Average
Hunting	Average	Below Average
Protection	Below Average	High
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Average
Sledding	Average	Average
Watch	Average	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	American Bulldog	American Pit Bull Terrier
Lifespan
Lifespan	10-16 yrs.	12-14 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	No
Cancer	Yes	No
Cherry Eye	Yes	No
Demodectic Mange	No	Yes
Ectropion	Yes	No
Elbow Dysplasia	Yes	No
Entropion	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	Yes
Skin Allergies	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	American Bulldog	American Pit Bull Terrier
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Single Coat	Yes	Yes
Coat Texture
Straight	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black & White	Yes	Yes
Brindle	Yes	No
Red & White	Yes	No
Tan & White	Yes	No
White	Yes	Yes
White & Brindle	Yes	No
Black	No	Yes
Black & Tan	No	Yes
Blue	No	Yes
Blue, White, & Tan	No	Yes
Chocolate	No	Yes
Chocolate & Tan	No	Yes
Fawn	No	Yes
Fawn & White	No	Yes
Light Fawn	No	Yes