Miniature Bull Terrier 101

Mar 22nd 2010

Name: Miniature Bull Terrier

Personality: "Full of fire and courageous, but even and amenable to discipline" is the ideal temperament for a miniature bull terrier according to the official breed standard. The Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America states that the dog's loyal and playful character is similar to that of a full-sized bull terrier and "is probably the outstanding feature which draws prospective owners to the breed."

Grooming: Another advantageous trait that the mini bull terrier has in common with its full-sized kin is that its grooming routine is low-maintenance. Brushing twice a week is all the dog's short-haired coat requires.

Common Health Issues: Primary Lens Luxation -- in which the "threads" that anchor the eye's lens weaken and break, often leading to glaucoma and blindness -- is well known as a genetic burden for miniature bull terriers. Luckily, the genetic mutation that causes PLL was recently located in the dog's DNA, making preventative testing a very real and helpful possibility.

Training Tips: "Miniature bull terriers continue to be active and playful until well into middle age (5 to 6 years)," says the MBTCA, which is just one reason why training and discipline must be a part of the breed's life on a day-to-day and year-to-year basis. The mini bull terrier must always know who is the boss of the house or it will elect itself for the job, which might annoy adults and frighten kids. The good news is that because this breed loves to learn and engage one-to-one with owners, they will likely take to any training with enthusiasm.