The standard's main objective is to describe the breed as it should be presented phenotypically, having as main reference and describing the Bull Terrier as an exterior drawing (outline), considering that to judge the breed as a whole, it is essential to know its conformation, that is, what is “behind” the skin, the bone structure, the movement mechanism, its musculature and the functionality of the parts, in general, the anatomy of the breed.
To breed Bull Terriers at the highest level of the standart, we must know the basic anatomy of the breed, simplifying, the bones must have the correct size and the correct placement. However, there is more to a Bull Terrier than the correct conformation, type, substance, balance, character, expression and quality, contribute to the tuning of the ideal specimen and it is not enough that he has one of these qualities, without all the others.
To be truly a Bull Terrier, it is necessary, not only, a correct conformation but also to demonstrate quality at the highest level in the remaining characteristics of the breed.
The fundamental structure of the breed is not mentioned in the BULL TERRIER STANDART, which is also present in any other breed standard - the spine, backbone.
Is responsible for carrying all the structural weight of the dog and where all other parts are directly or indirectly connected to this structure. The foundation of all proportions, its size, its exterior line and its type. Within the individuality of the breed, the proportions of the spine must remain frankly constant, or all typicality is lost..
A Bull Terrier must be a square dog, must have a long head, long neck, long and massive back and long legs that fit into a symmetrical square. The rear must be short and robust, the right spine resulting in the correct path to become a typical specimen, in contrast, you will never have a handler capable of hiding one of these characteristics before a good judge. Typicality and balance work together and are immediately discernible.
A variation of the deviation from the correct proportions, combined with a weak balance and a bad typicality, will become a real disaster for a ring dog.
The vertebral column or backbone consists of 5 conjugating and articulated parts..
There are seven, the cervical vertebrae from the head line to the end of the neck, with 13 dorsal bones that carry the ribs and support the shoulders. The dorsal part follows a line of union with the lumbar part, and the last one, is constituted by a sector of seven structural parts ending in the buttocks, a wide and ample set formed by 3 bones that merge with each other of its name coxis; in it is placed the base of the tail, immediately below, joins the pelvis where the hind limbs are inserted. Finally, the correct and intrinsically present type in the standard describes a long cervical (neck), an equally long dorsal bone structure (resulting in a short rear with the ribs well placed behind); the lumbar bones must be short (illustrating a strong and broad loin) ending in an equally short and low set tail.
Note. It is of greater importance to have a short back by placing the shoulders well loaded behind them by a very short dorsal line, thus describing neither a Bull or Terrier subtype but the mixed (middle of the road type), the only and the correct one described by the breed standard.
Enio Roque Velho