Pit Bulls are amazing and cute dogs. If you are an owner or plan to get one in the future, an important thing to know is how big your dog can potentially get. Massive dogs may not fit well in small spaces, and small ones may not satisfy you as well.
How big do Pit Bulls get? There several types of Pit Bulls, all of which are medium-sized. We need to analyze each type of Pit Bulls individually to know how big they get. The American Pit Bull Terrier, for example, grows up to between 17 to 21 inches and around 30 to 60 pounds in weight when fully grown.
Whether you’re seeking this information to know more about your pet or just for curiosity, I’ve got all the details you need! I will also include the data for Pit Bull mixes in this article.
The Average Size of Different Types of Pit Bulls
Although all Pit Bulls share a lot of common characteristics, each breed grows differently. Therefore, as adults, they will present slightly different heights when fully grown.
The following table shows the average wither heights for the six most common Pit Bull breeds when fully grown.
Breed | Male | Female |
American Pit Bull Terrier | 18 to 21 inches (45 to 53 cm) | 17 to 20 inches (43 to 50 cm) |
Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 14 to 16 inches (36 to 41 cm) | 14 to 16 inches (36 to 41 cm) |
American Staffordshire Terrier | 18 to 19 inches (46 to 48 cm) | 17 to 18 inches (43 to 48 cm) |
Bull Terrier | 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm) | 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm) |
American Bulldog | 20 to 28 inches (50 to 71 cm) | 20 to 24 inches (50 to 61 cm) |
American Bully | 14 to 23 inches (36 to 58 cm) | 13 to 22 inches (33 to 56 cm) |
The following table shows the average weights for the six most common Pit Bull breeds when fully grown.
Breed | Male | Female |
American Pit Bull Terrier | 35 to 60 pounds (15 to 27 kg) | 30 to 50 pounds (13 to 22 kg) |
Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 28 to 38 pounds (13 to 17 kg) | 24 to 34 pounds (11 to 15 kg) |
American Staffordshire Terrier | 55 to 70 pounds (25 to 32 kg) | 40 to 55 pounds (18 to 25 kg) |
Bull Terrier | 55 to 65 pounds (25 to 29 kg) | 45 to 55 pounds (20 to 25 kg) |
American Bulldog | 66 to 130 pounds (30 to 58 kg) | 60 to 90 pounds (27 to 41 kg) |
American Bully | 66 to 88 pounds (30 to 40 kg) | 66 to 88 pounds (30 to 40 kg) |
Obviously, each dog is different. So if your furry friend’s numbers differ from the indicated above, don’t panic! There probably isn’t anything abnormal happening, only small genetic differences.
This is just for you to have an idea of how big your Pit Bull will get. What mostly defines whether your dog has any health issues is his weight. Since that’s not the main point of this article, it isn’t worth it to be concerned now.
However, if you opt for a Pit Bull mix, the dog’s size can differ a lot from the shown above. His dimensions will be greatly influenced by the other dog’s characteristics. Due to that, it’s hard to predict how big he will get.
The size of an adult mixed dog is the average of his parent’s breeds. Analyzing them is the most effective method of predicting the dog’s size.
There are some well-known hybrids that are almost considered breeds, so the data for them is more accurate. I’m going to showcase these mixes later on.
I said that every breed has different characteristics when it comes to weight and size. Now I’m going to show you these distinctions in detail.
I’m including the American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, and American Bully in our comparison.
American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier, or APBT, is a famous breed in the United States, recognized by 12 dog breed clubs. Yet, for unknown reasons, the American Kennel Club still doesn’t accept it.
The APBT first appeared in the mid-19th century. The dog is a result of the crossbreeding between the now-extinct Old English Terriers and Old English Bulldogs. Thanks to that, the size and weight of this breed are mainly inherited from these ancestors.
Male American Pit Bull Terriers typically grow up to between 18 and 21 inches in height and their weight ranges from 35 to 60 pounds. It’s worth noting that larger dogs need to weigh more, and vice versa, to maintain proportion.
As you already expect, females are smaller and lighter. Their heights when adults range from 17 to 20 inches and weight is around 30 to 50 pounds.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The breed originated in the West Midlands, as a result of crossbreeding The Bulldog and English White Terriers. Both Staffordshire Bull Terriers and their ancestors are all 100% English.
Staffies, as they’re popularly known, are one of the lightest Pit Bull breeds. Males usually weigh from 28 to 38 pounds when fully grown, and females’ masses are typically between 24 to 34 pounds.
Unlike other Pit Bulls, both genders don’t show a clear difference when it comes to size. They’re very short, with the average adult Staffy hitting heights from 14 to 16 inches.
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Staffordshire Terriers are medium-sized dogs with a smart, confident, and good-natured personality.
They are muscular bull-type terriers with a standing height of 18 to 19 inches for males and 17 to 18 inches for females.
Due to their strong muscle, they are quite heavy at this size, with an average weight of 55 to 70 pounds for males and 40 to 55 pounds for females.
Bull Terrier
If you classify dogs as introverted and extroverted, then the Bull Terrier must be an extrovert. They’re highly affectionate with people and especially kids and babies, making them a perfect family dog.
Bull Terrier is a medium-sized dog with an average wither height of about 18 to 22 inches and weighs 55 to 65 pounds for males and 45 to 55 pounds for females.
American Bulldog
The American Bulldog is another descendant of the Old English Bulldog. Nevertheless, they’re considerably bigger and heavier than American Pit Bulls.
Boys can hit heights from 20 up to 28 inches and weigh from 66 to 130 pounds. On the other hand, females grow between 20 to 24 inches and can reach from 60 to 90 pounds of mass.
American Bully
It’s time to talk about the muscly bad boy! This breed’s physical appearance is one of its most distinct characteristics. Although generally calm, these dogs are very intimidating sometimes.
There isn’t a defined average size for American Bullies. That’s because, according to the American Bully Kennel Club, they are categorized into distinct varieties.
The standard and classic Bullies are male dogs between 17 to 21 inches and females from 16 to 19 inches. While the height of these two varieties is the same, what differentiates them is their body structure. Standards have bulky bodies, heavy bone structures, and blocky heads.
On the other hand, classics have a lighter outline. They don’t show the exaggerated curves standards do, looking more like familiar dogs.
As the name suggests, pocket American Bullies are a bit smaller dogs. Full-grown males are between 14 to 17 inches, whereas girls reach heights from 13 to 16 inches at the withers.
The last official variation is the XL. They are the most massive and most robust American Bullies. Males hit from 20 to 23 inches when adults and females are between 19 and 22 inches at the withers.
Some people also call smaller and larger dogs “Micro” and “XXL,” respectively. Still, none are officially recognized by the ABKC or any other kennel clubs.
All of these varieties are just regarding the size. The ABKC doesn’t take mass into consideration to classify the dogs into these categories.
The conventional weight for standard adult Bullies varies from 66 to 88 pounds. However, we clearly know that a healthy dog’s weight must be proportional to his dimensions. The bigger the dog, the higher his mass, and vice-versa.
How Big Do Pit Bull Mixes Get?
Things get a bit more uncertain when it comes to mixes. Estimating the exact sizes and weights of crossbred dogs can be harder because we’re dealing with two distinct breeds. Even within the same litter, it’s possible to find puppies with very unalike characteristics.
That’s because the genetic exchange is unpredictable. Let’s say you mate a small female dog with a male from a large breed.
The puppies have equal chances of inheriting more characteristics from their father or mother. Therefore, only luck will say whether they will be large or small.
The possibilities of mixed Pit Bull breeds are numerous. You can virtually mate any dog with a Pit Bull, and something will be born. At the end of the day, they all belong to the same species!
It’s possible to find bizarre scenarios, like a hybrid between Bull Terriers and Borzois.
However, I’m going to showcase to you the mixes you’re much more likely to deal with:
- Pitsky
- Shepherd Pitt
- Labrabull
- Dober Pit
- Pitweiler
- Chi Staffy
Pitsky
The Pitsky is a result of the breeding between the American Pit Bull Terrier and Siberian or Alaskan Huskies. The first breed is considered a medium-sized one. Huskies are also included in this group but are a bit larger. Thanks to this combination, Pitskies are medium to large-sized dogs.
Male adult Pitskies weigh between 35 to 80 pounds and grow around 18 to 25 inches in height. On the other hand, females’ masses range from 30 to 70 pounds, and their heights don’t usually surpass 22 inches.
Shepherd Pitt
Shepherd Pitts are the result of mating German Shepherds and American Pit Bull Terriers. The popularity of this mixed breed is declining due to many bans against the APBT and the tendency for the German Shepherd to be aggressive sometimes.
The Shepherd Pitt is a medium to large dog. If the animal inherits more traces of the German Shepherd, it can weigh up to between 80 to 90 pounds.
The average weight of the mixed breed is between 35 to 80 pounds. A Shepherd Pitt commonly hits between 17 to 24 inches of height at the withers when fully grown. As expected, females are the more compact and lighter ones, while boys represent the highest numbers.
Labrabull
People give the funny names of Pitador or Labrabull to the mix between the Labrador Retriever and the American Pit Bull Terrier. The size of the Labrador usually makes these dogs large. Therefore, they’re also recognized as a medium to large-sized mixed breed.
Labrabulls are among the most popular mixed breeds involving Pit Bulls. That’s because the Lab takes the first place of breed popularity in three countries: the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom!
Pit Bulls are also the most popular type of dog in the world. And the American Pit Bull Terrier ranks high on the list for the United States as well.
Labrabulls’ weight ranges from 45 to 90 pounds. As for size, they can grow up to between 20 to 24 inches. Again, the dog’s mass and size greatly depend on its gender.
Dober Pit
The breeding between Dobermann Pinschers and American Pit Bull Terriers results in another medium-large mix. Again, the APBT is the smaller breed. The large size of some of these dogs is due to the Dobermann’s characteristics.
The adult height of Dober Pits ranges from 24 to 28 inches. They’re also pretty heavy. Their masses commonly vary between 60 to 100 pounds.
Pitweiler
The Pitweiler is the crossbreed involving American Pit Bull Terriers and Rottweilers. The result is another relatively large mix.
The Rottweiler is a medium-to-large and often purely regarded as a large-sized dog breed. The Pitweiler obviously has a tendency to inherit this characteristic.
It also has a very muscular and robust appearance. Rottweilers and APBTs are intimidating dogs just by themselves. I think you can get a picture of what happens if you mate them together!
The average weight of a Pitweiler ranges from 45 to 100 pounds. Varying from 18 to 26 inches, their height is also pretty considerable.
Chi Staffy
Let’s vary a bit and hop into a hybrid involving the Staffordshire Bull Terrier! If we breed this dog with a Chihuahua, we get the Chi Staffy.
This time it is the Pit Bull who will influence the dog to be big. That’s because Chihuahuas are among the smallest dog breeds in the world. These pets generally don’t grow much higher than 10 inches, nor weigh more than 6 pounds.
However, thanks to the Staffy being a medium dog, the Chi Staffy grows typically up to between 15 to 20 inches. Its mass commonly ranges from 15 to 35 pounds. Still, this is an incredibly small mixed breed.
My Final Thoughts
While Pit Bulls share a lot of common features, each breed has its own characteristics and dimensions. Therefore, you should look for unique information to know the size and weight of a specific dog. With the data provided in this article, you’ll have a great understanding of most of them.
What varies, even more, is the size of mixed Pit Bull breeds. The hybrids I showed you today are the ones you’ll mostly hear about.
However, it’s impossible to mention all possible Pit Bull mixes here, unfortunately. Nevertheless, by the information I’ve given you, you’ll have an excellent basis when it comes to other hybrids.
What you basically need to do to discover the average size of a mixed Pit Bull is to analyze his parent breeds individually. The resulting puppy will always be the average of both. The larger the dog you mate with a Pit Bull, the larger the result will be, and vice-versa.
References & Citations
- The Nest
- Dogtime.com
- The Happy Puppy Site
- Dog Breed Plus
- Wikipedia
- PetGuide.com