Today's Bull Terrier is the direct descendant of the original bull-and-terrier crosses made in England, specifically to bait bulls and, later to fight in pits. The breed was standardized in England in the early 1850's by James Hinks. The first accepted color was white, but colored dogs were later allowed. The Bull Terrier has predominately been a show dog.

Appearance
The Bull Terrier's most distinctive feature is its head, described as 'egg shaped' when viewed from the front, almost flat at the top, with a Roman muzzle sloping evenly down to the end of the nose with no stop. The unique triangular eyes of the Bull Terrier are small, dark, and closely set. The body is full and round, while the shoulders are robust and muscular and the tail is carried horizontally. The Bull Terrier walks with a jaunty gait, and is popularly known as the 'gladiator of the canine race'. The Bull Terrier is strongly built and muscular, presenting a symmetrical appearance, with a determined and intelligent expression. The Bull Terrier is active, with a sweet disposition and is responsive to discipline.

Character
Bull Terriers are generally friendly dogs. Their physical strength is matched by their intelligence. They can be obstinate and are not ideal dogs for the first-time owner. As a breed they are generally placid and will not normally make the first move. The Bull Terriers are very affectionate dogs that love human company, so it is not a good idea to leave them alone for long periods of time as with their strong jaws they can cause severe damage if bored. Bull Terriers are particularly good with children and can stand a great deal of abuse due to their high pain threshold. The Bull Terriers are protective of children in their charge. Younger dogs may regard children as playmates and because of their strength may cause inadvertant injury.
The American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS), a not-for-profit organisation that promotes uniform temperament testing for dog breeds, gives the Bull Terrier a pass rate of 91.5%. The average for all breeds is 81.5%. While not definitive, this does suggest that the Bull Terrier has a more than usually even temperament.
 

Temperament
Exuberant, comical, playful, assertive and very mischievous describes the Bull Terrier. It is an imaginative breed that often sees things its own way and is stubborn to the end. The Bull Terrier needs daily physical and mental exercise. For all its tough bravado, this is an extremely sweet-natured, affectionate and devoted breed. The Bull Terrier can be aggressive with other dogs and small animals. The Bull Terrier is happiest when they are with the people they love. They are miserable if shut away in a kennel or kept outside away from human companionship.

Exercise/Training
The Bull Terrier needs to be entertained, either with a good exercise session or mental stimulation every day - preferably both. This is an active breed that enjoys a good run, but it is best to run it only in a safe area. Playing and obedience are very good types of mental exercise. 20 minutes obedience and playing with your Bull Terrier will be more useful for the dogs exercise then an hour walk on the leash can provide.

Color
Acceptable colors for the Bull Terriers are white, (skin pigmentation and markings on the head are not to be penalised in the show ring in the UK), any color other than white, or any color with white markings (although Blue and liver highly undesirable).
The AKC specifies that if all other things are equal, the brindle coat is preferred. (White is preferred in the UK)

Grooming
The coat of the Bull Terrier needs only a very little grooming and coat maintenance. A good nutrition and regular brushing keeps the proper coat of the Bull Terrier shine and the skin healthy. Bathing doesn’t harm the coat of the Bull Terrier as long as you use a good quality shampoo that doesn't dry the skin and coat and is formulated for a canine coat. The ears of the Bull Terrier should be kept clean and regularly inspected as well.

Any breed described as "good with children", the dog must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialized with children will not behave predictably around them. As with all dogs, they should never be left alone with young children.