Bull Arab Care

The Bull Arab (BA) is a hybrid of numerous sporting breeds, most notably the Bull Terrier, the Greyhound, and the German Shorthaired Pointer. Regardless of their bloodlines, these hunting dogs are energetic and strong-willed (especially when out in the field), and will need obedience training from an early age. Overall Bull Arab care will take a moderate amount of work, and will need to include a good bit of daily exercise and some early training and socialization.

Here you'll find plenty of details on caring for a Bull Arab, including info about puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. Get answers to your questions about raising a Bull Arab in the following sections!

Though relatively inactive indoors, these hybrids have great endurance and speed--so Bull Arab exercise requirements are pretty high. As hunting dogs, BAs are also task-oriented, so they'll need a variety of daily activities that both condition them physically (walking fetch) and stimulate them mentally (games, canine sports). They make good jogging and bicycling companions as well.

Adult BAs will need at least an hour of dedicated exercise per day, with the total amount depending on the dog's age and overall activity level. You can start exercising your BA puppy at 3½ months of age by going on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length and frequency as the pup grows.

Precautions with Bull Arab exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're 10 months old
• High prey drive means a leash is required when exercising in public
• Leash training during puppyhood is recommended
• Yards must be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Might get cold easily; don't exercise in freezing temps

Exercising your Bull Arab every day is a must. These dogs are incredibly active, especially when on a hunt--and without consistent activity they'll become frustrated, disobedient, and destructive. Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 20-minute walks (or 15-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: BAs love chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Tug-of-War: Good indoor activity; use a rope or old towel
• Hunting: Puts these dogs in their natural element
• Canine Sports: BAs can excel at obedience or agility trials and other events
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity

When indoors, giving your BA access to balls or toys will allow the dog to burn excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides in the morning and evening and playtime in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, these hybrids don't need too much care. Bull Arab shedding is moderate, and drooling isn't much of a issue.

BAs have short, stiff coats that shed a fair amount. Owners can brush their BAs with a bristle brush or grooming glove once or twice per week to keep the shedding to a minimum, and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary from time to time.

And BAs don't drool much--perhaps in anticipation of food, but that's about it. If your Bull Arab is drooling excessively, that might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

The Bull Arab diet will need to include animal proteins, healthy carbs, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to maintain its health in the long term. This means the best dog food for Bull Arabs is premium dry kibble, as it contains balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients.

These hybrids will do best with premium food that's formulated for active breeds. SportMix and Dr. Tim's are recommended brands that carry excellent lines of high-energy premium food.

Adult BAs, depending on their age, size, metabolism, and activity levels, will need about four cups of dry food per day, divided into two meals. BA puppies will need a bit less: again depending on age, about 2¾ cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until seven months of age.

For more info on feeding a Bull Arab from puppyhood through maturity, see this Bull Arab feeding guide:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by mixing in adult formula with the puppy formula, in slowly increasing amounts with each meal, for one week.

Try if possible to stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), these hybrids can become overweight--and a fat Bull Arab will have numerous health problems and a potentially shortened lifespan. You can help control your BA's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.

If you're worried your Bull Arab is overweight, try this test: run a hand along the dog's side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise!