Bouffalant is a bovine Pokémon with a large, dark afro on its head. Two large, curving horns, each with two golden growths resembling rings, protrude from the afro. It has a shaggy brown hide that ends at its knees and does not cover its face. A large, gray nose sits at the end of its short, beige snout, and its yellow eyes are partly hidden by its hair. There are black tear markings directly below its eyes. Each of its beige legs has a single, gray hoof and its tail ends in a stubby tuft of fur.
A territorial Pokémon, it will headbutt anyone that attempts to invade its territory. However, in the anime, it has been known not to attack those with an afro hairstyle. Protected by its afro, which absorbs damage, its headbutts are strong enough to derail a train and send it flying. It can also destroy a car with just a Headbutt. The more hair a Bouffalant has on its head, the higher positions it has in the herd. A herd of Bouffalant consists of 20 individuals. For unclear reasons, a Bouffalant loses its hair from its head should it ever betray its herd.