Monday, April 4, 2016
5 Famous Bully Breeders
Hey dudes! I know in my previous posts I talked about choosing your bloodline and socializing your pup, but I figure it's about time I walk you through WHERE you should get your pup. There's a ton of breeders out there, many who are also doing this as a way of life, many who couldn't care less about their dogs. There's a lot of people out there who put fake ribbons on their dogs and print fake papers on the way their dogs are bred. You can either buy a dog through trial and error, as I and many others have, unfortunately. Or you can trust your money in these top breeders.
My number one rule to choosing a bloodline is to buy from the source! If you already know what bloodline you want, do some research on the original creator of the line, and see if they're still around selling dogs. Now, buying "brand name" may be a bit more pricey than buying from smaller breeders, but at least you'll have the confidence of knowing you're getting the highest quality dog you can. Remember: you get what you paid for.
Razor's Edge
Of course I had to start this article off with the best! The main focus of this bloodline is their agility and calm temperament. Linked above is Checkmate Kennels, one of the best breeders of Razor's Edge today. They breed some absolutely beautiful bullies! If I had the space, no lie I'd probably buy out most of their stock, lol! They have some quality connections with other people in the bully industry, and there's plenty of others to back their word.
Kurupt
Kurupt dogs are for those who like to go to the extreme! Take the smaller, leaner bullies, triple their size, and then you get your Kurupt dogs. They're the ones many people go for when they try to breed for size. Kurupt dogs tend to be very friendly, but their huge appearance also makes them a great guard dog! The main problem is finding a healthy Kurupt pup as some breeders try to breed for size without paying attention to how it's affecting their dog. Pitfall Kennels is linked above as they are one of the best breeders of healthy Kurupt dogs.
Remyline
Remyline is for the Razor's Edge lovers who want a thicker dog. The bloodline is based on only one dog named Remy (thus the name Remy"line"), so there is a wide variation on their appearance. But if there's one thing you can be sure of, it's their thick bone structure and heavy heads. Remy has thousands of offspring as he was bred to literally anyone who could pay the stud fee. Therefore, finding a quality breeder of the Remyline was tough, but I finally settled in my choice of Mr. Pitbull.
Gottiline
One of the most popular bloodlines behind Razor's Edge, and you can still get Gottiline right from the source!!! These dogs are known for being low to the ground and a bit bulky, like they can ram right through a brick wall. Many people take their looks for granted, not realizing how active these little guys can be. They're another good dog that makes a good protection dog due to their looks, but they're 100% lovable all around!
Greyline
Last, but certainly not least, we come to Greyline. A bloodline I know little about, admittedly, but is hugely popular with my friends! They are known to be quick on their feet, having good temperaments, and, most importantly, the classic grey-and-white colour that makes up their name. The breeder I linked for Greyline has stock coming down straight from the original dog. Their dogs range in beautiful shades of grey and blue and they stay true to the Greyline name.
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Top 5 Dog Foods You Should Be Using
One of the most important features of having healthy and functional dogs is their diet. I, personally, am all for a raw diet, and that's a subject I'll be going into later. For the newbie, raw diets can be expensive and become a big time waster if you have a lot of dogs. So this guide is for those who want the healthiest dogs possible within budget and time limits.
Taste of the Wild Dry Dog Food
This is the food I started on. This is the food my buddies started on or still use. Heck, even my MOM feeds the cat version of this food to her cats! It's one of the best kibbles you can feed your dog, which is why I put it at the very top of this list. It's definitely the best grain-free kibble for your dollar. For the fish flavors, there is worry about mercury-levels, but a chat with TotW customer service confirmed me that the fish they use have little to nonexistant mercury. Actually, that's a really big thing I like about the company of this food: they're really open. Any possible questions you may have about the food can be answered with a quick call. I love that!
BUY HERE NOW
Hill's Science Diet Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Good food for those who have bigger, more athletic dogs. You won't just end up with hard muscles, but a beautiful glossy coat to go with it. What I really like about Hill's is the fact that they've been around for 50+years and has always been rated highly. I've seen many new pet food brands come and go. Many that try to attach so many different labels on their bags: high protein, organic, cage-free. Always something to new to get customers to buy, yet it is Hill's that has stood the test of time. What does that tell you?
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Rachel Ray Nutrish Just 6 Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food
Now this is a newer brand on the list, but considering I have a few friends trying this with good results, I decided to gather their opinions and write a review. Your dog's coat will shine and be way more active than before. Yes, even the couch potatoes seem to react very well to this food. A friend with a 15!!!! year old dog also found a lot of success with this food. Not only was the old hound active again, he was able to get another valuable litter off him as well ;)
BUY HERE NOW
Iams Proactive Health Adult Dry Dog Food
Another good classic food you just can't go wrong with. Your dogs will act and feel like the dogs they should be. Their ingredient list is much better than some other big name brands, especially with chicken being the first ingredient instead of corn. This is a food that also seems to have an amazing flavour, as the dogs seem to gobble it down faster than any other food. I wouldn't be surprised if it's due to the high-quality ingredients they like to use.
BUY HERE NOW
Diamond Naturals Dry Food for Adult Dogs
A very good brand of food with less filler than even some of the other brands on our list. I had some weight problems with one of my dogs in my early days of breeding, and moving her onto Diamond Naturals made a huge difference. She was eating less of the food, but it filled her up better and fat began to shed off of her. I'm really appreciative of Diamond Naturals as it helped save my dog from possible diabetes. While all my dogs didn't eat it, I still highly recommend Diamond for other people who may have problems with fat dogs.
BUY HERE NOW
Any questions shoot me an email to bigbullybucks@gmail.com
Friday, March 25, 2016
Being A Successful Breeder
What makes a person successful? Not just with breeding American Bullies, but with anything in life? I would say...taking action! If you're not doing anything, what do you honestly expect to accomplish.
You can do positive thinking exercises. You can read this blog. You can attend dog shows. But if you're not taking action, you're not going to move forward whatsoever.
Don't worry. I used to be, and still kind of am, that kind of person. The person who spends more time reading about doing awesome stuff, and little time actually taking action. There's a lot to learn from reading books and blogs, it's why I spend a majority of my time doing it. But there's no better learning than hands-on experience. After making a bunch of mistakes and seeing a lot of success, then you can say you truly understand breeding.
Being a successful American Bully breeder means never going a day without taking a step closer to your goals. You realize that to live your dream of working with these dogs means constantly working towards goals. When you work for yourself, there's little room for a rest day.
Everybody is always looking for a "magic pill". I already know that there's some people on this blog looking for some super secret magic spell to become a world famous breeder. Here's the secret guys: if you focus every day towards your success, doing anything you need to to reach that goal, you will become successful!
You don't need to be smart to take action. You don't need some special talent at breeding the perfect American Bullies. You just need to DO. Wanna know why there's such a lack of successful people (and why there's a-holes taking advantage of these desperate people)?
BECAUSE NO ONE TAKES ACTION!!!
This world waits for no one. If you want something, you have to work for it NOW! Unless you enjoy your brain constantly nagging you to buy that first pup and start your new career, stop waiting. When you read about something you're interested in doing, set down that book, or turn off the computer, and go do that thing. If you can't do that thing now, plan a way to do it soon. I waited way too long to start my American Bully breeding career; I don't want the same to happen to ya'll.
The more you wait on what you want, the more that goal starts to slowly disappear. The more chances negative thoughts have to invade your brain and tell you, "maybe this whole breeding thing isn't for me." You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you don't act on it, why should anyone care? Companies like Windows and Tesla would never be famous if they merely stayed as ideas.
Once you start doing, trust me, it's hard to stop! First you find yourself with a couple of American Bully pups. Suddenly you're winning a Best in Show winning. Blink again and you find yourself selling a beautifully well-bred pup for $2000. You can't wait for inspiration to be successful like this. If you are, let this be your inspiration to get off your butt and go do something!
Any questions you have you can shoot me at bigbullybucks@gmail.com
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Puppy Socialization
So you got your pups from a breeder, or you bred your own pups and now it's time to socialize them with the world. To put it simply, puppy socialization is getting your dog acquainted with the real world.
The main cause of instable temperament is from dogs that were not properly socialized as pups. Whether it lived it's life in a shelter, or locked in a cage in someone's house for most of it's life, this causes the dog to be more fearful of humans and pretty much everything in the environment. The dog grows up with its own unique view of the world; one that mostly focuses on lashing out in fear at anything and anyone.
There is no perfect blueprint to getting your American Bully pup socialized, but there's always something you can find right in your home or down the street your pup should be used to.
As soon as your pup has opened its eyes and starts walking around, usually around 8 weeks of age, you should start the socialization process. They're minds are immensely curious and, without the proper guidance of their owners, they may start making some bad judgements about their environment. There's little fear in pups (which is why it seems they do the dumbest things, haha), so this is the perfect opportunity to start teaching them.
You'll be socializing with your dogs for years to come, but during the early stages you'll find yourself spending a few hours a day getting your American Bully pup used to its environment. The few hours you spend now means less time you have to spend when your dog is older.
From 8 to 24 weeks get your pup as socialized as possible. After this time is when the dog looks at new experiences with fear than curiosity.
Always be near your dog during socialization. If you want it to get used to, say, cars. Don't tie it to your porch and expect it to be fine. Be there with your pup, petting it and telling it that things will be OK. It may not understand what you're saying, but your soothing voice will comfort it. Besides, you never know what strange things, or people, will come to your pup if you leave it alone.
Don't force your American Bully pup into situations it just doesn't feel comfortable with. Socialization should be a fun experience. As soon as your pup stops having fun, it sees different experiences in a negative view and may react negatively in the future.
The most important part of socialization is bonding with your pup. Make sure it always knows it can look up to you when in an unfamiliar situation. Teach it that using teeth is not always the answer to a problem. Teach it that the vacuum cleaner and bathtub are not as frightful as they seem.
Socialization should be a gradual process. Don't immediately start with a loud, screaming vacuum cleaner. Slowly introduce your American Bully pup to different situations. Instead of running the vacuum in your pup's face, start by just keeping it in the same room. Then vacuum a room behind closed doors. And just keep progressing from there.
Lastly, make a list of experiences your pup needs to be introduced to and what he has already faced. Just like you write and set goals for your breeding program, writing and setting goals for pups ensures your success!
Any questions shoot me at bigbullybucks@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Setting Goals
What do some of the best American Bully breeders have in common?
As should be obvious by the title of this post... GOALS!
They don't just set a goal and go about life forgetting it. They write those goals down and read them every day. They enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. They're lives revolve around accomplishment.
Lemme tell you about the "95/5 principle" I learned about in my early years of breeding. This is a principle that applies to any career, really. 5% of American Bully breeders will obtain 95% of the awards. Whether those be Best in Show trophies or the ability to support your family working with these dogs.
5% is a small number... So how can you reach that 5%? How can you avoid becoming like the other 95%, many who are mostly backyard breeders anyways?
GOALS!
Find out what you really want out of being an American Bully breeder. Make some short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. Maybe you'll compete in a show in the next 30 days. Maybe you'll have a Champion in the next 6 months. Maybe you'll be the number one breeder of <enter bloodline here> in the next 3 years. If you don't know what your goals are, how can you expect to accomplish anything?
Sit down, get a piece of paper, get a pen or pencil. Before you start writing, close your eyes and imagine where you want to be. Do you have a trophy room just for your dogs? Or a new shiny car bought with the money you earned through hard work and dedication?
Once you know WHERE you want to be, think about HOW you're going to get there. It's easy to dream up of what we want from our future, but it means nothing if we're not actively working to get better. Trust me, the mindset I had 10+ years ago as a dumb newbie is completely different than today, and you'll notice that too when you start to follow your goals.
Now, I'm not usually one for negative self-talk. My therapist told me that was bad! But, sometimes it can be helpful. Sometimes telling yourself that you're not happy with your current situation is the kick to your head that makes you take action. When I told myself I hated my boring cubicle job and wanted to do nothing but work with dogs for a living, that was the kick that made me get up and buy my first American Bully pups.
Read through your goals every day, every week, every year. Watch how far you've come from the beginning. Never forget where you're trying to go in life. When you see how close you are to accomplishing your goals, it makes continuing much easier.
Goals, drive, focus. This is what it takes to be the top 5% of American Bully breeders.
Any questions you can shoot me at bigbullybucks@gmail.com
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Picking Your Bloodline
Many people think breeding dogs is ez-pz. They think you just look in the newspaper, or on Craigslist, choose a breeder, buy some pups, raise them, breed them, walla! What they don't realize is that if you want to be a successful breeder, you need to learn your bloodlines. Find out the kind of dogs you want to breed: athletic, muscular bullies, or companion low energy dogs. If you can't take the time to sit down and research the bloodlines and history of the breed, then breeding as a career may not be for you.
After you do some research on some of the many American Bully bloodlines, look into finding breeders of healthy pups. Some of the most popular bloodlines are "Watchdog", "Razor's Edge", and "Gotti". Because these lines are so popular, you have plenty of responsible breeders to choose a pup from. Unfortunately, you also have many more unscruptulous individuals who give little care to their dogs' health. If you're having trouble finding a good breeder, look to see if they display any awards or trophies. This shows that they are interested in breeding only the best that they can.
Once you choose a bloodline, to ensure dogs of high quality and health, try to also breed with bloodlines outside of your chosen one (but still matches your breeding goals). This lets you get the best of both bloodlines, while also knocking out some genetic defects that may occur from inbreeding.
The number one thing a newbie needs to do, way before you buy a dog, is to try and seek mentorship from more experienced breeders (like me!). Ask for guidance from different people, as everyone will always have differing opinions that will be valuable in the future. Most importantly, make sure to gauge the person you're learning from. Some people may come off as legit, but as you hang around them more you begin to notice their true intentions.
Once you're ready to buy, there's a few questions you should be prepared to ask your American Bully breeder. Depending on what you want to breed for, you can ask things like energy levels, head size, average weight, etc, etc, etc. Ask about the breeder's own goals with the breed, and why he decided to get into the dogs. This will clue you in on how the breeder views his stock. For the most part, you want to ask "why?" a lot. A good, responsible breeder who knows what he is doing should be able to answer quickly and honestly.
Once you got your stock, the real fun begins! Don't forget to bookmark this site and check back every day on how to make some BIG BULLY BUCK$$$!
Any questions you can shoot me at bigbullybucks@gmail.com
Monday, March 21, 2016
Welcome to the Rest of Your Life Bros!
Hey everyone! I can't tell you how excited I am to start this blog and help fellow bully breeders with breeding and selling the best dogs they can. I've been breeding these dogs for 10+ years, and I figured why not contribute some good to the breed by helping others. There's no better feeling in the world than having a stable job that doesn't involve wasting your life away in a cubicle.
In a month's time, I'm going to go ham on writing on sh!t-ton of articles on how to make a living doing what you love! Best part is: I'm going to teach you everything important that I learned in 4 years of business school. I start from the beginning of getting your first pups and how to breed responsibly! I'll show what works. I'll show you the many stupid mistakes I've made so you don't have to.
"How much is this going to cost us?" you might ask. FREE! I'm already making good money, I ain't greedy ;)
Any questions you can shoot me over at bigbullybucks@gmail.com