5
$6.99US $8.99CAN
01
AD
Hey there bully enthusiasts! In this issue of Keeping It Bully Magazine you’ll see and read a lot of new things that you will enjoy. Every issue we work hard on improving the content and quality of the magazine, the content of this issue is by far the strongest and most powerful content you will experience from us here at KIB. In this issue I had the opportunity to work hands on for the very first time, crafting every page and adding structure to our layout, presentation, and delivery. We are proud to be able to say we have truly arrived and we are fully back on board with one of the best teams ever. Thanks to co-founder Victor Herrera and lead Graphic Designer Christian Reyes we have been able to take this magazine to the top. When we first founded the magazine there was a lot of support from the bully community just out of the strength that they wanted a magazine to represent their lifestyle, interests, and passions. It has been thanks to you guys, thanks to the support you have given KIB we are still here. In the past there have been things that we did not elaborate on, things that could have been improved, we decided it was time for a new direction and took into consideration all of your suggestions. First we started in our office, eliminating all half-steppers, non-factors, and useless elements. By doing this we have refined and almost perfected our product. Things will only continue to improve, every time we will set the bar higher than the previous issue. Without further ado, we prouldy present to you issue #5 of Keeping It Bully Magazine with GR. CH. Beastro on the cover!
AD
BEASTRO T
he Bully Market is a family-oriented American Bully kennel founded and located in Southern California. Since deciding to get involved with the Bully community in 2008, it has been a whole lot of dog days and keeping it Bully! I always had a Pitbull, but once I got my first Bully I was bitten by the bug. The next thing I knew I was traveling all over the West Coast to compete in Bully shows. These days we still show hard and have traveled as far as the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest. Back then we were doing it with Homie and his offspring. Nowadays we’re doing it with Beastro and his offspring. The Homie Blood family became the first to boast a line of three consecutive Grand Champion males, and they all reside here at The Bully Market. It’s been a long road, but Beastro has moved his way up to being the current #1 Ranked American Bully of All Time with 41 Best in Breed wins as of July 2013.
KIB: What brought you into the dog game? I have always loved the Pitbull breed and had interest in breeding, but all I had was a couple regular Pits that were unpapered. I preferred the thicker one, so when I found out about American Bullies I started looking into breeding and showing, and began to buy some of the first stock for our kennel. KIB: Where did Beastro come from? Beastro is off of Grand Champion Dogtown’s Lock n Load and MyStyles LoLo. He was produced in a collaboration with Noy of MyStyle Bullies. Beastro’s bloodline consists of mostly Razors Edge blood. KIB: As a pup, did you ever think Beastro was going to be who he is? He was an awesome pup, one of the best I have seen, and I knew he would be special. Unfortunately for me I did the breeding for 1st FEMALE instead of first OVERALL, so I offered big money for Beastro as a young pup. I really had a hunch he would be special. KIB: Explain to us exactly what titles he holds? Currently, Beastro is an ABKC Grand Champion, has 46 Best of Breed wins, and he is currently #1 of all time. He also has two majors at Nationals, 2011 Best Pocket Male and 2012 Best Grand Champion. KIB: Are you satisfied with what you have accomplished? We are very satisfied with Beastro’s accomplishments. At this point we continue to take him out because he enjoys showing, so until he doesn’t enjoy it anymore, we will help him build his legacy, both in the ring and through productions.
KIB: Explain to us what the ‘Bully Market’ is? I came up with the name “The Bully Market” because at the time that I started the kennel I was really into trading and investing in stocks. When I was planning out my vision and telling my friends and family, I told them it was going to be a Bull market, always on the up-and-up, but a BULLY market. The name basically means “Keeping it Bully” and keep things going well. KIB: Where do you see yourself in the future? I wish I knew, LOL. We do have a lot of plans and goals, but I don’t like to get too far ahead of myself. I try to enjoy the here and now, and not stress over the past or worry about the future. We’re not moving forward blindly folded over here; we do have some plans and vision, but we kind of just stick to an outline and take it day-by-day, week-by-week, monthby-month, year-by-year. That is in reference to the campaigning and the dogs in general. KIB: Is there anything you have yet to accomplish with Beastro? We definitely still have some goals in the ring with Beastro, but moving forward, we are really starting to focus toward some of the up-and-coming prospects and productions for 2014 and 2015. We have really been buying time and building for the future, so we are excited to see what it holds. I feel like we can always do better and improve. It’s not about being better than anyone else but more about being better than we were before. But I will admit, I do give my brother Nubbz a hard time if my stats are better than his at any given moment. lol. KIB: How do you feel about having him on the front cover of KIB magazine? I think it is awesome, and we are honored to have Beastro on the cover of KIB Magazine. We thank you for the opportunity and feel like it really couldn’t have come at a better time, with Beastro currently being the all time leader in wins for our breed. Huge shout out to you guys for doing a great job with your magazine, keeping it professional, and of course, keeping it bully!
Q- How do I teach the pull command? A- With the harness on, take the dog for a walk with a lead attached. Then call him back to you and introduce a word you want to use as the command to pull, such as “Pull” or “Work”. Just make sure you pick a word to use that you will stick with. If you try to change commands, it will only confuse the dog. Q- Should I use a “bait”? A- This is a tricky question. It has been noted over the years as being done; however, if you chose to use bait, make sure you do not use any thing that resembles a human or an animal. That should never be used as bait! Using any such item will actually get your dog disqualified during an event! We find that teaching dogs to pull on command is much easier and does not cause any confusion in the dog. Q- Are we ready for weight yet? A- Once your dog feels comfortable with the harness on and is responding to your command, it’s time to introduce some weight. A 1-10 pound barbell weight, tied to a cable or a tire, is a good first light resistance that doesn’t make too much noise. The chances are good that if your dog has had fun, he or she will run to you like there is nothing on it. It is very important that you go very easy the next month. After each pulling event, make sure you reward the dog with a treat or love, or however you normally praise your dog. You will want to practice with this weight for a month or so, to get the dog used to the feel of pulling. After about a month of this weight, increase the weight. Make sure you only increase the weight slowly. After each weight increase, work with your dog for a few weeks with that weight before you introduce heavier weights.
Q- What will I need to train my dog to weight pull? A- The most important things you will need is a healthy dog, time, and patience! Once you have those, the rest is simple! You will need a weight pull harness designed for the size of your dog and items of different weights. Q- At what age can I start training? A- Around the age of 6 months your dog will be able to start pulling light weight. Puppies that are still growing and maturing can be damaged if introduced to weight to early; the pulling can negatively alter the way their bones and joints mature. By the age of 18 months, he or she will have fully developed muscles and tissue to pull heavier weights. Q- Should I get my dog a weight pulling harness to get him used to it ahead of time? A- No, a regular harness leash will work great to get the dog used to the feel of it. Just do not have your dog pulling anything with a regular harness. Only use it to get your dog used to the feeling of a harness. DO NOT ALLOW YOUR DOG TO PULL WEIGHT IN A REGULAR HARNESS. Q- Once my dog is ready for training how do I introduce the harness? A- Put the harness on the dog and play with him or her! This will make the dog feel as if he or she has something to do with playing or fun. Walk with the dog while he or she is wearing the harness. Make sure you also praise the dog to let it know weight pulling is a good thing!
Hey there Bully Family! In this issue of Keeping It Bully Magazine I am going to discuss the importance of training your best friend in a good obedience program. Also, I will be breaking down, step-by-step, how to give you an edge in the show ring as you advance your Bully’s knowledge. As an American Bully owner, I understand the breed and how they just want to please their owner, and that is key to starting to train your Bully in Obedience.
The main thing that I have found as an American Bully owner is that a lot of Bullies are not being taught the proper manners or even the bare minimum of obedience training! As a dog owner I believe that this is a part of the responsibility of owning this breed. Some of you may say, “I don’t have the funding right now”. Well I can assure you that you will want to continue reading because I am going to give you some very valuable tips on doing some simple obedience with your Bully and hammering on the basics.
REWARD
PRAISE
First you need a form of “high value treat”. This is something that your Bully will be highly motivated to earn, such as a toy or a soft treat. Once you’ve chosen your reward, you now need to know how to use it. Many owners tend to make the mistake of rewarding their dog when they did nothing to earn the reward, such as leaving treats, balls, toys, etc. out when not training. The first thing you need to do when not training is make sure your rewards are out of reach of your dog, so the next time you train, you can bring that reward out, and your Bully is going to be that much more excited to see the reward.
ATTENTION
When teaching a dog a new command you must make sure the dog is being attentive and knows that you are on the spotlight. Then you can proceed at a slow pace and go through the steps in completing the command that you want your Bully to learn.
Every time your Bully completes the task you reward and make an exaggerated praising voice such as, “Good Job!” I say exaggerated because you want your Bully to really feel like he or she has done something extraordinary and has satisfied you. After enough repetition and hard work, your Bully should start comprehending the command.
STAYING POSITIVE
Now you can start rewarding your Bully less, but do this at a very steady, slow pace because you want your Bully to do the command without always expecting a reward. If a dog expects to be rewarded every time it sits, then when you don’t have a reward for your dog, it wont be exciting to do the command anymore and possibly lose motivation. So challenge your Bully. Start adding distractions, change environments, and take the dog out of its natural comfort zone once you think he or she has mastered the commands. Make sure to keep training positive at all times for the dog.
“Deciding to show your Bully should not be taken lightly or made on the spur of the moment. It takes a considerable amount of time to properly prepare your Bully for the show ring.” First and foremost, you need to properly socialize your Bully with other dogs and humans. The show ring is not a place for dog-aggressive or people-aggressive dogs. Socializing your dog is something that should be started as soon as he has had a full round of shots and is able to be taken out in public without endangering his health. Take him everywhere that dogs are allowed to get him used to being around a lot of activity. Next, you should properly train your dog. He needs to know how to sit, stand, stay, and heel. Because the show ring is such a busy place, he should be able to listen and follow commands, even with a lot of distractions. It is a good idea to take your dog with you to at least one dog show without having the intention on trying to place in a conformation show. Most Bully shows have a fun class. This is a good opportunity for you to familiarize yourself and your Bully with the show ring.
Make sure that your dog is clean on the day of the show. Having him professionally groomed is ideal. If, for some reason, this is not possible, you need to make sure that he has a good bath. This needs to include trimming any stray hairs, cleaning his ears and eyes, and trimming his nails. You will also need to brush his teeth. On the day of the dog show, you need to bring a bag or box with some basic show equipment. Most Bully owners use a harness or thick collar when they walk a Bully. This is fine for when you are looking at the exhibits. Make sure that you put his current rabies tag on this harness or collar. For a show, however, you need a thin leash and possibly a thin collar that does not take away from the appearance of the dog. You should bring a clean towel or paper towels. A water bottle is needed to spritz the dog’s coat so it will shine in the ring. Some owners use ice to do this. Baby wipes are a necessary accessory. You can do a final wipe of the Bully’s eyes before entering the show ring, or clean your hands with these wipes after touching another Bully.
OFENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Answers by: Israel Vargas
KIB: How old can my Bully be before I can show him/her in the ring? You can start showing dogs right at 3 months of age. A dog starts gaining points at 9-12 months of age. KIB: Should (and can) I use bait during the show? Yes. Using bait is a very effective way to gain your dog’s attention. It’s best to hold your dog’s meal 1 day before, so bait can be most effective at the show. KIB: How do I know which class I belong to? Just remember, you can always go to a rep of the Kennel Club hosting the event and ask. Or you can always ask the judge of the show prior to the show. It’s best to show up EARLY for questions. KIB: What do I need to register to be in the show? For most sanctioned events, all you need to do is bring your dog’s pedigree and a copy of it’s shot records.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Most sanctioned events start with the puppy classes and moving into the adult classes by age. Most show are judged by breed, age and gender. Only top winners of each breed gets to compete amongst other breeds.
JOURNEY TO BEST IN SHOW
Let’s talk about the journey to Best in Show. I go against my breed, age, and gender class. I must get first place in order to compete against the female first place in my breed, age, and gender class. If I win, then I’ll go on to compete in the Best in Show where I will compete against other 1st place winners. The winner out of that ring wins Best of Breed. Then all the Best of Breed winners compete for Best in Show.
SHOW RING STACKING TIPS
When I first train a puppy to stack, I get block cheese (or sliced cheese and mush it into a ball), and I cut a hunk (about half an inch) off the cheese and hold it out for the dog to suck on. While the dog is licking the piece of cheese, I stack the dog, and count to three. If the dog moves, I re-stack and count to three again, until the dog has stood still for three seconds. I keep this up for a few times, and once the dog has gotten the hang of it, I keep this up until I can get it to stay stacked for a full minute. It takes lots of time, training AND patience, but it is worth it in the end! Also, you want to get your dog used to being touched ALL over its body (including in male dogs, the testicles). Get it comfortable with all types of people touching it, opening its mouth, feeling down its back, etc. Take your dog out everywhere, from quiet places to busy parking lots. Socialize! Socialize! Socialize!!! It is one of the most important things for a show dog. If your dog is only use to you messing with its mouth, it might not let the dog show judge touch it. So make sure to socialize plenty!!! Even if it feels and looks silly, practice stacking your dog in public places with LOTS of noise; it will help the dog to stay focused on you during a show. Waltz around in public places as if you were in the show ring. It will help prepare your dog for the big day.
July 15, 2013. The United Kennel Club, Inc. welcomes a new breed, the American Bully, to its list of recognized breeds, effective July 15, 2013. The American Bully breed was developed as a natural extension of the American Pit Bull Terrier, a breed that has maintained a characteristic appearance and temperament for over 100 years. As with any long-standing breed, several distinct types have evolved from the parent breed, with one in particular – the American Bully – taking on a specific build and structure unique enough to warrant it becoming a separate breed altogether. The American Bully, whose foundation stock is undeniably the American Pit Bull Terrier, was also developed by blending in stock from other bull breeds. The recognition of the American Bully will allow the breed to develop, while allowing the American Pit Bull Terrier breed to maintain its classic appearance. The American Bully is recognizable by its characteristic compact, strong, thickset structure and build, and broad head. It is imperative that the UKC recognized American Bully reflects the UKC breed standard, which can be accessed on the UKC website. This is an athletic breed; for example, dogs with front legs that are too short, too crooked, or set too wide are not the type of dog that will be considered for UKC registration. UKC does not condone any conditions or exaggerations that are detrimental to the health, welfare, essence and soundness of the American Bully or any other breed.
Single Registration of the American Bully is open, effective July 15, 2013. Dogs wishing to be considered as an American Bully may use a specific application that can be downloaded from the UKC website at http://res.ukcdogs.com/pdf/ AmerBullyDog.pdf. It is undeniable that there are UKC registered American Pit Bull Terriers that more closely meet the American Bully breed standard. APBT owners who would prefer to have their dog(s) registered as American Bullies may request to change their dog’s breed designation by using the breed transfer form also located on the UKC website, http://res.ukcdogs.com/pdf/ BreedTransferApplication.pdf. UKC conformation privileges will not be issued at this time; however, upon receipt of their UKC registration papers, American Bullies will be eligible to compete in applicable UKC Performance Events. Established in 1898, the United Kennel Club is the largest all-breed performance-dog registry in the world, registering dogs from all 50 states and 25 foreign countries. More than 60 percent of its 15,500 annually licensed events are tests of hunting ability, training, and instinct. UNITED KENNEL CLUB prides itself on its family-oriented, friendly, educational events. To find out more about registration and events, call or visit our website. Phone: (269) 343-9020; www. ukcdogs.com.
In the American Bully community we have seen many registries come and go. Today we take an inside look into the “USBR” (United States Bully Registry) which was founded by the one and only Ed Shepherd of Dax Line. In a recent interview with Bully Bad Ass TV, Ed describes what sets the USBR apart from many other registries. He goes on to explain that the USBR was created to be a “more breeder friendly registry.” The USBR has recently gained some wanted and some not-so -wanted attention from breeders all around. Why? The USBR has decided to embrace offspring from the infamous Mr. Miagi of The Bully Camp Line, as well as accepting the “Exotic Bully Breed” as was said by Ed Shepherd to be the “hottest movement in the game right now.” Offering registration to these animals has been something that has never been done before, leaving us to question only one thing -- was this a smart decision on behalf of the USBR? If you are an owner of an Exotic Bully or an owner of a Mr. Miagi offspring, this is your lucky day! On the flip-side, many are starting to wonder if this new registry and the ability to paper these dogs may compromise or hinder the overall integrity and standard for the American Bully Breed. What will conformation consist of? What will the breed standard be?
“The UKC has sort of a witchhunt out for bullies, American Bullies. They want Strictly Pitbulls, I don’t own any pitbulls.” Ed went on to say that the breed standard will be determined by the breeder, for the breeder, referring to the American Bully and the Exotic Bully as two separate breeds. This seems to many to be a public confession of the Exotic Bully’s mixed breed ancestry. Rumors have circulated that the USBR was only established for economic purposes. For many, this new registry could finally be a way to register their animals and feel a part of something special. We can only sit back patiently and see if it all falls into place. Will the USBR stand among its peers, or will it too diminish with time like so many other registries? We’re excited to hear your input on this subject, so feel free to contact us with your opinions and questions!
My name is Josh Rowan. My bride Brittany and I own Blackwater Bully Farm located in southern GA . I am a soldier in the Army National Guard. Between prior active duty and current guard status I have been away from home almost 3 of the 5 years I have served, including a tour supporting “Operation Iraqi Freedom”. All of our family is involved in raising our Bullies, including our 5 kids. Using our program, I’m able to teach tkids physical fitness, health care, responsibility, and even business skills such as marketing and planning, all without them even knowing they are learning (laughs out loud). When I’m away the dogs are a great focal point for my bride and I to discuss heat cycles, breedings, vet visits, shows, etc. This helps keep our minds off the fact that we have been apart for however many days, weeks, months. So even though my family’s focus is on taking care of the Bullies while I’m serving this great country, my Bullies are serving us by taking care of my family .