Article Written by Derek Crouse
Crouse’s Commentary
XL’S: THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE (Dec. 1st, 2014)
The world of the American Bully is constantly expanding, and progressing. Even though this beloved breed started many years ago, it seems there
has been an explosion in popularity within the last five years especially from newcomers. Most of us agree that this breed’s first known type of dogs in
the mix were styles of American Pit Bull Terriers, various styles of Bulldogs, and Mastiffs. Now more than ever the mixing of all variances to larger style dogs has altered any true standard of what an XL American Bully looks like. While some were built for the sole fact of achieving pure size overall at the cost of function, there are others who have developed their bloodlines into working dogs participating in everything from service dogs, schutzhund, and weight-pulling.
Social media has been a blessing and a burden for the XL World. These dogs are saturating Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. There are some legitimate dogmen/women in this world that have been breeding the XL for a long time. Some started with breeding other styles of dogs and have moved their vision of the perfect dog. Some kennels have been very open about the mixing of breeds to achieve their ideal dog. From APBTs, AmStaffs, English Bulldogs, American Bulldogs, Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Mastiffs, and as well as others it takes time to develop this type of animal. The XL American Bully is scientifically and genetically a mixed breed Bandog honestly, but now some have had multiple generations of dogs to have their own distinct consistency. Some aficionados have used the label “XL Pitbulls” as a ploy to market the breed with a well know name. That heavily offends many of the old school AKC & UKC breeders. But honestly, most of these dogs are the farthest thing from a true American Pit Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier. Kennels are confusing new clients thinking they own an APBT, but really own something much different.
On the internet, there are no rules and facts are skewed in the hype machine that is created in a vacuum of the bully community. It seems that more
and more kennels are popping up out of the woodwork. Facebook has cracked down on personal profiles being coined with kennel names; instead they
have created pages for their breedings. Having a Facebook account and few dogs creates false integrity for the hype machine they are pushing for. It’s the analogy of the guy wearing TapouT or Affliction t-shirts thinking there are a professional MMA fighter. Individuals with absolutely no experience in dog breeding let alone breeding any other animal are trying to take the fast lane to the top. Sadly instead of wanting to make dogs, they would rather just making money from the dogs. Many just think they can buy a male and female (quality or not), then breed them thinking they deserve a label of a “kennel breeder”.
It seems that many of these types of new people to the XL Bully community believe spending more time posting photoshopped photos, creating drama on boards and podcasts will gain them respect from others. What they should be going is spending more time socializing their dogs, getting involved in obedience training, community events, competing in shows as well as working events. Breeders should get constant updates from their clients on how their productions are doing to provide any information a client may need. Calling out others, talking a good game, and being a cheerleader to get a deal on a stud fee are some actions that some of the “new breed” think will gain them credibility. What they are really doing is losing respect. That initial level of respect was never actually there in the first place.
Nobody ever starts out as the boss when starting a new job. In this world there are people who are legitimate breeders, handlers, and trainers with years of experience under their belt. Then are the ones who work with breeders, handlers, and trainers. You have to look in the mirror and realize what label you deserve. The lack of new breeders finding true mentors to help guide their decisions is something lacking in the XL Community. They see the top people doing big things and want that notoriety instantly without getting their hands dirty. They don’t understand the grind and consistency it takes to participate in this process. The method takes years of dedication. What the larger populace needs to do more is communicate directly to people respected in this breed. Many of them have gone through numerous experiences that run the gamut of health issues, line-breeding, behavior complications, and whelping litters. Experienced dogmen/women have dealt with past problems. Learn from their mistakes so you don’t make your own. Patience needs to be emphasized more than just buying dogs right off the bat. This could create a cycle of mentors teaching the students, and then the students can become mentors for the new kids on the block.
Instead of making big mistakes, learn from skilled people who have already made those mistakes. Wisdom and experience doesn't come from
Google or Web Forums. It’s a nice tool but not a Swiss Army knife. Google doesn't answer the phone and give you it's experience during an
emergency. Would you rather have brain surgery by a guy who aced every test for seven years or the college student that has been doing clinical hands-on work for five years knowing the nuances of the process?
Also the mixing of these various styles of breeds brings changes not just to looks, but to health and temperament as well. I know many already realize this but many others might not reading this. Honest, respectable debates and opinions should be had in a world of creating and mixing breeds. Pictures only tell a part of a story...taking dogs with various jobs and mixing their blood can make or break a program.
When you are mixing mastiff into a bloodline and you plan to bring out the APBT/AmStaff look again from other blood, you are stacking terrier traits with a guardian style dog. While a true ABPT should not be HA (human aggressive) at all, you are incorporating other dispositions when you start to take away, add, stack, or alter. Just because you want a certain "look" doesn't mean anything to the dogs’ demeanor. You can't change DNA in 5 generations, let alone 2 generations. The dogs brain is going to be wired for multiple styles of "work", but will how and when will those wires cross?? What happens when you breed a dog with too much fire to a mastiff or these hybrid bully dogs with Presa/Corso and everything else under the sun in their pedigree?
There is a small handful of dogmen/dogwomen that understand how these dogs work. I am just letting you know what I've learned from them because they have much more exposure and experience to these issues than I and most of you. So don't jump on the next XL bandwagon bandog until you completely understand the time and responsibility involved. These are not "pet home" dogs some are creating folks. When you take dogs that are bred to be protection dogs or guardian breeds, then add true game APBT/AmStaff or aggressive high drive bully dogs you better make damn sure you do your homework. Research everything humanly possible before deciding to follow through with your vision.
Don't use size and colors and gimmicks; honestly those characteristics are a bonus after the health, structure, and temperaments are laid out. Please if you are doing these types of breedings be aware of these few facts at least. While the American Bully is supposed to be bred for "companionship" it’s just not the case for many. The blood blending from one standard to another standard and then finally a consistent line/litter of dogs from mental to physical traits doesn't happen overnight. You aren't creating a sports car here; these are living breathing creatures. Just remember that. You can add a big motor to a small car or vice-versa, but doing that with genetics takes a special mechanic.
Masses of people always say, "It’s all about the owner." That is a false statement in my opinion. While a percentage of temperament is due to proper ownership, certain bloodlines that are meant for distinct jobs is simply part of a dogs DNA forever no matter how you train or condition the dog to act and behave. Then when you start stacking pedigrees or mixing/outcrossing distinct standards, you are further ingraining those behaviors or modifying dispositional traits into every dog that is produced.
In closing, we need more leaders unifying the XL World. This is a competition for many and it’s a real shark tank out there. If the XL community was wise, instead of fighting and talking down about each other’s’ dogs, we should respect each variant and style of the XL from the taller streamline dogs to the girthy thicker dogs. We should also push more health testing whether tests for Hip Dysplasia, Heart issues, or overall structural issues that make for older dogs with tons of problems.
Paying top dollar for a dog that has known health issues could decrease with a few simple measures. We always want to brag about how loyal and loving are dogs are, now it’s time to act like as the dogs we are creating.
(Owned and Copyrighted by Derek Crouse)
Crouse’s Commentary
XL’S: THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE (Dec. 1st, 2014)
The world of the American Bully is constantly expanding, and progressing. Even though this beloved breed started many years ago, it seems there
has been an explosion in popularity within the last five years especially from newcomers. Most of us agree that this breed’s first known type of dogs in
the mix were styles of American Pit Bull Terriers, various styles of Bulldogs, and Mastiffs. Now more than ever the mixing of all variances to larger style dogs has altered any true standard of what an XL American Bully looks like. While some were built for the sole fact of achieving pure size overall at the cost of function, there are others who have developed their bloodlines into working dogs participating in everything from service dogs, schutzhund, and weight-pulling.
Social media has been a blessing and a burden for the XL World. These dogs are saturating Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. There are some legitimate dogmen/women in this world that have been breeding the XL for a long time. Some started with breeding other styles of dogs and have moved their vision of the perfect dog. Some kennels have been very open about the mixing of breeds to achieve their ideal dog. From APBTs, AmStaffs, English Bulldogs, American Bulldogs, Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, Mastiffs, and as well as others it takes time to develop this type of animal. The XL American Bully is scientifically and genetically a mixed breed Bandog honestly, but now some have had multiple generations of dogs to have their own distinct consistency. Some aficionados have used the label “XL Pitbulls” as a ploy to market the breed with a well know name. That heavily offends many of the old school AKC & UKC breeders. But honestly, most of these dogs are the farthest thing from a true American Pit Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier. Kennels are confusing new clients thinking they own an APBT, but really own something much different.
On the internet, there are no rules and facts are skewed in the hype machine that is created in a vacuum of the bully community. It seems that more
and more kennels are popping up out of the woodwork. Facebook has cracked down on personal profiles being coined with kennel names; instead they
have created pages for their breedings. Having a Facebook account and few dogs creates false integrity for the hype machine they are pushing for. It’s the analogy of the guy wearing TapouT or Affliction t-shirts thinking there are a professional MMA fighter. Individuals with absolutely no experience in dog breeding let alone breeding any other animal are trying to take the fast lane to the top. Sadly instead of wanting to make dogs, they would rather just making money from the dogs. Many just think they can buy a male and female (quality or not), then breed them thinking they deserve a label of a “kennel breeder”.
It seems that many of these types of new people to the XL Bully community believe spending more time posting photoshopped photos, creating drama on boards and podcasts will gain them respect from others. What they should be going is spending more time socializing their dogs, getting involved in obedience training, community events, competing in shows as well as working events. Breeders should get constant updates from their clients on how their productions are doing to provide any information a client may need. Calling out others, talking a good game, and being a cheerleader to get a deal on a stud fee are some actions that some of the “new breed” think will gain them credibility. What they are really doing is losing respect. That initial level of respect was never actually there in the first place.
Nobody ever starts out as the boss when starting a new job. In this world there are people who are legitimate breeders, handlers, and trainers with years of experience under their belt. Then are the ones who work with breeders, handlers, and trainers. You have to look in the mirror and realize what label you deserve. The lack of new breeders finding true mentors to help guide their decisions is something lacking in the XL Community. They see the top people doing big things and want that notoriety instantly without getting their hands dirty. They don’t understand the grind and consistency it takes to participate in this process. The method takes years of dedication. What the larger populace needs to do more is communicate directly to people respected in this breed. Many of them have gone through numerous experiences that run the gamut of health issues, line-breeding, behavior complications, and whelping litters. Experienced dogmen/women have dealt with past problems. Learn from their mistakes so you don’t make your own. Patience needs to be emphasized more than just buying dogs right off the bat. This could create a cycle of mentors teaching the students, and then the students can become mentors for the new kids on the block.
Instead of making big mistakes, learn from skilled people who have already made those mistakes. Wisdom and experience doesn't come from
Google or Web Forums. It’s a nice tool but not a Swiss Army knife. Google doesn't answer the phone and give you it's experience during an
emergency. Would you rather have brain surgery by a guy who aced every test for seven years or the college student that has been doing clinical hands-on work for five years knowing the nuances of the process?
Also the mixing of these various styles of breeds brings changes not just to looks, but to health and temperament as well. I know many already realize this but many others might not reading this. Honest, respectable debates and opinions should be had in a world of creating and mixing breeds. Pictures only tell a part of a story...taking dogs with various jobs and mixing their blood can make or break a program.
When you are mixing mastiff into a bloodline and you plan to bring out the APBT/AmStaff look again from other blood, you are stacking terrier traits with a guardian style dog. While a true ABPT should not be HA (human aggressive) at all, you are incorporating other dispositions when you start to take away, add, stack, or alter. Just because you want a certain "look" doesn't mean anything to the dogs’ demeanor. You can't change DNA in 5 generations, let alone 2 generations. The dogs brain is going to be wired for multiple styles of "work", but will how and when will those wires cross?? What happens when you breed a dog with too much fire to a mastiff or these hybrid bully dogs with Presa/Corso and everything else under the sun in their pedigree?
There is a small handful of dogmen/dogwomen that understand how these dogs work. I am just letting you know what I've learned from them because they have much more exposure and experience to these issues than I and most of you. So don't jump on the next XL bandwagon bandog until you completely understand the time and responsibility involved. These are not "pet home" dogs some are creating folks. When you take dogs that are bred to be protection dogs or guardian breeds, then add true game APBT/AmStaff or aggressive high drive bully dogs you better make damn sure you do your homework. Research everything humanly possible before deciding to follow through with your vision.
Don't use size and colors and gimmicks; honestly those characteristics are a bonus after the health, structure, and temperaments are laid out. Please if you are doing these types of breedings be aware of these few facts at least. While the American Bully is supposed to be bred for "companionship" it’s just not the case for many. The blood blending from one standard to another standard and then finally a consistent line/litter of dogs from mental to physical traits doesn't happen overnight. You aren't creating a sports car here; these are living breathing creatures. Just remember that. You can add a big motor to a small car or vice-versa, but doing that with genetics takes a special mechanic.
Masses of people always say, "It’s all about the owner." That is a false statement in my opinion. While a percentage of temperament is due to proper ownership, certain bloodlines that are meant for distinct jobs is simply part of a dogs DNA forever no matter how you train or condition the dog to act and behave. Then when you start stacking pedigrees or mixing/outcrossing distinct standards, you are further ingraining those behaviors or modifying dispositional traits into every dog that is produced.
In closing, we need more leaders unifying the XL World. This is a competition for many and it’s a real shark tank out there. If the XL community was wise, instead of fighting and talking down about each other’s’ dogs, we should respect each variant and style of the XL from the taller streamline dogs to the girthy thicker dogs. We should also push more health testing whether tests for Hip Dysplasia, Heart issues, or overall structural issues that make for older dogs with tons of problems.
Paying top dollar for a dog that has known health issues could decrease with a few simple measures. We always want to brag about how loyal and loving are dogs are, now it’s time to act like as the dogs we are creating.
(Owned and Copyrighted by Derek Crouse)
