Hello Community-

Hello Community-
We are gaining new supporters regularly so I feel it’s important to reintroduce DBC on a regular basis. Sure you can read our web page, our mission statement, but it’s also important to connect directly.

I pulled my first canine “Amber” in 2003, I had to pass an aptitude test. I was tested on my knowledge of the American Pit Bull Terrier, general health knowledge of a canine, training & safe adoption practices. I passed not only the written portion, but a 12 year tenure thus far. Have I made mistakes, you bet. Looking back, the mistakes I made were when I did not follow my gut instinct. There was a time when I allowed too much outside opinion to rule my decisions. I have a few mentors that I confide in when I need direction. My mentors have at the very least 10 years more experience than I have. From the beginning I sought the tutelage of those that had written humane protocol, been on the ground floor of developing shelter policy & had been pioneers in their field. I have studied many different training methods, philosophies & most of all the canine from different aspects. I am in a field where I serve canines, so it is very important to keep fresh on a daily basis. Every canine is as individual as a fingerprint, so I have developed a sense of interaction that allows every canine to be who they are. I want to shape the strength in each canines overall temperament, not create conflict. I don’t want drones, I want happy healthy canines ready for the challenges they will face after adoption. In earlier times I would have the rescue canines in big groups 5-15 canines. One of my mentors made a valid point. Why it is very important to keep canines social during the time between intake & adoption. It is also very important to shape human social norms. So in theory, letting the dogs socialize in big groups was a positive. BUT, what they really needed was to be in groups of 2-4 at most. Why? Well because most homes consist of 2-4 canines. The more time they spent as a pack, the further they drifted from human bonding. Finding the balance between Canine to canine & canine to human interaction is important.

I have a core personal pack of 8 canines; I built this pack 1 dog at a time. I first built a relationship with each canine. Once I had reached a level of dependence from each canine, meaning they sought me out in times of conflict. Instead of initiating a fight, or disrupting the pack they would seek me. Our canines live in a human world, so as leaders, guides through our world… we must set clear & distinct guidelines. I am very choosey which outside dogs my canines meet. I am also very choosey on which humans meet my canines. We live by a very distinct guideline; I as the human leader make sure that those guidelines are kept. I made a promise to my canines, so I must live that in my daily life. I also made a distinct promise to the canines in our rescue program, which must also be met on a daily basis.

We specialize in the American Pit Bull Terrier at DBC… So we have studied, continue to study all aspects of the breed. We shape our program based on the core of this breed, as they were created over 100 years ago. We won’t market them based on sympathy, or unrealistically. They are of Terrier & Bulldog; they require a strong owner with objectivity. They are tenacious, strong willed & extremely devoted. They suffer when we take them for granted. They require stimulation, a good challenge & lots of social time. We are very in depth with every adoption, pairing a DBC canine with a family is a very intricate process. Every requirement we have in place is to best serve the canine & perspective family. We don’t budge on these measures; no amount of outside force will change the level of safety we practice. We will never set a canine or adoptive family up to fail. In closing I want to share a message from a DBC supporter.

"I have done a bit of research this week and it appears that you guys are the best around as far as looking out for the best interest of your dogs, what you offer after adoption, the pics you post with the dogs, etc. My daughter and I are looking to purchase a home with a fenced yard solely so we can adopt from you. I just wanted to say that I admire what you do and I think it is wonderful. I will be in touch in a couple of months when we are situated and able to adopt. Thanks again." Heather K.
I am in my twelfth year of humane work, I am quite positive I will leave this life working for the benefit of canines.

Sincerely-
W J. Bellottie
DBC Co Founder/ President

PIcture: Me & Amber in 2005
Amber is the first canine I was able to secure in 2003, she is still by my side today-

Decompression: Bringing in a new canine

Decompression: Shaping behavior Based on natural characteristics

Rescue ends the moment an animal is secured from an adverse situation. This is critical, now begins rehabilitation.

Decompression is usually a 30 day period when we let the canine unfold. In this period behavior is assessed at different intervals. Behavior is assessed in relation to health, environment & natural characteristic of the canine on intake. During this period key factors are considered, such as health, adoptability & the canine's desire to be a member of a human world. Each canine is assigned a human partner during this period to assess, administer & direct the path of evaluation.  The 30 days can be extended depending each canine's individual needs.

Decompression is important to give the animal time to stabilize. Health is assessed and behaviors are observed. This period also allows for objective and safe observation as the animal evolves. We are looking for "core " behavior and temperament.

Things prescribed in the decompression period:
- Hand feeding for leadership
- Basic leash and crate exercises
- Observing what the canine will "offer"
- Basic canine behaviors (aggressive, resource guarding, cognitive development, etc.)
- Daily work on an individualized level

Depending on the canines evolution in this period canines may or, may not be used in evaluation. We first want a distinct behavior that shows the canine is willing to rely on us as a resource. If we do use a canine we have 4 core canines we use. These canines have proven beyond a doubt that they can be trusted. They will signal to us when the are sensing certain things & we have worked with them closely enough to know their signals. They have also proven that they can be neutral in even the most tense situations.

Terminology to us differs from some other groups... Rehabilitation to us as an organization really only applies to any medical needs. Rescue is over the minute the canine is picked up. Behavior is assessed & shaped according to the canines natural temperament. Meaning we simply build on the strength of each canine as an individual. We do have a written adoption standard that has served us well... The standard outlines a behavior that will keep both canine & society safe. can we guarantee a canine's behavior 100%? Obviously not, which is why we are very thorough before listing a canine as "Adoptable". The canine has to show a percentage of safe & stable behavior over time to become adoptable. We also know the behavior will change once the canine is adopted, it is unrealistic to expect adopters to follow our protocol to the "T".  So when we say a canine is adoptable, the canine has shown a quality of behavior that dictates safety within society.

Our policy on cats: We NEVER guarantee the relationship between a canine & feline. Our test consists of the dogs natural instinct to either exhibit a strong prey drive towards cats , or not. Some canines live fine with cats, some do not. Proper management is the best answer to this equation, we will not set an adopter up to fail. Nor will we set our canine up to fail... we will not place a canine with strong drive towards cats in a home with cats.

This has been a brief look at some of our philosophy, policy and protocol...

Sincerely-
William J. Bellottie
President: Detroit Bully Corps

Old Family Red Nose Strain Of American Pit Bull Terrier

There is most times controversy over the "Red Nosed" dogs. The term "Red Nose" get's tossed around quite often. There is only one true strain known as "Red Nose". This excerpt will cover the history of the "Old Family Red Nose"-


"He looks no more out of place in the Ancient landscapes of 16th century paintings than he does in the ultramodern setting. It is beyond my capabilities to imagine an end to him, for every generation seems to supply a nucleus of hard core devotees completely committed to the breed. In any case, you can look into the murky past, and you will find it difficult to discern a beginning place for the breed and fortunately, the future seems to threaten no demise either.

 

Old strains are a particularly fascinating part of this tradition, and the Old Family Red Nose is one of the better-known old strains. The appearance of the red-nosed dogs always attracts attention, but it takes a little getting used to for some people to consider them truly beautiful. However no one denies that they radiate "class."

Characteristically, a dog of the red-nosed strain has a copper-red nose, red lips, red toe nails, and red or amber eyes. Some think the strain was bred for looks. Others consider any dog that just happens to have a red nose to be pure Old Family Red Nose. It is hoped that the following will dispel such notions. About the middle of the last century, there was a family of pit dogs in Ireland bred and fought chiefly in the counties of Cork and Kerry that were known as the "Old Family." In those days, pedigrees were privately kept and jealously guarded. Purity of the strains was emphasized to the extent that breeders hardly recognized another strain as being the same breed. For that reason all the strains were closely inbred. And whenever you have a closed genetic pool of that type, you are likely to have a slide toward the recessive traits, because the dominants, once discarded, are never recaptured. Since red is recessive to all colors but white, the "Old Family" eventually became the "Old Family Reds." When the dogs began coming to America, many were already beginning to show the red nose.

 

The "Old Family" dogs found their way to America mainly via immigrants. For example, Jim Corcoran came to this country to fight the World Heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan, and stayed to become a Boston policeman. He sent for dogs from his parents back in Ireland, and his importations and expertise as a great breeder have earned him a prominent place in American Pit Bull Terrier history. Many other Irish immigrants also sent back to their families to request for dogs, and the "Old Family" and related strains became firmly established in the United States.

 

At this point, there are several factors that are somewhat confusing to a student of the breed. For one thing, the term "Family dogs" was used in two ways: It could mean a strain of dogs that was a family unto itself that was kept by a number of unrelated people in Ireland, or it could refer to a strain of dogs that was kept and preserved through the years by a family group. However, the old Family Reds seem to be of the first category. Another point that arises is that with all these importations from Ireland (and there were importations from other countries, too-including Spain), where do we get off calling our breed the American Pit Bull Terrier! Well ... That's a point! The breed does not really belong to any one country or even any one era! However, I don't believe many people are in favor of changing the name of the breed even though it is not strictly an American breed. For that matter, , it is not really a Bull Terrier either! But the name American Pit Bull Terrier has become part of that tradition we were talking about, and I think most of us prefer to keep it as a formal name for the breed.

 

Back to the Old Family Reds. The first big splash made by the red noses was back around 1900 when the great breeder William J. Lightner, utilizing Old Family Red bloodlines, came up with some red-nosed dogs that really made a name for themselves. Now Lightner once told me that he did not breed for that red-nosed coloration. In fact, he did not even like it and he only put up with it because the individual dogs were of such high quality. Eventually, Lightner gave up on the red-nosed strain when he moved from Louisiana to Colorado, where he came up with a new strain that consisted of small dark-colored dogs with black noses. He had given up on the other strain because they were running too big for his taste and because he didn't like the red noses.

At this point in our story, we come upon a comical, but highly-respected, figure in the personage of Dan McCoy. I have heard old-time dog men from all over the country talk about this man. Apparently, he was an itinerant fry cook and not much of a success in life judged by normal standards, but he didn't care about that. But what he did care about were Pit Bull Dogs, and he had a wealth of knowledge about the breed. His uncanny ability to make breedings that "clicked" made him a respected breeding consultant and a most welcome guest at any dog man's house--even if he had just dropped off a freight train!
 

Always with his ear to the ground regarding anything that involved APBT's, McCoy got wind of the fact that an old Frenchman in Louisiana by the name of Bourgeous had preserved the old Lightner red-nosed strain. So he and Bob Hemphill went to that area, and with the aid of Gaboon Trahan of Lafayette, they secured what was left of the dogs. McCoy took his share to the Panhandle of Texas and placed them with his associates L.C. Owens, Arthur Harvey, and Buck Moon. He then played a principal role in directing the breedings that were made by these fanciers. And from this enclave came such celebrated dogs as Harvey's "Red Devil" and Owens (Ferguson) "Centipede." Hemphill eventually kept only dogs of the red-nosed strain. According to Hemphill, it was McCoy that first starting using the term "Old Family Red Nose" for the strain.

 

Another breeder who was almost synonymous with the red-nosed strain was Bob Wallace. However, Bob's basic bloodlines was not pure Old Family Red Nose. But in the late 40's, he was looking for the red-nosed strain in order to make an "outcross." (Bob was a scrupulously careful breeder who planned his breedings years in advance.) Unfortunately, he found that the strain was nearly gone, most of it having been ruined by careless breedings. He managed to obtain seven pure red-noses of high quality whose pedigrees he could authenticate. The strain was subsequently saved for posterity and in the 1950's became the fashionable strain in Pit Bull circles. In fact, it was Bob Wallace who wrote an article in 1953 called "There is no magic in Red Noses" in which he tried to put a damper on the overly enthusiastic claims being made by some of the admirers of the strain. No more fervent admirer of the Old Family Reds ever lived than Wallace, but he obviously felt that the strain could stand on its own merits.

 

Many strain have been crossed with the Old Family Reds at some time in their existence. Consequently, nearly any strain will occasionally throw a red-nosed pup. To many fanciers, these red-nosed individuals are Old Family Red Noses, even though the great preponderance of their blood is that of other strains. Sometimes such individuals will fail to measure up and thereby reflect undeserved discredit on the red-nosed strain. However, as Wallace said, the red noses should not be considered invincible either. They produce their share of bad ones as well as good ones--just as all strains do.

 

As a strain, the Old Family Red Nose has several things going for it. First, it is renowned for its gameness. Second, some of the most reputable breeders in all Pit Bull History have contributed to the preservation and development of the strain. People like Lightner, McClintock, Menefee and Wallace, just to mention a few. Finally, as McNolty said in his 30-30 Journal (1967) "Regardless of one's historical perspective, these old amber-eyed, red-nosed, red-toe-nailed, red-coated dogs represent some of the most significant pit bull history and tradition that stands on four legs today."

Source: http://oldfamilyrednose.com/red-history

 

In my 12 years of research the OFRN is the only strain I have encountered to be noted for its color. There is a lot of back & forth as to whether the strain was actually bred for color, or the color was just a characteristic of the dog itself. Many breeders will exclaim " If you are breeding for color, then all you have is color." Many breeders seek an overall characteristic of performance, size & temperament. Owners & breeders alike will use terms like "Red Nose" & "Blue Nose" ... I have NEVER in my 12 years known any strain of canine to be noted for it's blue nose. The only breed I have encountered in a historical fashion to noted for nose color is the "Old Family Red Nose".  I think most times these terms are used as "Buzz words" to get top dollar for pups, a mere marketing tool... There is also a lot of controversy it todays world that the OFRN is all but gone, that the original lines & breed stock can no longer be found in their true form.

 

Regards-

W J. Bellottie

The Mental & Spiritual Battles of Rescue

I began my journey into animal welfare on August 29, 2003. All I knew on that day was I was going to change the life of 1 dog, Amber. Little did I know it would be my life that would change. I had no idea of the spiritual & mental growth that had just been engaged. I as usual had assumed that it was Amber that needed me, needed my help. She had came into my life as a seed that would grow into something strong, with deep roots to sustain both of our lives. At 31 I was still very lost, without a distinct purpose... Why was I here?


I spent the first year of my life with Amber mostly patting myself on the back for the great thing I had done. I.. Rescued an animal in need. I think both Amber & the higher power that brought her into my life let me believe that just to keep me on the path. Truth is within that first year, I merely learned the skills that were needed to efficiently care for a single canine. Amber I am sure would tell you the curve was big. I could barely take care of myself at this time in my life. Amber for all intensive purposes was a wonderful well rounded canine, she did not require any type of intensive training. She was slightly emaciated upon her coming to me, she had a pretty nasty skin infection due mostly to poor diet. We managed to overcome all her set backs & she has always flourished from that point.

Spring 2004 in Rural Texas I meet Gabby... Gabby was a female an American Bulldog that was free roaming. I, over a 3 month period had seen her roaming the area, I asked many people if they new her owner.  No one seemed to know where she originated, so I left it be. This is rural Texas & it is common for dog's to roam. Well early one day I almost hit gabby in my truck, that was enough for me. I stopped & called Gabby, she came to me & allowed me to look her over, she was fine. She loaded up in my truck & I brought her home. Here is the learning curve... I did put up flyers, what I did NOT do is call the local PD, or the county Animal Control to report her. In the 3 months I had her I did get her a Rabies vaccine & Annual vaccinations. Well... One day Gabby's owners happen to see her in my yard, I was not at home... My wife at that time ended up in a physical altercation with the owners as they took her. We had the license plate, soon we tracked the owners down. They told the Police we had stolen their canine. I provided Medical records & 2 of the people I had in earlier months asked of her origin were willing to write statements. The owners did receive a fine for dog at large, also a fine for entering our property. They were grateful to have their canine back & did reimburse us for the medical care. I learned that what I did in theory was a good thing. What I also learned was that there is a policy & protocol for everything in life. I should have contacted local jurisdictions about Gabby.

I have spent the last 12 years learning what "Not letting good get in the way of better" is. There is always something to learn, improve & restructure. There is always someone that has been doing it better, longer... seek that person, show a true willingness to learn & do what they tell you. You will mold you own techniques, but hold tight to the theory of the veterans.  As I was told, "How can you listen when your talking?" I had to learn that even when auditing a trainer, a director, or theory. I am there to retain anything that will be of use to me, not take the inventory of the source. Lastly, we must always remember that being a part of a humane entity is a position of service. We have assumed a role of service to a species that does not understand our human world as we do. They have shared a role in our human world on their own terms until the day we assume the role of domestication. If your human pride trips you up..."Pray for a servants heart-"


Sincerely,
W J. Bellottie

Our Philosophy-

We are a rescue that specializes in the rehabilitation of American Pit Bull Terriers. We accept any variation of the Bull dog & or Molosser strains.  We use words like “Bull & Terrier”, “Bulldog” “Game bred” ,“Working Lines” & “Traditional”. All these words describe the American Pit Bull Terrier. We base our standard... off a very old time traditional sense of the breed, the same standard that the pioneers of the breed set forth. There is a lot of confusion as to what an American pit Bull Terrier is these days. So we follow the pioneers, The “Smiths” of the breed as it were. We follow

 

a standard that allows an APBT to be what it was intended to be,  a hard working, intelligent, versatile, loyal, spirited breed.  Although we do not encourage, nor do we support blood sport in any capacity. We do appreciate the drive of a game dog.  The same drive that will allow a dog to fight through exhaustion & relentlessly oppose pain for hours, makes a great Weight pull dog, agility or OBD canine. Some say the breed was developed purely as the ultimate gladiator of the canine world, pound for pound the perfect fighting machine. We SMASH that stereotype daily!  As anyone in the realm of breeding, rescue, humane work, Competitive events, we have a standard.  A canine should possess teach ability, stable, predictable behavior. It should at least be neutral with another canine. We do not expect every canine to get along with all dogs. We do however expect a canine to follow our leadership.  A canine should & can at least be neutral & seek the leadership of its handler.  We have very knowledgeable people with many collective years of experience that we are devout to. These philosophies were cultivated & nurtured for many years. We have found a traditional & Realistic balance of what makes a stable & adoptable canine.

Another aspect of our adoption standard “The Adopter” Most canine owners are looking for a mid level pack dog, easily able to be blended into a home setting. We base our adoptable canines to this percentage philosophy. The adopter will be doing 85% of what brings the dog success by time the canine is loaded into their car, 75% within a week of having the canine in their home.  65%-50% within a month… In knowing that over 10 years of rescue, we as responsible rescuers must present the best of the standard we have developed. We cannot & will not adopt out a potentially dangerous dog that has exhibited unpredictable behavior. A canine that possesses a definitive will to attack other canines at will. Nor can we adopt out a canine that will not yield to a human handler, or demonstrate a willingness to become teachable.   If we expect private owners & breeders to be responsible, then we as a rescue group better do the same.

We at Detroit Bully Corps are not just trying to rehabilitate individual canines. We are also trying to do our part to rehabilitate the integrity of the overall American Pit Bull Terrier strain of canine.  Our ultimate goal is to see the American Pit bull Terrier rise above the negative stigma & once again be the “All American Dog”…

Sincerely,

William j. Bellottie

A note from the Founders-

A note from the Founders,

We have been asked many times how we are affected by the loss of a rescue animal. Every case affects us differently; Most times we do not have time to feel emotion. Emotion get’s pushed aside by objectivity. We have learned that emotion can be detrimental to rescue when implemented in the wrong place at the wrong time.... How do you accurately equate the loss of something that you invest every ounce of resource, personal time & life to? How do you keep rescuing on a daily basis when you are exposed to so much atrocity & carnage? You just do… Does it take a toll? You bet it does, it takes a piece of you every time you take a case. Even the survivors, even the animals you are able to rehabilitate prey on your being. Because your rational mind ponders why a living human could do this? Why? Then there are the canines that cannot be rehabilitated due to their DNA, or the horror they have endured, or for medical reasons. So a decision is made. The decision we all dread… euthanasia. This is an area where you have to remove emotion, because you serve Animal, human & community as a rescuer, or humane worker. Sometimes theology comes into play… are we in fact doing god’s work?

I as a rescuer have assumed the role of holding every canine that is sent to rest… While I gently whisper, you are finally free. I like to think there is a better place for their souls. A better place than our society has provided. The equation is complex, the amount of resource needed for each animal. The overall cost, the time needed to effectively rehab each animal to ensure success. The amount of money & resource needed to carry out each rescue to adoption. Every dog is a roll of the dice, every decision is crucial. A part of the equation is also up to the animal; does the animal want to be rescued? Just as if we endure trauma, part of us has to want to heal.  To heal mentally, spiritually & physically…  As a rescuer & rehabilitator, we have to learn to be animals, to respect their needs. We must teach them to exist in our world, but in their language. We must learn their language & respect their customs; we are after all in a position of service.

Sincerely,

W J Bellottie

Lessons In Rescue-

I have been mopping up the mess of irresponsible humans for years. Some want to blame breeders, some blame individual owners... some even blame animal humane orgs. The reality is this if a dog is already on the ground, the canine needs to be cared for. Regardless of the origin. The real need is to find an objective means of lowering the numbers of animals in need.
Humans will always breed canines, fact... absorb it. Owners will always fail, fact... We can all sit and shake our fists in contempt, argue on facebook, even bring about civil unrest in our communities. Reality is people can legally breed canines with little to no qualifications , same goes for owning an animal. For the most part we are free as individuals to create our own standard. Canines were domesticated 30,000-75,000 years ago depending what history you read. in the last 150 years, of the 450 recognized breeds, 75% were created.

My organization Detroit Bully Corps specializes in Bully Breeds, it wasn't always that way. From 2003-2008 I specifically worked with American Pit Bull Terriers. It was after the trend of multiple breeds being mislabeled that we branched out into other Bully Breeds. After settling in with my first APBT Amber in 2003 I began feverishly gathering & retaining info on the APBT origin & history. I talked with many breeders, read many articles, studied the registries... I even corresponded with Lou Colby throughout the years. I studied the countries of origin, the purpose of the breed & strains from different area's of those countries. I studied form, function, DNA, evolution & breeding practices. Instead of implementing my own lack of knowledge , I absorbed all I could from the pioneers. I learned about the APBT from such pioneers as John Colby, George Armitage, Howard Heinzl, Maurice Carver, Floyd Boudreaux... Names that define the heritage of the breed.

I always share this story... I lived in rural Texas in 2005 I met an elderly gentleman, I would always see different APBT's in the back of his truck. Always rangy, 35-40 range... His dog's were always spirited, but always human friendly & eager to be engaged, handled... I accompanied him back to his home one day... I could hear the dogs, but couldn't see them. He came from behind a fence with a small 35lb female.. she was scarred, springy... In the yard was two small children, two small dogs & some chickens... The elderly gentleman unclasped the leash... I got tense, until the canine "Midnight" went into wiggle butt mode, licking the kids, ignored the dogs & the chickens & plopped on the ground to take in some sun. Midnight was a Grand Champion. So here was an APBT that had been bred & groomed as a match dog. She could have cared less about anything but the children, she never even came to greet me. I would see the gentleman as always in town... what I learned that day is the myth that these canines were indiscriminate killers was false.

I have read many stories on matches of the old days, recent matches as well... I have researched the "Keep" on these canines being prepped for a match. I have studied the "Cajun Rules".. I have absorbed the good, the bad & the hard truth about the APBT. I will never truly understand why a human would match 2 beautiful specimens against one another, or risk destroying a canine they invested so much time in. I do not have that mechanism in me-
What I have found in me is a distinct desire to liberate this breed known as the American Pit Bull Terrier from it's many obstacles. Humans created this beautiful, strong, intelligent & spirited breed... I am grateful for that. I am ashamed of the percentage of humans that shamelessly strive to destroy this breed. Whether you institute BSL, Match dogs, irresponsibly own, or breed indiscriminately. You are destroying a breed that was forged over 100 years ago... I have no illusions of saving the world, or even creating a big change. What I do is wake up on a daily basis & make the lives of the canines in my home better in some way. I am always striving to educate myself & those who freely seek to learn.

It is important that we educate ourselves as owners, as citizens... that knowing the breeds is important. Studying the slightest differences, history. It's not ok to say " It's just a dog, what's the big deal"... If you fight dogs, your days are numbered. If you own an APBT, make sure your canine is a reliable advocate. Don't trust your own standard... get training, constantly evolve as a handler/owner... our beloved breed depends on a distinct brand of leadership.
Sincerely,
W J Bellottie