Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Hey there! My name is Krista Lopez, and I am the owner of Clutch Kennels, located in central New Jersey!
What type of dogs do you breed?
Our kennel breeds pocket, standard and XL Americans Bullies. I have always have had a love for the breed since I was a kid. Before breeding, I worked at a Pitbull Rescue for about 5 years, making me fall absolutely in love with bully breeds.
In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a responsible dog breeder?
Well, first and foremost you have to have a solid vision. Without that, you can’t responsibly breed towards your goal. I would say a responsible dog breeder is one that always puts the dogs first, and doesn’t take the easy way out. We work hard every day ensuring our dogs live their best life! Breeding responsibly is our number one goal. We do not take any shortcuts in our program, and we never will.
What type of diet do you keep your dogs on throughout the year?
We feed our dogs a mixture of Raw meat, along with Taste of the Wild Salmon and Sweet potato! We give only the best to our babies!
What is your favorite bloodline?
I would have to say my favorite bloodline is probably the one and only, “Lucky Luciano”. We are blessed to have a son, a daughter and a granddaughter off the legend himself!
Do you currently show any of your dogs?
We plan on showing our handsome stud Cujo and his sister Tika this year. We have their mother, Ava, who is an American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) Champion. We couldn’t be more proud of our girl!
What advice do you have for any upcoming breeders?
My advice to upcoming breeders would be to think of what your idea of the perfect dog is. Then try to match up with similar kennels to your style of dog to create your vision, whether it be temperament, show, family, or even a working dog! It definitely takes hard work, long hours, research, marketing and vision to get what you want.
What do you think is the most difficult thing for people in the bully game to overcome?
I think the most difficult thing to overcome as a breeder is the beginning. Establishing a good reputation for yourself is very important, just as in any other business. The market for American Bullies has become very popular now, so setting yourself apart from everyone else is very important. A lot of our clients come to us because they see how much we love and care we for all of our dogs. They are not just pets to us. Our dogs are family.
How do you think they can overcome this thing?
The best way to overcome this is to have a vision of what you want to do and try to find people in the community who have the similar interest. Invest in worthy marketing tools such as a camera, social media and networking events. If your state has dog shows we definitely recommend you attend them and try to meet new people!
Who do you look up to in the bully game, and why?
We look to up to any breeder who treats their dogs like family.
Tell us about one of your main goals for the year 2019.
Our main goal for 2019 is to show the bully world how amazing Clutch Kennels ‘Cujo’ really is. We haven’t seen such a structurally clean bully in a long time like him! Not only is he handsome, but he has the calmest, sweetest disposition we have ever seen in a stud. He will be the top stud of 2019, and we couldn’t be more proud to have produced him right here at Clutch Kennels.
Describe how you would want things, in the bully breed Community, to be 10 years from now.
Ten years from now, it would be amazing to see the Bully Breed Community come together more, to show the world how amazing this breed really is!
What separates your kennel from the competition?
Our love and decoration to our dogs sets us apart from other kennels. From the day our puppies are born until 8 weeks later when they go to their new homes, they are monitored, cared and loved for in their own puppy nursery. We are always receiving so much feedback on how loved our babies are, and we couldn’t be happier with our program!
What other hobbies or interests do you take part in?
We aren’t called Clutch Kennels for nothing! In our spare time we love to ride , and so do our pups! Check out our Instagram for pictures and videos if you love bikes and bullies too!
What do you think of Bully Girl Magazine?
Bully Girl Magazine is one of the best Bully Magazines available. Clutch Kennels is honored to be featured. We also love Bully Girl merchandise. If you’re reading this, you should check out on their website www.bgmwarehouse.com. Thank you for the opportunity, and we always encourage people to reach out to us. We love meeting new people.
