State your name, and where your kennel is located.
My name is Clinton Carter, Chairman of the Board at ROCK CITY BULLIES. We are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
What type of dogs do you breed, and what inspired you to get involved with that particular breed?
We breed exotic American Bullies. That is a compound question for us. My partners JERED LINDSEY, JEREMY WILLIAMS, and SARAH BURNETT, and I each had a love for the bully breeds throughout our growing up. Their loyalty, physique, and ability to assimilate into the family were some of what initially attracted us to this breed. In 2012, we had our first generation female, ‘ROCKLINE’S BLUE RIDGE’ aka SMOKY MOUNTAIN MOONSHINE, She was an Extreme, Dax Grand-daughter who possessed nearly everything we loved about the modern bully breed. While watching her grow and develop into the amazing female she is, we used this time to closely pay attention to what bloodlines and studs, at the time, had to offer to our young program. We fell in love with what EOG (Edge Of Gottiline) brought to the table. Their young stud ‘EOG BULLSEYE’ was producing a line of Bullies different than we had ever encountered, Exotic and Micro Bullies. We wanted to shrink down our girl Smoky, into a neat, blocky package. So we bred Smoky to Bullseye. We got exactly what we wanted – small dogs with big dog features. We have been addicted to these mini, exotic American Bullies ever since.
What type of diet do you keep your dogs on throughout the year?
We personally feed Canidae’s UNDER THE SUN Grain Free, along with fish oils.
What is your favorite bloodline?
ROCKLINE!
Do you currently show, any of your dogs?
We attend shows annually, bringing a dog or two to the event. But no, we currently do not show them in the ring. We have in the past. We have not yet found a registry that is permanently, and consistently sponsoring events where Bullies are shown. There was one we tried a couple times that lacked professionalism and was not accredited. We were however impressed with an ABR event we attended, and plan to attend another later this year.
What advice do you have for any upcoming breeders?
The most important thing to have as a breeder is love. You have to love dogs, the breed, the act of breeding, etc. Breeding can be very disheartening at times and there are a lot of disappointments along the way. You have to have a real love for it. Other than that, I’d say take your time with your program, and take it slow. Your foundation female is the key, don’t rush into buying or keeping a male. It is very rare to jump right into breeding and buy that male (Unless you have 75k + to spend). Not impossible, but rare. Be responsible, be sure you have the money to invest. Unforeseen events befall us all and believe me things never go exactly as planned. You have to prepare your heart and your pocket.
What do you think, is the most difficult thing for people in the bully game to overcome?
Breaking through, and being seen. You can consistently produce exceptional dogs or you may even produce or own an insane stud, but if you’re not that guy or you have no marketing team, no PR management, or no social presence noone will know you exist. The owner can make or break the dog.
How do you think they can overcome this thing?
Social Media Marketing, establishing great business relationships with fellow breeders, attending events, staying in communication with owners of dogs you’ve produced, owners of stud sales, and most importantly a strong, solid team of people who represent the brand as a whole with solidarity in the way they present themselves physically and online.
Who do you look up to in the bully game, and why?
The first person who always comes to mind is Roger Toma, Mr. West Coast Gottiline himself. He has been able to stay incredibly relevant over many years, yet he is able to stay out of the politics within the ‘Bully Breeding Community’. He has produced foundation dogs for the entire Bully Community. If you look into some of the top Bully Kennels and breeding program pedigrees, it’s inevitable to see his involvement. Some of the biggest studs in the world have his dogs throughout the pedigree. In my experience he is also a great businessman, which is so rare and important within the breeding community as a whole.
Tell us about one of your most memorable moments, in 2017 so far.
Unfortunately, this year I was diagnosed with STAGE 4 Cancer. My most memorable Bully moment would have to be June 9th, 2017. My team and I had been carefully planning an in-house breeding we had been waiting patiently on for months. Our Kingpinline LOCO LV son ‘ROCKLINE’S SOUTHSIDE FUNK’ x Big Money daughter ‘WCG ACE-LINE’S GOLDIE’. We found out she was pregnant around the same time I was diagnosed and she went in for her C-Section the day I started my first round of chemotherapy, JUNE 9th. It was memorable for me in this though: (to emphasize what I said earlier about a solid team of people). I was hospitalized and unable to bring my own dog to the Veterinarian for her C-Section, or to deliver the puppies, or bring them home and care for them, or the rest of my dogs at home during that period of time. My team handled the entire thing for me. They even took off work to do so, stayed the night at my house with my dogs and puppies, keeping Goldie comfortable and enabling 7 amazing, healthy puppies to enter the world with not one discrepancy.
Describe how you would want things, in the Bully Community, to be 10 years from now.
I would like to see more of what I saw back in 2012. More variety, more originality, inspiration, and motivation, I’d like to see many groups of people, collective breeders and lines, and a wider gene pool. It seems like the past year everyone is breeding to one stud. I hope the American Bully, in it’s many standards, can become a more established breed like that of a German Shepherd or Golden Retriever, exuding professionalism, no longer the target of ‘Pit Bull’ hating trolls, but known for being the true companion and family dog that it is.
What separates your kennel from the competition?
Rock City Bullies stands out in one way above all else. Our professional, and business approach to the act of breeding. This stands out and is rare within the community. Our CMO Misty Myers also ensures that we receive the best medical care for our dogs, keeping them in peak health. We are able to work closely with S.A.M. Photography & Design, one of the top Bully photographers in the nation. In addition, never settling for 2nd rate. Always using the best studs, best females in the nation. We are never breeding financially. We are allways breeding deliberately, and patiently.
What other hobbies or interests do you take part in?
I own a local place of business, we are also beginning new real estate endeavors.
What motto do you live by?
The Golden Rule: All things that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.
What do you think of Bully Girl Magazine?
I have always admired the persistence, consistency, and relevancy of BGM. BGM has found a niche within the Bully Community, and has been successful in that.
