Old man who used to have a few dogs.

[oldman]

Many years ago I used to raise a few pit bulls. I still enjoy talking about the dogs and their history.
Really not that many pit bulls left.

 

[Michele]

Welcome!!

 

[brindle]

Nice to see someone who's been around the breed for awhile… I had my first bulldog in the 1970s and was lucky enough to meet a few of the old breeders back then. Not many left now. I used to have Colby/Heinzl dogs, and a couple down from Wise's Max from A.D. Castelli in FL. My current female is from the old Hollingsworth/Patricks lines.

What bloodlines did you used to have? Hope you'll post some photos and info about them.

 

[oldman]

I really like the Max bloodline. I had some with that blood. Had a inbred daughter of Savage Captain Bob that produced some great dogs.
Most of my dogs were either oldtime Colby, Black Jack, or OFRN.

 

[brindle]

Ahh yes, not many remember Savage Captain Bob, but those were some well bred dogs. How was your gyp bred?

I had known A.D. Castelli back in the late 1970s and early 1980s when I was in Florida and he had some good dogs. They were all down from his Savage Captain Bob and his Belle Starr bitch who went back to some of the old Wise’s Max/Red Devil blood.

I owned a female related to this dog --

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=403100

And another female later on, her mother was scatterbred with some OFRN and Mazzeis Captain or Ceasar blood, and her sire was a brother of this bitch –

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=363791

Castelli and his line are all long gone now. Many of his dogs were sent to Canada years ago but I don’t think there is any more of that line left.

Here is another from his line with a photo –

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=403098

and a planned breeding with the dog above –

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=403171

It’s a shame the line died out as they were very nice dogs, most were red and about 40 to 45 pounds with good temperament and structure.

 

[oldman]

Some very nice dogs there.
I bred my Savage Captn Bob to a Hemphill dog and got some very nice dogs.
Of course all were red nose. The Hemphill dog was one I had bred and raised. He made UKC champion.
One son out of the breeding was one of the best I had.

 

[brindle]

The Hemphill blood would have crossed well, I bet those were some excellent dogs. Nice to run across someone who even remembers Castelli's Savage Captain Bob and the dogs bred down from him and Belle Starr. Do you still have any dogs?

 

[oldman]

No, I gave away all of my dogs a few years ago. I was in need of an outcross and couldn't find any I liked.
I split mine up to a few young people who were working with the breed.
Thought about getting a couple of dogs but really do not have the interest I used to have.

 

[Vicki]

Damn Brindle, you're older than I thought you were !

One of two more breedings here, put some of Perry on ice and I'm out.

 

[PITPAL]

Ahh yes, not many remember Savage Captain Bob, but those were some well bred dogs. How was your gyp bred?

I had known A.D. Castelli back in the late 1970s and early 1980s when I was in Florida and he had some good dogs. They were all down from his Savage Captain Bob and his Belle Starr bitch who went back to some of the old Wise’s Max/Red Devil blood.

I owned a female related to this dog --

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=403100

And another female later on, her mother was scatterbred with some OFRN and Mazzeis Captain or Ceasar blood, and her sire was a brother of this bitch –

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=363791

Castelli and his line are all long gone now. Many of his dogs were sent to Canada years ago but I don’t think there is any more of that line left.

Here is another from his line with a photo –

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=403098

and a planned breeding with the dog above –

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=403171

It’s a shame the line died out as they were very nice dogs, most were red and about 40 to 45 pounds with good temperament and structure.

I would love to have a bitch like the sweet pea dog you posted. If I get this project off the ground I will be breeding for dogs in the 40-47lb range and bitches in the 35-42lb range. The best dogs I’ve ever seen were in this size range. I don’t think until about the 1870’s or 80’s were dogs these sizes considered small. Size will be the only aesthetic trait I will be dressing for. I know that can be hard. I helped a friend I know from the gated horse world select a male (stud) for his mayday, Eli, Boyle’s bitch. She was perfect in about every way, and he was out of 4 generations of dogs that were consistently on the smaller side.

Well, my selection produces a litter of 6 pups. 5 of the pups were at or over 50 lbs by the age of 2. Only one little male stayed true to the breeding. Beats me!

 

[brindle]

Yeah sometimes I feel older than dirt! I read somewhere that once you get over 60, it's tough to handle a 50 pound bulldog… and I'm seeing it with the young female I have now, damn she's strong!

I hear you on the breeding aspect. My gyp is well bred, but if I breed her, what do I do with the pups? If one cares where they go, it is very hard to find good correct homes for a drivey energetic pit bull that will most likely be dog aggressive. How many pet owners can handle that? And some so called "working" homes do not always treat their dogs well.

Your Perry is a fine bulldog, and you're lucky you can freeze a male and preserve him for the future that way. With a bitch, all you can do is get them spayed, and that's the end of that.

Damn Brindle, you're older than I thought you were !

One of two more breedings here, put some of Perry on ice and I'm out.

 

[PITPAL]

Yeah sometimes I feel older than dirt! I read somewhere that once you get over 60, it's tough to handle a 50 pound bulldog… and I'm seeing it with the young female I have now, damn she's strong!

I hear you on the breeding aspect. My gyp is well bred, but if I breed her, what do I do with the pups? If one cares where they go, it is very hard to find good correct homes for a drivey energetic pit bull that will most likely be dog aggressive. How many pet owners can handle that? And some so called "working" homes do not always treat their dogs well.

Your Perry is a fine bulldog, and you're lucky you can freeze a male and preserve him for the future that way. With a bitch, all you can do is get them spayed, and that's the end of that.

It’s really difficult to make that kind of decision. Is your femal an Amstaf or APBT? Either way it can be tough to let the pups go no matter what the price when you are unsure about the care they will get.
If she’s an APBT I may be interested and I can assure you my dogs are brought up on the farm running free most of the time.

One of the ways we insured our GSP pups went to good homes was with a breeding contract. Basically we reserved all breeding rights to the pup up until a certain age or until the dog qualified in field trial competitions.

It worked great, and the owners felt like they were part of what we were doing. And in actuality they were. Their cooperation was paramount in our success.

 

[Mister]

Had a couple down from Captain savage bob bred with wise dogs myself. They never worked out for me.

I remember the time when I was at work and received an urgent call from a neighbor to return home immediately as our dog had started humping the leg of a police officer who had climbed our garden fence. The tearful copper wasn’t bitten but was frozen stiff in absolute terror whilst Rambo was to busy having his wicked way with his leg. It’s one of funniest sights I think I’ve ever seen. How times have changed, now a days it would’ve been a newspaper story resulting in the death of dangerous dog.

 

[oldman]

From my experience with the OFRN, people either really like them or really dislike them. Not much middle of the road.
I had good luck with them but have know others who didn't have good luck with them.

 

[Chris76]

It was great reading the conversations btwn 'Oldman' and 'Brindle.' I looked at those ped's you posted - wow! Those are some nice looking bulldogs. Very, very disappointed to see the line is now gone. I read an article about the Castelli Old Family dogs, but could never find any other info on them. I know this post is old and probably no one will read it---but just in case. Thanks again! Good read

 

[brindle]

Hi there Chris. Glad you liked the peds and info. Where did you find an article on Castelli and his dogs? I don't remember seeing that. I ran across his son some yrs ago, he was trying to find some of his father's old line but they are gone. A shame. But this is not a good world for the game dogs anymore. There is little understanding of the breed and they can be the best or the worst of pets. I just got my red female spayed last week at age 7 yrs. She's well bred… but what would I do with a litter of pups? Not enough proper homes for them. Her littermates can carry on the line, she was from a 11 pup litter and about half of them are still around. Most folks want a dog that looks like a "pit bull" that they can take to the dog park, or that will sit on the sofa all day, etc. Sigh. The real pit bulls are athletic and driven and will eat thru a door or wall if they want and if they are not excised enough. Mine at 7 yrs still needs that hard work out daily or she's hard to live with. My old brindle female was more laid back and easier but she'd still run a flirt pole or hike all day. Nothin' like a bulldog!