THE BEAUTY OF A
BULLY Keltce Harrell is leader of the pack, and that’s no easy task. Keltce trains a pack of American bully dogs for shows. According to the United Kennel Club (UKC), it’s imperative that Keltce establish herself as the authority in the relationship because American bullies are pack animals and need a true leader. These dogs are considered working dogs, and the show performances adhere to that belief. “American bullies came from bringing an American pit bull terrier to a Staffordshire terrier, and to get the look that we have today, they added other, bigger bully breeds,” Keltce says. “Old English mastiffs for the color, and some say they added Rottweiler, but the breed standard we are trying to focus on now would be the pit bull and the Staffordshire to create this big dog.” Her first comment when talking about her beloved dogs is, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” due to the occasional negative news appearing about pit bulls. American bullies are considered gentle, loyal, loving animals that would lay down their lives for their owners.
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Keltce’s journey to becoming involved with show dogs began with a Facebook tag from a friend. The picture was an 8-week-old American bully puppy with cropped ears. “He was so tiny and tough looking, that I instantly feel in love with him,” Keltce says. Seeing the beauty and showmanship in the tiny dog, Keltce began thinking about taking him to shows. “It was very tough at first, learning the breed and what to look for in a show-quality bully,” Keltce says. “When Kash hit 9 months old, I entered him in his first official show. He blew me away with how he performed. I knew from here on out, he was built for the ring. He picked up a first place and best male.” In recent months Kash has won seven best of breed awards and is a dual UKC and American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) champion. Keltce enjoyed her new avocation so much, she decided to purchase more bullies and now has four big boys and a lovely lady: Kash, Tank, Nitro, Priest, and Jade. She generally goes to shows every weekend, and works with the dogs every day to help them be show worthy. Keltce’s sister, Kaylan, loves to watch her sister show her dogs. “You can tell the difference when she’s showing them versus someone else. They know that’s their mama,” Kaylan says. “I love it, but I get nervous. [Keltce] just goes out there and does it. It’s neat to watch because these dogs just know exactly what to do.”