When it comes to famous dogs, we all know the basics. You've got Lassie, Pluto, and Toto, but there are actually a lot of famous dogs that are not fictional characters.
Matt Siebenthal wasn't expecting to end up with a famous dog, but that's exactly what happened when he purchased his American bulldog Venom.
There was something special about Venom though, unlike most American bulldogs, he was extra tiny! Once he reached his full height, he measured only 12.5 inches tall!
He's called a micro bully, and despite his short stature, he's still a beefy boy, weighing 65lbs on his small frame.
He's got an unusual shape, that's for sure. His big muscles are very visible on his little, tiny legs, but that doesn't stop that big smile from beaming across his big ol' head.
This happy boy, like many other pit bull breeds end up with a bit of a bad reputation. Even his owner admits that before he got Venom he had been hesitant around these sweet creatures.
"The first time I saw an American bully I was blown away by the size. I just assumed it was a pitbull and I'd never seen a pitbull that big before," Siebenthal siad. "I was at a friend's house and it was staring at me. I was a little bit worried at first but then it licked me across the cheek and I knew that I had to get one!"
After falling in love with the breed, he found a breeder to help make his new dream of owning one of these goofballs come true. But the breeder he found wasn't any ordinary American bulldog breeder, they specialized in "Extreme Build American Bulldogs" meaning that they were more muscled than usual.
Venom also happens to be extremely short, which causes people to refer to him a "micro bully."
"What makes him so special is his build," his proud owner said. "He is extremely short and it's really difficult to get this type of muscle mass on a dog this height."
"I need a dog that can move so the fact that he has this much muscle on such a short frame and can still run and be active and be a functional dog is what makes him very unique."
While a lot of people are still afraid of bully breeds, this sweet boy is nothing but a big teddy bear. In fact, his best friend is a seven-year-old boy!
There are, however, some people out there who appreciate his beauty, so much so that Siebenthal was offered $150,000 from someone if he sold Venom to them, but obviously that wasn't going to happen.
"We were offered $150,000 for Venom and that was before he was a year old. I thought it was pretty crazy but he's a family member and how do you explain that to a 7-year-old boy?"
Even though that sounds like a lot of money to turn down, Venom is actually still earning his keep in other ways. Breeders have repeatedly paid Siebenthal $3,000 to breed their dogs with Venom, and his puppies are usually sold for $4,000 - $6,000 dollars each!
"His puppies have been crazy. He's got over 40 on the ground in different homes and they are little monsters," Siebenthal said. "They're coming out and they look like him. He's definitely producing his look."
These puppies end up with short little legs, just like their pop, and while you may be concerned that this targeted breeding would be a concern, the breeders assure their future pet parents that every aspect of their new dog's health has been considered.
The breeder, Texas Size Bullies, writes on their Facebook that temperament is actually their focus. "We breed for temperament first and foremost and are known for producing some of the thickest dogs in the world, without sacrificing conformation or health."
Siebenthal was so obsessed with his new best bud that he actually started a magazine in his honor. "I started Bully King magazine because my fiance said I never shut up about dogs, so I should probably start writing about them."
His magazine helps to bring advice, insights, and health tips to bully breed owners and it more importantly, there are a lot of really cute dog pictures inside of it.
Source - Lifedeathprizes / Bull King Magazine / Texas Sized Bullies
