The Bully Pit: American Bully Breeder in Dallas, Texas

Phillip Wilcox, the passionate owner of The Bully Pit kennel, has been breeding American Bullies for over a decade. He started his journey in Las Vegas, Nevada, but eventually moved his operation to Dallas, Texas in 2017. His love for Pit Bulls is reflected in the name of his kennel, The Bully Pit, which pays homage to the breed's origins.

Phillip's love for American Bullies began when he attended an ABKC show in Southern California. It was there that he laid eyes on Robert Lee's dogs, Beastro and Lock & Load, and knew he had to have one of these magnificent creatures. He quickly purchased his first Bully from Bryan Cooper at Structureline Kennels and the rest, as they say, is history.

Phillip is dedicated to ensuring that his breeding dogs are in the best of health, free from genetic conditions. Recently, he had all of his dogs, including his stud, Da Cowboy, undergo thorough health evaluations to ensure they were fit for breeding.

Phillip goes above and beyond to socialize his puppies and prepare them for their new homes. He takes them with him to the office, exposes them to new people, and takes them out in public to build their confidence. He firmly believes that this makes a huge difference in their development.

Phillip doesn't have a favorite bloodline, as he is always experimenting with different combinations. However, he is particularly excited about the results he's getting from breeding his stud, Da Cowboy, with line-bred and outcross females.

Phillip believes that a responsible dog breeder must first and foremost love their dogs. He thinks that once the dogs become family, the rest falls into place.

Phillip feeds his dogs Wholeheartedly from Petco, and they also enjoy a lot of steak, especially Da Cowboy. He avoids chicken products, as he has found that they cause allergies in his bulls. He also stays away from food that causes bad gas, as it is a sign of low-quality protein.

When it comes to purchasing a pup from The Bully Pit, Phillip is very selective about where his puppies go. He likes to place them with families and people in the community who want to take them to shows and work their dogs. He admits to getting emotional every time he says goodbye to one of his puppies, and ships them off to their new forever homes.

Phillip offers health guarantees and support for his puppies after they leave his kennel. He wants to ensure that his puppies have the best possible start in life and is always available to answer any questions or concerns that new owners may have.

Phillip is not only a breeder of American Bullies, but also a dedicated showman. He frequently takes his dogs to shows, including his current star, Da Cowboy, and some up and comers who will be hitting the ring and stacking offs at a show near you this year. He's been attending shows since the 90s, and even if one of his bulls isn't showing, he loves the atmosphere and people in the community.

For any upcoming breeders, Phillip has some advice: "Take it seriously, it ain't easy and you can't be cheap. The losses will happen and you might feel like giving up, but if you want it bad enough and you put the effort, work and money into it, the wins will come. Oh, and don’t bash other people’s bulls."

Phillip believes that the most difficult thing for people in the bully game to overcome is greed and jealousy, but he doesn't have an answer for how to overcome it. He loves competition and sees all the bad bulls out there as a push to keep doing what he's doing, and it works for him.

Phillip looks up to several people in the bully game, including Bryan Cooper at Structureline Bullies and Ryan McCawley at Smoking Barrell Bullies. He considers both men to be "dog men" and has been influenced by them since he became a bully addict.

Phillip's main goal for 2023 is to show why Da Cowboy is the Micro King and the pioneer of the Micro Evolution. He hopes to make him the reason the ABKC revises their height requirements so his boy and other clean micros like him get a shot in their ring.

When asked about how he would want things to be in the bully breed community 10 years from now, Phillip says that he is still thinking about 2023 and can't visualize 10 years out, but he knows that the community will still know Da Cowboy and what he's done to solidify his legacy 10-20 years from now. 

Phillip's interests go beyond breeding American Bullies, he also loves jiu jitsu and MMA, and traveling, especially if an island or beach is involved. He also mentioned that The Bully Pit and #TeamCowboy are about to make some noise this year!