Intruders Beware! The World's Toughest Guard Dogs | BIG DOGZ
MEET the world's toughest guard dogs worth up to £100,000. Leedor Borlant is the owner and lead trainer of Hull-based 'Protection Dogs Worldwide'. With over 10 years of experience training protection dogs, his animals are not ones you want to mess with. Specialising in dobermans, cane corsos and german shepherds, Protection Dogs Worldwide is at the forefront of training some of the toughest and most obedient protection dogs in the world. They offer four levels of training, with the director's dog being the highest level - this is a dog that's been brought up by Leedor himself and only one is available every two years. Leedor's dogs sell from anything between £20,000 and £100,000. Leedor lives at the kennels 24/7 with his family to be able to fully dedicate himself to raising and training the dogs.
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How Hyenas Are Trained For Movies | BIG CAT LIFE
‘LION KING’ Shandor Larenty has turned his attention to training hyenas – so they can appear in HOLLYWOOD movies. The dedicated 24-year-old recently spent time with his top hyena student, ‘Stinky’, in order to improve her capacity to take on new instructions and be able to achieve those perfect shots for the camera. Shandor made use of two effective methods; first, putting red meat on the end of a stick to entice the hungry hyena to jump higher, and second, attaching a mop to the end of a rope to capture shots of her running. Of course, there is always a high level of danger attached to Shandor’s work – and with raw meat and hyenas involved, he was certainly increasing the stakes. But after a successful training session, Shandor is now hoping his beloved hyenas can make a name for themselves in the movies as they have done in the past. Shandor remains thankful that he can still perform his ‘dream job’ each day – working to preserve the conservation of species and spread his animal-loving positivity to the world.
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Buster & Chop - The 120lb Pitbulls With $15k Pups
TWO giant bullies are vying for the top spot at one of Mississippi’s most prestigious pit bull breeding businesses. Renee Castleman made the news in 2018 with her family-run breeding business GatorHead Bullies – home to the 120-pound pit bull Buster. Now, 130-pound Chop is proving to be a hit with Renee’s high-end clients – including NBA and NFL stars who are wowed by Chop’s bulk and unique, tri-colour ‘merle’ coat. Renee told Barcroft Studios: “Chop is one of the upcoming biggest dogs on our yard. Of course, Buster is always going to be one of our favorites, but right now Chop is what people are wanting.” Chop’s ‘merle’ appearance means his coat is a combination of black, brown, and white and his eyes are a striking, almost red hue – making him quite the attraction for prospective clients. At 130 pounds he’s also reaching gigantic proportions, and at just 15 months old, still has a lot of growing to do. But it’s Buster, whose stud fee currently stands at $8,000, who remains the leader of the pack – even though Chop’s stud fee is currently higher. As Renee puts it: “Because right now merle tri-colours are so expensive, Chop’s stud fee is at 10 grand. But despite Chop being the upcoming biggest dog in our yard, Buster is still the king.” The 17-acre farm in rural Mississippi currently boasts 18 XL American Bullies as part of its breeding program, alongside three French Bulldogs and one English Bulldog.
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Lion King' Tackles 4 Wild Cheetahs
BRAVE animal ranger, Shandor Larenty, is back – and this time, he’s taming WILD cheetahs. The 24-year-old recently re-homed four brand new cats from captivity where they had never interacted with humans before. Helping them to settle into their new home at the Lion And Safari Park, in South Africa, Shandor still approaches with great caution and has been working on enrichment activities in order to strengthen their relationship. Shandor has become an expert in the wildlife department; interacting with lions, hyenas, giraffes and African wild dogs, to name a few, every day - and he was overjoyed with the success of his latest mission. He remains thankful that he can still perform his ‘dream job’ – working to preserve the conservation of species and spread his animal-loving positivity to the world. This is the second episode in Barcroft TV's brand new three-part series: 'Big Cat Life', that airs on the Beastly YouTube channel, with a new episode being released each week.
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The MMA Fighter Saving New York's Pitbulls | BIG DOGZ
EX-MMA FIGHTER Craig Fields is the founder of The New York Bully Crew - a non-profit dog rescue that operates in Long Island. Founded in 2010, The New York Bully has saved hundreds of dogs in their years of activity. Craig told Barcroft TV: “Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and adopt out abused and neglected mostly pit bulls”. The New York Bully Crew hosts over 150 dogs in their rescue facilities at any given time and works hard to get each dog adopted by loving families. The name ‘Bully Crew’ refers to the fact that they specialise in rescuing pit bulls, especially ones that have been forced into the dog fighting world. “Because there’s so many pit bull dogs out there that’s why they’re abused more than any other dog, but we do rescue any breed that needs help,” explained Craig. With a background in MMA fighting, to some degree, Craig relates to the pit bulls that are used in dog fighting. “I think I have an attachment to pit bulls because I’m a lot like a pit bull - someone would look at me and think I look mean but really I’m not,” said Craig. The crew goes out on rescue missions almost daily and will go to any lengths to save a dog. “I’ve had multiple altercations on rescues, I will do anything to save a dog and if I have to beat someone, I will beat someone,” said Craig. The rest of the New York Bully Crew has a past in MMA or martial arts fighting too. Craig said: "My whole crew is all fighters; everyone I travel with is a fighter."
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Daring Ranger Spends A Day With 5 Lions | BIG CAT LIFE
A DARING animal ranger has spent an ENTIRE day living with a pride of lions – hoping to form an unbreakable bond with their new-born cubs. 24-year-old, Shandor Larenty, took it upon himself to be the first human to try and interact with the three cubs on site at the Lion And Safari Park in South Africa. With the cub’s mom, Rialda, and 250kg dad, George, rarely leaving their side, Shandor was faced with the potentially deadly task of not forcing his approach and upsetting the protective parents. Shandor, who is sometimes dubbed the ‘Lion King’, has formed an incredible bond with George over the past eight years that allows him to be able to hand-feed the apex predator. He has become an expert in the wildlife department; interacting with lions, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes and African wild dogs, to name a few, every day. But he knew the stakes were different this time around with cubs involved. After spending more than five hours immersing himself and getting in closer proximity with the feisty younglings, Shandor was able to make his very first connection with one of them licking his outstretched hand. Shandor was overjoyed with the success of his mission and can’t wait to continue solidifying his bond with the cubs going forward. He remains thankful that he can still perform his ‘dream job’ each day – working to preserve the conservation of species and spread his animal-loving positivity to the world. This is the first episode in Barcroft TV's brand new three-part series: 'Big Cat Life', that airs on the Beastly YouTube channel, with a new episode being released each week.
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Ambush: The 180lbs Neapolitan Mastiff I BIG DOGZ
THIS FAMILY OF FOUR are making a name for themselves in the dog breeding world – specialising in GINORMOUS Neapolitan Mastiffs. Inland Empire Mastinos, in California, breed these huge guard dogs that have been used to intimidate intruders since the days of Ancient Rome and have been increasing in popularity in recent years. Co-owner Albert told Barcroft TV: “The defining features that make a top-quality Neapolitan Mastiff are big bones, big block heads, good girth on the whole body itself”. A top-quality Neapolitan Mastiff puppy from these guys can cost up to $8000 dollars. Over the years, Inland Empire Mastinos have been perfecting their pack through careful breeding and currently own six grown mastiffs. Albert introduced us to their mastiffs: “We have Mary Shaw, she’s weighing in at 120 pounds, very active; Clyde, he is three years old and always on guard; we have Bonnie weighing in at 135 pounds and she always tried to be the Alpha female”. Baby Face Nelson tends to be the laziest one; Mystery is about 120 pounds and Ambush is our biggest dog.” Ambush weighs a whopping 180lbs.
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Otter Family Fight For Survival Against Jaguar Attack | SNAPPED IN THE WILD
A FEROCIOUS battle between a hungry jaguar and a family of protective otters has been caught on camera. Wildlife photographer Alexander Ley, 27, was on hand to record the rare confrontation deep in the floodplains of the Pantanal, the largest tropical wetland on the planet. The giant otters decided to move into a new den - otters are highly sociable animals that live in extended family groups of up to eight. But little did they know, a jaguar was on the hunt right next to them. Jaguars possess the strongest jaws of all big cats, allowing them to kill their prey with a bite through the skull, ambushing with quick pounces. These opportunistic hunters would normally feast on caimans and capybaras, but it looked as though something different was on the menu this time round. Male jaguars can weigh up to 100kg, over four times the size of a giant otter. Although an otter is no match for a jaguar, together, otters will aggressively defend their territory. The jaguar noticed the giant otters and slowly approached them - its eyes fixated on one of the youngest members of the family. As the jaguar decided to plunge, it managed to grab its small prey with a swift bite – and despite the otter family’s best efforts, that was enough to end its life.
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Searching For The Amazon's Most Dangerous Animal |BEASTLY ENCOUNTERS
A YOUNG field biologist has fulfilled a lifetime ambition by venturing into the depths of the Amazon to spot a rare rainforest jaguar in the wild. Dan O'Neill, from Bristol in the UK, traveled hundreds of miles up the Rewa River in Guyana in an attempt to spot the jaguar, a journey littered with dangers from both predators and the unpredictable forces of the remote jungle. The journey saw the 27-year-old biologist encounter iconic wildlife including rare sightings of tapirs, capybara, and giant anacondas. This was his third attempt at trying to spot a jaguar, having already completed previous expeditions in Guyana and Mexico. His adventure into the wilds of Guyana is captured in Barcroft TV's new wildlife series, Beastly Encounters and ends with Dan realizing his ultimate dream - an incredibly rare sighting of the incredible beast. Dan says: "This was a journey into the unknown, attempting to reach the headwaters of the remote Rewa river in search of animals that had never seen people before. It was the most incredible experience of my life."
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Meet Aftermath: The 130lb Superstar Merle Bully
MEET Aftermath - one of the rarest dogs in the world, whose owner describes him as a “street legal snow leopard”.The four-year-old, 130lb giant was the world's first exotic XL merle bully and his puppies sell for upwards of $10,000. The canine colossus is owned by Eric Gray, 31, and wife Natasha, 30, who run Mega Built Bullies in British Columbia, Canada. Aftermath's unique, technicolor patterning is down to the fact he has the “merle” gene, which generates mottled patches of colour and can also create blue or odd-coloured eyes and affect skin pigment. Eric said: “Some of his photos have been shared over a million times on Instagram, he's produced huge 15 pup litters, his semen has been frozen and sent all over the world. His puppies sell for $10,000 and up and his stud fee is the same. We have had people offer us big money for Aftermath, but he’s too special to us, he’s literally priceless."
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The Man Who Lives With Leopards | BEAST BUDDIES
DEDICATING his life to caring for his beloved animals – Armand Gerber now has two leopards living INSIDE his house. Armand, 51, runs the Iron Throne Predator and Wildlife Park in South Africa, and just a few weeks ago, one of his adult female leopards gave birth to two cubs on site. The cubs now live in Armand’s home, being hand-fed with milk bottles and sleeping next to him in bed each night. Whilst Armand expects criticism for separating the mother and her babies at such a young age, he is adamant that this is the best way to raise the cubs in captivity – even with the increased level of danger that he is faced with when interacting with the vulnerable mother. In addition to keeping a very close eye on the cubs and parents, Armand has to maintain the well-being of his other animals at the park – including 10 lions, three tigers and a cheetah. Armand told Barcroft TV: “The cubs now live inside my house – in my mind, it’s the only way to raise them.” Armand admits that taking care of the cubs is like a full time job. They require feeding twice a day for the first six months and the temperature of the milk must be carefully monitored, in addition to the general hygiene of their living space. Armand was incredibly surprised when one of the cubs was born with black fur – this is an extremely rare occurrence with both of the parents having “normal” fur and no black genes whatsoever. Armand said: “The significance of this little guy is that black leopards are extremely, extremely rare. I’d say the ratio is one to 1,000.” Armand is now also making sure to interact with the mother each day. Armand started work at the sanctuary over a year ago and has always taken the cubs into his home in order to imprint them – he now shows no signs of slowing down in terms of the amount of animals he looks after.
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7-Year-Old’s Bestie Is A 15ft Python | BEAST BUDDIES
COMING face to face with two 15-foot pythons would be enough to terrify anybody, but one father-daughter duo is showing the world that snakes are not a species to be feared. Ed Taoka, a Massage Therapist from Surrey, is a proud owner of two reticulated pythons – six-year-old Sonny and five-year-old Cher. Emi, Ed’s seven-year-old daughter, can often be seen on social media cuddling and playing with the snakes – totally unphased by their size or capacity for danger. Ed told Barcroft TV: “The relationship between my daughter and the snakes has gotten stronger over time.” Despite the snakes being “very strong predators” who “demand respect”, Ed feels comfortable with his daughter being near the snakes but is adamant she would never be left unsupervised. Emi began interacting with Sonny and Cher when she was just over a year old. “I think supervised interactions with constrictors are relatively safe. They are safer than trampolines and bouncy castles.” Ed began sharing his life with his daughter and pet pythons on social media to prove they are not animals that should be demonised. “I enjoy filming the gentle interactions between my daughter and the snakes.” When asked if he feels the snakes could pose a potential threat, Ed explained: “They could stop her breathing if they managed to get around her neck, but I don’t think they could eat my daughter at this size.”
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Training The World’s Toughest Police Dogs | BIG DOGZ
OKLAHOMA-based company, Torchlight K-9 has been training super agile Belgian Malinois dogs for the US police force for over 35 years. Ted Summers, their main decoy, told BTV: “I jokingly say that I teach dogs to find stuff and bite people.” Having worked in the field for many years, Ted cannot even remember how many times he has been bit. He said: “These dogs bite people for a living, that’s what they do - I can’t count the number of times I’ve been bit.” Torchlight trains their dogs right from as soon as the puppies are able, as they also have a breeding programme. “We breed them and raise them then from the time they’re puppies, at about eight weeks old, we start preparing them for the job” explained Ted. The company breeds and trains Dutch and German shepherds, but their main breed is the super agile Belgian Malinois. “The breed originated in Belgium, and they are extremely fast and powerful,” said Ted. Due to their hyperactive and sometimes aggressive nature, these are not the type of dogs you would want in your home. “The things that make them great working dogs, and make them great at what they do, make them terrible pets - they tend to be a little extra than your average pet” warned Ted. The qualities that Ted looks for in a dog are sociability, environmental stability in dark rooms with loud noises, and health. “If we have a dog that doesn’t meet the standards, and if they don’t possess that drive, we will place them in pet homes where they can hang out in people’s backyards” said Ted. Governments have been trying to develop machines that can detect contraband, narcotics, explosives and people, but Ted claims these have never managed to match what dogs do. He said: “The government has spent a bazillion dollars on trying to make a machine that does it and they still can’t beat the dog’s nose.”
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My 600lb Lion Could Attack Me At Any Moment | BEAST BUDDIES
A FAMILY of wildlife enthusiasts have taken animal conservation into their own hands – by caring for more than 13 lions and cheetahs. Barry Kerr runs the Wildlife Animal Rescue programme in Gauteng, South Africa, assisted by his wife Gretel and daughter, Kristen. The three of them spend their days interacting with animals that have previously been mistreated or injured, including the likes of cheetahs, caracals, hyenas, wildebeest and meerkats. Barry, as the ‘leader of the pride’, is the only person on site who works with the lions due to their size and potential danger – with the largest male, Sam, weighing just under 600lbs. Barry has to be extra careful and considerate when reading Sam’s body language, but most of the time, that doesn’t hamper his objective of making sure his animals are enriched and well looked after. Barry started work at the sanctuary around four years ago, rescuing his first species. Barry now spends most of his days cuddling, bathing and petting the animals on site, getting up close with a strong level of interaction. But more recently, he has passed a number of day-to-day responsibilities to his daughter, Kristen. Life on the sanctuary has quickly become second nature to Kristen who has been surrounded by wildlife since she was a little girl. Barry understands the danger that faces them all each day, and is more than aware of when they should and shouldn’t approach their animals. Despite the inevitable danger, Barry is always keen to carry on their mission and continue to develop the bond with his ‘family’.
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CRIKEY! 10-Year-Old Reptile Fan Bitten By Pet Snake | BEAST BUDDIES
A BRAVE 10-year-old boy is aiming to become the next Steve Irwin – taking care of more than 12 REPTILES in his bedroom. Carson is ‘obsessed’ with animals and is now sharing his passion with others around the world by holding educational classes and vlogging online. Adopting the nickname ‘Crocodile Carson’, the young daredevil shares his family home with lizards, frogs, turtles and a variety of snakes – including a 5’ 6” albino corn snake that’s much bigger than him. Despite being bitten numerous times, including a bite to the face, Carson loves his animals and has high hopes of replicating the work of his idol, Steve Irwin, in the future. Carson, who resides in Mississippi, told Barcroft TV: “I really love to play with big snakes and reptiles. My favourite animal to play with is definitely snakes. All of my reptiles are a lot to handle, but I do it each day because I love it!” Carson interacted with his first snake when he was just four years old. Over the years, Carson has had his fair share of bites and scratches from his beloved pets. He said: “I would say my most dangerous pet is definitely the alligator snapping turtle, because they get so big and they have such a powerful bite force.” Amber, Carson’s mother, continued: “He got bit in the face by a gecko one time.” Carson has now built up a following online with more than 1,000 people watching his content on Facebook - and he admits that he’s also quite the hit amongst his friends. Amber and Carson’s father, Andy, couldn’t be more proud of their son and hope he carries on in his quest to help educate the animal world. And Carson is now looking to the future, himself. “I want to either make a zoo or have one somewhere”, he said. “Or I want to be like Steve [Irwin]. I want to go around the world and do documentaries about different types of reptiles and mammals.”
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Merry Hulkmas: A Dog Dynasty Christmas Special I DOG DYNASTY
Who needs Rudolph when you have a HULK? With Christmas fast approaching at DDK HQ, it’s time to get festive. Marlon and Lisa assemble the family and top dogs Hulk, Kobe and Kong together to try and take a killer family Christmas photograph – if they can get the children and the dogs to sit still for long enough. Marlon channels his inner Santa as he presents Hulk with an early Christmas present, before he and Kareena attempt to demonstrate just how heavy Hulk really is by lifting him up for a final picture.
Merry Christmas from the Dog Dynasty cast and crew!
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Giant Pit Bull Hulk Visits The Birthplace Of DDK9s | DOG DYNASTY
LEGENDARY internet star Hulk brought traffic to a standstill as he went for a spin in a red Corvette through the streets of Martha’s Vineyard. The 170lb pit bull rode in the passenger’s seat of owner Marlon Grennan’s $100,000 supercar as he drove down Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs. The chaotic scenes feature in episode one of the fifth season of the smash-hit show Dog Dynasty, which has racked up hundreds of millions of views across YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat. “I was a homeless kid on Martha’s Vineyard, and now I can return home with a famous dog and it’s special,” Grennan, 32, said. “Hulk is the most famous dog in the world. My fascination with dogs started on Martha’s Vineyard, Dark Dynasty K9s started on Martha’s Vineyard, although it was Dog Dynasty Kennels back then, so it’s only right to go back and pay homage to where it began.”
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Snake Queen Shares Her Home With 70 Reptiles | BEAST BUDDIES
A YOUNG woman takes care of more than 70 reptiles – and they live with her at home. 21-year-old, Savi Serrott, has been dubbed the ‘Reptile Queen’ for her work with giant snakes and lizards. Savi even goes out hunting for Burmese pythons in the Everglades during her spare time, something she chooses to do for the ‘conservation of the ecosystem’. Savi, who resides in Miami, acknowledges that most of her pets have the potential to be deadly, but that is something that has never phased her. She told Barcroft TV: “I’ve never been scared to interact with my animals because I trust myself pretty well. Yes I share my house with more than 70 reptiles, but why wouldn’t I want to keep them in my house? It’s the same reason you’d do that with your dog or cat – they’re my pets and they need to be taken care of.” Savi got her first reptile when she was just six years old. Her mother, Michelle Serrott, said: “Savi has had a passion for reptiles since she was in diapers.” Savi added: “People are always scared when they visit my house. Very few people even come into the reptile room. Savi’s largest snake at home is Cookie, her eight-foot Argentine Boa constrictor. “Cookie is really beautiful,” Savi said. “Overall, I have two Argentine Boa constrictors, a Colombian Boa, Tree Boas, Ball pythons, Hognose snakes, turtles, tortoises, red-foot tortoises, iguanas, monitors – the list is endless. I spend roughly $350 a month to feed them all. All these reptiles are a lot to take care of sometimes, but it’s my passion and I wouldn’t trade it.” Savi has amassed a large following online, with more than 23,000 followers on Instagram loving her work. Savi is now focusing her attention to adding to her reptile family and she can’t wait to see what her future holds in the animal world. She added: “Look, I like animals more than I like people.”
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C-Section Birth To Save 218lb Mastiff’s Puppy | BIG DOGZ
A MONSTER-sized 218lb English Mastiff named Ringo is keeping the spirit of the Fab Four alive – after siring a puppy named Hey Jude. Ringo is one of the ‘fur Beatles’, owned by father-of-two Joe Thompson, 39, of Duluth, Minnesota. Together with Harrison and Paul, the trio collectively weigh close to 700lbs, and command stud fees of between $2,500 and $3,000. The puppy, a beautiful reverse brindle, was born by c-section at the Family Friends Vet Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, weighing 12oz. “This is a breeding we’ve talked about for a very, very long time,” Joe said. “It’s about more than puppies – it’s about legacy. Deb was my mentor, she was the one that found the female that produced Ringo’s son Harrison.”
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We Live With 100 Wild Animals | BEAST BUDDIES
A DAD of three keeps over 100 native animals in his private zoo home in Mount Egerton, Australia. Michael founded wildlife education company, The Rookeepers, in 2012. Since then The Rookeepers have grown to become a recognised name in ecological learning across Melbourne and regional Victoria. Michael’s goal is to connect children and adults alike with nature and encourage more sustainable ways of living. Michael told Barcroft TV: “My main mission for this business is to go out and just inspire as many people as possible - whether it's students or adults just looking after our ecosystem and our habitats and just really caring for these animals.” The mobile zoo is home to a wide range of Australian native animals including reptiles, birds, mammals and marine life. Michael said: “We've got dingoes, crocodiles, snakes, koalas, turtles, frogs, lizards, anything you name Australia can throw at us. Our zoo is also home to a few endangered animals; we’ve got the polar bears, we’ve got the koala there… We’re pretty lucky to have them and we try and breed them and ensure their population for future generations.” And Michael’s partner, Tegan Waterhouse, told Barcroft TV: “Michael is really good with animals. He just loves and adores them. I think every little step that he takes is going to make a difference.” Michael believes it is vital for kids to learn about wildlife. His daughters, zookeepers Yarra, 2, and Zali, 3, are huge wildlife enthusiasts and help their dad to look after the animals. Michael said: “They're always a part of it and I try to get them as involved as possible.” He continued: “We are out there, educating the future biologists and conservationists and zoologists. Hopefully one day they can pick the passion up and go out and follow in their footsteps.”
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Meet ‘Frozen’ the 130lbs ‘Polar Bear’ Pitbull | BIG DOGZ
Meet Frozen – the canine internet star leading a new line of muscular, all-white designer Pitbulls. The 130lbs American Pitbull and his owner Jose Jimenez, aged 30, make for an impressive sight in their neighbourhood park in Florida. The giant all white dog, nicknamed “Polar Bear”, is twice the size of a normal Pitbull, which generally weigh up to around 60lbs.Jose has been working with Pitbulls for over ten years, but it was the now five-year-old Frozen who took his interest in breeding to the next level. Whilst attending dog shows with the impressive canine, Jose was often asked to breed puppies, being offered good money for a junior “Polar Bear”. Jose told Barcroft TV: “I started to attend shows and make videos of him socialising with my children, and people liked it. When I started doing shows people started to ask for the puppies of our dogs.” Together with their other dogs including Joker and Barbie, Jose and his wife Diana are now creating a breed line of extra muscular Pitbulls called “Jimenez Whiteline”, based on the predominantly white dogs. Jose said: “As I only have white dogs, that’s where the name Whiteline comes from. What I want to do with Frozen is to make a breed line. A dog that has more muscles than Frozen.” Their goal is to breed a dog that has even more muscles than Frozen, yet as Jose explains; “It’s not about the size of the dog, it’s much more about proportion which makes a dog look beautiful”. But Jose admits that Frozen can be quite a handful. He said: “Frozen is powerful. One day he tore off the leash, escaped the yard and broke two fences. I have no idea how he did it. He does have a lot of strength.” But Jose is quick to defend Frozen against any suggestions that he might be a danger to anyone. He said: “Oh no, not at all. Frozen is not dangerous to other people. Frozen enjoys being petted and touched. He’s got zero aggression with other people. Frozen has a good temperament with people. If you have a chihuahua and you raise it in an aggressive way, it’s going to be aggressive.” But it’s not just about the bulk and power of the dogs in Jose and Diana‘s kennel, they are very much part of the Jimenez Family and offers up to $70.000 for Frozen have been kindly declined. Jose said: “For me it’s not an option to sell Frozen.”
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Giant Wolf Dog Yuki Fights Cancer | BIG DOGZ
INTERNET sensation Yuki the giant wolf dog is fighting cancer. Giant wolf dog Yuki resides in the Shy Wolf Sanctuary in Florida. The wolf dog currently weighs over 120lbs and his DNA is a mix of Gray Wolf, Siberian Husky and German Shepherd. With his striking looks, Yuki has been building up a social media following. He has over 100K followers on Instagram and his previous contribution to the Beastly channel has amassed nearly 2 million views on YouTube. Game of Thrones fans often compare Yuki to the fantasy drama’s popular dire wolves. Sanctuary Director Jeremy Albrecht agrees that Yuki has been a wonderful public ambassador for the sanctuary. However, it’s this shot to fame that might have gotten to Yuki’s head a little. The temperamental wolf dog used to accept a mix of male and female carers into his enclosure, he has recently become a bit pickier. Volunteer Judy explained: “To watch Yuki kick somebody out of his enclosure, it's not a good thing. He will show those big pearly whites and growl and let you know that you need to back up and leave the enclosure.” Slowly the star decided which of the Shy Wolf Sanctuary volunteers have the X-factor, and Yuki seems to prefer the female kind. Despite this, each and every volunteer at Shy Wolf have a special place in their heart for Yuki. Which made it all the more difficult when they found out the animal is terminally ill. Jeremy explained: “Yuki has a form of blood cancer that we've seen before, where it manifests as a nerve sheet tumour on the leg. And so we had a large lump removed from his leg, that’s when we found out that he was ill in a way that we weren't going to be able to fix.” Since his diagnosis a year ago the team monitor Yuki closely, making sure he’s not limping or showing any other signs of worsening of his illness. Surprisingly, Jeremy actually thinks Yuki looks healthier now than he did ten months ago.
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Dangerous Shark Diving With Lizzie Daly | BEASTLY ENCOUNTERS
GC: A MARINE BIOLOGIST is travelling the world, getting up close and personal with one of the world’s most feared creatures – sharks! 26-year-old, Lizzie Daly, has studied wildlife all over the world. In the pilot episode of Barcroft TV’s new wildlife series, Beastly Encounters, Lizzie travels to the Bahamas, exploring how our relationship with the world’s most deadly sharks is changing. She travels to the islands of Bimini, where there is 650,000 square kilometres of protected waters and a shark sanctuary created in 2011. She begins her journey by going cage diving with bull sharks. Lizzie told Barcroft TV: “I can’t wait to see them in action. This will be my first time in the water with them.” With only a cage between her and the swarm of sharks being fed, Lizzie can take a good look at the creatures. For some, these are considered to be the most dangerous shark species in the world - they have even been known to headbutt their prey before attacking. Afterwards Lizzie said: “It was incredible. If I could, I would do that every day.” Lizzie’s journey continues with a dive with great hammerhead sharks, swimming among the largest group of their species that there is. Giant hammerheads are usually difficult to find, as they are increasingly rare and solitary animals. But after a jump into the water, Lizzie captures a look at the illusive creature through a sea of nurse sharks. She was only equipped underwater with a short pole to let the sharks know not to come too close. The giant hammerhead shark is listed as endangered, due to a number of issues including the fishing industry. And their numbers have decreased by 80% in the last 25 years. Lizzie continued: “I learnt so much being in the Bahamas. Unquestionably we should be doing everything we can to protect these awe-inspiring creatures.”
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Our GIANT 250lb Mastiff Is Built Like A Wrestler | BIG DOGZ
ENORMOUS English Mastiffs Harrison, Ringo and Paul are the ‘fur Beatles’ – and the in-demand dogs command stud fees between $2,500 and $3,000. Together the trio weigh a collective 630lbs, but despite their giant size they aren’t strangers to hard work. After his father crashed his 4x4, the dog’s owner Joe Thompson had to rely on his dogs to transport his gear to his remote hunting shack in Cloquet Valley State Forest in Minnesota. Joe and his two boys, Jaden, 16, and Fischer, 8, head to the cabin two or three times a week. Joe said: “It’s a really important place to me as it’s where I spent most of the time with my dad. It’s not been changed since 1949 so it’s almost like stepping back in time.” And according to Joe, the dogs compete to wear the harness and drag the sled containing firewood and provisions. Joe added: “The second I touch that harness both dogs fight over who gets to wear it and do the pulling. These dogs are bricks – they are a wrestler build, as close to a wild mastiff as you’ll ever see.”
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Barbarian Boerboels – The 200lb ‘Dogs Of War’ | BIG DOGZ
A FEROCIOUS dog breed known for fearlessly pursuing lions and bears is having a surge in popularity after almost going extinct in the 1970s. Boerboels, also known as South African Mastiffs, literally translate as “farmer’s dog” and their fiercely territorial nature means they are perfectly suited to guarding homesteads. Danny Gibson, 50, and wife Paula, 50, of Washington state, USA, are the team behind Barbarian Boerboels – and say their dogs are “the real-life dogs of war”. Paula said: “Boerboels have always been known as dogs of war. The story goes that an Albanian king sent a boerboel ancestor to Alexander the Great for hunting. He took them hunting for wild boar and deer. When the dog showed no interest Alexander was disappointed and destroyed the dog. The Albanian King heard and sent a replacement with the instructions not to waste the dogs time on such minor animals but to give him a lion or elephant to hunt - which Alexander did and was impressed when the dog broke the lions back. They're like gladiators, they are always fighting all the time, they act like they're always at war with each other.” Paula and Danny have 14 boerboels, the largest of which is the male Gotti – named after the famous Italian-American gangster who ran the Gambino crime family – who weighs in at over 200lbs. However, hot on his heels is Fury, who is already 175lbs – the same weight as the largest female in the Barbarian Boerboels kennel, Boudicca – despite being only 13 months old. Danny said: “He’s going to be one of our up-and-coming studs, he’s starting to become one of my new favorites around here. He’s still got some growing to do, he’s probably going to be over 200 pounds.” The size of the dogs has led some to assume they must be giving the dogs steroids or feeding them supplements, but Paula stresses that the dogs diet is intentionally kept simple – although the dogs’ appetites means they spend an incredible $18,000 per year on food. The registered puppies sell for $2,500 or $3200 if breeding rights are included, and the Barbarian Boerboels team aim for around six litters each year.
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