I have lived with, loved, competed, and worked with American Bulldogs since the mid 90's, and in 2020 welcomed a rescued Presa Canario. I know there's an extra responsibility in sharing our lives with these types of dogs and how important reliable equipment is. I believe that collars for the heavier-duty breeds and working K9s should be infallible and that’s how BLOCKY DOGS came to be.
Since 2003 BLOCKY DOGS has been building custom collars specifically made for the heavy-duty breed dogs--you know, the ones with the "blocky" shaped heads: all of the bully breeds; Rotts, Dogues, Dogos, Presas, Corsos, Mastiffs...-- as well as working dogs, and law enforcement K9s. I began the company with the special needs of these types of dogs in mind and the equipment I produce is based on these ideas:
- Function = Build the most heavy-duty nylon collars on the market: Collars with material and hardware that are superior and unparalleled in strength and durability. Your dog WON'T break a BLOCKY DOGS collar, period. On average, working dogs are getting 8-10 years of use out of their BLOCKY DOGS collars! Some customers have even handed collars down to the next generation.
- Form = CHOICES! Offer an incredible number of color, design, and size options so every owner/handler has the opportunity to be creative and every dog has the chance to wear gear that not only fits, but also reflects their unique personality. And the little things: BD collars have a separate tiny D-ring specifically for i.d. tags and collar tails are long enough to stay securely under the keeper.
For the other end of the leash, the humans, BLOCKY DOGS is a small business, not a mega online store. I prefer one-on-one contact with each individual customer because I aim for you to feel more like you’re part of the process and less like you’re placing a blind order to a faceless company. You're spending your hard-earned money and waiting for a custom collar that you're going to have to look at for a LONG time--I want it to be awesome!
Whether it’s a single plain flat collar or an elaborate style with stripes and embroidered designs, EVERY order is important to me. I make every single collar with the care and attention to detail I would take if I was making it for one of my own dogs. And, yes, all six of my American Bulldogs wore, and my Presa Canario currently wears, BLOCKY DOGS collars. ;)
BLOCKY DOGS is located in the U.S.A. and every BLOCKY DOGS product is handmade by me. I do not outsource and have done my best to use as many U.S.A.-made materials as possible in the BD products. I appreciate that you have come to the website and I look forward to making your dog a BLOCKY DOG!
2003 Celebrating 21 years in business! 2024
I'm thrilled that BLOCKY DOGS is now in its 21st year in business! SHOUTING out a HUGE "Thank You!" to all of our loyal customers who have purchased collars and leashes, shared us on social media, and continue to send out kind words of praise about BD products and customer service. BLOCKY DOGS collars are currently being worn by heavy-duty dogs in 35 countries around the world! I know there are a LOT of collar choices out there and I'm genuinely appreciative that you have entrusted me to make great collars for your dogs! I LOVE seeing the many photos you've sent of your dogs wearing their BLOCKY DOGS collars; the variety and combinations of colors and designs you have requested makes my "job" fun every day. I am looking forward to many more years! Thank you!
The Inspirations for BLOCKY DOGS Collars
- DallisTexAnne, Delta Pet Partner, TDI, CGC (Watching from The Bridge 03/09/97 - 01/28/05) [American Bulldog]
- Gangbusters Buster-Beaumont, GDT, Ranked IDT3, Ranked IDT5, AD, TT, CGC OFA: Fair (10/05/99; at The Bridge 11/19/11) [American Bulldog]
- Montana-Blue,TDIA-OV, Delta Pet Partner, CGC (11/1998; at The Bridge 07/17/09) [American Bulldog]
- AuRoara-Blaze, Deaf, Queen Bee, responded to 48 hand signs. (07/2001; at The Bridge 09/18/10) [American Bulldog]
- T'AerraZona, Rescued & Loved. (Rescued in 2010; at The Bridge 02/26/20) [American Bulldog]
- D-Beaux, Rescued & Loved. (07/13/05; at The Bridge 03/14/14) [American Bulldog]
- TROOPER!, Rescued & Loved. [Presa Canario]
Montana-Blue
Montana-Blue TDIA-OV, Delta Pet Partner, CGC (officially, "#1 of BGK - Bluegrass Kennels")
Monti was rescued through American Bulldog Rescue at the age of three, after his original owner passed away and a second owner mistreated him. It took a year to build trust and through patience and training, he passed his CGC and also became certified through both Therapy Dogs Intl. and DELTA Society. He assisted with Physical and Speech Therapies in the Sub-Acute Unit of our local hospital. His BLOCKY DUAL Grip collar was not only helpful in keeping him close in tight spaces, but was also incorporated into therapy: patients practiced fine motor skills by unbuckling and re-buckling his collar. He also participated in programs teaching children how to be safe around dogs. He was an amazing partner to work with and he absolutely "got" what being a therapy dog was about. Monti was a Standard/Bully Hybrid type and weighed 137lbs. (2" width BLOCKY DUAL Grip, Size 28")
Buster-Beaumont
Gangbusters Buster-Beaumont, GDT, Ranked IDT3, Ranked IDT5, AD, TT, CGC
Buster was a Standard Type AB out of Waldo X Mona [10/05/99], littermate to Streak, Jordan, and Gizzy (all Ranked Iron Dog Champs and more!). At 109 lbs, Buster had a stable, friendly temperament (he was silly-happy ALL the time) but flipped the switch into monster-high drive when competing. He competed in several Iron Dog Triathlons and Pentathlons, became a ranked Iron Dog his first time out, and never placed lower than 3rd. He participated in weightpull and also in conformation (and placed every time, but often showed his boredom by laying down in the show ring). He preferred action! He pranced through the 12 mile endurance run more than once. Since Buster had only had basic obedience classes and no formal training, I can only attribute his natural abilities and extreme drive to great genetics. Buster-Beaumont is the face of the BLOCKY DOGS logo--both dog faces are his. (2" width BLOCKY DUAL Grip, Size 26")
DallisTexAnne
DallisTexAnne (Dogasaurus Rex X Air Betsey), TDI, Delta Pet Partner, CGC.
DallisTexAnne was a Standard Type AB. She was dual certified with both Therapy Dogs International and the Delta Society. DallisTexAnne was a 24/7 needs dog: It's easier to say what wasn't medically wrong with her than what was.
Dallis was truly a bomb-proof dog in her temperament. No amount of pokes, bumps, or noises would rattle her. She did Animal Assisted Therapy activities in a home for the profoundly mentally and developmentally disabled (M/DD). She also assisted me doing booth events where we instructed others about what therapy dogs do and the different types of therapy dogs.
Dallis had some serious health issues and was a medical anomaly from head to toe. Elbow Dysplasia, Hip Dysplasia, DJD, corneal dystrophy, sporadic seizures, and sporadic paralysis, but her most major health issue was Mast Cell Tumors which she was dx with at 11 wks old. She had several MCT removal surgeries, and rounds of chemo at age 3 and age 5, but the tumors kept spreading throughout her life. Eight different vets said she would not live to a year old, but with a lot of management, care, and love, she lived to be 8.5 yrs old. In spite of her health issues, she was smiling happy all the time and shared her happiness through her therapy dog work. Dallis was my very first AB and her strength and perserverance cemented my love for the American Bulldog breed. (1.5" width Regular Flat Collar, Size 20")
AuRoara-Blaze
Titan's AuRoara-Blaze was Bilaterally Deaf from birth. She was just as drivey as the boys and built like a tank at 102 lbs. I communicated to her with hand signals: She responded to approximately 45 signs and several phrases. Roar was trained in tracking with a goal of doing Search and Rescue, until she had ACL surgery and at that time was diagnosed with spondylosis, which caused us to choose a different path of work for her.
She was also dx with eociniphilic myositis of the head (aka MMM). Roar had awesome, if not sometimes freaky, communication skills and always made me laugh with her antics. Because of her health issues, she did not attain any true titles so instead she was crowned " Official Queen Bee". She did get the opportunity to use her tracking skills when her fur-brother Buster-Beaumont jumped a 5ft fence to explore the neighborhood and she helped track him and quickly locate him. (2" width Regular Flat Collar, Size 24").
T'AerraZona
T'AerraZona was a rescue and held her bully stubborness for all its worth. T'Aerra lived with Buster-Beaumont and then with D-Beaux and gave them both a run even though they were both substantially bigger than her. She was pretty sure she was 10ft tall and bulletproof...great at obedience basics one-on-one and out in public, but at home T'Aerra did best as an only-child after D-Beaux passed. Having a collar sure to never fail was imperative. LOTS of photos of T'Aerra can be seen on our FB and IG pages. She crossed The Bridge 02/26/20. (She wore both widths, a 1.5" width D-Above-Buckle/Agitation Style Flat Collar and 2" width Regular Flat Collar, Size 23")
D-Beaux
D-Beaux (ABA reg. "Raging Debo F**ch") was also rescued through American Bulldog Rescue. His humans had to surrender him due to their inability to care for him--Once his humans had children, they relegated him to a crate in a basement. D-Beaux was almost 7 years old and 120 lbs when he came to me and he overcame many issues. We learned together and this boy stole my soul. In 2014, after only two years with me, D-Beaux developed seizures that advanced rapidly within just a few weeks. Each caused him to stop breathing...While putting together a plan of treatment, his last seizure seemed to cause irreparable damage, possibly a stroke, and he had to be released to The Bridge. I have not been able to add to my pack since losing him...my heart is not ready. (2" width BLOCKY DUAL Grip, size 27").
TROOPER!
For 6 years after D-Beaux's passing, T'AerraZona remained an only-dog. When she passed in February of 2020, it was time to add a new family member and we welcomed TROOPER! He is a 105# Presa Canario who came from a county rescue in another state. On the 5.5 hour drive back to bring him home, every time we began discussing our list of names, the GPS chimed, "There's a speed trap ahead". After passing 23+ State Troopers, we took it as a sign and named him TROOPER! Photos of TROOPER! can be seen on our FB & IG social media pages. (2" width BLOCKY DUAL Grip, Size 26"). Update: Trooper was listed on the rescue site as a Cane Corso - Mastiff Mix. He was DNA tested in 2021 and we found out he's actually 100% Presa Canario!
