Interview of Notable Filipino Dogman by Sporting Dog Journal PH

VP Don’t Just Stand For Vice-President

Those who belong to the dog fraternity have their own lingo. Your average Juan, Pedro and Jose would be lost when in conversation with legit dogmen (and sometimes even including cyber dogmen) when they start with acronyms such as the basic ROM, POR, GIS, BIS and YIS. Those letters could stand for anything for them and perhaps the only thing they would easily get would be what the “K” stood for in DSK, EBK, PSK, HTK, RTK, BFK, UDK, FCK, BCK and the likes. More confusing perhaps to them is when two letters are used, such as JA and DT. Two letters are actually what passes for accolades to esteemed dogmen who have made a name for themselves in and outside the box.

Nowadays, conversations among dogmen would include two letters when the talk would drift to winners and longevity in the sport: VP.

Since this is a magazine for dogmen and by dogmen, there is perhaps no need to elaborate on for whom VP stood for. So if you are thinking it is for Vice President, here and now I’m telling you to go fuck yourself. However if you can co-relate the initials with Southernmen’s Yellow 2xW or GR. CH. Southernmen’s Cuba 6xW, you’d perhaps would want to know more about the man himself and the dogs behind him. Actually, if you meet the guy in person, you’d see that he is such an approachable guy and is a true dogman in every sense of the word. He was also kind enough to take time and answer a few questions we tossed his way.

Hope you guys would learn a thing or two.

SDJP: How did you get into pit bulls?

VP: Back in the day, I was invited by a dogman to watch a contracted match somewhere along a highway named after a dead president. It was on a place then owned by DT. I was hooked from then on

SDJP: Aside from Gr. Ch. Southernmen’s Cuba 6xW, who were your other dogs that won in the pit?

VP: Ch Acid, Yellow 2xW, Travis 2xW, Gonan 2xW, Bulma 2xW, Ambush 2xW, Hydra 2xW, Cubana 2xW, Isaac 2xw and 2xW Berlin. There were others who I could not recall at the moment.

SDJP: Recently you had been breeding around Gr. Ch. Cuba, any reason for such aside from because he is a grand champion?

VP: Well, I bred Cuba and so I know the dogs behind his pedigree. The second reason is I believe with him and thru him I believe I had achieved the proper mix.

SDJP: What traits do they have that you like best?

VP: Deep gameness and pit intelligence. They may have average mouths but they have gone up against very hard biting dogs yet they won without incurring impairing damages.

SDJP: What is your most important consideration in choosing a brood stud or brood bitch?

VP: That would be what I call the overall character of the dog. The dog should have gameness, ability and consistency in throwing good offspring. I don’t give consideration to confirmation or how the dog looks but rather what that dog produces. Also, the dog’s health should be taken into account as well as the proper crosses or blood lines that would go well with it. Of course the dogs behind them should be verifiable legit.

SDJP: Do you make distinctions between a match dog and a brood stock?

VP: Yes. Brood stock for me would be those dogs who are inbred, double bred or tight bred and yet possess the characteristics I have mentioned above. If I have enough of these dogs to go around and they make the grade, I might consider them as well.

SDJP: In selecting a match dog, what do you keep an eye out for?

VP: I always consider gameness first, ability comes second and mouth is the last.

SDJP: What blood lines go best with your current stock?

VP: I think Cuba is still the right fit for my current stock because he has the qualities I had mentioned. Aside from that he is a very intelligent dog who rarely gets sick. He is also very amiable, not a man biter, and he leaves my toy dogs alone.

SDJP: To date, from what breeding had Cuba produced winners?

VP: When Cuba was bred to Unica and Nugra, he produced good ones who in turn also produced winning dogs. Cuba also worked well with dogs of Tetris and Trauma.

SDJP: How about schooling? What age do you start schooling your dogs?

VP: I start with those aged fifteen months and up, if they are acting out already. I bump them with dogs of the same age and weight for five minutes and let each dog scratch twice or thrice. Then I’d roll them a month or two after.

SDJP: How many rolls does it take before you deem a dog ready for the box?

VP: It depends mostly upon the dog itself. There are instances when after three rolls, I could see that a dog is ready because the dog has shown the willingness and the ability.

SDJP: So what would you say would be the ideal age for a dog to be matched?

VP: I’d say 24 months, but it depends really on the dog, considering the matters mentioned above.

Please note that all references to competition and winning are in regard to legal, socially acceptable sporting activities. There are conformation champions, weight pulling champions, hunting champions, treadmill race champions and others.

GR CH CUBA 6xW DOY 2010 and PPC DOG SHOW (BEST IN SHOW 2011)

BY: Sporting Dog Journal PH

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