Oklahoma kennel applies cattle genetics to American Bully breeding

ManMade Kennels is marking 20 years by using livestock-style genetic evaluation to guide American Bully breeding in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Founder Edward Perez says the kennel prioritizes temperament, health screening and multi-litter production records over coat color and head size.

Why it matters: - ManMade Kennels is arguing that American Bully breeding should be judged by what dogs pass to the next generation, not by viral looks. - The kennel says that approach could reduce health and temperament problems that buyers may not see in a puppy photo. - Perez says the lesson comes from cattle breeding, where forward-looking genetic scores help predict offspring quality.

What happened: - ManMade Kennels is marking its 20th year in 2026. - Founder Edward Perez is using the milestone to promote breeding practices that mirror livestock genetic evaluation. - The kennel is based in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and was founded in 2006. - ManMade Kennels breeds XL American Bullies and XL pitbulls.

The details: - Perez also runs ManMade Cattle. - In beef production, Expected Progeny Differences, or EPDs, are used to estimate which traits an animal will pass to its offspring. - ManMade Kennels says it builds breeding decisions around temperament scoring, structured health screening and planned outcrossing to keep the gene pool wide. - The kennel tracks how individual dogs produce across multiple litters instead of judging a sire or dam on appearance alone. - Perez said many bully breeders focus on coat color or head size because those traits get attention on social media. - Perez said phenotype is only a snapshot and does not show what a dog will produce over time. - Perez said a dog can win on looks and still pass on hip problems or unstable puppies. - Perez said temperament is the most overlooked trait and the most important once a puppy goes home. - ManMade Kennels advises prospective owners to ask breeders what they test for, how puppies are socialized and what their dogs have produced over time. - ManMade Kennels tells buyers to keep looking if a breeder can only show photos. - The kennel works with families across North America and delivers internationally. - More information is available at ManMadeKennels.com.

Between the lines: - Perez is positioning breeding as a long-game discipline, not a content-driven popularity contest. - The argument reflects a broader tension in dog breeding between appearance, market demand and measurable performance. - Social media can accelerate color and bloodline trends faster than health or behavior data can correct them.

What's next: - ManMade Kennels is likely to keep using its cattle-inspired recordkeeping as its core breeding model. - Perez is also likely to keep using the kennel's 20th anniversary to press buyers to demand more than photos and pedigree hype. - The kennel's message suggests future buyers may face more scrutiny from breeders who follow similar testing and tracking standards.

The bottom line: - ManMade Kennels wants American Bully buyers to think like livestock breeders: choose for what gets passed on, not just what gets likes.