Meet Derrick Thomas | XL American Bully Breeder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Derrick Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Derrick, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I would say my thought process behind starting my own business was simple but yet complicated at the same time. The first question I had to ask myself is, what is something that I genuinely love and am passionate about that could also be profitable? What is something that would put smiles on other people’s faces and could also bring joy to them and their families for years to come? I’ve always loved the bully breed and watched as it grew over the years, and then it hit me. Why not start a kennel where I can breed my most beloved dog breed, which not only allows me to achieve my goals of becoming an advocate but also being hands-on with the process from start to finish.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My XL American Bully kennel is called the “DaBullyDon,” where we pride ourselves on producing beautiful XL Bullies while focusing on health, structure, and temperament. All of our dogs come with world-class pedigrees that make excellent show dogs and family companions. What sets us apart from other kennels is that with every individual breeding, we strive to make sure we carefully select our sires and dams to further improve each litter. This allows us to produce pups that fit the breeding standards set forth by both the American Bully Kennel Club and United Kennel Club.

I am where I am today because I stayed committed and trusted the process. I stayed true to myself and never let others’ views or any personal obstacles discourage me from doing what I love to do. There are a lot of principles and standards to learn, and many of them I adopted along the way. I’ve endured financial losses due to bad business deals and lost people I thought were my friends. But in the end, it all taught me something even more valuable, something that you must have in this line of business, perseverance. Perseverance is an attribute that one must possess and have a lot of when it comes to running any business, no matter the industry. DaBullyDon Kennels is here and here to stay, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m originally from Houston, Texas, but I currently live near the Destin, Florida, area. If I had friends coming to visit, I would first take them to a brunch spot known as “Broken Egg Cafe.” The food selection is phenomenal, and the mimosas are perfectly blended. To follow, we will rent a boat or some jet skis and drive out to a place in the middle of the ocean called “Crab Island” for a fun day on the water. Crab Island is a sandbar where everyone congregates during the spring and summer to enjoy themselves on the water. Lastly, to end the day, we will clean up and head to a nice seafood restaurant called “Lagniappe.” Lagniappe’s full-course meals are so filling that after such an eventful day, everyone will be ready for bed.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shoutout to my wife, Zandrea. She has been there for me from the very beginning. She was the one person who pushed and motivated me and gave me the courage to start my own business when others discouraged me.

Instagram: dabullydon

Other: Email: dabullydonkennels@gmail.com TikTok: _derrickdabullydon