நியூ யார்க்: உலகின் மிகப்பெரிய ‘பிட்புல்’ இனத்தை சேர்ந்த நாயாக அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள ‘ஹல்க்’ அமெரிக்காவின் தென்கிழக்கு பகுதியில் அமைந்திருக்கும் நியூ ஹேம்ப்ஷைர் நகரை சேர்ந்த தம்பதியர் வீட்டில் வளர்ந்து வருகிறது.
அந்நாட்டின் நாய்கள் பாதுகாப்பு படையில் சிறப்பு பயிற்சி பெற்றுள்ள ஹல்க் தற்போது ஒரே பிரசவத்தில் 8 குட்டிகளை ஈன்றுள்ளது.
இந்த 8 குட்டிகளும் சேர்ந்து 2 லட்சத்து 50 ஆயிரம் டாலர்களுக்கு விலைபோகும் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது. அதுமட்டுமின்றி அமெரிக்க சிறப்பு போலீசாரின் பாதுகாப்பு படையில் சேர்ந்து நாட்டு சேவையில் ஈடுபட்டால் இந்த குட்டிகளின் உரிமையாளர்களுக்கு சுமார் 5 லட்சம் டாலர்கள் வரை வழங்கப்படலாம் என்றும் கூறப்படுகிறது.
The eight pups are destined to go through owner Marlon Grennans training school to become elite protection dogs.And there are even hopes one of the new batch could one day grow big enough to steal their father’s crown.
Hulk, who made international headlines when he was unveiled earlier this year, has also been in training to become a protection dog at Dark Dynasty K9s in New Hampshire, USA.The business supplies protection dogs to high-profile celebrities, billionaires and wealthy professionals – as well as law enforcement around the world. Owing to Hulk’s balanced nature, former boxer Marlon and wife Lisa Grennan, 25, still allow him to interact with their three year old son, Jordan. Outside of training the pair are also best of friends and love bathing and singing together, with Jordan playing the harmonica while Hulk howls.
Little Jordan with some of Hulk’s puppies
Toddler Jordan Grennan hugs super-sized pit bull ‘The Hulk’ on the sofa of their home on a sprawling 150-acre ranch in New Hampshire. Although the animal could snap a man’s arm with a single bite Jordan’s parents Marlon and Lisa say ‘The Hulk’ is 100 per cent trusted with their young son.
Mrs Grennan, 24, who is dwarfed by 17-month-old Hulk, said the American pit bull terrier breed is misunderstood. ‘I have no concerns about any of the dogs around my son,’ she said. ‘They are amazing family dogs. People say these dogs randomly flip out, but that just doesn’t happen.’
The couple’s business, Dark Dynasty K9s, supplies protection dogs to high-profile celebrities, billionaires and wealthy professionals – as well as law enforcement around the world. Mr Grennan, 28, said: ‘A dog the size of the Hulk could kill someone if it was in the wrong situation at the wrong time. The power of this dog is unrivalled. If he bit down on someone’s arm with full power it would snap like a toothpick.’
Despite the lethal potential of Hulk and the couple’s many other dogs, three-year-old Jordan has grown up with them within arm’s reach.
Mr Grennan, a former boxer, formed the company 10 years ago with just two dogs after suffering a hand injury that ended his career. They now own scores of dogs, many that live in the house with the family on a 150-acre ranch in New Hampshire, USA. These include more than a dozen highly trained pit bulls and a single chihuahua.
Many of the pit bulls eat a protein-rich diet of ground beef and protein supplements, in much the same way a bodybuilder would. The Hulk alone eats 4lbs of ground beef each day.
Mr and Mrs Grennan breed two different type of pit bull and some like the Hulk, who is expected to become the biggest pit bull in the world, are bred for size. While the average pit bull male will weigh 35-60lb, the Hulk, at 175lb is almost three times bigger than a normal American pit bull terrier. And their big size and expert training means they can command high prices
‘A dog like Hulk can cost you anywhere from $2,500 to $25,000. I have one of his sons who might be sold for $30,000 just based on who he is, what he does and who we are. But I would never consider selling Hulk. I’ve been offered $200,000, $250,000, $500,000. You could throw ten million in front of me and I’d throw it right back at you. The dog is priceless, period.’
