NWAB References

 

 

 

Bruschi

 

 

 

When I was growing up I had an American Bulldog who was one of the kindest and nicest dogs I have met to date. He lived until he was 14 years old and was the main reason why I fell in love with this great breed. 

Several years ago I had begun my search for another American Bulldog. I searched high and low for not only a beautiful dog, but for a breeder that was responsible, ethical and genuinely cared for the puppies they produced. After several years I was lucky enough to find Northern Woods American Bulldogs. Jon and Trina began to impress me from day one. When I emailed them to inquire about a pup they were not only informative and knowledgeable, but showed even more compassion about the health and well being of the puppies they produced and the homes they would potentially go to. I was so impressed that after just a few emails and phone calls I decided that my long search was over. I had found the place I knew would give my growing family our next member. 

When Bruschi’s litter was born Jon and Trina sent me pictures of the whole bunch. They updated me almost weekly about the pups progression and health. When I made the trip up to Northern Woods I was even more impressed with the facilities and how well they cared for the pups and their dogs. I chose Bruschi and have not regretted my decision at all. He is a great dog who is very intelligent, and has an amazing disposition. He is truly an awesome dog. When I brought Bruschi home he fit right in. He was completely potty trained in a week or so, and is progressing beautifully.

 I would recommend anyone to purchase their dog at Northern Woods American Bulldogs. They really are great people. Thank you Jon and Trina for everything, you guys are the best!

Rich Ventura & Family

Lynnfield, MA

Atilla

 

We were searching for the perfect American Bulldog and we are positive that we have found him thanks to Jon and Trina at Northern Woods. After countless hours of research, we were led to Northern Woods. Jon and Trina’s knowledge, experience, and true love of the breed led us to choose a male puppy from one of their most recent litters (Chief and Kiza). When the puppies were born, Jon and Trina kept updating us on their progress as well as sent pictures. It was great to get the updates to see how much the puppies had grown and changed during the first eight weeks. “Atilla” is now 4 months old and he is just a joy. We receive so many compliments when we take him out.

We have a young, female pug and my girlfriend had so many fears of whether an American Bulldog would be a good mix. Jon was very helpful in easing her mind. As you can see from the pictures, they are the best of friends.

It was a long trip traveling all the way to Maine and back from NY, but it was WELL worth the trip. We highly recommend Jon and Trina to anyone who has interest in the breed. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email. ridefmb@aol.com

 Freddie & Eva

 

 

Gemini

 

 

To whom it may concern,

 

I am writing this note to advise anyone who is interested in purchasing an American Bulldog that Jon MacLean and Trina Burns may be considered honest and upright dog breeders. When I purchased my American Bulldog I researched breeders on both the West coast and the East coast. Upon finding Northern Woods American Bulldogs I first contacted Jon and made inquiries about his dogs. I found him to be forthright and considerate. I explained to him that about two years ago my family had to put down our pet after 18 years of loving companionship. Jon invited me to his home to witness for myself the way he and Trina cared for and maintained the highest quality and compassion for the well being of their puppies as well as their full grown dogs. I was so impressed that I immediately jumped in my car and made the long trip from New York to Maine. Upon my arrival at Northern Woods I was fully satisfied by what I witnessed. I found a couple that was truly dedicated to not just selling animals, but to the idea of raising and caring for the animals even after they left their kennel. The kennel was spotless, warm and very well maintained. The animals were obviously very happy and content. So I purchased my little Gemini. She has been a true joy and I pray that she will be with us for a very very long time. Since bringing the new member of our family home I have received several calls from Jon asking about the welfare of little Gemini.  This truly impressed me and touched my heart. It is with the utmost sincerity that I would recommend Northern Woods American Bulldogs to anyone wishing to purchase an American Bulldog. In closing I would like to say thank you Jon and Trina. God bless and be well. 

 

Anthony M. Stenta

 

 

Boomer

 

 

 

 

After unexpectedly losing our companion of 10 years, my wife and I waited several months before choosing our next addition. During that time, we did much research on the breed and breeders we selected. After deciding on the American Bulldog, we spent a great deal of time looking at breeders – how many litters per year, appearance, temperament, living conditions, along with the intangibles you just get a sense for. The more we researched and interacted through NWAB website and emails, the more we were drawn to NWAB. Our friends kept asking us was there not a breeder closer to us than Maine (we’re from NC). To get the pup that we were going to spend the next 10 -15 years of our life with, we didn’t feel a weekend trip to Maine was too far. Of course, there was some anxiety over what we might see once we arrived after having driven for more than 800 miles one way. The result was that we could not have been more pleased. The area where the dogs are kept is immaculate – clean and neat. The dogs themselves are clean; they have been seen by a vet and gotten their first round of some vaccines. When I took our pup to the local vet when we returned, she gave him a thorough examination and said, “he’s perfect.” You immediately get the sense that Jon and Trina care for these dogs. And I might add, Jon and Trina are a great couple – friendly, personable and thoroughly organized. We could not have been more impressed. I’m generally a hard person to impress, but I would rate them 5 stars out of 5 stars. I’m not sure what they could have done to make our experience better.

 

We had prepared ourselves for the worse on the trip home. We assumed the pup would probably be sick from never having been in an automobile; that stress would probably give him loose stools; that he would whine and be tough to deal with after being separated from his home – but he was a jewel. We drove about 4 hours before spending the night. We assumed once we put him in his kennel for the evening he would keep us up whining most of the night. What actually happened was that he got in the kennel and never whimpered until about 4:30 am, when we took him out to do his business. He went back into his kennel and was good until we got up a couple of hours later to leave. On the remaining 10 hours home, he never whimpered or whined and never messed in his kennel; he always waited until we stopped to do his business. My wife and I could not believe it. We have had him home for a little more 2 weeks now and he has yet to poop in his kennel or the house. We do keep him in the house. He will go to the door and whine when he has to go outside. My wife and I have remarked that people probably do not believe us when we tell them that. He is proving to be a very smart, loving and sociable pup. He enjoys other dogs and children. My wife and I have remarked to each other more than once that we definitely made the right decision and would make the trip again for a pup like our Boomer.

 

Jeff Hedgepath

 

 

Lila

 

 

I had been seriously looking for our new family member for almost a year. I scoured the internet, newspapers, and talked to about a dozen different breeders but couldn't get that just right feeling. By chance I fortunately came upon Northern Woods American Bulldogs. During my initial conversation with Jon it was obvious this guy was as dog crazy as me, if not more. The most impressive impressions I gathered in talking with Jon was his sincere concern in breeding responsibly, ethically and making sure I was a good candidate for his puppy.

Our puppy Lila is now about 10 months old and warms us daily. She is quick as a whip, learning new things all the time. She has yet to meet a person or other dog with anything but a curious playfulness. Lila is just a friendly, confident, beautiful dog, and we couldn't be happier with her.

 

Just before I made the trip from Connecticut to Jon and Trina's house, Jon warned me on the phone that most people to come out to his place leave with a puppy. He was right.

 

If you are looking for a new family member and are lucky enough to land here on the NWAB website, I don't feel you could be in any better hands. The only knock on Jon and Trina is their preference for sports teams, but you can take that up with them.

 

Brian Balkus

 

 

JaydAnn

 

 

The search for the perfect dog brought my girlfriend and I to the American Bulldog breed. We chose this breed for many reasons. Most important of these reasons to us are how good American Bulldogs are with family, great with children, and other family pets! ( Not to mention their loyalty and natural protective instinct.)

After deciding the breed the next step for us was finding a reputable breeder. I had researched on the internet for awhile and nothing really caught my eye or impressed my girlfriend and myself. I then reached out to a friend who I knew had three beautiful American Bulldogs all from Northern Woods. He could not speak any higher of Jon, Trina, and their dogs.

 

After hearing my friend’s accolades of Northern Woods and how happy he was with the whole experience, I decided to call Jon myself. After our two hour conversation I was convinced that Northern Woods takes pride in what they do, and love their dogs. (Not to mention their dogs have some of the best bloodlines around!) Our trip up to Maine to meet Jon and Trina and find our new pup was one of the happiest experiences for my girlfriend and me. Till this day I will sometimes call Jon with a question, and he always is more than happy to help. This is by far the smartest, most beautiful, loving dog I have ever owned! Thank You Northern Woods (Jon and Trina) from the bottom of our hearts!

 

Sincerely,

 

Mike, Leslie, JaydAnn

Boston, MA

 

 

Kali

 

 

 

If you are searching for a reputable and caring breeder of beautiful, intelligent, and sweet- natured American Bulldogs, then I would highly recommend Northern Woods American Bulldogs. It was apparent from our first conversations with them, that Jon and Trina are dedicated to a responsible breeding program. They do not breed dogs that haven't passed their OFA certification and they don't "over-breed" their females. Their dogs are obviously raised with the family including their young children. When we visited their home to see their dogs, the dogs were all clean and seemed very happy and healthy. They have a very clean, spacious and comfortable looking area for the puppies. Jon and Trina are very focused on the health and nutrition of their bulldogs. They educated us about what type of food is healthiest for a dog. We had no idea how bad the main-stream foods, like Iams (our former dog food), are. We immediately switched our 10 yr old Golden Retriever to a brand of food they recommended for our puppy and his dull, coarse and thinning fur (which we attributed to old age) grew in thick and soft again. Jon and Trina screen every potential new parent with questions designed to weed out people that would not be suited to owning an American Bulldog. They really care about what happens to their puppies once they've gone to their new homes.

When we visited, we asked to have Chief and Taboo let out for us to meet them and see firsthand what their temperament was like. They were both extremely friendly and curious with not a bit of aggression. Our puppy, Kali, is now 9 months old. She is very intelligent with remarkable and creative problem-solving abilities. She is friendly and playful with every person and every dog she meets. She is great with kids and frequently plays with our neighbors' 3 yr old son. She is a big hit at doggie daycare because she is gentle with the little dogs and fearless with the big dogs. She is an extremely loving, devoted, well-adjusted dog. When we take Kali to the vet, the vet occasionally tests her for aggressive behavior and the results are always the same. She is a dominant dog but without any signs of aggression. I believe her words were, "she doesn't have a mean bone in her body". While we have done our part to train and socialize her, it was easy because it was already in her nature. We could not be any happier with our Kali and our choice of getting our puppy from Northern Woods American Bulldogs.

 

P.S. If you want a puppy that has all of the above mentioned qualities and is downright hilarious and will make you laugh til you cry, wait for a Chief and Taboo litter. I hear they get their goofiness from their mother.

 

 

Pretty Boy Floyd

 

For those considering purchasing a pup from Northern Woods American Bulldogs, maybe my experience will help in your decision. I had been researching American Bulldog breeders after the loss of my South African Boerboel. I spoke to quite a few people in the Bulldog world about the differences between certain lines of American Bulldogs, and decided that I wanted one that came from “Joshua” lineage. After visiting Joshua Kennels website, I saw that Lem Miller was working with a breeder in Maine that uses dogs from his breeding stock.

I contacted Jon and Trina by phone and asked them a million questions about their breeding program, then I called back and asked some more. Jon was super straightforward and honest, and seemed genuinely happy to answer all my questions and also just to “talk dog” with me. After some consideration, I placed my deposit. It was so nice to get weekly updates on the puppies as they grew along with pictures. When the pups were six weeks old we drove up to Maine to make our puppy pick. It was so hard to choose between the 4 boys. They were all happy, playful, confident, and healthy. With input from what Jon had seen in the pups over the last 6 weeks, we made our choice.

 

We picked up Floyd when he was 8 weeks old, and he has been such a joy from day one! He is sweet as can be, smart as a whip, and unshakable in his confidence. I have exposed this pup to all kinds new experiences. He has been around all types of animals (dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, rabbits), all types of people (old, young, different ethnic backgrounds), traffic, elevators, construction sites, neighborhood cookouts with loud music and very loud children, the local pet store, etc, etc… Nothing has phased this pup! He is 12 weeks old now and I can’t wait to see how he matures. He is wonderful with my small children. My 4 year old is his favorite person.

He gets along famously with my black lab, and is even gentle with the cat.

 

So far I couldn’t be happier with my experience with Northern Woods and our Pretty Boy Floyd!

 

 

 

Champ &

Miss Molly

 

 

In January of 2008 we decided to add a new companion and friend to our family. We were undecided on which breed of dog to choose. We have two children so the breed had to be good with children and we wanted a breed that was uncommon to our area.

We purchased an Uncle Henry's and came across an ad for American Bulldog puppies in Poland, ME. We called and talk to the owner of Northern Woods American Bulldogs, Jon. From the very first conversation we could tell that Jon and his wife Trina cared about this breed and was very dedicated in breeding and raising top quality dogs and placing them in homes with caring people that would be wonderful owners. From the information that Jon gave us we knew that this was the breed for us.

 

We packed the kids in the car and traveled 4 hours to Jon and Trina's home. As soon as we stepped out of the car we felt welcomed and were amazed to see how well this couple took care of their puppies and adult dogs. The kennels, puppies pens and outdoor area were spotless. Also the puppies and adult dogs were very well groomed. This is more than just a business to them this is their passion and love.

 

On this trip we picked out our newest family member, Champ, he was the only male from Deja and Chiefs litter. Champ was only 5 weeks old so we knew we would have the great pleasure in returning to Jon and Trina's in 3 weeks to pick up Champ and admire all of the other dogs. Plus we would also have the pleasure of talking with Jon and Trina again.

 

Champ is now 13 months old and what a beautiful and wonderful family member he is. He definitely loves all the attention and playing he can get. We have enjoyed Champ-so much that in February 2009 we returned to NWAB and added another family member from Kiza and Chiefs litter, Miss Molly. We also enjoyed seeing Jon, Trina and all of the dogs again.

 

Upon Jon and Trina's recommendation we have continued to feed Champ and Miss Molly Eagle Pack Holistic Brand dog food. We also use the supplement Prevention Plus for nutrition & prevention of hip dysplasia. We are very pleased with the results.

 

We also give them props for the excellent website www.northernwoodsamericanbulldogs.com where we were able to watch our dogs grow from 2 weeks of age and can continue to see postings from us and other families that have Champ and Molly's brothers and sisters. In addition the links for nutrition and history of the American Bulldogs are very informative. We enjoy logging on to see what's new on a regular basis.

 

From all of our family, thanks Jon & Trina! We are proud to say that Champ and Miss Molly are Northern Woods American Bulldogs! We welcome any calls or questions.

The Nelson Family

(207)479-5689

 

 

Nala, Hammer

& Leonitus

 

 

Hi,

 

We have 3 of Northern Woods American Bulldogs in our home. They are great animals and are always doing something comical to make us laugh. Our first Bully that we got was born in Dec of 2007 out of Chief and Taboo. I did a ton of research before I picked a dog because we already had a German Shepherd who was 10 and was near perfect, so the next dog had to compare. Jon and Trina's Bulldogs have a great line and are wonderful with the kids so we picked up our girl Nala from them on my son's birthday in Feb of 2008. I could not have received a better dog. Last Christmas I had to put my German Shepherd down, it was heart breaking and we were lost without her (Nala was very miserable without her). So I decided to foster an English Mastiff, a wonderful animal with a lot of problems. He was just not the right dog for our family but I found him the right family. Though all of this I was emailing Jon and Trina back and forth with all my problems. They always give the best advice. I decided we just need another puppy. In the mean time my brother who lives above us decides he wants a Bulldog too so we a put a deposit on another puppy that Jon and Trina had. I was about to call Jon for another puppy, when he called me and told me that Nala's brother Hammer needed a home. I really wanted a puppy but I decided to take Hammer because he needed a good home. By nighttime the day that Jon called we had Hammer in our home. What a perfect fit. He is such a goober, there is no other word for him. Always making me laugh, what a great personality.

About a month later we brought Leonidus home from Northern Woods and he just fit right in. I think we should have named him Tank, he is growing so fast.

 

All 3 of the dogs are great with the kids and very protective, which is good because we live in the city. They are very smart and stubborn when they want to be, but they listen better than my 3 kids. I get nothing but compliments on them every time I take them out of the house because they are beautiful dogs and well behaved. Jon and Trina's dogs are the best. I have a ton of friends who are breeders and have been in the business for up to 40 years and they all say I have the best dogs.