HOWARD HEINZL PITBULL HISTORY |ARCHITECT OF THE GAMEDOG

Howard Heinzl was born on April 30, 1914, in Chicago, on the South Side, where tough street football games often ended in fights. His childhood was marked by resilience and camaraderie, and at the age of nine he had his first unforgettable encounter with a PitBull Dog. While running with his Airedale, a Pit Bull knocked him down, leaving a lasting impression that would shape the course of his life.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Chicago was a hotbed of apbt dogmen such as Red Considine, the Farmer Brothers, and Rip Ryan, whose yards and practices influenced Heinzl’s early steps. His first gamedog was a brindle pitbull female named June, without papers, typical of the era when apbt pedigrees were often memorized rather than formally recorded.

The Move to Arizona and the Birth of the “Arizona Aces”

In 1939, Howard Heinzl relocated to Arizona, bringing with him two pure Colby pitbull females, Penny and Pooch; and a bitch named Monkey, sired by Bruce’s Jerry. At that time, Arizona had no active APBT breeders, making Howard Heinzl Pit Bull a true pioneer in the state.

His philosophy was simple and uncompromising: “The only profits are scooped up twice a day.” He bred gamedogs for passion, not money. His pitbull yard quickly became known for producing game bulldogs with athletic structure, stable temperament, and legendary endurance, collectively referred to as the Arizona Aces.

Relationships with Colby pitbull family and Earl Tudor PitBull

Howard Heinzl maintained correspondence with John P. Colby from the 1930s and visited him in 1936, witnessing private pitbull matches due to restrictive Massachusetts “blue laws.” In 1942, he befriended Earl Tudor, who later remarked:

“Heinzl is doing the same thing Colby did. I ran out of game dogs, and he gave me old Dibo. Now everything in my yard is Dibo pitbull dogs.”

This gesture solidified Heinzl’s reputation as a genetic guardian of the Dibo pit bull line, preserving the essence of the original American Pit Bull Terrier.

Legendary PIT BULL GAME Dogs of HOWARD Heinzl

Howard Heinzl bred numerous influential game bulldogs, including:

• Dutchess – Daughter of Patsy (sister of Bambi), considered one of his finest females.

• Old Pete – Brother of Congo, Colby’s house dog, and sire of Musty.

• Musty, Patch, Clancy, Brindy, Gringo, Polly, Sadie, Speck, Boomer, Ollie, Millie, Raquel, Ajax, Fancy, Twiggy, Chief, Goldie, Burley, Gidget, Champ, Pink, Pepsi, Pumpkin, Zsa Zsa, Willie, Tex, Bimbo, Bat, Bridey, Amber Annie, and many more.

These apbt game, known collectively as the Arizona Aces, were frequently featured in specialized publications for their performance and conformation.

APBT Breeding Philosophy and Genetics

Howard Heinzl’s pitbull bloodline was built on three genetic pillars:

• Colby – Structure, temperament, longevity

• Tudor – Gameness and resilience

• Corvino – Mouth, drive, toughness

He practiced linebreeding, inbreeding, and selective outcrossing, retaining only game dogs that met his strict standards.

Howard Heinzl Personal Life and Routine

Beyond pitbull dogs, Howard Heinzl was a horseman and rider. He prepared his dogs’ meals in an adobe tack room, often spending two hours mixing personalized diets while watching talk shows. Known as a meticulous puppy feeder, he often gave dogs away for free if he believed the recipient would truly value them. His ethics and dedication made him not only a breeder but a respected pitbull dogman whose reputation was built on integrity.

Legacy and Death

Howard Heinzl passed away on October 28, 1989, at his home in Arizona. His apbt legacy lives on in hundreds of original apbt and in pitbull breeders who preserved his genetics.

He was described as “a living encyclopedia of pitbull pedigrees and pitbull dogman ethics.” The Heinzl pitbull bloodline continues to influence modern APBTs, with game dogs like Arizona Pete, Mrs. Heinzl, Ollie, Boomer, Musty, Gringo, Fancy, Twiggy, Chief, Patch, Bridey, Sadie, Speck, Tex, Burley, Gidget, Champ, Pink, Pepsi, Pumpkin, and more. His blood has been crossed with Hemphill, Kinard, Sorrells, Carver, Fonseca, Valenzuela, Stubbs, and Patrick, ensuring his work remains foundational in APBT history.

Howard Heinzl was more than a apbt gamedog breeder, he was a silent architect of the American Pit Bull Terrier, a man who combined passion, ethics, and deep knowledge to shape one of the most respected pit bull terrier bloodlines in the gamedog breed’s history. The Arizona Aces stand as a testament to his vision, and his influence continues to resonate across generations of apbt dogmen and pit bull enthusiasts worldwide. His life and work represent an essential chapter in the history of the APBT, a legacy that remains alive in every game dog carrying his game blood and in every pitbull breeder who honors his philosophy.