UPF Weight Pull at Bully Max: Two Dogs Pull Over 12,000 lb (Bully Max Sports Ep. 4)
A UPF weight pull is a dog sport sanctioned by the Unified Pulling Federation: each dog, in a fitted freight harness, must pull a loaded cart 16 ft within 60 seconds, the weight goes up round by round, and scores are based on the weight pulled relative to the dog’s body weight that day. In Episode 4 of Bully Max Sports, the first-ever UPF-sanctioned Bully Max Weight Pull brought top handlers from across the Northeast to Western Pennsylvania, and the day ended with two dogs pulling over 12,000 lb.
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Episode 4 at a glance
- Event: the first Bully Max weight pull, sanctioned by the Unified Pulling Federation (UPF).
- Track: a UPF-standard track 35 ft long with a 16 ft pull zone, built on train rails with turf floors.
- Field: 30 dogs across four weight classes, from rat terriers to a 162 lb Boerboel.
- Rules: 16 ft in 60 seconds, unlimited passes, one foul allowed, handlers may withdraw at any time.
- Top pulls: Flex, a 50 lb American Pit Bull Terrier, pulled 12,111 lb. Sun Wukong, a 162 lb Boerboel, closed the day at a final weight of 12,142 lb.
What Is UPF Weight Pull?
A handler in the episode explains the basics: the dog is hooked to a railed cart on a track or a wheeled cart, and “has to pull the weight either 15 or 16 feet depending on which organization is sanctioning it. And they have one minute to move the weight down the 15 or 16 ft.” Dani Cyr compares it to a familiar human sport:
“So the sport of canine weight pull, I like to compare it to human powerlifting.”
— Dani Cyr
Scores are relative. “The scores are based on their body pound that day relative to the weight that they pulled overall,” Dani says, which is why a small, dense dog can outscore a much bigger one. Every dog is weighed before the event to set its weight class: lightweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight on this day.
The rules at the Bully Max Weight Pull
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Distance and time | Pull the cart 16 ft across a flat surface within 60 seconds, or the dog does not advance. |
| Starting cart | The empty cart alone weighs 1,200 lb. |
| Passes | Handlers choose their starting weight and have unlimited passes, so big dogs often wait for heavier rounds. |
| Fouls | Touching your dog during a pull is a foul. One foul is allowed before disqualification. |
| Withdrawal | A handler may withdraw a dog at any time. |
| Body pound calls | The chief judge can call specific weights between dogs to decide placings. |
Rules as described in Bully Max Sports Ep. 4.
The narrator stresses a point newcomers often miss: “The weight only moves when the dog chooses to pull. It’s never forced.” When a dog hits its limit, the cart operators push the cart to the finish so the dog ends with confidence. For a step-by-step start, read how to train your dog to weight pull.
The Track
Bully Max worked with top handlers and the UPF for months to build the track. The competitors’ verdict was hard to miss. One called it “the best place we’ve ever pulled in over the last 18 years.” Another described “turf floors, a huge weight pull track made of train rails. It’s just an amazing place.” As the day went on, handlers noticed that the track ran extremely smooth and level, letting their dogs pull more and more weight.
How the Day Unfolded
The early rounds
Weights climbed in steps: 1,291 lb, 1,383 lb, 1,475 lb, then 1,843 lb. The field was wide: rat terriers, bull terriers, a Belgian Malinois, a German Shepherd named Striker, a Staffordshire terrier and American Pit Bull Terriers. Paula Spangler pulled two bull terriers, and Rya Reed’s bull terrier Jackson carried the breed deep into the day.
Past the halfway mark
At 2,732 lb, Dani chose not to push Smith further. Two junior handlers, Paisley and Hadley, pulled littermate sisters. Their parent explained: “My daughters actually pull two dogs that are littermate sisters. Um and so each dog has their strengths.” By 5,000 lb, 15 dogs were done and 15 remained.
The heavyweights
From there it became a contest between three handlers: John, Emanuel Faxio and Eli. John’s Hater got past 9,000 lb. John’s Apex was the only dog to pull 10,027 lb, then the cart would not move at 10,762 lb. Emanuel’s Machine Gun Kelly, a 40 lb American Pit Bull Terrier, completed 11,437 lb with calm encouragement, and his run at 11,712 lb ended with a push from the cart operators.
Over 12,000 lb
Only Flex and Sun Wukong remained. Flex, John’s 50 lb American Pit Bull Terrier, pulled 12,111 lb. “Truly a sight to behold,” the narrator says. Then Eli, one of the premier Boerboel breeders in the USA, chose the final weight for his 162 lb Boerboel Sun Wukong, adding one last brick for 12,142 lb. Two dogs over 12,000 lb on the Bully Max track. Sun Wukong came back for the second event, covered in our dog weight pull world record post, and you can read about his breeder in how this elite breeder raises record-shattering dogs.
| Dog | Breed and body weight | Handler | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Wukong | Boerboel, 162 lb | Eli | Final weight of 12,142 lb |
| Flex | American Pit Bull Terrier, 50 lb | John | 12,111 lb |
| Machine Gun Kelly | American Pit Bull Terrier, 40 lb | Emanuel Faxio | Completed 11,437 lb |
| Apex | Not stated | John | 10,027 lb |
Weights as announced in Bully Max Sports Ep. 4. Final scores are relative to each dog’s body weight.
Transcript Highlights
- 0:10 A UPF-standard track, 35 ft long with a 16 ft pull zone.
- 1:39 What weight pull is, and why one handler compares it to powerlifting.
- 3:12 Advice for beginners: take your time and find a mentor.
- 4:22 The rules: 16 ft in 60 seconds, one foul allowed.
- 5:21 Erica Noseworthy: “Consistency is key.”
- 7:30 Emanuel Faxio on why weight pull is good for dogs.
- 19:10 “Train for drag, not sprint.”
- 22:39 Flex, a 50 lb APBT, pulls 12,111 lb.
- 23:08 Eli adds one final brick: 12,142 lb.
How Champion Handlers Feed and Condition
Take your time
“The best thing you can do is take your time, find a mentor, and really practice, practice, practice.”
— Handler, Bully Max Sports Ep. 4
The same handler warns that rushing a young dog to compete leads to mistakes that take weeks to fix. Eli applies the same thinking to how often a dog competes: “For us, we kind of look at the dog and see where that dog mentally is and see if it can handle multiple shows.”
Train every day, never let them fail
“Consistency is key. I train my dogs every day.”
— Erica Noseworthy, Bully Max sponsored handler and judge
Erica either helps the weight along or lets her dogs stop while they are still trying: “They don’t know that stopping is an option.” Her full story is in Episode 3.
Build the right muscle
As some trainers say in the episode, “train for drag, not sprint.” Slow, heavy work builds the strength a puller needs. A spring pole, a flirt pole and treadmill conditioning round out a routine. Our dog muscle building exercises post has more.
Feed like it matters
Emanuel Faxio put it simply:
“These dogs eat the best food. They get the best conditioning, the best supplements, the best everything.”
— Emanuel Faxio
He adds that weight pulling “helps keep the weight down and it helps keep them mobile.” Because scores depend on strength for body weight, pullers want lean, dense muscle, not extra pounds. That takes a meat-based food with real protein and enough calories for the training load. Bully Max has made high-performance dog food since 2009: family-owned, made in the USA, every batch triple tested, zero recalls.
How our sport formulas compare:
| Bully Max formula | Protein | Fat | kcal/cup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRO Series 31/25 High Calorie | 31% | 25% | 600 | Hard keepers, working and sport dogs |
| 30/20 High Protein Chicken | 30% | 20% | 535 | Active adults that need muscle and energy |
| 30/20 High Protein Beef | 30% | 20% | 530 | Active dogs that need a chicken-free food; all life stages |
Protein and fat are guaranteed-analysis minimums; calories per 8 oz cup. Figures from each product's label data on shop.bullymax.com.
In our customers' words
“My dog has been eating this since he was 6 weeks old. He is now 4 years old and is solid, muscle definition in his legs.”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
“Better results for her and keeping weight on her”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
Behind the Scenes
Many pullers pair a high-protein food with a daily supplement during heavy training.
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FAQ
What is the UPF in dog weight pull?
The Unified Pulling Federation, the organization that sanctioned the first Bully Max weight pull. Under its rules on this day, dogs pulled 16 ft within 60 seconds, with scores based on weight pulled relative to body weight.
How much weight did dogs pull at the Bully Max UPF event?
Two dogs went over 12,000 lb. Flex, a 50 lb American Pit Bull Terrier, pulled 12,111 lb, and Sun Wukong, a 162 lb Boerboel, closed the day at a final weight of 12,142 lb.
Is weight pull bad for dogs?
The handlers in this episode say no. Dogs pull only when they choose to, handlers may withdraw at any time, and custom-fitted freight harnesses spread the load across the chest and shoulders. Ask your vet before starting any strength training, especially with a young dog.
How are weight pull classes decided?
Every dog is weighed before a UPF event to set its weight class. This event had four: lightweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.
Fuel your puller like a champion
PRO Series 31/25 delivers 31% protein, 25% fat and 600 calories per cup for dogs in heavy training.
TRY BULLY MAX PRO SERIES 31/25
High-calorie performance nutrition with 31% protein, 25% fat and 600 calories per cup for working and sport dogs.
Save 10% with autoship and get each bag delivered on a schedule.
Family-owned since 2009 · Made in USA · Every batch triple tested · Zero recalls · 50,000+ 5-star reviews · Dog Food Advisor 5/5
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