About Us

Tonka is a small kennel, home to a few very special dogs.

Hi, I’m Kathy Graber, the breeder behind Tonka Miniature Bull Terriers located in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles in Southern California. We strive to produce well-rounded, healthy dogs that make loving family members and have the ability to succeed in a variety of competitive events.

While dog sports are a passion for me, our dogs are—more than anything else—family members. I am proud of our AKC champions and our performance-titled dogs, but mostly proud of the Tonka pups who lovingly share their owners’ lives.

My husband and I are retired teachers and most of our time revolves around our dogs! I’ve been showing and training purebred dogs since my teens. I’m dedicated to raising outstanding Mini Bulls in terms of health, temperament, beauty and sound structure. All of my dogs are AKC champions. I breed to achieve the AKC breed standard and raise my puppies to be the kind of dogs I would want to love and live with. My dogs mean the world to me and I want the puppies I rear to mean the world to their owners.

In 2017, I was looking to size down from my Weimaraners (and before that Danes and Dobies) and I fell head over heels for Mini Bulls. I acquired a beautiful, sassy little red and white girl, showed her to her Grand Championship and she is the foundation of my breeding program. Her Grand Champion all-white daughter, “Estee,” became the top-ranked female mini bull in the nation as of April 2024 and is the love of my life!

All Tonka mini bull pups are born to health-tested parents and are health tested themselves. The puppies are handled, loved, and played with daily. Puppies are microchipped, given their first vaccines, and dewormed before they go to their new families and they go home with a blanket scented with mom and littermates, AKC registration and official pedigree, vet and genetic testing records, a toy, a puppy starter food kit, and lifelong help on request! We follow the protocols in the Puppy Culture program and utilize the following enrichment methods:

Socialization with other dogs, cats, and people of various ages
Tactile stimulation on different surfaces
Exposure to various noises and sounds
Interactive toy play
Beginning potty and crate training
Car rides and nail trims
Behavioral shaping
Introduction to leash walking

As a board member of the Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America, I adhere strictly to our breed club code of ethics. I also belong to 4 different regional Miniature Bull Terrier clubs. Every reputable Mini Bull breeder performs the following tests on their breeding stock and litters:

UPCR testing for kidney function
Genetic testing for PLL (Primary Lens Luxation)
Genetic testing for LAD (Lethal Acrodermatitis)
Genetic testing for LP (Laryngeal Paralysis)
BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) testing for hearing
Heart Auscultation on puppies, Echocardiogram on adults

I do occasionally have puppies and welcome inquiries from show homes and pet homes alike. To request more information or to fill out a puppy application, please fill out our contact form.

Meet Our Dogs