“Getting ANY adult dog breed is strongly NOT recommended”

[tallulahtoo78]

From a dog expert interview on LBC discussing the utterly awful, tragic death of the 17 month old little girl.

This is why reputable rescues thoroughly assess adult dogs, have high standards for their rescuers and won't rehome to families with young children.
People on here often complain about how "fussy" rescue centres are but there is a reason.
Unfortunately it sounds as if these parents have taken on an unknown dog from another household and paid a very high price for that.
Poor baby and poor parents!

This incident is so awful and was totally avoidable .

What on earth was going through the parents minds bringing a strange dog into the home with a toddler . I feel sorry for the dog aswell in a new house with new people and a toddler , poor dog would have been totally overwhelmed sensorily and probably reacted to a toddler the like of which it probably hadn't come across before and felt threatened by with shrieking and screaming .

@runforyourdog

I just knew that it would be some sort of bull breed. I'm not saying they are bad dogs but they are so powerful and they are bred to fight and kill! I don't know why people say 'it could be any breed' when actually it very rarely is! I agree that any dog could bite but the vast majority would not kill.

I got my dog as a puppy but there is just no way he would kill a toddler he just simply does not have that instinct or aggression in him. He's bred to pick up birds softly. It really does make all the difference IMO.

@runforyourdog.

I do agree with this. As soon as I saw the news I knew what type of dog which is sad. I've a basset and had her from a pup. There is absolutely no instinct built in like in a bull breed my dog wouldn't have it in her to do anything like that .

Certainly isn't a Staffordshire Bull Terrier problem as such. Staffords are a very old native breed and bred well and for the right reasons are a fabulous breed. However they have been a victim of their own success and because of their appearance attract the wrong sort of people that have gone onto breed them for all the wrong reasons and without due care and diligence. This goes for all of the bull breeds.

Yes French Bulldogs have been a victim too of people's greed but be honest, French Bulldogs aren't as much of a threat to a 10 year old child as an 8 stone XLBully are they?

@runforyourdog

I just knew that it would be some sort of bull breed. I'm not saying they are bad dogs but they are so powerful and they are bred to fight and kill! I don't know why people say 'it could be any breed' when actually it very rarely is! I agree that any dog could bite but the vast majority would not kill.

I got my dog as a puppy but there is just no way he would kill a toddler he just simply does not have that instinct or aggression in him. He's bred to pick up birds softly. It really does make all the difference IMO.

I'm going to stand up for Bullbreeds now having owned 4 Bullmastiffs , British bulldogs and frenchies over the years and I would have nothing else . Sadly for them though they are attractive to totally the wrong type of people without any care for training or space of willingness to exercise them . In the right hands they are fantastic family dogs and not one of mine was ever aggressive . You are right though that if you had a bad one they could have your arm off . The common denominator in the multitude of dog attacks is they seemed to be owned by unsuitable people invariably living on a sink estate . Very sad .

*I did

Some people just like the look of them*

I don't accept that as a valid reason.

@Chumbolla do you enjoy being wrong? What an idiotic comment.

Trashy indeed.

@Nobodycarestakeitelsewhere

*I did

Some people just like the look of them*

I don't accept that as a valid reason.

Ok....

You dont have . But it's a reason .I think they are nice looking dogs. If I wanted to own one I would do my research to see if it was suitable to me. But I cant of any reason why I wouldnt want to own one .

What would you accept as a valid reason ?

I'd imagine none as you seem closed minded

I like the look of cocker spaniels, I don't like the look of French bulldogs. Is that allowed or is it only bull breeds like Staffies that were not allowed to like the look of?

I already explained why liking the look of a dog isn't a good enough reason to breed one, in my opinion. See my earlier post about issues which have been deliberately bred into various breeds because humans like the way they look. To the detriment of the dog.

Ending up with a dog of uncertain genetics, that's fully capable of killing a human if it fancies, because you like the look of it, is just as abhorrent as breeding a cavalier who is destined to die of syringomyelia because you like the way it looks.

I've got nothing against staffies - proper old fashioned small ones, not these huge hybrids that seem to be everywhere, bred as status dogs and for "security". These dogs serve no purpose aside from being as big and mean looking as possible. There's no care for breeding for good temperament. It's all about the look of the dog and if you can't see why that's a problem then i don't think it's me who is closed minded.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

I like the look of cocker spaniels, I don't like the look of French bulldogs. Is that allowed or is it only bull breeds like Staffies that were not allowed to like the look of?

Was that for me?

You can like/dislike whatever you want. Just accept other opinions may vary

Interestingly the KC staffies that all did really well at crufts at my local ringcraft classes are all tiny! Mostly half the size of some of the ones I see wandering about.

They are also very reactive but that’s another story.

@NashvilleQueen

I strongly suspect this is a dog they've bought off some irresponsible website where it was too much of a handful for someone who got it in lockdown.

It isn't a 'rescue' in the proper sense where appropriate checks are done to make sure it's suitable for re-homing and stating the conditions require in any new home.

Parents absolutely should not have brought such a dog into a home with a young child.

I think you are probably right . Its the same story repeated again , same type of parents ,i bet the dog has had a few homes before this one ,it's probably going to be an unknown background non specific bull breed ,solid muscle. It's totally beyond me how anyone can think introducing such a dog into a house with a baby / young child is sensible. It will happen again despite these tragedies being headline news because there are too many thoughtless idiots who prioritise the image they perceive these dogs give them. Also as long as there are dogs being sold on dodgy websites and social media with no checks , no one taking responsibility and morons breeding god knows what , this will happen again. And i am a dog lover , i work with dogs every day , they're wonderful animals , but ultimately they can only be trusted to a certain degree most people know and respect this .

@Nobodycarestakeitelsewhere

I already explained why liking the look of a dog isn't a good enough reason to breed one, in my opinion. See my earlier post about issues which have been deliberately bred into various breeds because humans like the way they look. To the detriment of the dog.

Ending up with a dog of uncertain genetics, that's fully capable of killing a human if it fancies, because you like the look of it, is just as abhorrent as breeding a cavalier who is destined to die of syringomyelia because you like the way it looks.

I've got nothing against staffies - proper old fashioned small ones, not these huge hybrids that seem to be everywhere, bred as status dogs and for "security". These dogs serve no purpose aside from being as big and mean looking as possible. There's no care for breeding for good temperament. It's all about the look of the dog and if you can't see why that's a problem then i don't think it's me who is closed minded.

As 90% of dogs are purely for companionship, I'd say most people choose a dog based on looks. Which as you said isnt the best way to pick a dog.

But it's a good starting point then you should do your research including how they are bred and what breeds were used. I'm not even sure if a xl bully is a recognized breed . I've never heard heard of until i saw this post.

Just because a dog looks mean doesnt mean it is

@BurgerKingAddict

Don’t judge all families with Staffordshire’s and don’t judge all Staffordshires. Most Staffordshire owners love their dogs and are careful, responsible owners. Owning a dog is a huge responsibility, owning a rehomed dog even more so. They aren’t a banned breed and aren’t like a banned breed other than they might have a few similar facial characteristics. It’s really not the same! I am very sorry for the family. It’s a tragedy.

I meant to mention staffies in my post , there is no comparison with the average lovely staff to the unknown bull breeds now out there ,i refuse to call them anything other than unknown because that is what they are. Sadly in my profession we are seeing very few genuine staffordshire bull terriers now after many years of them being one of the most popular breeds in my area . They are one of the most trustworthy, easy to read and least likely to bite us breeds presented at the vets i work at.

I'm not even sure if a xl bully is a recognized breed . I've never heard heard of until i saw this post.

So you're having a go at me for saying xl bullies shouldn't be bred, and you don't even know what they are? Go and have a look at some online. Have a look at the kind of things they're trained to do. Look at the language around them, the images used to sell them and the kind of names the breeders give them ( i will give you a hint - they don't tend to be called sweetpea and fido). Not to mention the bloody ear cropping. It's toxic masculinity in dog form. Have a look, then tell me they should be wandering around a local park with children playing like any other labrador.

The dog that killed a child in Wales was an xl bully (apparently it's name was Beast and it was used as a breeding stud - so we come back to the point about indiscriminate breeding with no regard at all to temperament. It had to be shot dead by firearms officers. It has fathered at least 10 puppies. So it's genetics continue). These dogs are bloody dangerous.

I've had two adult staffys as rescues. I wouldnt trust anyone with either of them, despite the fact that both were very gentle. One was a staff Rhodesia ridge back cross, so looked big and scary. We knew both were very strong and could, if they took a mind, do someone damage. We were strongly advised by our vet to always stress, if someone took an interest in the cross breed , to always emphasise that she was spayed, so couldn't breed.

Mind you, I wouldn't let someone, other than my sister, alone with my 11inch Jack Russell. My sister I trust as we had family dogs and have learned the same tone of voice and commands with dogs. So our dogs have always obeyed her as much as me.

But no, dogs and small children? They are never a good mix.

@Nobodycarestakeitelsewhere

I'm not even sure if a xl bully is a recognized breed . I've never heard heard of until i saw this post.

So you're having a go at me for saying xl bullies shouldn't be bred, and you don't even know what they are? Go and have a look at some online. Have a look at the kind of things they're trained to do. Look at the language around them, the images used to sell them and the kind of names the breeders give them ( i will give you a hint - they don't tend to be called sweetpea and fido). Not to mention the bloody ear cropping. It's toxic masculinity in dog form. Have a look, then tell me they should be wandering around a local park with children playing like any other labrador.

The dog that killed a child in Wales was an xl bully (apparently it's name was Beast and it was used as a breeding stud - so we come back to the point about indiscriminate breeding with no regard at all to temperament. It had to be shot dead by firearms officers. It has fathered at least 10 puppies. So it's genetics continue). These dogs are bloody dangerous.

All in all, XL American Bullies do look scary, but they really are an amazingly loving, gentle and friendly breed

As I've said multiple time your concentrating on the wrong end of the lead

@AlternativePerspective

Thing is, how are you going to enforce rules like mandatory neutering etc?

How do you put in legal requirements for breeding, there are apparently already rules around how many litters can be bred etc, but they are utterly unenforceable and aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.

You need to start first and foremost with selling. Make it illegal to profit from the sale of animals, and yes, I say that on all of these threads, but that way you completely shut down the ideal for people to breed their designer mongrel to sell the puppies for a fortune. And you shut down the puppy farming industry overnight.

Make it illegal to sell a dog over the age of 6 months, with hefty penalties for individuals who do so as well as for the sites who permit the adverts.

Yes there will be the people who sell down the pub, but if you stop the sale of animals online then it all has to be done via the back door and there aren’t many people who will buy a puppy for 2 grand if they can get one for a couple of hundred.

I don't agree with a blanket ban of sales of dogs over 6 months.

We got our dog at 6.5 months. The breeder kept one puppy from the litter to show. When the pup was 6 months old the breeder was diagnosed with breast cancer and didn't have time to bring up a show dog. So we got her. (She's not a bull breed, she's fluffy and medium size)

A blanket ban doesn't take any unusual circumstances into consideration.

With the notable exception of assistance and working dogs, no one should be getting a dog at all.
They are a luxury the planet cannot afford. We are in a climate crisis and dogs have a very high carbon paw print.

All in all, XL American Bullies do look scary, but they really are an amazingly loving, gentle and friendly breed

Hmm i wonder who said that. Someone with a vested interest in selling or otherwise promoting xl bullies? You know they sell for £5k+ each? All the while these lovely friendly gentle dogs are killing and maiming children. Once they've sold you a puppy they couldn't give a shit if it's a safe family pet.

I could tell you a tiger is a gentle family friendly pet if i had some cubs to sell. Doesn't make it true, and it doesn't make a tiger a suitable pet any more than an xl bully is. People will say whatever will net them £10s of thousands of pounds of puppy sales. Sometimes, the fault is what a human has created at the biting end of the lead but that's a scant consolation when the worst happens. However from your soundbites cut and pasted from Google, and that you believe the first thing you read on the internet, its quite clear you don't know what you're talking about.

@MiniDaffodils

With the notable exception of assistance and working dogs, no one should be getting a dog at all.
They are a luxury the planet cannot afford. We are in a climate crisis and dogs have a very high carbon paw print.

LOL.

I'd rather live in a world with a one child policy than than one with no dogs. And I doubt a family dog has much of a carbon paw print compared to things like cars, meat, air travel, fast fashion and mass production, and Elon Musk shooting off into space etc etc.

With the notable exception of assistance and working dogs, no one should be getting a dog at all
It’s not unusual for some of the puppies out of a working bred dog litter to turn out unsuitable for working, hence why you get failed guide dogs advertised as pets and young working bred collies and Belgian shepherds in rescue on occasion.
Where do you propose the guide dogs that aren’t steady enough to guide or the sheep dogs that won’t herd sheep or the police dogs that take down criminals go..?

They are a luxury the planet cannot afford. We are in a climate crisis and dogs have a very high carbon paw print
Interesting.
As bad as say, the cut flower industry?
What about the fashion industry?
How about the huge swathes of Russian and rainforest trees being illegally felled and used in pretty much all cheap wooden furniture?
Almond and avocado farming?
Are dogs really worse than those for the environment?
I doubt it myself.

Having multiple children is terrible for the environment.

“They are a luxury the planet cannot afford. We are in a climate crisis and dogs have a very high carbon paw print’

Some of us choose to have just one child, or just have a bike instead of a car

The carbon footprint of a dog is far less than a car or numerous kids.