What’s with these XL Bullies?

[wonderr]

Have just read that another of these dogs is responsible for a death.

I haven’t heard of them - what breed is this, a new one? Surely they should be banned?

I read this too, I wanted to make sure I wasn't making a sweeping statement. It's all there in black and white. All but 2 are the breeds that we classically think of as more dangerous breeds.

Totally, totally agree.

All dogs have the potential to attack, not all dogs have the strength to kill.

XL bullies have proven repeatedly that they're capable of killing an adult human.

A neighbour nearby has 2 x 9 month old XL puppies and a 2 year old DS - she doesn't have the brains to ensure they have enough training or exercise, nor does he.

Her boyfriend bought them.

My brother lives in the USA and has a Cane Corso. He lives in a huge 5-bed house and has a massive garden, plus she's very well trained. People keep dogs like these in semis with a small garden and don't realise they need a lot of space for a large dog.

I grew up with dogs - we bred and trained working Labs and Cocker / Springer spaniels - and I'm very comfortable around dogs as a whole.

I met one of these XLs a few weeks ago and while he was a lovely dog, I admit that I was nervous - he was ENORMOUS and, if he had decided that I wasn't 'in', I wouldn't have stood a chance (as a taller and stronger than average adult woman who is familiar with dogs).

Children or physically vulnerable people would be fucked.

Absolutely nobody who owns this breed has bought it because it makes a nice family pet. They are unsettlingly unpleasant looking in real life.

I wouldn’t say the same of Cane Corso owners but they are absolutely about to become the next “it” breed amongst the usual suspects who shouldn’t be allowed to have pet rocks, never mind a powerful animal. I really like the breed but don’t have the space one would require so have a bichon instead.

The weight of these dogs is between 5 and 10 stone. They are squat, muscular, powerful animals,which are invariably not well bred ( as in with health and temperament in mind ) and are generally owned by people who are not experienced in dog behaviour or understand their needs and the training required to end up with a well socialised/ socially comfortable dog.
If your dog decides to attack you and it weighs a lot less than you, you are faced with a long boring visit in A&E, potentially a follow up with plastics. If it weighs not a lot less than you or you don't have a big pointy weapon to hand, you might not survive the ordeal, the human body being particularly fragile when it comes to attack by big bitey creatures and how close major blood vessels are to the surface on your body.
Your average 2 year old child weighs about a fifth of the weight of the smallest XL Bully, and they haven't the smallest hope in hell if one decides to attack them.

It really does just come down to basic physics.

If you know people who have illegal
dog breeds why would you not report them?

I'm gonna get flamed here but most of these attacks seem to be on rough estates where people are buying irresponsibly bred status dogs and don't have the facilities , space or interest in training them . The type of people owing these type s of dogs are not suitable to own them . I have had bullbreeds all my life and not once had a nasty one .

I've never heard of XL bully's tbh and they look terrifying but as my vet said you don't get bad dogs you get bad owners and that's when the problems arise . Keeping large powerful dogs in a 30ft back yard with no interaction of stimulation with anything or anyone is asking for trouble imo
FWIW I've only ever been bitten once by a chihuahua but a bite from a bull breed that means it could kill you .

Because they're the breed of choice for drug dealers and wannabe hard men.

They're mainly mistreated, never exercised, fed cheap crap and left in tiny gardens. It's literally waiting for the trigger to pull.

I reported the one person I knew of who had one and the dog was seized. It was a tragedy waiting to happen as it was neglected, untrained and out of control. Luckily I don't know any others! But I'm aware that there are plenty out there and that banning them hasn't eradicated them, just like it wouldn't get rid of these XL bullies. I don't think anyone should own them, but I don't know how it can be stopped.

My ex friend has one.
Semi, with tiny back garden. Dog goes on 15 mins walk few times a week. 3 small kids in the house. Dog likes off cheap kibble. Has serious skin condition they can't get under control so dog is constantly itching/ in pain. No enrichment.

Scares the shit out of me.

I own bull breed dogs. They should never be sold to an inexperienced owner and especially someone looking for a status symbol. I think its a combination of a powerful dog being badly bred and then handed to useless owners that causes fatalities. I think there should be some kind of licensing system in the uk where potential owners of any dog should have to pass a theory test on dogs in general and also on the particular breed the want to own before they are allowed to buy one.

I wondered earlier if the police look at the dog's breeding to see if it is a certain bloodline that is particularly aggressive.
Not that they could do much about if it was but I am curious.

They aren't particularly tall dogs and with the weight behind them, they can so easily knock someone off balance. Once on the floor, you're at a serious disadvantage of getting yourself to safety.
Must be bloody terrifying if one decides to turn on you.

They're often sold on after a few months of no training.

I think councils need to come down hard on dog ownership.

Pp is right they're a status symbol in rough estates and that is the reason it's allowed to go on, like lots of the bad things that are accepted by society on a rough estate.

It's very unfair to the good people who live in rough areas and have to tolerate antisocial issues because they people who could help aren't interested in making changes.

They don't value the lives of wc people.

Ft dog wardens supported by the police.

The estate close to me is over run with status dogs.

A tragedy waiting to happen.

I’m somewhat startled at the number of attacks on people suffering an epileptic seizure. Does anyone know why? I’m guessing a combination of dog alarmed by the sounds and uncoordinated movements, plus the vulnerability of a fallen victim, but maybe there’s more to it?

xl bully breeders are rife on Instagram. Owners look as thick as you’d imagine. I’ve seen “photo shoots” of the dogs and the owners young children dressed as peaky blinders. Says it all. I move my grandchildren away when I see those sort of breeds coming in my direction.

@KittiesInsane I wonder does it trigger their senses before the physical action's of the fit.

Working dogs are trained are trained to pre-warn their owners before a fit, maybe all dogs can sense it and without training they react badly.

@opalescent I strongly disagree. My brother had a dog for many many years. She was 10, softest dog ever an he wasn't stupid he was early 30s at the time an had kids. One day it just turned on my Neice ? No reason for it or anything just turned. She was 10, not in a stupid dickheads hands she was a dog who they had as a family for many years and turned.
Being in irresponsible hands is a HUGE factor but this can also happen for no apparent reason, I will however say I think this breed needs to be banned as it terrifies me. I love dogs an have dogs but this breed makes me feel uneasy.

I noticed that too. It one it said the dog possibly reacted as it would for a dog, as it grabbed it by the scruff of the neck. This is perhaps just instinctive behaviour and presumably near impossible to train out.

in the case of this last time ill say no, its not a rough estate. i am local ( bout a mile away, used to live there too) and i knew the lady involved. she was lovely, very much a family person and also judging by the flowers and tributes outside and online very well liked locally too.

There's one near me - it's terrifying and goes after anyone who walks anywhere near it. Its owners struggle to control it. It's absolutely horrible and they're horrible people, incidentally and generally up to no good.

I know someone with two- lives in a rough estate and has small children. I find it baffling. You never seem to see them in nice areas 😳

I was on the beach last year with my young children and someone had one of these dogs (or very similar) with them. They weren't on the lead and were sat behind us. The owners were not people I would like to get on the wrong side of.

They were lots of children around and it just felt so dangerous. Does anyone know what the law is with things like that?

I felt so sad for the dog too as it was boiling hot and there was no shade. Someone else on the beach gave the dog water as its owners only gave it beer and lemonade. So sad.

It’s irresponsible to suggest these dogs only have high human kill rates due to being raised poorly and otherwise they’d be fine family pets.
These dogs have been bred to be strong, aggressive and attack in a devastating manner, you wouldn’t bring a wolf or tiger or other wild animal into your home because you know their instincts can’t be ‘loved out’ so why would you say that you can for an animal that has had those traits purposely bred into them by humans.
I can’t count how many of these stories I’ve read where people who know the victim say the dog has never acted aggressive before and just snapped. When they snap they kill, they don’t bark in warning and give you a quick bite like dogs bred to be actual pets. You have all the irresponsible owners which increase the problem, but they choose these breeds for a reason.