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?

Thank you for this, Indoctro. I didn’t know it at all, and a friend with a recently diagnosed epileptic child is thinking of getting a (small) dog. I’ll mention it to them.

Yes the explanation from indoctro was very interesting, certainly something I want to look into more.

That wikipaedia link is chilling reading, and while I do agree that the wrong owners is a big issue, there are other breeds that were the 'prestige' breeds such as huskys and akitas that don't feature. I think that as with people, the end result is a mixture of nature and nurture.

Our neighbours bought a GSD dog, currently 9 months old... Leave it outside 24 hours a day, never leave it inside, it spends all it's time whingeing or barking... Rarely exercised & when it is their 11 year old walks it which is illegal in this country, it should be walked by an over 16 & muzzled... Concerned for the GSDs welfare but we don't speak to the family.. Afraid if they keep treating it the way they are it's going to turn very aggressive & the streets welfare is at risk...

Report them

They're a kind of status symbol among some people. Often they're badly bred and bred to be massive and people don't know how to train and care for them. If they're big they can also be hard to overpower.

It's not the dogs, it's as almost always, the owners.

No, it IS the type of dog. And the feckless dipshit owners. The combination of the two is the crux of the problem.

But the thing is most responsible dog owners would not choose that type of dog to start with - because they understand they don't have the skills to manage it. That's what makes them responsible.

@sillysmiles cannot disagree with you there! However a lab, cockapoo, Jack Russell or spaniel in the wrong hands is one thing - a cane corso, presa, pit bull or XL bully quite another. These are massive powerful dogs bred to fight, bait and protect. They are not cuddly people-pleasers and need extensive training supervision and socialisation. If one of these were to attack a human the risk of serious injury or death is far higher than with other breeds - in the wrong hands they are like a loaded gun. We have to be realistic.

Dogs are used as weapons by the wrong people, and legally so.

I'd contact the rspca

In uk most common dog bite is a Labrador but just that. It's a bite not an attack. Difference is theses bully breeds and such like have the potential to do serious damage

RSPCA won't do a thing it's allowed to keep a dog In a garden as long as it's fed and watered. Bonkers I know and very sad

The only time I have ever been attacked by a dog it was a Westie and I was uninjured as I had thick boots on and gave it a good kick in the face. It belonged to a relative of DH and it had bitten a lot of people, we never took DD there.
It should have been PTS and if it had been a different breed it would have been very dangerous.
If that dog had been something bigger and more powerful it could have killed someone

We have family and friends in various countries and those countries all seem to be much tougher than the UK concerning potentially dangerous dogs. This link www.eurodog.es/dangerous-dogs.php covers Spain for example, it makes interesting reading, and has all sorts of topics:

• Dogs that have a track record of aggression
• Dog Registration
• Breeds and breed crosses classified as potentially dangerous
• Walking a potentially dangerous dog

They’ve cleverly covered ‘not-on-the-list dogs’ and cross breeding get-outs, under “Dogs with certain characteristics of these breeds are also classed as potentially dangerous”. Good legislation!

Quite a lot of UK adults and children would still be alive today if we had similar laws.

AND that Spanish legislation dates back twenty years…

But in terms of breed, it's generally the same in the UK.

A "pitbull" in the UK is not necessarily the breed "pitbull terrier" - it's a "pitbull type". So a dog that has NO pitbull in it, but that falls into that looks of a pitbull, can be removed and destroyed under the danngerous dogs act, which also goes back twenty years.

Interestingly, since that act came into being, there has been an increase in deaths by dogs.

@coffeecupsandfairylights
"Interestingly, since that act came into being, there has been an increase in deaths by dogs."

Are you claiming an increase for the UK, or Spain?

UK.

The Dangerous Dogs' Act came into being in 1991.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom

Fatal attacks have increased considerably since then, so banning those four breeds (Pitbull, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Filo Brasileiro) didn't stop people from owning dangerous dogs, nor did it stop dog attacks or deaths.

Ah okay. I posted that wiki link above, so I’m fully aware of those stats.

My point with the legislation that other countries have, is that it is much much better.

For example, in Spain, if you REALLY want to have one of these bastardised dogs you’ll need a psychological test, a 2 metre high fence around your property etc, etc. It’s VERY complicated and it is properly enforced. Essentially it’s almost impossible to pass all of the 2002 requirements.

The psychological test is the same one required for ownership of firearms.

The UK law is passively enforced, and the legislation is far too weak to begin with. Hence all these unnecessary, horrible deaths.

I am a huge dog lover but I have been in a very small house with one of these XL Bullies and in all honesty I was very scared. They are incredibly powerful and if they decided they didn’t like you, you’d stand very little chance against one. It’s like being in a cage with a wild animal.

How about the well-known, deadly threats of the Chilling Chihuahua… the Menace of the Miniature Schnauzer… the Shitzu Slasher… ok maybe not…

I wouldn't say the law in the UK isn't enforced properly - all the deaths from pitbulls that occurred after 1991 led to the dogs being seized and destroyed, and the owners being charged for owning illegal dogs. Police do regularly seize dogs that contravene the dangerous dogs act and are majority are put to sleep.

But look at the stats - banning pitbulls (and other breeds) didn't stop people being killed by dogs. In fact, more people started being killed by perfectly legal breeds - American bulldogs, bull terriers, Rottweilers, German shepherds, XL bullies and even a Jack Russell.

The UK law doesn't work but that's not because it's not enforced. It doesn't work because even if you banned all the dogs on that list, people would still find a way to breed aggressive dogs and we'd be back where we started.

@TheWrongAllmanBrother Personally I think the breeding of these dogs is irresponsible. Unfortunately the dog is being a dog and I don't think is the "one" at fault, even when things go badly wrong.
If a toddler shoots their sibling with a gun at home-the toddler isn't responsible. The adult human/s who chose to buy, load and leave that gun in an unsecured place is responsible.
Equally imo the person/people who choose to breed, own and not train/socialise these massive dogs are the responsible ones.
I think focussing on the dog/breed removes the responsibility from where it should be

Personally I think instead of dog licenses we should have a register of owners and when dogs change hands the registry gets changed. The problem with that kind of system is the responsible ones are the ones who would comply.

Regardless of if banning breeds works or not . These will be the next dogs to be banned.

They are a lovely powerful dog and in the right circumstances can be a lovely animal.

What they are not is a pet to live in a housing estate, with kids and be walked around the block twice a day.

Bully breeds are only fir experienced owners who make sure they have a job. People need to start getting dogs that suit there lifestyle and not what they like the look of.

Majority of pet homes really should only have lap dogs.

But people insist on getting unsuitable dogs like working cockers, collies, bully breeds etc

I hate seeing these breeds out walking round the street with a family.

These dogs needs proper stimulation and a job in life. If you cannot provide that don't get one, they are not bred to be family pets.

I have a staffy , a highly intelligent dog with lots of energy. I only got this breed as I needed something good with kids and I do canicross. I have also found he loves to sniff so is very terrier like too so he now also does scent classes. Every day he has a job to do , be it running or scent work. This keeps him a happy well rounded dog so he is good in the family home.

Look at your lifestyle and get a dog to match it. If you only go for a couple of 45 minute walks a day a lap dog is what you need.

I don't quite understand how can the bull-type dogs, rottweilers, Akitas, etc be "prestige" breeds.
Is it prestige now to be of low-intelligence and low socio-economic background?
That's all I see when I look at the owners.