Neighbour’s XL Bully

[Dente]

My neighbour has one of these dogs, which to be fair I always on a lead, but I’m so bloody scared of it when I am out walking my dog. He says it’s friendly and our dogs have sniffed each other and he while on leads, but I just feel so uneasy. I feel that if he slipped and that dog got loose it would be such a danger to everyone around. The area I live in is mainly families with young children and I just can’t understand why someone would get this kind of dog?

I understand all dogs can be aggressive, but all dogs don’t have this power and muscle that means they can easily kill!

I'd suggest that all the dog owners claiming 'it's the owners and not breed' read this article.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-59781502

Adam Watts, 55, was attacked by the large bulldog-type dog^ at his business, Juniper Kennels and Cattery in Kirkton of Auchterhouse, on Wednesday.

Emergency services were called but police said the 55-year-old died at the scene.

"Adam would take any dog to give them the chance of life and was the kennels of choice for the police in Dundee. His gentle, calm nature soon gained the trust of some of the most abused dogs and they were able to go from him to find loving homes.

"Adam died doing what he loved. He leaves behind five boys who he was the sole parent to. He talked of them often and was so proud of the older boys helping him with the dogs."

Save Our Seized Dogs supports owners whose dogs have been seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and through breed-specific legislation which bans the ownership of four types of dog in the UK.

'Never saw a dog as a bad dog'

Jayne Dendle, who previously worked with Mr Watts through her dog seizure non-profit organisation, told BBC Scotland Mr Watts took in dogs from police after they had come from abusive homes.

Speaking to Drivetime with Fiona Stalker, she said: "He was one of the world's gems. As far as the dogs were concerned he would spend so much time with them, just building up their trust and turning dogs around.

"He was such a calm character that he could just win the dogs over. Obviously there's been a terrible, terrible tragedy and we don't know the circumstances but he just really did have a gift with the dogs.

"He never saw a dog as a bad dog - it was always the dog had had a bad upbringing or was there under sad circumstances. He would give a dog every chance he could."^

Man works with dangerous dogs.
Man spouts 'no bad dog' clichés.
Man exposes children to dangerous dogs - luckily no fatalities.
Man killed by dangerous dogs. (Who could have predicted that outcome?)

How can the people defending these dogs not see the danger they pose?

Thank you. I find it very alarming that at least two
people have suggested murdering a completely innocent dog for no reason.

What goes on in people’s heads that they would genuinely think murder is the answer??

The show us statistics to support your claims.

You can't argue that the only actual numbers discussed are distorted without bringing any evidence. Show us the statistics that go further than "50% of X is Y".

Disgusting post. You think it's HILARIOUS that people are scared of your dogs, and scoop their dogs up quickly to protect them? People like YOU are part of the problem. I am glad you don't live near me, and I would happily see these kind of dogs banned for life. Just let the breed die out and never reproduce.

@Dente YANBU at all. I had a neighbour who lived directly opposite some years back (who stayed a year and moved on thankfully) and she had 2 big dangerous dogs (and yes they WERE on the list.) She used to let them out of the front door - LOOSE - to get into her big stupid chelsea tractor, and my kids were on the front lawn. She did it so many times, that I stopped them playing on the front lawn. Every single time, the dogs often stopped and looked over at my kids, before they jumped in the car. They may never have run over, but I wasn't going to risk it.

People with dogs like this are not the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree, and letting big dangerous dogs like that loose, just a few feet away from 2 small children unknown to the dogs, speaks volumes about the intelligence of that person. One of the dogs btw, went on to attack her nephew some 10-11 months after she moved in, and both dogs suddenly disappeared. She left soon after. I was so relieved she left, as I was on edge, in my own garden all the time with these fucking dogs right opposite, rarely on leads, and the fucking gate wide open half the time.

To the naysayers who are royally mocking people fearing them, bully for YOU if you have never had an issue with this type of dog, and you have never been afraid. Don't mock and deride others who ARE wary. It speaks volumes about you to be honest. As I say YOU are the problem. It's not the fault of the dogs, and I do 100% blame the owners. These animals should not be in domestic homes and families.

YABU in a sense that all large breeds have the potential to cause serious harm and even kill.
But YANBU to wonder why people get those types of breed, at least other large breeds generally have positive traits too and are much more trainable. I wouldn't like to live next door to a bully breed.

XL bullies are repulsive and appeal to either men who want people to think they're hard or women with an 'I can fix him' mindset except instead of violent men it's aggressive dogs. Probably a case of the problem being both the breed and the owners (and the breeders).

@MartiniFlan Agree largely with your post!

They are well known for not giving any body language warnings.

We are very much an animal family, one of our dogs is a very large breed. He is 9 months old and is already 51kg. He should reach roughly 80kg by 2 years old. He is not muzzled when we take him out. He is in training and doing brilliantly.

We have had many different breeds over the years and still do, We have had a Jack Russell come to us that had bitten someone’s face! The lady’s face was very badly scarred.

Any dog can kill if they bite someone or another animal in the wrong place.

We have had many off lead dogs attack ours over the years and it’s never been a big dog, it’s been small/medium dogs.

From what you have written the dog you are worried about hasn’t done anything concerning, you just don’t want it living next door to you. You could have another neighbour who is scared of dogs and doesn’t want your dog living next to them but there is nothing they would be able to do.

Why on earth are you letting your dogs be ‘kicked and bashed’.

@TwoBoyMamma

How many have you seen take an aptitude test? I seen 2 xls today living with 4 westies and I’m telling you that I was more scared of the snarling snapping westies

If any or all of the westies attacked you, you would be hurt but vanishingly unlikely to be killed as strength wise you would be able to get away / fight back if necessary.

If either or both of the XLs attacked you, you would be seriously injured. If they locked on, you would be vanishing unlikely to be able to get free due to their body and jaw strength. You could very possibly be killed.

The people saying 'my chihuahua is more snappy than an XL I know' are missing the point. It's a risk assessment. You can get away from a chihuahua or other small breeds, medium breeds and many larger less strong breeds easily.

If an XL does physically attack you, you're fucked and coming away with very serious injuries at best.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ListofffataldoggattacksinntheUniteddKingdom

Click on the 2020-2023 section.

Sixteen fatal dog attacks. Seven of which were Bully XLs.

So not quite half but hugely, hugely disproportionate considering the number of Bully XLs in comparison to labs, spaniels etc etc.

HTH.

Horrible dogs!!

Every time you read there's been a fatal dog attack it's been one of these xl bullies!! I mean with a name like that it's obviously what they are breed for.
It's only a matter of time before they will be banned, as there will sadly be more fatal attacks involving this breed.

I'm not joking when I sat this op but if I were you, and could move, then I'd look to do so. What good is living in fear.
I also don't think being on a lead makes it ok, they are strong dogs, and if it wanted to attack a lead wouldn't do much to prevent this.

There is a petition to get them banned, I've signed, if you feel strongly then perhaps you should too.

There is no good reason to own one of these
I agree completely, we should not have these large powerful predators as pets.
How can we stop it, what can we do?

When people see our female Belgian Malinois when we are out walking they panic and scramble to get their dogs, literally almost falling over to scoop them up. We were always shocked at first wondering what was going on but now find it hilarious, she literally couldn't care less about other dogs and is happily playing with our spaniel.

People who find it 'hilarious' that other people are frightened of their dog are not people who should own dogs IMO.

There is a petition to get them banned, I've signed, if you feel strongly then perhaps you should too
count me in, where is it? I'll sign!
One problem is that the pet industry will push back against any attempt to limit and control dog ownership because it is a thread to their profits.

Thank you @ThisGirlNever
sadly it's very hard to get through to the owners because
1 the dog is a status symbol that makes them feel powerful important special etc and
2 they are emotionally bonded to the dog and can't see it for what it really is
Whatever you say they just go .....but he's lovely he wouldn't hurt a fly etc,
no this is a large powerful predator and it can easily overpower and kill a human, it's completely inappropriate as a domestic pet

I know someone with an XL bully and he's a lovely dog,he's so friendly,loves other people and dogs.

Potentially a XL bully could kill another dog like a spaniel but so could a Labrador or another spaniel.

This is why we can't take our Rottweiler on holiday we us,not because their anything wrong with him,he also loves people and other dogs,in fact his dog brother is a little 9kg jrt cross but because of other people's reactions to him,it's incredibly stressful for him and us so we have to leave him in kennels.

Are you suggesting that all the deaths caused by poodles and labradors are not reported on, in some weird conspiracy ?

@Nameneeded not saying it's the case here because I have very mixed feelings about Bully XLs, but you've reminded me how the gutter press behaved in the 1990s regarding the demonisation of Rottweillers (so I don't think they can be trusted to tell the whole truth, no). They seemed to be on a mission to turn the public against the breed and would erroneously call any misbehaving large black dog a Rottweiller, and print twisted stories complete with stock photo of snarling dog. Black and tan crossbreed of unknown heritage? No, let's call it a Rottie because it'll sound scarier and sell more newspapers. Then the press lost interest and focussed on Staffies instead.

As ever the owners of these large powerful predators are completely in denial about the danger that they pose because they are emotionally bonded to the pet 🙄

I sometimes feel as if the only answer is that we have dog free zones, I would like to live in a dog free zone, freedom from dog excrement on the streets and freedom from the nuisance caused by dogs.

Yes, people in the UK were obsessed with dogs when I lived there. Acting as if their dog was their baby/child. The dog obsessed culture was insane and unhealthy.