XL Bully "just wants to play!"

[PumpkinSly]

I was in the local park today with my 4 and 6 year old children. We have a medium sized dog ourselves. She's a bit of an old lady now so just potters about having a sniff. There was a couple with a baby walking their huge XL bully dog around the park. The first time we crossed their path the dog was on a lead but their dog was pulling strongly on the lead to try to investigate either my dog, or my children. The owner was all too willing to "let the dog say hello". I'm not comfortable with huge dogs approaching my kids or my dog so I moved everyone along very quickly and didn't engage with the dog or the owners. The next time we crossed their path the dog was off lead. It wasn't acting aggressively but it bounded up to my DD. My children were playing in a small wooded area of the park where there are felled trees for them to climb. I was helping my 6 yr old DS on one bit of the logs, while my 4 yr old dd was playing a few meters away. The dog bounded up to her and she was visibly scared. The owner was making comments about how much the dog loves kids and how playful he is etc, but to me it was a huge powerful dog that was scaring my child and it shouldn't be approaching kids at all. I told the owner that his dog shouldn't be allowed to approach children and to get it on a lead away from my kids. The owner went absolutely ballistic. Telling me that he just wants to play with them, that he loves kids, that I was prejudice against American bully dogs because of the news, that his dog is friendly, that my children should be better educated in how to handle dogs who approach them in a friendly way, and that I was an irresponsible dog owner because my dog was unsupervised while my children were playing. It's true that my dog wanders around doing her own thing but she is 11, she doesn't go far, I can always see her having a sniff about, and her recall is very good. The XL Bully became very energetic in response to the owners outburst and charged at my DD knocking her the ground. It wasn't aggressive, just boisterous and spurred on by the atmosphere and the owners response to me. The owner then grabbed his dog and left very quickly, while I was left to sort out my distressed DD. AIBU to think the owners of these massive dogs should have better awareness than to let them approach kids? Was I wrong to tell the owner to get his dog away from my children? The dog was at least three times the weight of my 4 year old, if not more, it was at least as tall as her when on all fours, and she was clearly scared by this dog because as soon as she realised it was there she called out for me and backed away.

Agree - they claimed it was because they didn't want any abuse from the public, but to me if the dogs were really "big softies" it would have been an opportunity to showcase their sloppy friendliness. I'm sure that owners of Old English Sheepdogs and St Bernards aren't uncomfortable in bringing their pets out and they are big dogs!

When I saw that they weren't going to bring the dogs out I thought exactly the same as you - they know fine well that a fight will kick off, and that when one fight starts other dogs will pick up on the aggression and start on each other, too.

I read a post on MN, on a different thread about XL Bullies, from someone who had experience or knowledge about these dogs, who said that they can be as sweet and soft as anything but when they hit about three years old, it’s as if a switch flips, and they become aggressive and dangerous.

I can believe it. That will be about the age that they become fully mature and, neutered or not,, they will want to be be boss.

They are terrifying. Apart from anything there is no way to get them off if they start to fight. They are phenomenally powerful and their short, close coats are like armour and are slippery to touch - you couldn't get a grip on one even if you were brave enough.

The owners say it isn't the dogs - it's that some people don't train/socialise them properly, but that makes no difference. Ultimately they are dangerous dogs. There is no way that we can ensure that they get responsible owners (if only!) so even if that were the problem, it's immaterial.

I hate dogs they terrify me but I think your dog is fine off lead if people can walk by him sniffing and he ignores them.

That's awful - must have been terrifying for you and your dog. I'm so sorry. Did your dog survive? (Apologies if I'm touching a raw nerve here)

YANBU I have a great dane who whilst gentle, is very big and by vitrue of his size, can be very scary. I make a point of keeping out the way of other people if we are off the lead and either putting him on the lead of asking him to stand and wait with me whilst people pass if we cant keep clear of people. More over, I always keep him on the opposite side of me to passing people and would never let a child approach us, more less approach them becasue both are unpredictable and with the best will in the world, I could never know how either would react. These people are terribly irresponsible and I'd have been ever so anxious if I we're in your shoes.

YANBU but imo all dogs should be watched and so you were being a bit unreasonable to not be watching your dog in the same manner even though she was not behaving in the same way as this other dog. It only takes one moment for any dog to bite and I say this as a dog lover.

My own DM drives me nuts when her spaniel runs over to investigate someone else and she doesn't bother calling her back because she's friendly etc. But the other people don't know that or might not want a dog sniffing around them! My DD was bitten by a Jack Russell in the park and was scared of dogs for a while after (thankfully seems okay with dogs now) and I felt the need to apologise to dog owners when we kept our distance in case I offended them which is bonkers - my daughter had a very valid fear!

With regards to the bully and other "dangerous" breeds, like I say any dog can be violent but not any dog can clamp their jaw down and severely injure or even kill a child or person even with owner intervention. So I am wary of those breeds, nothing against their temperament but the difference in damage that can be done if the dog were to snap.

This is what happened to my dog when a XL bully charged at him and sank his teeth into him without any warning whatsoever. According to the stupid owner, this “is what dogs do”. I hate XL bully’s and stupid owners who think their dog can do no wrong.

He sounds like a moron.

I'm astounded anyone with a dog like this would have the front to have them off a lead in a park after what's happened over the past few weeks. Let alone encourage them to approach a child.

I had a springer spaniel I loved. That breed can rarely but possibly have the ‘rage’ so I always was careful. But he proved himself always to be smart and with no hostility. He was the gentlest dog. He didn’t even chase birds or squirrels. He was so gentle with my baby. He was friendly to dogs and cats. He only barked one time and that was when he saw the shadow of a man outside my son’s bedroom window. It was my husband but he had no way of knowing from the shadow and neither of us knew he had gone outside. So I didn’t know either what it was at first, kind of scary. When he, and I, saw who it was of course he stopped barking. In other words, my dog knew who the bad guys were and who the little babies and children who needed protecting not attacking were.Personally, I don’t like dogs who don’t have the sense to know when to bark, when to be gentle, who the threats are and who the threats aren’t. It’s unintelligent. Vicious dogs need to be banned. They don’t just bite when provoked, they unprovoked will maul a child or an adult to death. Why would anyone want to have such a monster, it can turn on the owner or the owner’s family and it often does as we all know. They’re not smart, so they’re really good guard dogs because they can’t tell the difference between a little baby and a dangerous intruder. My dog had his ears pulled by kids accidentally and he did nothing, he was so gentle. He was a smart dog.

I simply do not understand the appeal of these dogs, they look like the orcs of the dog world, they can and do kill and maim and it is beyond me why anyone with kids would have one. I hear the argument all the time that it is "bad owners" not bad dogs but these animals seem to have a history of unpredictable behaviour and have been the cause of death in quite a few instances. It is a mystery why anyone would have one, yes I know there are people out there who must get a kick out of owning a dog that scares others and this is very worrying.

So they’re NOT good guard dogs

I don’t want my kids or dogs approached by any random dogs at all, regardless of size. I have giant dogs and they would stand no chance against one of those monstrosities.

I wish people would keep all of their animals to themselves.

Agree!

I agree, I would find them hideous even if they weren't dangerous. I think the people who want to own them see them as some reverse snobbery status symbol. A badge of honour for the stupid. They're a dog owners' equivalent of having a St George's flag tattooed on the back of your head.

There are a few of these “big softies “ off lead where I walk my lovely old girl now. I bought a police approved pepper spray recently and now carry it at all time not just in case one of these alligators attacks my dog but me or my kids.

hope I never have to use it but feel as though the increasing number of these creatures has shifted something and for the first time in almost twelve years of walking my current dog I feel genuinely on guard because of them.

They're cheap and ugly and makes the demented owners feel “tough”. Really they’re stupid.

I would be livid. I hate these dogs and I say that we the owner of a bull breed. My dog is friendly but powerful. I would never let him approach anyone especially a child. Sadly I think a lot of XL bully owners feel like they have a point to prove with all the bad press. I had one run up to us in the park a while back when my baby was in the buggy. Of course it was friendly (aren't they always?) but it scared me and I'm a dog lover.

Fuck that man. I would report it.

The owner was completely U. No dog owner should let their dog approach anyone, especially a child, and especially off-lead. Owner is particularly tone-deaf after the recent news.

He was a dick. Hope your dd is ok.

YANBU

The amount of times my little dog has been pinned to the ground by a bigger dog, barking and snapping at her is ridiculous. I always ask the owner to put it on a lead to be told "he's only being friendly". It infuriates me!

Imagine if a 10 year old boy pushed a toddler to the ground then scared him to death by shouting in his face - to me, it's exactly the same thing.

No dog should ever bound up to another person uninvited, let alone a child, ever.

YANBU, no one should allow their dog to run up to small children like that. We have a XL bully a few streets away. The owner now walks it muzzled because in her words, it’s safer for everyone, including him. She’s devoted to her dog and is mitigating the risk for everyone. It’s a shame more XL bully owners don’t do the same.

This terrifies me, regardless of breed. You were absolutely correct and this owner was the horrendously irresponsible one. Hope your DD didn’t get too much of a fright.

Owners of this breed of dog are defensive because of the shitshow surrounding the reputation of this breed. They are being told that their dog must be on a lead at all times and that they should be muzzled. In this case the owner was in the wrong (not because of the breed of dog) because the dog if off lead should respond to being recalled. This applies to all breeds.

It works the other way too. I have the problem of having a very cute small dog that looks like she is a puppy. She is not, she is 17. I have little children stoop down to her eye level and smother her without asking my permission if she can be petted. Should she lash out I would be at fault.

I think right now everyone is on high alert with XL Bully dogs because of recent press. Dogs and children can mix quite happily. More often than not it is the owners fault and not the dog. There are no bad dogs but are many bad owners.

That would never happen.

My dc was terrified of dogs for several years after an offlead westie jumped up on him and put it's paws on his shoulders. He was 2. He fell back, bumped his head on astony path and was screaming his head off while the dog licked his face and the stupid owner stood going "he just wants to be your friend".

I hauled it off and let rip at the lady. Who was shocked at me. I was fucking livid. I still am actually, when I think about it.

That was a Westie. It was enough to totally traumatise my child. No dog should be around s.all children off lead apart from those in their own homes.

This is what I say. With a pissed off look on my face.

You cannot judge someone for having their dog off the lead, if your dog was off the lead.

Dogs do sometimes go up to other people or other dogs and the recall goes out of the window.

Your dog is wandering off whilst you’re playing with your kids and you’re being just as bad as the other owner.

The breed is completely irrelevant in this situation but of course most MNers will agree with you because you’ve said it was an XL bully (even though it sounds like it wasn’t an XL bully at all).

I am a dog lover and love all breeds of dogs.
But no dogs should be off the lead in an area with children playing, regardless of breed.