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.

i was walking my dog in a local park, just a few days ago. When a woman in the distance, said pick up your dog. Knowing her dog would attack mine. My dog had the sense to go under a bench . She is small. The dog was snapping and growling at her but was too big to get her. the owner was apologetic. It was a rescue dog. My dog is well trained. This has happened to her before and she won’t retaliate. I am getting more and more terrified to take her out for a walk. It’s so much worse since Covid.

I should clarify that it was his opinion that my dog was unsupervised because she was off lead but not the reality. She was off lead, milling around, sniffing trees and shrubs, generally living her best life, but she was always in my eyeline, I always knew where she was. She's 11 now and a bit of an old lady. She is well trained not to approach people, she doesn't just wander willy nilly and her recall is fab so if she starts to get too far away I can call her back easily. The owner of the XL bully saw my dog off lead and, like many of you on this thread, equated his dogs behaviour off lead to my dogs behaviour off lead. They aren't the same thing. If my dog approached people, charged them down, scared children, had no recall and was generally out of control even if not aggressive it would be the same thing.

@1month @Lou670 you're absolutely right that the breed is significant in this instance. If the dog involved had been a Yorkie, or a pug, whilst they could still be scary to some, they are significantly less likely to maim or kill than these XL Bully breeds.

But it wasn’t an XL bully.

So either you have an issue with all dogs being off the lead or just certain breeds - and obviously you can’t have one rule for some breeds and another rule for other breeds.

There have been numerous threads about dogs running up to people and the breed is always irrelevant, as it should be.

My husband and I work with dogs and have dealt with everything from a 2kg chihuahua to an 80kg mastiff on a regular basis. There are only 2 types of dog we refuse to work with, 1 is illegal in the UK anyway and the other is XL Bullies.

@1month hey? Have you read my posts? It was an XL bully. I would have a problem with any dog out of control and charging at my child but if it was a beagle, cocker spaniel, or chihuahua who charged my child they would be significantly less likely to attack, and if they did attack they wouldn't cause the same level of damage as these XL bully dogs. I don't want any dog to approach my kids like that dog did today, but most other dog breeds aren't breed specifically for aggression and violence so the risk isn't the same.

You said he said it was an American bully, which is a completely different breed.

I understand what you’re saying but it’s either that you think dogs should be allowed off leads or you think they should stay on leads.

Even dogs with excellent recall can do what this dog did today.

I agree with this. It's not the same thing. You know from years of experience that your dog is gentle and can be trusted.

@1month I completely disagree with you on this. Well trained and well behaved dogs are perfectly capable of being off lead without causing problems. Most dogs are lovely and fine when out and about. But even if they aren't perfectly trained, they rarely maim or kill people. These XL American Bully dogs do. The deaths and life changing injuries caused by this specific type of dog is disproportionate to all other breeds. The owner today should not have had their dog off lead if it cannot be controlled and isn't trained to not approached people. Especially when the owner tries to claim that their massive, powerful, bully "just wants to play" with my 4 year old who probably weighs a quarter of that dogs weight and is clearly terrified by the approach of their dog. Just because my dog was off lead with my kids, doesn't give all other dog owners an excuse to let their dogs off lead. My dog is old, she is calm, she doesn't approach people, she has great recall, she was under control and in my line of sight. She was fine off lead, behaving herself.

Unfortunately most dogs are friendly until they aren't.
How many deaths by a dog has the owner said they've always been so friendly, I don't know what happened.

I came on to say “oh fuck no, you were in the right OP” and also I would contact the police a the dog actually went for and knocked your daughter over off lead.

You can have one rule for over-energetic, boisterous dogs with no recall - especially if they are large and threatening, and another for well-trained dogs wo respond to the owner.

The breed is NOT irrelevant - some breeds are more likely to be a danger just because of their size and strength. My daughter had a Great Dane. He was as soft as clarts, and he was very well-trained, but he was kept on leash if there were people or other dogs about because his sheer size was intimidating, and if he had even accidentally bumped into someone unsteady on their feet he could have sent them flying. Being hit with his waggy tail was like being lashed with a bicycle chain!

And despite what you may think there ARE breeds of dogs which are more reactive, more difficult to read, and which give less warning of aggression than other breeds - and unfortunately they are largely powerful breeds which can do a lot of damage and are almost impossible to stop if they do attack.

I must have missed the post where the @PumpkinSly said that it wasn't an XL bully after all, but one respect in which you are right is that breed is irrelevant if an animal is threatening.

And TBH if the owner cared about his dog he wouldn't let it behave like this, because if it's reported as being aggressive (whether it is or not) he could end up losing it. Like pit-bull types, dogs like this should all be neutered, tattooed, chipped, and muzzled and leashed in public. They have a reputation for a reason.

I agree - I'd report it.

Even if all that happens is that the owner gets a warning to keep his dog on lead, then you will have saved a lot of people lot of worry - and perhaps a dog or even a child from being injured.

Why aren’t all dogs on leads unless on private land?

i don’t care how friendly your dog is, I don’t want it approaching me

Regardless of breed, there's no way I'd accept any dog running up to a child. I've got two cocker spaniels that look dead cute etc etc but I would never allow them to run up to children...or other dogs for that matter.

I've had many big big dogs before, including a Rottweiler when they were the latest scary type dog in the media. I get it can be disappointing from an owner's perspective if people appear scared of your dog, but I've had people look scared of my current two fluffy long eared cute things too.

The owner was in the wrong for allowing the dog to do that, their behaviour was wrong towards you and clearly they need to get a grip.

There are plans to ban the breed at end of this year. Existing owners would then need to have a licence and insurance, have them muzzled and on lead in public. There's a reason they're being added to the dangerous dogs act. So irresponsible of that owner

I bet he was covertly filming you. There's a load of these owners on TikTok obviously going out of their way to get people to react and then challenging them.

Embarrassing. One skinny woman clinging on to this huge hulk of a dog as if the lead gives her control of it 🤣 whilst shouting at other owners "can you put your dog on a lead please".

I’ve got a staff she’s very very trained and we made sure from a puppy excellent recall etc bully breeds do tend to like children but I would not want one of these dogs by my children .
Any strange dog can not be fully trusted no matter the breed but these dogs are so strong I am wary of them myself.
I hate owners who thing we should all love their dog my dogs on a lead in parks because I am aware other people maybe be scared of her etc you did nothing wrong

I completely agree the XL bully's owners were irresponsible and would have been terrified for my child. I would be reporting it to the police and the council.
I would also be asking the council to make it mandatory to have dogs on leads. But that also applies to you OP. I get your dog is old and docile and well behaved but passers by don't know that. I had two dogs approach me yesterday whilst sat on a park bench. I don't like dogs so my husband pushed them away. The one was potentially more aggressive than the other who was just excitable. I don't want dogs near me whether it's the XL or a dopey old dog.

So very sorry @PumpkinSly , horrible horrible thing to happen and to witness. I hope the attacking dog was euthanased.

Just because my dog was off lead with my kids, doesn't give all other dog owners an excuse to let their dogs off lead. My dog is old, she is calm, she doesn't approach people, she has great recall, she was under control and in my line of sight. She was fine off lead, behaving herself.

The thing is that’s what all/most owners think. I very much doubt many think, yeah my dog’s an absolute menace but I’ll let it off anyway. And people around you don’t know your dog, so if you let your dog wander around doing their own thing in a park with kids around, you do - regardless of your own dog’s actual behaviour- undermine the argument for other people to keep their dogs on leads.

I think the fact you can’t see this does mean you are part of the problem to be honest OP.

I have two dogs, I have worked with dogs all my working life. These kind of dogs should not be anywhere near kids.

To be honest I am wary of any off lead dog approaching my young children but an xl bull breed... I'd be honestly scared stiff.

I have seen what a large powerful dog can do to a young child and it doesn't bear thinking about.

I'd report it to the police.

@Newuser75 As a matter of interest what do you (or anyone else on this thread) think about these dogs, or other Bully breeds being put in day kennels?

My DD is working part time at a kennels and we aren't very happy that they take these dogs.

Ah the facebook groups that seem to be a magnet for XL Bully dog owners and their huns and mates.

They are egging each other on now and feel emboldened too. I have read many a numbskull poster stating that they are letting Rambo/Cyrus etc off the lead due to 'all the hating'.. 'cos he wouldn't hurt a fly'....

Sadly, the issue is doubly difficult due to the type of person who normally owns this type of dog.

Honestly I'm not sure at the moment you could do anything about it but if I was in that situation I'd not be very happy.

Any dog can snap and bite but not every dog can kill.