XL bullies

[fusspot786]

I don't know if it's because I've seen a few threads on here regarding them, but it's really playing on my mind lately.
I'm just very frightened of these dogs. And even more frightened of the growing attitude in their owners who seem to take great pleasure from flouting the rules and letting them off lead unmuzzled.
My dc is of an age where they're quite young but old enough to go to parks and out and about his own. It genuinely scares me that he'll come across one. Or I will while out with my little ones.
I realise the world is full of dangers but the brutal nature of their attacks really really scares me.
I wish they didn't exist.
I probably sound neurotic but they just send me cold. Hoping with the breeding laws they will gradually die out.

There was one outside our local co-op today, there's a set of stairs in front of the entrance and a ramp at the side.

This stupid bitch of a woman had an XL at the bottom of the stairs, on a loose lead but no muzzle, she stood right in the middle with the dog at the end of it's lead forcing people to squeeze around her and the dog, all the while blathering on about how friendly it is etc, the dog was approaching people, but if they tried to fuss it it shrank down with it's tail between it's legs.

The dog was obviously frightened and she just stood there like it was all normal and everything was great, some other woman was there when I came out telling her about her 2 year old Akita that she can't ever walk because it's too strong..

Absolutely thick as shit the lot of them.

On the actual point of the thread, I’ve met a few XLs and all have been ‘nice’ but I’d never want to own or look after one, or have one unmuzzled in my house.

I still say hello to one when I see her on a walk as have been seeing her around since she was a pup and my dog used to run about with her when they were allowed off lead. Seems very friendly but you just don’t know what’s going on upstairs and if they are going to snap like all the other ‘wouldn’t hurt a fly’ XLs that have snapped.

Nastiest dog I’ve ever encountered was a Patterdale. Was a patient’s dog and had to be shut away in the kitchen when we visited as it was so vicious. Used to throw itself against the kitchen door trying to get out to attack us. Patient was housebound but nobody would ever come to walk it for him because it was so mean. Best thing would have been to PTS as the poor thing was so full of rage and had no real quality of life. I generally avoid Patterdales when I see them now because of that bloody dog!

Me intervening! I literally jumped and put myself between my dog and the XL bully, which was very foolish in hindsight.

Then you are breaking the law in England and Wales, if you are in Scotland you would need to castrate your dog to apply for the exemption... vasectomy is not an accepted method.

XL Bully dogs must be permanently neutered. Male dogs must be neutered through castration, and female dogs must be spayed. The procedure must be carried out by a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)-registered veterinary surgeon, or they must confirm that it has been previously neutered.

FWIW there was a petition to parliament to allow vasectomy as an alternative to castration in the case of XL bully's, it timed out after 6 months with only 97 out of 10,000 signatures, subsequent petitions have been rejected.

Vasectomy doesn't remove the undesirable qualities of an intact dog.
Horrible creatures.
I used to see one running off lead in my local park with a big gold chain round its neck, it made me feel so unsafe with two small children. If it had gone for one of them, there is no way I could have protected them. I dont know if the owner could have done much either.
Really put me off taking my children to the park.

It's put me off going for a run in my usual place

@ThursdayTomorrow
I didn't realise that the breed had been revealed from the most recent fatality.
I cant fathom anyone wanting a dog capable of doing them serious harm. Let alone someone with a baby

It doesn’t matter how much money you spent on training it is still a huge and powerful dog capable of great harm and if it decides to attack, whether it be through fear, pain or just snaps no one has a chance in hell of stopping it.

Last time I looked we were not hearing of Jack Russells mauling adult humans to death or inflicting lift changing injuries on an almost weekly basis. Your poor argument just highlights how delusional XL Bully owners continue to be based on ever mounting evidence of how dangerous these dogs are.

sorry but I think you are being really irrational. All the ones I’ve met have been muzzled and on a lead, and they’ve all seemed pretty placid to be honest with you. There was one at pride this weekend, it was very friendly and seemed well trained. But more to the point I think seeing how they are all leashed and muzzled now, apart from a minority who don’t follow the rules, I think you are far more likely to get bitten by some other breed or whatever the next big status dog is… I just can’t see a reason to worry about this.

There are lots of dog breeds just as big and powerful as the XL with similar or stronger bite force. I don’t understand why people paint these dogs as if they are flippin’ Godzilla. I wouldn’t fancy my chances in a fight against an Alsatian or Rottie either. There is nothing special about an XL. Actual evidence paints a very different picture if you can look beyond the headlines. Why do you think all the leading animal charities and organisations including the British Veterinary association are against the ban?

"flounce the rules" 😂 I like that.

Assume this was a predictive text issue?

I have a small dog and I've learnt to read the behaviours of other big dogs now because so many have tried to go for her.

Greyhounds when she was a puppy because they thought she was a rabbit

Lots of bully type breeds - they spot her from a mile away and their behaviour changes. Luckily the owners notice usually and hold onto them whilst we give them a wide berth.

The worst was one that looked like a Malinois (maybe a cross) and the owners started acting oddly from some distance away. When I got closer I realised it was muzzled with a lead that said reactive on it so I walked as far away as I could (narrow path flooded on either side). It STILL went for my dog, snarling, trying to bite which it obviously couldn't and the owner (well built man) couldn't control it. It was so scary any I instinctively picked my dog up which in hindsight was a terrible idea but was just a reflex.

I was going to suggest you buy some bear repellent from a hunting store but apparently it is illegal. I have no answers, but I am afraid of large dogs and hope somebody comes up with something.

What is this stuff?!?

Spot on @JellyfishId

This post reeks of fear of something posters know nothing about apart from brash headlines designed to spark fear.

In all likelihood, the XL bully you see without a muzzle isn't an XL bully at all. Of course, some owners won't do what's required but that will be a small percentage of a small percentage. Any large dog can cause serious damage. My Akita was attacked by a Labrador and suffered some damage. The Labrador literally jumped over me (sat in a field relaxing) to get to my dog and tried to savage him. He is the fourth Labrador to do so. No bully breed has ever attempted to do so.

Would a mini can of hairspray or mosquito repellant work? It might buy you some time.

The only thing that will help you is if the police come with a gun and fast. Anything else will just rile it up fast. Look up ‘game’ in these breeds. The more you fight the more excited they become.

Also anyone with a vasectomised bully is breaking the law. Just shows the mentality of the people who keep them to not even look up the laws of owning it.

@HospitalitySux well said. What we are dealing with is a problem with male violence (again). Only this time it’s channeled into a poor dog.

will we ban every tool me use to perpetuate this toxic masculinity and violent behaviour before this real issue is dealt with?

A woman here was attacked and killed by her own XL bully. All four dogs in her house had to be put down. The bully was shot multiple times before it finally stopped.

No dog is 100 per cent safe, but some are more dangerous than others because of their sheer power. I wouldn't leave any animal alone with a small child, not even my cat.

As evidenced by this thread there is no reasoning with dog apologists 🤦🏼‍♀️

The people who get them generally are getting them to look "hard" and are unfortunately the type of people who don't care about scaring people or keeping up with muzzles etc.
It's a bad combination

@sandyhappypeople I wasn't talking about the xl, I was talking about my cockapoo.