If you own an X-L Bully (or similar breed) why did you get it?

[Kinut]

I’m not trying to cause a pile on, I’m genuinely curious to hear from owners on here.

I would guess the vast majority of owners on Mumsnet consider themselves responsible owners and their dog to be no threat. I often see it said that the dog is harmless/more likely to lick you to death/soft/great with the kids etc. but why did you opt for that breed?

You obviously wanted a family pet, and obviously care about the safety of yourself and loved ones, and you didn’t want a guard dog or to intimidate the public.

So why opt for a bully type and not another large dog with less surrounding controversy and innate risk? As I say, I don’t want a raft of insults towards owners, Im just curious as to why otherwise normal and responsible owners opt for these breeds?

I don't have one, I don't have a suitable house or the physical skills now, though I've met several when I worked in rescue who were fantastic dogs, really keen to learn, eager to please, comical etc etc.

I do have two colleagues (both qualified dog behaviourists) who have them.

Neither have kids nor intend to.
Both have a ton of experience with big bully breeds from working in/with rescues in areas where thats the predominant type handed in.
Both have homes with a lot of securely fenced land, and few visitors.
Both foster dogs for rescue and in each case, these dogs are 'failed' fosters, staying because the human fell in love and wanted to keep them.

Not all the owners of big bully breeds get them because they are big bully breeds, or they want to intimidate people etc etc. I suspect people like my colleagues are pretty rare though! A drop in the ocean vs the people who get breeds for entirely the wrong reasons.

Neither colleague walks their dogs in public, they are exercised at home or at the various secure dog fields, training venues etc local to them and as they're both trainers/behaviourists, that means their dogs get to do far far more than the average member of the publics dog would. This is more to do with avoiding aggro from MoP than fear for other peoples safety though!

My friend got hers (she has two which she got at the same time as puppies because her old dog had died recently and she had looked after some XLs before for a family member and liked the breed personality. (Her dogs are clever and funny). She does regret it now I think, as all the restrictions obviously add additional challenges to ownership. But she does seem to love and enjoy her dogs. They would not be my choice. But she is not a bad person, and certainly did not get them for any nefarious reasons.

I think most people who have them got them before there was as much controversy around them.

But surely most people know a strong dog like that can cause hideous issues and so are a huge risk, no matter how well trained.

Ive concluded you can only own one if you are ignorant and don’t research what you are taking on or are arrogant enough to believe you can erase genetics and heritability.

Most of them love to say things like deed not breed or it’s how you raise them. Shows how clueless they mostly are.

I have trained dogs for many years. GSD. Rottie and Dobermann included, All train well and are good family dogs. I am puzzled by the fact that anyone would choose such an ugly dog regardless of temperament!

I'm not sure there is a 'why' really. People are just drawn to different breeds. I met my first Rottweiler in the early 1980s and couldn't understand the furore. The headlines just didn't relate to the character I knew the breed to have. I had only ever met well balanced reliable family pet Rottweilers with wonderful temperaments and knew one day I'd have my own. I went on to have several over the years. No longer in good enough health for another but every one I had was a fantastic companion and if I could do it all again I would have another in a heartbeat.

A Rottweiler is completely understandable though. But a Bully? Why?

I love bull breeds. I don’t own one because they’re clingy, not because people think they’re dangerous. I think all that is just small minded scaremongering.

I do have another large breed with a reputation. She was a rescue, so I didn’t choose her, but she’s an absolute love, and I’d have more in the future. People told me not to let her around children, other pets, or wildlife- just because of her breed, not her temperament. But she’s wonderful with all of them.

yeah, how many times have xl bully owners said the same variation of this? My little nala bear wouldn’t hurt a fly, she’s such a good nanny dog she’s wonderful with the kids… few days later little nala has mauled someone to death
a dog owner saying their dog is amazing and well trained and lovely and harmless pretty much always turns out to be untrue

How is it scaremongering? Of the last 50 attacks which ended in death in the UK, 39 of them were from bullies (and one was a puppy spaniel bite which led to infection).

My ex relatives had a bull breed (before the xl bully thing really took off, was a cross) who was super soppy and well behaved, scared of my collie. But it is partly down to treatment and training - people who choose them aren’t always the ones to used a trainer and give lots of love

What is the point of statements like this?

My friend who owns two has got a degree in English from a good university. She can certainly read a thread on Mumsnet (I am less certain she would choose to).

Doesn't it make more sense to do what OP is doing - try to understand people whose views,experience and opinions may differ from your own?

Or would you rather just assume everybody who comes to a different decision to you must be stupid?

You don't think that, in itself, is stupid?

Well my dog has been temperament tested so that isn’t the case with us, her worst habit is eating rubbish. What you’re describing is bad dog ownership, not bad dog breeds. Nanny dog is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life though so I’m with you on that, for any dog.

I like bull breeds too. I don't have one though because I don't want people to be afraid of my dog. I'd never get an XL bully though, seems too risky to me.

I have a rescue pug. He is old and toothless, his tongue hands out 95% of the time and he plods along at snails pace. The amount of times I've been asked by wary people if he is a bull breed is staggering.

In fairness, lots of different breeds are strong enough to kill an adult if they choose to.....

I think with XLs the risk stems from the strength combined with what seem to be genetic issues with temperament.

I wouldn't own one. But I suppose some people may feel that they have known plenty of XLs, all with lovely personalities, and that the benefits outweigh the risks? The majority of XLs presumably ARE non-violent family pets, after all..... And if your gran has a couple and your nephew and your niece, and none of them have ever had any problems with theirs..... You see where I am going.

As I say, this is not my view. I am risk averse with my dogs, even though I have "safe" breeds. (No dog is entirely safe to humans, ever. Even a brilliantly trained dog can get badly hurt or develop a brain tumour and still attack).

But I assume that what I outlined above is the thought-process most XL owners go through. I doubt anybody thinks "This dog will almost certainly kill my family members but fuck it, it's got a cute face....."

A Rottweiler was very much viewed the same way in the 90’s.

Why is a Rottweiler more understandable? They've killed children too.

It’s the same issue with pit bulls in the US—bad owners getting a large, ‘scary looking’ breed as a status symbol, mistreating them, and creating reactive or even aggressive dogs. Acting like these dogs are born killers, roaming around looking for kids to munch is pure scaremongering.

Pit bulls and XL bullies aren’t to blame. When they’re raised in or adopted into a loving, responsible environment, they behave like any other dog.

Very sad about the puppy bite.

They very much are a bad breed. The link below is an article about how most of the ones in the UK are inbred and descended from Killer Kimbo.

banthebullyxluk.wordpress.com/2023/08/01/finding-kimbo/

I have a friend who is an experienced amateur dog trainer who has entered competitions with her dogs on the past. She has had big dogs before and after her last one died she was offered an XL bully puppy which was otherwise going to be difficult to home, as the legislation was about to come in. She met the puppy and liked it, felt sorry that it was at risk of being destroyed and brought it home.

She follows all legal requirements and no longer has children in her home, as all her children are now adults, mostly left home. To date the dog has been no trouble. It is a female however and I suspect the males are more likely to be aggressive.

@AubernFable we have a small spaniel, would struggle to rip us to shreds. X Bully wouldn’t have that problem

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My neighbour has two French bulldogs. I (privately) think they’re hideous but she thinks they’re adorable.

I quite like it, makes me feel invincible on our night time walks. Even though if someone did attack me she’d be as effective as a chocolate teapot! Nobody that meets her is afraid, she’s scared of the neighbours french bulldog.

Aww he sounds absolutely adorable, even if he was a mean bulldog he wouldn’t be mauling anyone without chompers 😭