Page 4 | Buying apart with American bully around the block , worried about child safety ?

Peppenero · 2025-06-07T04:20:00+00:00

We are close to exchange on apartment, where we just found there is an American bully live floor below us, and uses the same lift and communal areas. We have 1 yr old. Should we drop ? The owner of the dog is a gentleman and nice person. We are scared of all dogs and bully looks very scary to us. Are we being overreacting ?

anytipswelcome · 09/06/2025 16:39

RachTheAlpaca · 09/06/2025 15:22

Yes you're over reacting

You need to get some therapy to deal with your fear or dogs, before you pass on this fear to your baby

Fear of an XL bully wouldn’t be an irrational fear, it would be a sensible one. Not all fear is hysterical or unreasonable or over dramatic.

I would much rather my child was afraid of XL bullies and therefore left them alone / crossed the road etc than thought they were appropriate animals to be around children and ran towards them / tried to stroke them etc.

The kind of person who chooses to have a dog of that size, strength and power in a flat is already an irresponsible and selfish dog owner. They don’t tend to be great at making sensible and safe decisions, do they?

anytipswelcome · 09/06/2025 16:41

Isobel201 · 08/06/2025 12:36

if you can't afford anything bigger than a flat, perhaps look for another one that has its own entrance and not in a communal block.
Or as another person has suggested, actually go and meet the dog and the owner. You might find that he is totally fine. An American Bully could be more placid than a yappy jack russell for example. It sounds like you're basing your fears on nothing at the moment.

Which do you think is more likely to be able to injure or kill a child? Or adult for that matter?

If a Jack Russell attacks my child then I can overpower it and get to safety.

If an XL bully attacks my child then the best I can hope for despite using all my strength is horrible injuries for us both.

Strong, grown men cannot stop one in attack mode. Police have had to shoot them to stop attacks.

Comparing that to a yappy Jack Russell is ridiculous.

PissedOff2020 · 09/06/2025 17:56

Our first house was a semi and our adjoining neighbours had a rottweiler. Every time we were in the garden and it was out it would stand on its back legs growling, barking at us, so its head was over the fence. It terrified me it’d jump over… I’d take the kids inside whenever it was out.
I hated it, was glad when it died. For a couple of years it made me scared in my own garden.

If you’re worried don’t bother - god forbid something did happen (which is unlikely to be honest) but you’d tell yourself you should have trusted your gut.

CG90 · 09/06/2025 19:43

WhiteWidowWithAttitude · 09/06/2025 15:48

I only wish dog attacks (and recently, disproportionately, attacks by bully breeds, especially XLs) were “rare”. They don’t all make the mainstream media (sadly the worst of them and certainly the fatalities do). I see and treat them with my own two eyes and hands - babies, children, grown men and women, the elderly, and other dogs (sorry, I don’t treat the dogs, that’s not in my scope of practice) - and it’s never a nip, it’s viscous, brutal and often life altering.

Sometimes it’s other large breeds: rotties, malinois, akitas, mastiffs, corsos, etc - they can also do a lot of damage - it never seems to reach the heights of what the bullies can manage though. I obviously also see the Jack Russell’s, the dashunds, and the chihuahuas, although unless they have had access to infants, you rarely come across any life altering injuries from them.

So no, dog attacks are far from rare, in fact they are increasing. Bold of you to make such a statement, and to also assume that I know nothing of dog breeds. So I stick by my original sentiment that I wouldn’t be living in a block of flats with an American Bully - XL or otherwise, and certainly not with a one yr old child with whom he’d need to share communal spaces.

And not one word of what I’ve said is scaremongering. It’s reality.

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One thing that sticks out to me here is you suggesting a bully bite is worse than a corso, that just seems bizarre and personally makes me lose any sort of belief in what you’re saying.

Corso’s have more than double the average bite force of an American bully plus their temperaments are very different. I think corso’s are also stunning dogs, this just stood out to me in your post.

Gundogday · 09/06/2025 20:46

It woukd put me off also.

FallingArrow · 09/06/2025 20:56

The dog wouldn't worry me too much, it's not like it's going to be running the corridors off lead, and the chance of it attacking unprovoked for the first time when you're keeping distance is miniscule. The potential of loud barking if he's directly attached to your apartment would concern me though.
I'd speak to him about how loud the dog is (ask for genuine information) and also ask if it's used to children, explain that you've got a phobia of dogs and are concerned that it might chase if it sees toddler running. He may be able to ease your concerns.
It's probably safer than a house where it can get out of the gate more easily though, in an apartment it shouldn't be out of the house off lead at all.

anytipswelcome · 09/06/2025 21:00

FallingArrow · 09/06/2025 20:56

The dog wouldn't worry me too much, it's not like it's going to be running the corridors off lead, and the chance of it attacking unprovoked for the first time when you're keeping distance is miniscule. The potential of loud barking if he's directly attached to your apartment would concern me though.
I'd speak to him about how loud the dog is (ask for genuine information) and also ask if it's used to children, explain that you've got a phobia of dogs and are concerned that it might chase if it sees toddler running. He may be able to ease your concerns.
It's probably safer than a house where it can get out of the gate more easily though, in an apartment it shouldn't be out of the house off lead at all.

Shouldn’t be, no, but do you think the kind of dog owner who chooses to have a breed like an XL bully in a flat is a responsible, sensible owner? It’s a ridiculous choice of dog for that environment and totally unfair on the dog itself.

jesihar · 09/06/2025 21:01

NeedMoreTinfoil · 09/06/2025 16:22

I feel a bit torn on this. I like dogs, I have a staffy. But I totally get that some people are really scared of dogs, or simply don't want to interact for a whole host of reasons. Hence my dog is always on lead and harness outside my property, and is escorted out of the way so he doesn't get too close to other people when we are out and about. But I live in a house with a large fenced garden so he can toilet and run about, and go in and out for longer walks without close proximity to anyone else.
I really don't think flats are a suitable environment for large or energetic dogs as it is too confining and will almost always bring them into close contact with people when they go through communal areas for walks. Plus the potential for barking when left alone.
So I think your concern is rational. If the thought of the dog bothers you enough that you will be fearful everyday then drop out of the purchase if you can afford to do so. However it will be difficult to find a dog free area to live in. Even if you find a flat in a pet free block, you will still encounter dogs in the street, at the park etc. I would definitely recommend thinking about some therapy for your dog phobia so you can feel more confident when seeing dogs out and about and give your child a good grounding in how to behave around them.

Best of luck whatever you decide to do.

I’m not sure about the OP given they have not been back. But yes, this. I don’t think a large dog of any breed is suited for a flat. I would imagine if the dog in question had been an issue it would have to have been declared. However, adding a one year old into the mix, I would walk away.

*I have multiple dogs, working and pet and retired. I train dogs, and volunteer part time assessing and monitoring for a local rescue place.

FrankyGoesToBollywood · 09/06/2025 21:05

You are not overreacting.

Buildingthefuture · 09/06/2025 21:23

This is not an XL Bully. This is an American Bulldog, they are not banned or on the Dangerous Dog list in the UK.

WhiteWidowWithAttitude · 10/06/2025 09:05

CG90 · 09/06/2025 19:43

One thing that sticks out to me here is you suggesting a bully bite is worse than a corso, that just seems bizarre and personally makes me lose any sort of belief in what you’re saying.

Corso’s have more than double the average bite force of an American bully plus their temperaments are very different. I think corso’s are also stunning dogs, this just stood out to me in your post.

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Apologies if my post came off wrongly - what I was saying was that I have seen bites by the other large dogs I mentioned (as well as others that I haven’t mentioned), but in my personal experience I have never witnessed a mauling as severe as I have done by bullies. I’ve seen really nasty injuries from big dogs, just never witnessed the carnage that bullies seem to leave in their wake. Maybe that’s because of their rise in popularity, maybe it’s to do with (some of) the people who tend to gravitate towards ownership of them, maybe it’s because they are more likely to attack. I honestly don’t know, all I know is that I don’t and wouldn’t trust them.

I’m not familiar with Corsos temperaments at all, I only really see the end result. I trust you when you say that their bite force is stronger, I’m no dog expert at all. I can only give experience of what I’ve personally witnessed.

hereismydog · 10/06/2025 09:18

I’m not sure why everyone is talking about XL Bullies when OP said American Bully, which could be a mixup as I’m not sure English is her first language.

OP, do you mean XL Bully/American Bully or do you actually mean American Bulldog, which is a completely different breed?

SurreyisSunny · 11/06/2025 19:43

Before you withdraw if might be an idea to find out more about the dog and owner. It feels a bit extreme to not buy a property due to a dog but then again I don’t feel an XL bully should be being kept in a flat, it’s not fair on the dog

please be careful about making your children fearful of dogs. I have a miniature poodle, so a cute fluffy looking dog. There’s a lady locally who I thought lived in a local house as she went onto someone’s driveway when I walked past, i then saw her do the same on another driveway, the pavements near me are plenty wide enough so she’s showing her child fear.