Someone thought my dog was an XL bully

[listsandbudgets]

walking towards us on the pavement and loudly telling her kids to be careful of that awful XLA bulley dog and walk away from it...

I wouldn't mind so much if she looked a bit more like a bulldog of almost any variety but our lovely dog is a Sprocker..

say it just underlined for me how negative some people are becoming about dogs with all the recent news

I wouldn't be surprised if any bull breeds and mastiff breeds get mistaken for proscribed (or soon to be proscribed) breeds.

(idly and frivolously wonders how long before someone tries a bully poodle cross)

This is my lab/border collie cross. Made up of tongue, barrel chest and skinny legs. Also with that combination of breeds he is far too intelligent!

I look more like an XL Bully than he does.

The comments like “stupid women” and “muppet” to me demonstrates how selfish rude and totally dog obsessed some dog owners are (I’m late 50’s and owned dogs all my life). Wake up people many people justifiably don’t like dogs and know absolutely nothing about dogs and don’t want to like dogs or know anything about them and find dogs in cafes, shops, children’s playgrounds, parks, off lead walking down the street and in close proximity distressing.. This is their prerogative. As owners we need to be aware of this and act accordingly.

😍I was sure the XL sprocker was going to be liver/choc coloured, maybe she thinks they usually cut off the shaggy ears. Love the XS Bully 💕is this the teacup version of pocket bully? 😂

This is why I always take people's accounts of breeds involved with pinch of salt as many haven't got a clue but will still name a breed rather than give general description. Some breeds are more well known because of films though and I had an adult think my black greyhound was a doberman (minus the tan points?) and an older child beloved it was a Dalmatian, clearly they'd never watched 101 Dalmatians 😆i may have understood their confusion if it looked like either if these.

I just think it’s quite funny. I would t be able to tell motorbikes apart but then I don’t try.

It’s a bit irritating when you get told your dog isn’t the breed you know it is though. A friend got followed when her dog was accused of being a banned breed (he is a show bred breed nothing like the banned breed in question in looks or temperament) and berated for it but then that’s just odd behaviour full stop.

I agree that owners need to be responsible. We have worked long and hard on our dog's 'outdoor' manners.

His indoor manners are work in progress as he is determined to protect us from invaders especially helicopters.

I do agree that dog owners have a responsibility to others, but come on. It's glaringly obvious that OP's spaniel is not a dangerous dog breed.

Even if you don't know exactly what an XL Bully is, surely the name alone suggests it's something much bigger and more aggressive than a pretty common domestic dog breed that this woman has presumably seen out and about for years.

I actually do think it's fine to laugh that someone thought my pug was a doberman, I didn't laugh in their face but to me it was funny that someone would confuse my small toothless rescue pug for a dobie. I also thought it was funny when someone thought my sphynx cat was a Persian cat. I have a medical condition that means I have brain fog quite a lot, I also laugh at myself when I get words mixed up. Seeing humour in things isn't a bad thing.

To me it’s “glaringly obvious” that dairy cow is highly unlikely to trample a walker, you only have to read their body language to see that but if you don’t know one end of a cow from the other or one breed of cow from another it’s not “glaringly obvious”.
Dog lovers need to accept that some people genuinely don’t like dogs, genuinely don’t know anything about dogs, and don’t want to like or know anything about dogs and just see a dog full stop not a specific breed of dog.
I’ll say it again it is not the person who doesn’t like dogs or know anything about dogs to educate themselves on dog breeds, it is the dog owners responsibility to ensure that their dog doesn’t upset others. Anyway assuming the dog was on a lead and not running up to the women’s children what does it matter if she can’t identify the OPs breed of dog, I own a very rare breed even dog fanatics don’t know what it is it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

@Spudlet same here I get all the time what breed is he? Me: Labrador. Them: What's he mixed with? Me Another Labrador. Them Are you sure?

Sadly I think there are so many irresponsible owners out there at the moment with zero consideration for others that it is causing general wariness in the public. I actually feel I have not been sufficiently wary after three incidents where dogs off their leads (none of them bullies, one a French bulldog) went for my toddler. I was all “ah a friendly dog” and let them run up to us only for them to then get aggressive. So yes, now, if I see a dog off the lead in particular I am anxious, because you just don’t know these days and so many people don’t seem to know what is appropriate in managing their dogs. It’s a sad state of affairs but you’ve only got other dog owners to blame I’m afraid. Seems a bit odd that she thought it was a bully, but tbh dogs of any kind can turn and be unpredictable, particularly when young children are involved, and given the possibility of life changing injury and the fact that strangers don’t know your dog, I don’t think it’s at all unreasonable for a parent to be cautious.

It's glaringly obvious that OP's spaniel is not a dangerous dog breed.

I know someone who has had years of reconstructive surgery after their forever docile basset hound flipped and literally tore their face off.

@NosnowontheScottishhills I was thinking about that. i've got a rough idea about cows and some vague knowledge of pigs but ask me.to.identify one breed of.horse from another and i will look at you blankly!

Ooh I am loving all the photos of gorgeous dogs!

People are weird.

Exactly. Sadly 59 years of horse ownership and I can recognise most breeds but would be the first to admit I don’t know everything about every breed.

My dog is springer but she identifies as a bully.

I was asked once if my dog was a Rottweiler. He's a Labrador.

We'll have to agree to disagree then. I don't think your example is comparable at all, most people don't encounter dairy cows on a regular basis when going about their lives.

Parks all over the country have spaniels, labradors, pugs, etc, walked in them every day of the week.I do think it's completely OTT and very silly of this woman to be kicking off about a bloody spaniel being a dangerous XL Bully (apart from anything else it could unnecessarily frighten others including children). I also don't see why OP and others shouldn't roll their eyes and laugh about it.

Someone once asked me if my Greyhound was a poodle. Some people just don't know dog breeds at all!

I've had a few people pull their kids away from my three in the last couple of months, I don't resent them that though. They're three big dogs and they're muzzled when out because sighthounds. People don't know that they're actually the softest, goofiest, friendliest creatures on earth, and that's ok. And people being overly cautious to keep their kids safe is ok too.

Confusing a spaniel and a bully is quite funny though.

Mistaking a pug for a Doberman isn’t the example I gave though is it? I gave the examples from this thread - an unusual black and white spotty dog being confused for a Dalmatian and two wiry haired terriers being confused

You said this though: Not everyone is a doggy person. So fine - a spaniel looks nothing like a bully xl. But I’m sure there are things we have all got wrong and not really kind to laugh at people because of it This indicates that you think it isn't fine to laugh even if two breeds don't look anything alike?

I know, they're hard work these bullys...... Mine are regularly on the verge of ATTACK

How the fuck did your doggo allow the outfit to be put on, @Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee?! No chance we could do that! 🎄🐕

Its definitely the red which baffles people!