Met an XL Bully today for the first time

[Woahyeahyeahyeah]

Was out for a Family walk earlier today at a NT site and met an XL bully for the first time, he was 9 months old and 8 stone! Although I've seen pictures and obviously the news reports, but to meet one in person I was absolutely astounded at the sheer size and power behind him. The strength and muscles! Wow! My Young DC said he was more like a Lion than a Dog.
Don't get me wrong, he was beautiful, friendly and had the character of just a normal over excited Pup - we also have a puppy and they played for a few minutes. His Family were really nice people with young children, they spoke of how sad they feel about the muzzle enforcement in the New Year. Not sure where I'm going with this post but wondered, does the Law also include at Home? Or is it just in public places?

Fantastic news.

I think the problem is that the pro bull breed lobby is quite powerful. I follow a handful of Z listers on instagram who had babies at a similar time to me and for whatever reason a lot of them seem to be dog people - Kate Lawler and Gemma Atkinson are two who spring to mind - and they’ve both shared things about how awful this law is. They have thousands of followers and lives that are ‘aspirational.’ So people follow them, assume all is well with the breed and get one.

It is awful but I wish they could actually see the aftermath of a fatal dog attack distressing detail

I have always been against breed specific legislation until xl bully’s appeared.
I have a SBT who we rescued at 4m old. He was 16 last month and in his youth was a powerhouse. He has impeccably behaved his whole life but he as a bull breed has the ability to cause real damage, but he’s like a toy breed next to an xl bully.
I was very much support the dying out of xl bully’s. So dangerous.

You think it’s sensible my dog can’t see a trainer or be exercised properly? Ok.

The lion comparison really resonates with me. Beautiful animals that I am almost in awe of - but not suitable pets, shouldn't be free to roam in public, and certainly not right for a family with children.

Ear cropping has been illegal in the UK since 2006.
If you see a Bully of any size without floppy ears, the owner / breeder has committed a crime.
Anybody who buys a dog with cropped ears is supporting criminal mutilation of dogs.

Oh Bolloxforsure, I am so sorry your boy has been lumped in with xl bully’s. Can you use a lunge line or is that forbidden too?
I didn’t think they would lump all the large bill breeds as dangerous.

There’s a guy near me who walks two off lead. Now they seem well behaved but I’m very aware they could kill my small dog with one bite. I’m nervous walking past them and will be glad when they’re on leads next week.

@Bolloxforsure some fields will still allow XL Bullies under certain conditions so it may be worth doing some research?

Trainers and walkers can also still work with banned breeds with the appropriate insurance. My dog walking insurance also covers me to walk XL bullies in groups as long as each XL bully has its' own handler and is muzzled/on lead as per the law.

I hope you manage to find a field/trainer that can work around you.

There's a lovely one that we often meet on walks. Very well trained and great with other dogs. But I am struck by the fact that it is so big and powerful that its lovely owner wouldn't stand a chance of containing it if needed.

I'm aware that the media has made attacks seem more likely than they actually are

No, they've just reported on attacks that have actually happened, which are sadly very frequent.

XL bullys, pitbull crosses, staffie crosses and Rottweilers are all varieties of dogs who have been subject to scrutiny. And for good reason. Show me the multiple headlines in a 12 month period of a spaniel or a Labrador killing people? And all the people spouting "it's not the breed it's the owner" are just thick.

@Jojobees and @margotrose so heartening to read sensible posts. Thank you. Ive learned loads from his trainer and I’ve emailed other private fields and asked for their rules.

I saw one in the park about 18 months ago and had vaguely heard about them and perhaps had seen one in a newspaper. Seeing it in the flesh was a bit of a shock. It wasn't on a leash and was wandering around the park in the cafe area where there were loads of kids. As I walked past I said to the owner that I'd never seen a dog so big. His head was enormous - flattish and wide. The owner said he was an XL Bully but was well trained and not like the one that had killed a 10 year old the year before.

I shot off as quickly as I could without drawing its attention. It was boiling hot, there were crowds of people with young kids running around and to my mind this was a recipe for that dog potentially going berserk. Having seen one in real life I know it could kill me in minutes. I don't know how anyone could choose this breed. If it had a mind to it could kill you.

They are ugly, dangerous animals. They should all be put down.

A few weeks back I was out on a jog and came across three with their owners chatting blocking the narrow path I was on, it was quite intimidating.

I've been around big dogs my whole life but these are the only dogs I'm scared of. I can't see any beauty or cuteness in them at all unfortunately. Really scary.

Labrador Retrievers have a bite force of 230 PSI. Labrador Retrievers were responsible for 9 deaths between 2005-2017, accounting for 2.1% of dog bite-related fatalities in those years.

so yes they are responsible for deaths…. all dogs are capable of a fatal bite.

Why are the owners all described as “lovely” ? 🙄 Surely choosing a potentially vicious breed like that means you are by definition not particularly “lovely” yourself.

I’m unlikely to be taken out by a cavalier King Charles though am I? One boot and it would be yeeted into the abyss.

They are absolutely gorgeous dogs, most have great temperaments and I’m so saddened that it has come to this.

But I believe in stricter laws of dog ownership and if this is a stepping stone to getting there, then I would reluctantly go along with it.

I just hope that one day someone wakes up and realises it’s not the XL bullies, staffies, Rottweilers and German shepherds etc and whatever the next status breed will be, it’s literally the idiots getting them.

Stop letting unsuitable owners get dogs and the attack rate will drop down massively.

@Jojobees you're talking about a 12 year period? Straws. Clutching.

But Labradors are the most popular breed of dog in the UK, not even counting all the unregistered non pedigree ones. So being responsible for under 3% of bite fatalities does rather indicate that breed is relevant, don't you think?

The headlines are part of the problem though.

They name the dog as an XL bully before they even have the information and many times they are wrong but they still put the thought in the public’s heads.

I remember the headlines for staffies and it was insane, about how they are devil dogs and they’re bred to kill children etc.

Now you never even hear of staffies being dangerous dogs.
They’re still the same breed and still have the same bite force but because they’re not the ‘cool’ dog to have anymore there are fewer bites simply because the owners aren’t idiots.

Put dog deaths UK into Google. You'll see a list of every dog death for over 20 yrs.
And then look at the breeds.... it paints the picture.