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Original poster

Met an XL Bully today for the first time

226 replies

Woahyeahyeahyeah · 29/12/2023 16:08

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?

OP posts:
doriangraybutimthepaintingintheattic · 29/12/2023 20:34

People say they're bred for fighting but Wikipedia says they're bred as a companion dog. I'd agree with that. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bully

No page on XLs just Americans.

Baffledandalarmed · 29/12/2023 20:37

There was a post earlier this week about a woman who had met an XL bully dog (under a year old) and how lovely it was.

No matter how many posts appear saying how lovely these dogs are, it's not going to convince me.

Two dog walking fields (the rent for an hour for a private run type ones) near me have announced that they won't be accepting XL bullies after the NY. Their insurance won't allow it and they'll be calling the police on anyone who takes an XL bully onto their premises. They've had loads of very nasty messages all over their social media about it (threatening them etc)- which basically sums up XL bully owners IMO. Aggressive bullies like their dogs.

StaunchMomma · 29/12/2023 20:41

Isometimeswonder · 29/12/2023 18:50

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.

Good God, that is a truly sickening read.

That people are prepared to have very small children and babies around XL Bullys, regardless of their temperament to date, is terrifying. And the amount of people killed on the street/in their gardens/in a park! They had literally zero chance, did they?!

The sooner this breed is gone, the better.

Prawncow · 29/12/2023 21:25

The dogs aren’t the problem. If you live somewhere in the US , on a 50 acre property with no neighbours for miles, they might be the right dog for you.

The people who buy the dogs in the U.K. are the problem. Some fuckwit who lives in a flat or a small house with a yard goes and buys a big, heavily muscled dog because they think it makes them look hard. They don’t know or care how to socialise, train and exercise them safely. For every extra kg your dog weighs, the need to socialise and train them well increases exponentially. A chihuahua that doesn’t listen to its owner can be picked up or shut away easily. A German shepherd that doesn’t listen is going to take a strong owner to drag them away on lead. With something the size and power of an XL bully physical strength isn’t enough. You need an owner that has trained their dog so well they could get it to walk to heel without a lead past dogs, food, cats and any other trigger you can think of. That’s the only way for the dog to be safely out in public. Only a tiny minority of owners have put in the time and effort to do this.

Now these dogs will be abandoned and euthanised and in a few years another breed/crossbreed that’s big, heavily muscled and has been bred to fight will become popular. The same owners will be desperate to buy one.

oneflewoverthe · 29/12/2023 21:39

ancientpants · 29/12/2023 18:33

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.

Yes. If you just google the statistics most of the recent fatal dog attacks in the uk are from xl bullies or equally large aggressive dogs.

Mumof3lads · 29/12/2023 21:41

I saw one launch an attack a couple of months ago. Most horrifying thing I have ever seen. If you saw what I saw you would not be saying poor dog. I agree it is not their fault, it's genetic but my god help you if that was your child.

Prawncow · 29/12/2023 21:42

Do you get a lot of young men buying spaniels to walk down their street with?

Santiagopink · 29/12/2023 21:42

I've encountered many through my work. One had 3 and bred from them and had absolutely no control of any and got dragged about the whole time. I honestly thought he'd fallen down 2 flights of stairs because the dogs sprinted down them and he could barely keep upright.
Another had no clue about dog care or dog behaviour. Her dog was licking up rubbish and didn't believe me that he was about to be sick. I pretty much forced her outside and to let it eat grass then wait for it to vomit it back up. She was totally bewildered when it did just that. These owners always insist they're lovely and would never be aggressive, and i always just think how would you know? They clearly have no experience or knowledge or even intuition with dogs yet can guarantee its future behaviour? They wouldn't spot warning signs or understand triggers, cant read their dogs AT ALL. The first guy, the breeder, deliberately takes it out for hours over midday in heatwaves to show it off and scout for puppy buyers and I swear it was nearly dead from heat exhaustion. Tied it up to a bench where it couldn't reach the shade even. Every single owner I've encountered, at least 30, has been totally fucking clueless. Another did get put down after ripping another dog on the street to shreds, all whilst tied up to a lamppost. I adore dogs, but I hope every single one I've met gets put down.

Moonwatcher1234 · 29/12/2023 21:53

There are several near us and they are all shiver inducing. Two get walked near school at drop off time and are always slightly straining at the leash and eyeballing the buggies. They are horrible dogs and I really wonder at people who keep them as family pets.

tadpolelove · 29/12/2023 21:54

doriangraybutimthepaintingintheattic · 29/12/2023 20:34

People say they're bred for fighting but Wikipedia says they're bred as a companion dog. I'd agree with that. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bully

No page on XLs just Americans.

That's because xl is the size not the breed. They are an American bully. And depending on size they are either micro, pocket, standard, xl. Some say there is xxl but that's not recognised and their is no such thing according to abkc.

doriangraybutimthepaintingintheattic · 29/12/2023 22:05

@tadpolelove yes, more of a comment as I assumed there would be a "that's a different dog" comments.

Prawncow · 29/12/2023 22:28

They’re too powerful for an owner to stop them by force. That’s why they’re frightening. It’s like having a wild animal wandering along the pavement.

Horses can be really intimidating if you’re up close to them on foot and they’re playing up for the rider. You realise how small you are and how big they are and that they could easily crush you while they’re refusing to turn right or go past a traffic cone.

hattie43 · 29/12/2023 22:36

Baffledandalarmed · 29/12/2023 20:37

There was a post earlier this week about a woman who had met an XL bully dog (under a year old) and how lovely it was.

No matter how many posts appear saying how lovely these dogs are, it's not going to convince me.

Two dog walking fields (the rent for an hour for a private run type ones) near me have announced that they won't be accepting XL bullies after the NY. Their insurance won't allow it and they'll be calling the police on anyone who takes an XL bully onto their premises. They've had loads of very nasty messages all over their social media about it (threatening them etc)- which basically sums up XL bully owners IMO. Aggressive bullies like their dogs.

I don't see the logic there . I know they've said insurance but it's not fair to expect any dog to have no exercise . If they aren't exercised they'll become like sprung coils , more stressed and that's when problems happen .

Devilsmommy · 29/12/2023 22:36

Therainfallingdownonme · 29/12/2023 18:17

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 completely agree with you. I witnessed my neighbour get killed by 2 of these dogs and it's something I will never forget. Nobody needs a dog like this. They should all be PTS so people don't have to be wary of walking down the road, especially with children

Santiagopink · 29/12/2023 22:37

Prawncow · 29/12/2023 22:28

They’re too powerful for an owner to stop them by force. That’s why they’re frightening. It’s like having a wild animal wandering along the pavement.

Horses can be really intimidating if you’re up close to them on foot and they’re playing up for the rider. You realise how small you are and how big they are and that they could easily crush you while they’re refusing to turn right or go past a traffic cone.

Except horses are a flight animal so most often will want to get away from you rather than rip you to shreds. Not saying they can't be dangerous but they don't have that bloodlust. Nor the jaws capable of ripping your arm off. Might bite a finger off though I suppose

Greenshake · 29/12/2023 22:40

@Bolloxforsure please ignore the ridiculous and nasty comments from some very ill informed posters. You sound like a great owner with a lovely pup.

carly2803 · 29/12/2023 22:42

the only people who would want one of these dogs are those who want to look tough.

they are not family dogs, and the sooner this "breed" dies out the better. Children and other dogs are not safe around them

collies, bred to herd - they do this without training
spaniels - retrieve and naturally do it
terriers hunt/grab rats etc on instinct

bullys, bred to fight, kill - cant breed that out of it - so why put them near a kid?

terrifying

roll on them all being PTS

Devilsmommy · 29/12/2023 22:45

@ccarly2803 👏👏👏👏

Prawncow · 29/12/2023 22:53

No, horses might catch you accidentally while panicking.

Lots of the stories I’ve seen about XL bully attacks seem to suggest they were going after another dog and a human got in the way. That suggests poor socialisation/training. Generally very big, powerful dogs are not dog aggressive in the way that eg Jack Russell’s are. They don’t feel the need to challenge other dogs because they’re totally confident that the other dog isn’t any threat to them.

Username2101 · 29/12/2023 22:55

There's a woman near me who constantly tries to rehome these dogs because the owners (inset excuse here).

Every single one so far is not suitable to have with cats, other dogs, and children. There is a point where you wonder why bother. They are clearly not a good temperament, and who in their right mind would willingly have it in their home

These posts have ramped up as the deadline is in view. She is now on a mission to save as many as she can and has quit her job to do so.

Lovetosleep1 · 29/12/2023 23:25

I'm love big dogs, I have a German Shepherd now and grew up with big breeds, but the XL Bully's are scary. They look like mutants and are another level of powerful. It doesn't matter how friendly any dog is they all have the potential to bite. A dog can be well trained but they have the intelligence of a 2 year old child and make stupid decisions and are impulsive. I don't think they should all be destroyed but I do agree that muzzling in public is the right thing to do and will hopefully sort the responsible owners from the other idiots.

00100001 · 29/12/2023 23:34

CormorantStrikesBack · 29/12/2023 18:24

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.

They won't be on leads next week. Or muzzled.

Wateroverwine · 30/12/2023 03:38

I've met about 7/8 XL bullies they're either over friendly or lazy. No aggression and give good cuddles.
It's weird how people who have never met these dogs have such an opinion on them (based off the news)

They are very powerful though and in the wrong hands (unfortunately due to scummy back yard breeders) they cause damage

Wateroverwine · 30/12/2023 03:45

No real dog lover will be for the ban. No wonder bully owners are filming other owners of out of control dogs

I like dogs big or small. Not uneducated and sheeple to follow things I read in the news luckily. Nice to have my own brain and thoughts 😊

Wateroverwine · 30/12/2023 03:47

Baffledandalarmed · 29/12/2023 20:37

There was a post earlier this week about a woman who had met an XL bully dog (under a year old) and how lovely it was.

No matter how many posts appear saying how lovely these dogs are, it's not going to convince me.

Two dog walking fields (the rent for an hour for a private run type ones) near me have announced that they won't be accepting XL bullies after the NY. Their insurance won't allow it and they'll be calling the police on anyone who takes an XL bully onto their premises. They've had loads of very nasty messages all over their social media about it (threatening them etc)- which basically sums up XL bully owners IMO. Aggressive bullies like their dogs.

Calling police who should be dealing with car crimes and burglaries! I can't even wear my expensive watch in London because scum are robbing people for it...yet a dog minding its own business is priority to you? Let's hope you don't need police in future

Whoever wrote that post the backlash was correct

Such a waste of police time.