Will my dog be classed as a ‘type’?

[Worried2024]

Hi. So I have a staffie cross called Nova. She’s a lovely dog, I got her through a rescue 6 years ago and she lives happily alongside my 10 free ranging chickens, 3 cats and a wild toddler. I am concerned she will fall into the XL bully type classification because she’s large for a staffie and she obviously has bull breed characteristics. She measures in at 49cm whereas the gov.uk says a minimum of 48cm alongside a list of characteristics which I feel would fit lots of bull breeds generally speaking.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-definition-of-an-xl-bully-dog/official-definition-of-an-xl-bully-dog

I feel like we are in limbo and it sucks because I don’t know what to do. If we apply for an excemption then she loses her ability to walk off the lead, etc which would be a shame. She has excellent recall and I seldom require a lead so would be a big change for her. Whereas if we don’t apply and she is deemed a type, we risk losing her and her safety is paramount to us at the end of the day. Is there anyone I could go to who could clarify whether or not she would be classed as a type? I did consider a vet but I feel like they would just be reading the same guidance as me and she’s such an in-between case. Any advice? Thanks

That is exactly what it is. You may think it’s cute, and even if it was (they’re ugly dogs), that still wouldn’t stop it being dangerous.

I would say it is absolutely evil to keep a dog like that that could harm your child. Evil, and neglectful of your child’s safety.

This - yet another deluded owner. ‘Under the duvet 🤮🤮🤮🤮’ says it all.

And what makes it worse is that OP is nasty to everyone who suggests her dog might be part banned breed - after asking for advice.

Which, tbh, is typical for most who own dogs like this.

@Worried2024 I don't think your dog looks like a pitbull terrier at all.

https://www.k9obedience.co.uk/dogbreed/pitbullterrier.html
Description of the main characteristics of the Pit Bull Terrier:

General Description: Muscular smooth-haired dog. Has a square profile (i.e. as tall from the ground to the top of the shoulder and as long from the point of the shoulder to point of the hip. - Your dog is clearly longer than they are high

Height: Average for both male and female 45-55cm.

Head: Should be wedge-shaped when viewed from top or side and round when viewed from front. Broad jawbones, skull and strongly developed nostrils. Strongly developed cheek and jaw muscles. Your dog does not have strongly developed cheek and jaw muscles

Muzzle: Not pointed.

Ears: Located high on skull. Tip of ears folds foreword or sideways or have been cropped. No wrinkles.

Eyes: Elliptical when viewed from front. Triangular when viewed from the side. Small and deep set. Your dog's eyes are not particularly small or deep set

Neck: Muscular all the way up to the base of skull.

Chest: Broad. Deep ribcage. Ribs strongly curved tapering towards bottom. Your picture of your dog lying down shows quite a labby shape - hard to tell but not as shaped as I would have expected

Back: Muscular. Broad sloping hips. Broad loin. No sloping hips

Legs: Front legs are straight and give massive, solid impression. Hips are long and broad and continue on to become relatively long hind legs with a well muscled thigh. Your dog has standard 'dog thighs'. Nothing overly muscular.

Coat: Single coat. Short smooth haired but bristled to touch. Can be any colour.

Tail: Located low down in the hindquarters. Thick at base tapering to a point at the end. Narrows to a slender tip or has been docked. Should hang like a pump handle when relaxed.

Have you even read some of the abuse I’ve been getting? I have been perfectly polite to posters who have suggested this in a civil manner. I’ve just told the rude and nasty ones to sod off. Quite reasonable imo.

Ignore the ghouls @Worried2024 they live for threads on, what they perceive to be, dangerous dogs and get ruder if your lived experience doesn’t match their googling.

Anyone thinking that Daily Fail/ YouTube links are evidence of anything at all can be ignored, it's laughable. Ditto anyone adding hatred. I hope you find the answers you need OP, it's a difficult situation to be in and I feel for you 💐

I can see why OP is frustrated. She’s got a lovely rescue dog, that great with animals, other dogs and her child. She’s not a 25 year old chav who bought a huge, aggressive dog with the power to kill somebody, who won’t train it or follow the rules!

I'm not going to judge op on her choice of dog because I do believe people shouldn't fully trust their dogs around children regardless of the breed.

Op I do think you should get your dog an exemption because she's clearly a much loved pet. In my local area people have been receiving abuse for owning Staffie dogs (very typical looking ones) and I do believe many people will report a dog they believe to be an XL bully.

@KimKardassion I’m sure most families think they have a lovely dog until it attacks.

To me the second picture looks almost like a different dog in terms of the size of her so I wouldn’t have thought until I looked at the second one again? Either way she looks like a cutie op, hope all works out

Whereas a photo of a dog sat on a couch proves that it's completely safe. 🙄

Here's an image of the two dogs that killed Ian Price.

I can't belive I'm being goaded into this, but no. Nowhere did I write, or did anyone state that I can see here, that a photograph of a dog sitting on a couch proved that it was "completely safe".

I did however write that links to sensationalist mainstream trash media are not, and should not ever be used as evidence of anything other than the diminished of intelligence of the people that read/view it and take it as fact.

of

The OP has posted images of her dog, sat on a couch, as proof that the dog is safe.

@ThisOldThang the OP asked for advice, you clearly have none. I'm not sure what you're hoping for here other than spewing sensationalist goady bile, which most people are sensibly ignoring.

@ThisOldThang

That photo makes me so angry every time.

These dogs killed an adult man due to their size, strength and the impossibility of a human being able to overpower them.

To anyone on the thread who has claimed that anyone could responsibly have an XL bully as a family pet, surely they look at this photo and realise that it isn't possible to do so.

Because no matter how 'lovely' a specific dog of that breed is, if they attack there is no chance of overpowering them and they are capable of causing at minimum catastrophic injuries and very easily death.

And dogs, as with all animals, are all capable of snapping for many reasons out of their control, from brain tumours to a moment of misguided protection of their owner, to an incredibly loud sudden noise etc.

They cannot be stopped in attack mode if they are determined to continue. Even by an adult male. One recently was hit with a hammer and didn't stop his attack. He had to be tasered by police to stop and contain him.

The fact a dog is good normally, on an average day, doesn't mitigate the risks if they react (as all animals can) unpredictably at some point.

So I ask again, does anyone really think it's possible to be a responsible dog owner and parent if you choose to have an XL bully as a family pet?

I do have advice and I have given it:

1. Her dog appears to be an illegal pitbull.
2. The dog should be insured, exempted and muzzled in public.
3. She should be very wary having the dog anywhere near her 3-year old child.

The OP doesn't appear to want that sensible advice and is completely blasé about the risks that a pitbull poses to her young child.

Given how long she's had the dog, she's been in contravention of the Dangerous Dogs Act for that entire time. She has been placing her community at risk whenever she's taken the dog out unmuzzled.

You might not care, or maybe you consider the laws to be unfair, but that's why they're laws - i.e. we simply can't trust owners to do the right thing unless they're forced to.

If you do exempt your dog, you can then ask for an officer to measure her. The process can be reversed and she will be free again if found not to be of type.

You will not get your fee back.

Dogs don’t have to look like the terror xl muscle bound cross eyed hippo photos the media is obsessed with to be classed as type.

Loved Lola on fb - her dog looks like yours. She’s very helpful.

@whatsitcalledwhen

I think that if you're viewing that photograph multiple times and it gets you "so angry every time" then you're probably a bit too invested in this topic to remain subjective, however, the OP's dog is very clearly not an XL Bully. So your questions is irrelevant.

Oh come on. You cannot tell from a photo pmsl.

My question wasn't about OP's dog. Threads naturally develop. My question was about XL bullies. I'd be interested in your answer to it.

@Worried2024 Sorry you're going through this and even sorrier for some of the awful responses you've had here. You've only known the dog for 6 years and lived with her 24/7, some of these posters have watched a youtube video and clearly know more 🙄

I don't live in the UK but my staffie-cross is similar in height to yours and has the same shape head and face, which is completely staffie. She is clearly not an XL bully but I can understand your concerns that she might be classed as a pitbull "type" due to her height.

Nova is a beautiful girl. Perhaps speak to your vet and see if they can advise on "type" standards. It's unlikely to be an issue unless someone reports you so I would keep her on lead around others and let her good behaviour speak for itself.

No. I posted photos of my dog, including one of her sat on the sofa, to ask if she might be considered a XL ‘type’ and therefore affected by the new legislation. You’ve had your say so please go away now.

No. You posted a photo of your dog sat on a sofa as proof it was safe.