Another XL bully death

Some years ago a friend had a rottweiler/mastiff cross. My friend said he was always calmest around me (probably because I was very calm around him and somewhat apprehensive, his head was huge!)

However one time another friend called round when I was there, it started growling at her as she stood in the doorway.
My friend told her quietly, to leave the room and close the door behind her.

She was shocked, it had never done that before. I wonder how that might have played out!

Totally agree. Don't get a pet - any kind of pet - unless you are prepared to commit to that animal for life, train it properly and look after it properly. And it can be hard work at times, especially with dogs - you need to put in the time and effort with training, give them the proper amount of exercise they need, in all weathers, give them a good diet and proper healthcare. But the rewards are so very, very worthwhile...

Training classes for puppies should be compulsory imo. I’ve learned so much from going to them. Also getting my dog from a breeder that had already done all of the groundwork for me and offering lifelong support.

meddijess

I read that the owner of these dogs never exercised them. Apparently she had 'cages' for them. I would imagine the poor things just went mad. Should never be keeping them, but the owners of these dogs always seem to be extremely stupid!

I read that the owner of these dogs never exercised them. Apparently she had 'cages' for them.

If that is actually true and not just hear-say from a neighbour, then it's absolutely appalling.

Keeping one of those dogs (two in this case) caged and not giving it any exercise - I suppose she used her back garden for them to pee in - is IMO tantamount to animal abuse.

She paid a heavy price for it.

It seems to be, frequently, people who live in very small properties with tiny back gardens who take a fancy to these dogs. I do wonder why.

We've been adopted by a stray cat and even tho' cats don't need a huge amount of room, I've given over most of my small conservatory for his comfort and convenience, with a bed next to the radiator in winter, and got my disabled partner to crawl around installing a cat-door... spent a small fortune at the vets having him checked over and treated for a minor condition.

If you own an animal, you have got to look after it, properly, no half measures. Not that I had much choice in the matter of ownership in this case. He spent days and nights in our garden, even tho' we didn't fee him originally - we thought he'd find his way home (we found out later that he did actually have a home) but after one very wet and windy night when he came from under a tree looking miserable, and meowing at us, we relented and gave in to his 'demand' to be our pet.

Dickens

You know what Iam64 - if all dog owners were like you, with your breadth of knowledge and understanding - and sense of responsibility...

... we wouldn't have any problems with any dogs.

I agree

You know what Iam64 - if all dog owners were like you, with your breadth of knowledge and understanding - and sense of responsibility...

... we wouldn't have any problems with any dogs.

The person who is now living opposite me has a pitbull/staffie cross.

True to form, it is being fetched put just to poo crap outside the flat...

Presumably it spends a lot of time shut in the kitchen.

Iam64your Labrador sounds lovely. I got my dog after my husband died. The breeder was a widow and lived on her own as do I, consequently she hasn’t come into contact with many men and is shy of them. Even the dog trainer was a woman. She’s very protective if I’m near or talking to a male. Perhaps she’s just got good taste.

Breed characteristics - my big young lab responds well in obedience training, retrieves from water, is good at scent work. He was 16 months when my husband’s diagnosis turned our lives upside down. Adolescent, sensitive boy, id to find a dog Walker as we were often 3 days a week at the hospital.

When my husband died, six months later, he tuned in to my vulnerability. He’d never shown any aggression, other than in response to a Jack Russell terrorist attacking him. Both my dogs showed anxiety, no doubt the result of me being vulnerable and our usually happy atmosphere being replaced by weeping visitors and family.
My lab took to guarding me. He was growling, snarling if any man came close to me. We dealt with this and within a week he was back to Mr Softy. But if I hadn’t had lots of experience and support from good behaviourists I dread to think what this huge boy could have become.
I’m beginning to believe all dogs should be on lead unless in a safe enclosed field.
I wish owners would commit to proper training classes

It’s no secret I’m a dog lover, I’ve posted on similar threads about the changes I’ve seen in dog ownership over recent years and especially since lock down.
I do believe breed characteristics are important when people choose a dog as a family pet. Get a cockapoo because they look like Disney designed them but cross a lively working cocker with a mini poodle and don’t expect always to get the best of both breeds. Do expect to commit to training classes, finding a ‘job’ (agility maybe) and giving your dog plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Leave it alone while you work and fail to meet its needs, you’ll likely have a highly anxious dog with behavioural problems

Thanks BlueBelle I didn’t know that. I just feel sorry for some of these horrible looking dogs and even more sorry that people want to own them. So many lovely ones around,too.

No Nanna8 they are not actually Pitbulls but they have been bred with Pitbulls and other American Bull types to make them bigger, stronger and more aggressive.
Some dogs are illegal here too but because the XLBully isn’t actually a breed it is not easy to ban it as it isn’t black and white ( I don’t mean the dog isn’t black and white 🤣) to fit into a box
Personally I think anything that looks like an XL bully should be banned automatically

DrWarson what country are you referring to when you say ‘in my country they would be jailed’ sounds like they have a much stricter policy than here which is interesting

Are XL Bully dogs the same as American pit bulls? They are illegal here and also Japanese tosa dogs and Argentinian and Brazilian fighting dogs. Personally I don’t trust or like any pit bulls ,I avoid going near them. They are so very restrictive with dogs here it isn’t worth having them these days, poor things are always on leads.

Sadly, this country has a certain subset of neanderthal nitwits who think they know best, and will want to get round any laws that are passed. In my country, anyone causing anti-social issues like this would be jailed, AND have their State Benefits removed, forever if necessary.

For those referring to the 'XL Bully' (or lookalikes) - several dog owners have been killed by their dogs, which were not odd breeds at all, they just became a mini wolf pack due to some incident. Sadly the owners couldn't say what had set them off.

Terriers. Not terrorists!

My daughters dog went to a rescue that specialised in terriers, because as they said,most terriors would fail the tests given to show they are safe for rehoming.
They can snap, they pull on the lead, they have a high prey drive etc because they are terriors.

Some people like to believe they know all about dogs, have a special bond, their dog isn't like other dogs etc. It may just be about a sense of superiority, a lot of the time. Also a failure to accept some obvious things - dogs have big jaws, they are predators, and breeding, which is done on purpose, actually WORKS - so dogs bred for aggression will be aggressive. We have three Goldies who are soft as butter, but they are still dogs and always need to be watched around small children, in case they get it wrong. In some ways dogs are better than humans (in my opinion) but they are not the same as us and very few of us have the skill to see into a dog's mind. I imagine middle-aged women like to keep these aggressive dogs to feel powerful, and it's sad that they haven't found better ways to be effectual in life.

Wearing a muzzle was part of my dogs puppy trying course. Because there might always be circumstances in which a dog might need to wear one. The XL Bully that has a home for life at a rescue kennels near to me has a special muzzle that is very large. It bothers me that her home for life at the kennels is costing a lot of money that could go towards helping many more animals and they are using her to show how ‘nice’ those dogs can be.

Joseann

I'm not very comfortable around staffies, although our golden plays with a friendly one off lead.
A week or so ago we were cooped up in the lift with a staffie and a collie on a ferry. The latter had a muzzle on, as did our dog, but the man with the staffie said his dog refused to wear one. I felt pretty uneasy for the minute until the lift door opened.

If he was supposed to muzzle the Staffie and it 'refused' to wear one, then the animal should be removed from his ownership.

The only other options is the animal is never taken out in public - which would be hugely cruel to the dog.

Of course the dog 'refused' - they don't like being muzzled obviously - but we don't like being attacked and ripped at by their jaws, so he should just damned well muzzle it.

There's always one... my-child-won't-wear-the-uniform, my-dog-doesn't-like-being-on-a-lead, etc. If he can't get the muzzle on the dog he is not in control of the it.

All these breeds are fads and fashion items, as far as I'm concerned.
As one fades, so another, bigger, more muscular, potentially more dangerous breed appears, and we all have to hear how wonderful they are as pets.

No thought for the poor animals

I'm not very comfortable around staffies, although our golden plays with a friendly one off lead.
A week or so ago we were cooped up in the lift with a staffie and a collie on a ferry. The latter had a muzzle on, as did our dog, but the man with the staffie said his dog refused to wear one. I felt pretty uneasy for the minute until the lift door opened.

Staffies are/were lovely dogs, though. I find it sad that people have turned them into a breed to be feared. My partner, after our dog was attacked by one, now panics when he sees one.

I find the use of “Rotties” and “Staffies” (not just you, Iam64, I’ve seen plenty of examples, so not personal ) a bit alarming. They may or may not make good pets, but they are still dogs which you wouldn’t want to meet off the lead. I don’t find the attempt to make them sound cute and cuddly reassuring….

I too think theses dogs should all be euthanised. In most cases these dogs are owned by irresponsible owners who have them for the wrong reasons, keep them in unsuitable conditions and don’t give them enough exercise or stimulation. I have a sheepdog who is always on a lead when out walking even in a park or woods. My one dread is coming face to face with one of these dogs that the owner cannot control. Personally I think all dogs should be on a lead at all times unless in a secure paddock. Too often my dog has been attacked or set on by an off lead dog that has no recall. She is a sitting target for unruly dogs. I know if she was off lead she would bolt if annoyed by another dog. I wish I had a pound for every owner that shouted ‘he only wants to play’.

The daughter of a friend and her partner have 2 xl Bullies. Not only do they live in a flat but they also have a 9 month old baby. Poor granny is constantly worried about the baby - as we all would be - but the daughter/partner insist that their dogs wouldn't hurt a fly. Where have we heard this before?? My husband and I would have liked a little dog when he retired but neither of us is fit enough to give even a small dog the exercise it needs. We do have 2 beautiful cats though. Each of the children has a dog - 2 Cockapoos and a Bedlington terrier so we make do with dog sitting for our grandogs instead! (I even bought them all a Xmas bandana just to wind up the owners, bad Nanna!)