Statement on the XL Bully Ban
The UK Government has announced that they will be introducing a Ban on the XL Bully breed - off the back of an increase in the number of reported attacks and deaths related to the breed. At The Dogs Way, we have always been against breed specific legislation - and having trained in the US with Pitbulls that are already banned in the UK, I know first hand that a breed is just a label. Every dog is an individual, in terms of temperament, behaviour, life experience, and the risks they present. I regularly worth with dogs that are dangerous to people and other dogs - dogs that represent a serious risk to life. None of which are on the UK’s banned breed list. So why is this breed being singled out?
…if the XL bully is banned, that still leaves the American Bulldog, The American British and Staffordshire terrier, Bullmastiff, the new ‘designer bulldogs’, the Cane Corso - all of which basically look the same, and all of which present the same level of risk to people - none of which are deemed inherently aggressive.
What is an XL Bully?
The short answer is a Pitbull - all XL bullies are Pitbulls, usually with some American Staffordshire terrier crossed in. But the reality is not quite as simple. ‘Breed’ and ‘lineage’ can offer significant variations, for example in the German Shepherd where the same ‘breed’ has lines that are selected for Police Work and bite sport, to Pet lines, all the way through to assistance dog lines for the visually impaired. All of the dogs are of the same ‘breed’, but the lineage is very different. In the XL Bully, Pitbulls and American Staffordshire terriers have been mixed and inbred to produce exaggerated traits in terms of size, muscle mass, and for other particular aesthetic choices. The XL bully lines are a very recent import to the UK, and the overwhelming majority of XL bullies come from a very small number (low single digits) of imported parents. Small genetic pools with high levels of inbreeding always result in a range of significant health problems, which are prevalent in the breed - but more importantly, temperament traits that are present in one parent are more likely to present across a ‘breed’ when all of the dogs within a genetic pool come from a similar lineage.
In very simple terms - good breeders select for good health and good temperament. Bad breeders select for Aesthetic traits that are financially valuable, often at the expense of health and temperament. There is a very strong argument to be made that this has happened in the UK XL Bully population - as there is a strong argument to be made that this is the case in some of the UK’s other most popular breeds (including French bulldogs, cockapoos, German shepherds and Cane Corsos). Right now, the XL bully lineage is one of several examples of bad breeding in category of dog that cannot afford to be temperamental.
So when we talk about Pitbulls, Staffies, Bulldogs and the new XL bully line - there is a significant difference between the group generally, and the specific lineage of XL bullies we see in the UK. What still needs to be defined is which dogs exactly are going to be banned, or which existing bans are going to be enforced.
Kimbo
One of the strongest arguments for the banning of the breed in the UK, is that almost every XL bully in the UK can be linked back to a single dog called Kimbo, who’s offspring have strong links to unprovoked aggression towards people. The issues related to Kimbo’s genetics and inbreeding are well documented on the Bully Watch website here.
I could correctly state that deaths attributed to the XL bully account for less than 0.01% of the XL bully population. But that doesn’t get a breed banned.
Are XL Bullies actually ‘killer’ dogs?
The primary reason that the government is giving for the breed ban is that XL bullies have killed a number of people across the UK. So are XL bullies inherently more dangerous than any other large and powerful breed? The reality is no - if you compare the XL Bully to any other large dog (a Rottweiler, Cane Corso, American Bulldog, German Shepherd, Anatolian Shepherd, or any number of other similar breeds) - they are all just as physically capable of killing a human being should they choose to attack them. And I personally know of examples of each of the breeds I have just listed where they have done significant harm to a person - so this statement is certainly not hyperbole or conjecture. ALL Large powerful dogs can be dangerous if not raised, trained and handled properly. To single out any single breed to be banned on the basis of risk is, to any professional in the field, a decision based on ignorance. If I were to make a list of breeds to be banned on the basis that they bite people, we would all be walking around with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Working with Ladybug - a Pit bull who survived, but lost her family in a house fire.
Why are there so many reports of XL bully attacks?
The truth is, there aren’t. Dog attacks resulting in death for the UK are measured in low single digits. You can check out the ONS data here. So when you here statistics like “75% of all deaths from dog attacks were due to XL Bullies”, the data is being deliberately sensationalised because it sounds significantly worse than “3 more people were killed by an XL Bully than in previous years”. For perspective, there are over 11 million dogs in the UK. And thousands of XL bullies, American Staffordshire terriers, American bulldogs and other bully breeds. So using the same data, I could state that deaths attributed to the XL bully account for less than 0.01% of the XL bully population. But that doesn’t get a breed banned.
Unfortunately, the XL bully falls into the same pattern as every problem dog in recent history. Cult popularity in social circles that dont have the expertise or desire to keep control of a powerful dog. Overbreeding for the wrong reasons produces unhealthy dogs with poor and unstable temperaments. And ‘commodity’ price points that make them a mechanism for Money Laundering practices and criminal enterprise. Unfortunately, XL bullies are just the latest dogs on the list, and the reality is that the ban on the XL bully is more likely an attempt to crack down on the relationship the breed has with criminal practices, than anything related to deaths related to the breed.
Remember - …if the XL bully is banned, that still leaves the American Bulldog, The American British and Staffordshire terrier, Bullmastiff, the new ‘designer bulldogs’, the Cane Corso - all of which basically look the same, and all of which present the same level of risk to people - none of which are deemed inherently aggressive.
How dangerous are XL bullies in reality?
The real conversation here is about social responsibility, safety and handling when it comes to any large and powerful breed. The XL bully is the New Pitbull - a flag bearer for a bigger question about what happens when people buy dogs in any form that they cannot handle, and do not raise properly. I work with clients every day that have dogs which present a serious risk to people and other dogs, and I work with clients who have been attacked or who’s dogs have been attacked by other dogs. This issue is by no means specific to XL bullies - it is endemic to dog ownership in the UK - combining a lack of owner responsibility and capability when it comes to proper training and handling, with a plethora of bad advice that is given out as a ‘recommended syllabus’ for decades by leading organisations. Responsibility has to be taken by individuals who suggest that ‘ignoring bad behaviour’ is an effective way to resolve issues in puppyhood that escalate to dangerous aggression when the dogs are adults. This has nothing to do with XL Bullies as a breed - I’ve seen more than enough doodl-a-poos that are highly reactive or aggressive to people including their own family because small problems have been allowed to escalate to major issues as a result of poor training advice. When people buy bigger dogs, they have bigger problems. It really is that simple.
What about dog on dog attacks? And dog attacks in general?
Another clear trend is that dog attacks in general are on the rise. Remember that only attacks on people are reported criminally - not attacks on dogs. Regardless, dog attacks in the UK have increased from nearly 16,500 in 2018 to nearly 22,000 in 2022, as reported in this BBC article. That’s around a 33% increase. This data only includes incidents reported to the police, and reflects any situation in which a dog bites or otherwise attacks a person. What that does mean is that selective bias is going to lean towards dog with the most capability to cause injury, and those that society feels most inclined to report. If you own a Cockapoo, I think you’d be the first to admit that your dog is more likely to get a free pass on a bite compared to a breed like a Staffy. That’s one of the reasons you have them, even if you didn’t conceptualise it at the time.
“…if you go for a walk in most public places in most parts of the UK, you will see dogs running up to other dogs and other members of the public - dogs off leads despite not having a basic recall, reactive dogs, dog fights, and people being yanked about by their dogs on the end of a lead. Dogs of every breed.”
Most people are irresponsible - not just XL Bully owners. A breed specific ban will not change that.
Dog attacks are most definitely on the rise. Irresponsible behaviour is on the rise. Out of control behaviour is on the rise. The most common question I get asked is “what should I do if an out of control dog runs up to my dog?” - which shouldn’t even need to be a consideration if most pet owners were responsible. But if you go for a walk in most public places in most parts of the UK, you will see dogs running up to other dogs and other members of the public - dogs off leads despite not having a basic recall, reactive dogs, dog fights, and people being yanked about by their dogs on the end of a lead. Dogs of every breed. As a professional that specialists in the assessment of dog behaviour and psychology, it is exceptionally rare to see a dog that doesn’t have some form of an issue or an owner that is behaving inappropriately in some form. Even our own Prime Minister Boris Johnson let his dog attack and kill a young Goose in a London Park - and he’s no different to the overwhelming majority of dog owners in the UK.
The UK does need reform when it comes to dog ownership and it needs proper enforcement of existing laws, none of which is currently happening. I have no doubt that the XL bully ban will do nothing to decrease national dog attack statistics or change the behaviour of irresponsible dog owners. It isn’t a decision based on objective assessment of the data, or a proper understanding of the risk that all large dogs present, or with any real consideration to creating a positive change. Which means that dogs of one specific breed will be vilified whilst many other breeds behaving in the same way are not - and the most irresponsible members of society will move onto the next breed to turn into a weapon, as they have done for centuries.
