Toxic men are breeding XL bullies – that’s the real problem with dangerous dogs

Few people watching the horrific Birmingham attack on an 11-year-old would disagree that something needs to be done regarding dogs in this country. Organisations such as the RSPCA and the UK Bully Kennel Club believe that “taking a breed-focused approach is fundamentally flawed.” We have many breeds of dogs in the UK which are powerful. Go on Instagram and you’ll very quickly find examples of men showing off their dogs using terminology such as “Hades – just look at that tight body monster”, or, “this boy’s bone chest and overall mass is just crazy.” They’ll be “roped up to charge up” and have had their ears cropped to complete the “hard dog” image. They remind us that these dogs they are making are “hench,” “massive” and “hulk,” and tag posts with language showing how much they prioritise intimidation: “This girl’s structure and pedigree is different, loads of razors edge some clicks gangster.” A cult has been created around the bull breed; owning a “strong dog” gives extra kudos to the “strong man” owner. The Police Have My Dog – a legal team who support dogs that have been seized or who are being investigated by the police – believe that “by adding another breed to the banned breed list is like putting a plaster over a much bigger problem.” The government has for too long allowed and permitted appalling dog breeding via puppy farms, creating dogs not fit to live in family homes – arriving with a string of behavioural and medical issues.