XL bully: North East dog trainers speak out on ban

XL bully dogs are set to become a banned breed by the end of 2023 under the Dangerous Dogs Act, meaning owners will need to obey a stringent set of rules to keep their pets.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the ban on September 16, calling the breed "dangerous", following a string of attacks that most recently saw a 52-year-old man mauled to death in the West Midlands.

Read more: American Bully XL dog breed will be banned by end of 2023

However, dog trainers in the North East who have had hands-on contact with the breed have hit out at the ban, suggesting training and ownership regulations would have been a better approach.

Katie Guastapaglia, a dog trainer and founder of Dogwood Adventure Play in Stockton, described her shock and heartbreak when she first heard of the ban.

"Before the ban came in, I didn't want to believe it," she said.

"There has been a lot of work done by amazing organisations to call for an overhaul/repeal of the Dangerous Dog Act.

"I really did believe sense and research would prevail and we wouldn't get to this point."

Katie admitted she was "devastated" and has since utilised her business to provide free training for concerned XL bully owners.

"I was absolutely devastated when I heard the news, I actually had a sleepless night thinking about it and how many people would be worried about it.

"I knew instantly that I needed to help and do something, so I created a free training series for anyone who has been affected by the news."

Rather than enforcing a ban, Katie emphasised that responsible breeding practices, ownership and training would create a more "compassionate" environment for dogs and their humans.

Sarah Hunter, a dog trainer from Darlington has also spoken out against the ban:  "It's crucial to recognise that not every XL bully is dangerous, and not every owner is irresponsible," she said.

"Adding another breed to the list of banned dogs may not necessarily be the solution to ensuring public safety.

"While we do acknowledge the importance of public safety, we believe that singling out specific breeds is not the answer. And that breed-specific bans do not achieve the results they are set out for.

"This is why we have strong beliefs that we should be prioritising responsible ownership for all breeds. Every dog, regardless of its breed, requires the same basic components to become an overall happy and well-balanced individual.

"This includes appropriate socialisation, habituation, training, mental stimulation, understanding of their body language, love and understanding of their needs, with a sense of safety."

Emily Green, owner of Seaham business Green Dog Training, expressed her sadness at the ban.

She said: "I am disheartened by this news. It seems like the government has had to make a very fast decision as they try to protect people.

"This may be the fastest way to deal with it but the fastest way is not always the right way."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used a video on social media on September 16 to promise that the Government would "ban" the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be in place by the end of the year.

"These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe," he said.

He also said that he had ordered ministers to bring together police and experts to define the breed of dog behind these attacks so they could be outlawed.

Read next:

• What happens to American XL Bullies now? What the ban means
• Existing American XL bully dogs will be ‘safely managed’ under ban plan – No 10
• What is an American XL bully? The dog that will be banned

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The XL Bully debate has crossed party lines, with opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer backing the ban.

The Labour leader told broadcasters: “There has been a clear case for banning them for a long time. What I say to the Government is good, get on with it, and the sooner we can do this the better.”

Backers of the ban have also rejected suggestions that the decision was made despite a lack of data and evidence.

Legal academic Dr Lawrence Newport told Times Radio: “We actually know that bans work because we’ve had one in place on pitbulls since 1991.

“That ban has been very successful. And we know that because for example, in the UK, we have half the per capita deaths to dogs that the US does, and that difference is entirely explained by pitbulls.”