XL bully owners take up muzzle training in Milton Keynes

Maddie Bell-Ashe introduces XL bully Annie to a muzzle

Owners of American XL bully dogs say negative reactions to their pets from the public have increased since Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a proposed ban on the breed earlier this month.

The XL is a largest type of the American bulldog breed, which is a cross of American pit bull terriers, American bulldogs and English bulldogs.

XL bullies have been suspected in several recent attacks.

A man died in Staffordshire earlier this month after an attack by two dogs, two children were bitten in London, and a man was attacked in a south London park on Friday.

It is unclear exactly how a ban on XL bullies would work, and Downing Street said there had been "no final decision" on what would happen to people who already owned XL bullies when they were banned or whether the dogs would be destroyed.

We spoke to owners preparing for the new legislation by attending training courses to get their dogs used to muzzles, but they are worried about the "stigma" of wearing them.

'Massive muzzle advocate'

Maddie Bell-Ashe said owners already noticed that others were wary of their unmuzzled dogs

Maddie Bell-Ashe is a trainer from TLC Dog Academy and Walking, in Hanslope, near Milton Keynes.

"I've always been a massive muzzle advocate," she says.

"If this ban does go through, the cost for owners - in a cost of living crisis - is going to be absolutely through the roof."

She says some owners are worried about the prospect of muzzling their dogs as they notice other people are already wary due to the size of their pets.

"There's a massive stigma attached to it; they're already scared that people are going to think they're aggressive and now if they're having to muzzle their dog, they're worried about that even further," she says.

"If they're not muzzled and they get reported, or if they get stopped, the police come round and if your dog's not used to being muzzled, it gets seized, they'll take it to kennels and... it's better to just keep them safe and not deal with the emotional trauma further down the line for both the dog and the owner."

She admits to being a big fan of the breed and regularly walks three XL bullies.

"I love them... they're just ridiculous, they just want love and they're really willing to listen. They might take a little bit more work sometimes - but they walk nicely."

• What is an American bully XL and why are they being banned?

However, she added: "They do have bigger mouths and we can't discount the damage that they have done."

"They can be incredibly soft and a lot of them are more scared of their own shadow than anything else.

"It's the small minority who are bringing them up in regards to protection, but if a dog's got the correct training and the correct owners, they won't be causing those bites."

'He gave me a life'

Josie Shanahan says her assistance dog, Mars, stopped her from being a house-bound recluse

Josie Shanahan has autism and mental health issues and brought her assistance dog, Mars, from Exeter for the training course.

She says: "Mars is an American XL bully and I got him when he was 13 weeks old - we got him qualified within six months which is a very quick time.

"He helps my anxiety, he helps ground my emotions and he helps me access the community.

"I didn't have a life before I had him; I was a recluse; I couldn't leave my house - he gave me a life."

Mars is trained to recognise issues before his owner does, including when her blood sugar levels drop or her heart rate increases due to anxiety.

Asked about the ban, Ms Shanahan says she "understands, but I don't completely agree".

"It's a minority of the breed and their actions are now causing the majority of the breed to be judged - and I don't think that's fair."

She is concerned if a ban comes into place "Mars might not be able to do his job".

"He loves his job and he wouldn't have the same life without it.

"But the thing that worries me the most, is even though it's only been a week, he's already getting judged and people are already crossing the road, they're looking at him weird.

"On my journey up about half the people looked at him as if he was going to eat their faces - but he's not like that."

'Nobody's taking her off me'

Loretta Carson says her dog Annie got her out and about when she had cancer

"I'm here purely and simply to protect my dog," says Loretta Carson, who took on her 50kg (7.8 stone) XL bully 18 months ago.

Ms Carson, from Newport Pagnell near Milton Keynes, and her dog Annie are inseparable.

"I got cancer, so for five months I was at home," she says.

"I live on my own and she was just there 24/7 - so the bond we made in that time was wonderful.

"It got me up twice a day to walk her - she's my world."

Asked about the potential new laws and ban, she says: "I just want to be a step ahead in making sure I make the right choices for her not to be taken away from me.

"Yes, there's good and bad in everything and, yes, it's upsetting, but I understand they have to do something.

"It's not the dog, always, it's the way they're brought up. You've got to take responsibility [for] something that is that big and something had to be done."

She has also experienced negative comments when she is out and about with Annie.

"Even now, people shout at me, 'you should muzzle that dog', and I'm kind of like, yeah, not yet. I will, when it comes in, but I don't feel I need to just now.

"And I want her to get used to it, nicely, and when it does happen it's not going to be thrown on her, and make her feel sad.

"If we have to do that, it's what we've got to do. Nobody's taking her off me."

'Tarnishing the breed'

Laura Molloy and Bruce

Bruce is 15 months old and weighs 62kg (9.7 stone).

He has come from Northampton with owner Laura Molloy, who says with muzzle rules and a ban potentially looming, she "didn't want to put my dog in the situation of having worn no muzzle - to having to wear a muzzle".

"He's not a vicious or aggressive dog but I don't want to scare him."

Ms Molloy says that during a visit to a vet, Bruce barked "because he was scared" and the vet "forced a muzzle on him... so now when a muzzle goes near him, he barks - not aggressively - but he's scared again".

"Bruce is a family dog; he's the most loving dog I've ever had."

Hearing the recent news about XLs leaves her "absolutely distraught because you're tarnishing one breed for a few dogs that have been out of control".

"It's my choice to make sure my dog is trained and that's why we're here."

She says she will do "everything to keep him safe, and he will remain in my care, no matter what".