Q&A: What exactly are XL bully dogs and how dangerous are they?

The dog involved in the attack was destroyed, and three other dogs at the property were seized by the Limerick County Council dog warden.

XL bully dogs are not a specific breed in and of themselves, rather they are the largest of the American bully breed, which can also include the pocket bully and standard bully. 

XL bullys are is thought to have been bred from a number of breeds including the American pit bull terrier. 

Dogs are generally considered XL bullys if they are of a minimum height, and display a number of other characteristics.

XL bullys are large dogs with muscular bodies and large heads. Male XL bullys stand around 51cm high at the shoulder. Females are usually slightly smaller – about 48cm or so. 

The UK government describes these dogs as having “heavy, muscular, slightly arched” necks, which taper from the shoulders to the base of the skull and a “large, blocky body giving impression of great power for size”. 

Why are they viewed as being dangerous?

There is extensive debate about whether the XL bully is dangerous, and if so, why. 

The UK government banned the dogs in England and Wales in 2023 as a result of the “disproportionate” amount of deaths they were involved in since 2021.

According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, there were 16 deaths as a result of dog attacks in the UK in 2023, the last year for which data on the matter is available. 

In 2022 and 2023, there were 9,200 hospital admissions for dog bites in England, according to the NHS. 

It should be noted that though some groups have linked the XL bully to a sizable percentage of these incidents, neither dataset includes information on specific breeds.

XL bullys are very strong dogs with a powerful bite. Once they bite something, they tend not to let it go. Their strength and size means any attacks or bites involving them are more likely to be serious. 

There have been some previous incidents involving the dogs in Ireland, including one in which a nine-year-old boy was savaged by an XL bully in Waterford in November 2022. The dog's owners were subsequently jailed in March of this year. 

Some campaign groups believe XL bullys to be inherently dangerous, and claim that unscrupulous breeding may exaggerate behaviours in the dogs such as aggression.

However, many other groups and dog charities oppose bans and restrictions on the dogs, saying breed-specific bans do not work and are unfair on responsible dog owners and their pets. 

What is their legal status in Ireland?

An American XL bully dog outdoors on a lead held by the owner. File Picture

Unlike the UK, there aren’t technically any breeds of dogs banned in Ireland. There is however a Restricted Breed List (RBL). At present, there are 11 breeds on the list.

They are:

American Pit Bull Terrier  English Bull Terrier  Staffordshire Bull Terrier  Bull Mastiff  Dobermann Pinscher Rottweiler German Shepherd (Alsatian) Rhodesian Ridgeback Japanese Akita Japanese Tosa Ban dog – a so called “ban-dog” is a cross or mixture of any of the above breeds mentioned or any strain of the above dogs listed

XL bullys are not specifically on the list. 

Per the The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 (S.I. No. 442 of 1998), anyone with one of these breeds must ensure:

the dog is securely muzzled in public;  it is on a short lead (less than 2 metres) and which should be “sufficiently strong” or a chain. The dog is wearing a collar at all times with the name, address and personal information of the owner on it. And the dog is only be led by people over the age of 16. 

How likely is it the list of restricted dogs will be extended?

The Government recently established a group, chaired by retired Deputy Garda Commissioner John Twomey, to examinine the area of increased dog controls and restricted breeds. 

Rural and Community Development Minister Heather Humphreys said on Wednesday she expected the group to report back to her with findings this Autumn. 

"I've asked them [the group] to look at whether we should follow the example in Northern Ireland in the UK and what I can clearly say is if they recommend to me that we should ban a particular breed, I'm happy to do that," Ms Humphreys said.