I’m an expert dog trainer – there’s a breed I’d never own…here’s why they’re so dangerous

A veteran dog trainer has revealed the breeds he would never own and why they are so dangerous.

Dog handler Colin Tennant said that unfortunately certain dogs are bred for owners who want them to be vicious.

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It follows a spate of horrific dog attacks across the country, with police seeing a spike in abuse over the past five years.

And Colin says that a breed often aims to be “bred irresponsibly” rather than being sensibly raised and socialized at the right age.

American Bullies originated in the 1980s and are mixed bulldogs: an American pit bull terrier crossed with American, English, and Old English bulldogs.

But American Bully XLs are now considered statement dogs by some people who, according to Colin, believe “the scarier the dog, the better.”

Colin told The times: “A puppy can cost £2,500, making him lucrative for inexperienced breeders who will breed him in large numbers for a hefty payout.”

“They are irresponsibly bred with exaggerated traits: to be more muscular, to have thicker necks or larger heads and jaws, or to be more aggressive.”

And he warned that if these dogs are raised in poor environments and aren’t properly socialized as puppies, “owners will find they can’t control their dog’s aggressiveness by the time they reach puberty.”

Colin spoke about his own experience with American bulldogs and how dangerous they can be – especially for those with less experience.

He continued, “It all boils down to one thing: dogs with a low trigger point and the physical strength to kill.”

“About eight years ago I had two American bulldogs in my kennel.

“They had bitten a number of people. Even though I got along with them and they never attacked me, all I had to do was move in a certain way to put them into attack mode.”

“I didn’t let any of my employees near her. I ended up having to put them down because they were too aggressive.”

“To me, housing these dogs would be tantamount to leaving poison for a child near the house.”

Colin added that it’s important to note that other dogs can still bite.

He said: “That doesn’t mean other breeds don’t bite – all dogs can. But when American tyrants attack, the result can often be devastating.”

And the canine expert noted that if you ban an aggressive breed, people would just start breeding another new “aggressive ‘designer’ breed.”

The Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 currently bans four breeds: the pit bull terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Fila Brasiliero, and the Dogo Argentino.

Jonathan Hogg, 37, was beaten to death by an American XL bully earlier this week.

Armed police officers desperately tried to get the dog under control, but he was humanely killed due to the “significant danger” he posed to the public.

Nearly 9,000 people a year are hospitalized with serious dog bites – up from 7,500 in 2017 – at an estimated cost to the NHS of £71million.

A baby was born on Thursday rushed to the hospital with serious injuries after being attacked by a dog in Aldingbourne, Chichester.

In January this year, four-year-old Alice Stones died after being attacked by a dog in her back garden in Milton Keynes.

Meanwhile, another dog expert warned against adopting an American XL Bully as a pet.

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