 and are strong enough to overpower an adult. This weekend's incident was the latest involving the breed and they have been involved in several fatal attacks. Home Secretary Suella Braverman is now calling for the dog to be outlawed, and said on Sunday that she had taken urgent advice on the matter. Owners, however, insist that despite their fearsome appearance and build, the dogs make loveable household pets. American bullies are said to have originated in the US in the late 1980s, when American pit bull terriers and American Staffordshire terriers were crossed. They have been crossed with other breeds to create an even more muscular dog. The United Kennel Club in the US says that an American bully "makes an excellent family dog". "Despite its powerful appearance their demeanour is gentle and friendly," it says, but also notes that "dog aggression is characteristic of this breed". There are four variations: standard, pocket, classic and XL. The American bully is regarded as a specific breed in the US. However it is not recognised as such by the main British dog associations, such as the Kennel Club. Bully Watch, a group of London-based policy experts, told BBC News the breed first appeared in the UK "around 2014 or 2015", and that numbers grew rapidly during the pandemic. "Lots of people started buying with the intention of breeding," a spokesperson said. "There's models of co-ownership where you get the dog for free but the dealer gets to breed from it." American bullies have been involved in several high-profile attacks. In April, a 65-year-old grandmother was killed after she tried to break up a fight between her two Ameri){kind=link}
An attack this weekend on a young girl and two men by an American bully dog has reignited debate over whether the breed should be banned.
The largest type, the American bully XL, can weigh more than nine stone (60kg) and are strong enough to overpower an adult.
This weekend’s incident was the latest involving the breed and they have been involved in several fatal attacks.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman is now calling for the dog to be outlawed, and said on Sunday that she had taken urgent advice on the matter.
Owners, however, insist that despite their fearsome appearance and build, the dogs make loveable household pets.