XL Bully Ban Sparks Rise Of A 'Killing Machine' 50 Kg Dog Breed In Britain

XL Bully dogs, now illegal to own in the UK without an exemption certificate, are being replaced by dog enthusiasts with an even more dangerous breed: the Cane Corso. This powerful Italian mastiff, which can weigh up to 50kg, descends from ancient Roman war dogs and is traditionally used as a guard dog, according to The Metro. Some experts even refer to it as a "killing machine" due to its strength and protective instincts.

As per the news portal, from Love Island's Jack Fincham to footballer Marcus Rashford, the breed is becoming more popular than ever before. The breed is fully legal in the UK and isn't subject to the same restrictions as XL bullies. There aren't any official numbers showing how many cane corsos are in the UK - the Kennel Club doesn't recognise the breed, for instance - but canine behaviour specialists say they're seeing the dogs more frequently.

Rob Alleyne, who runs the Canine Instructor Academy in Suffolk, told the Times that he and colleagues are seeing cane corsos more often, describing them as 'like an XL bully on steroids'.

He said: "It's a killing machine and they've become much more popular now. The ban on XL bullies has just pushed people towards an even worse dog that doesn't need to be registered and God help us if they become too popular.I certainly know my trainees are now seeing more cane corso dogs in their own training classes than they used to."

"I just think it's history repeating itself. We saw it happen with the pitbull terrier. When they banned the pitbull terrier, what did we get? We got a dog far more dangerous than the pitbull terrier. They just made a new one worse than the preceding one: the XL bully. And then if we ban the cane corso, people will just go out and get something else."

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Bill Lambert, a spokesman for the Kennel Club, told The Metro: "Lots of families enjoy owning larger breeds or types of dogs, and many may now be looking for a pet that is broadly similar to an XL bully but not a banned type, without any ill intentions. Any dog can make a wonderful family pet if bred, trained and socialised properly - and with a larger dog, owners need to really understand their pet's size, strength and exercise needs and be able to accommodate these responsibly."

"Sadly however, any large or powerful dog can also appeal to those who wish to train a dog for illicit purposes, and banning breeds can move these people on to other breeds - or indeed new types of dogs that are outside of the law."