Owners of XL Bully dogs in Northamptonshire must keep them muzzled and on lead, in public
It's now also illegal to breed, abandon or give away one of these dogs
From today, all owners of American XL Bully dogs in Northamptonshire must make sure their pets are muzzled and on a lead, when in public.
With it now also illegal to breed, abandon or give away one of these dogs after the Government announced plans to ban them following a number of attacks.
"Most owners will struggle"
Chris Kent is the founder of the K9 project based in Cambridgeshire, which provides canine-assisted education and support.
She told us how dog owners will find the change hard:
"I think most of them will struggle enormously; responsible dog owners who've been training their dogs and trying to do the right thing will do anything possible to keep their dogs safe and alive," she said.
"Many dog owners will follow the ban because they'll want to keep their dog as part of their family.
"I think the dog owners that have caused these problems with XL Bullies in the first place are not likely to follow the ban because they'll do their best to avoid it.
"It has made humans more scared of dogs"
"I think it (the ban) has made humans much more scared of dogs not just XL Bullies but anything that looks a bit big," she said.
Damion Vincent is from 'Fetch Dog Walking and Training, based in the East.
He told us how dog owners can get their pets ready for the change:
"Get your dog used to having the muzzle placed in front of them. So, you can place their favourite food at the bottom the muzzle, and your dog is likely to smell the food and put their nose into the muzzle themselves.
"You don't want to fasten the muzzle then, you just want them to get used to the food and the sensation of the muzzle around their face.
"Once they are confident placing their nose in the muzzle- you can pass them treats through the the end of the muzzle.
"This will reward them for staying in position. Once your dog is happy with the sound of the snap of the fastening of the muzzle and happy with keeping their nose in the muzzle for longer- you can then fasten the muzzle.
"You can this while feeding them a treat through a gap and then remove the muzzle straight away. You can then keep it on for long periods.
"When your dog is comfortable with the fastened muzzle- you can move around again. Keep your dog active and feed them treat throughout and that will actually get them used to moving around with the muzzle on."
"Just treat it like you would any other dog"
He told us people should do if they meet one of these dogs out and about:
"Just treat it like you would any other dog, in public. If you see the owners do some training with the dog- the best thing is to give them some distance, so they can focus on their work.
To keep an XL Bully dog it must be:
-Microchipped
-Kept on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public
-Kept in a secure place so it cannot escape
-Neutered
As the owner, you must also:
-Be over 16 years old
-Take out third party public liability insurance against your dog injuring other people
-Be able to show the Certificate of Exemption when asked by a police officer or a council dog warden, either at the time or within 5 days