A Cotswold family’s American XL Bully is so soft she was attacked by a Jack Russell.
16-month-old Isla is loved by locals in the village of Minchinhampton, near Stroud, Gloucestershire – with people of all ages stopping to pet her on daily walks.
Owner Kaylee Hankins, 32, said the family pet is adored by sons Harley, 7, and Leo, 14, who cuddle up with her on the sofa every morning before school.
Describing Isla as an “amazingly loyal family companion”, she told how she was pounced on by an off-lead Jack Russell a few months ago.
The small terrier hit into the XL Bully at full speed, causing her to tumble to the ground. She cowered down petrified as it barked, and didn’t retaliate.
Beauty therapist Kaylee hit out at irresponsible owners, who “let an amazing breed down” by training them to be aggressive or failing to train them at all.
She said: “I’ve heard of people using growth hormones to get them bigger, cross-breeding them with bigger breeds and training them to be aggressive because they want the image of a big scary dog.
“But they are not scary. They get into the wrong hands; I feel like some owners have let an amazing breed down.
“It’s awful for the victims that suffered in the attacks of XL Bullies, but again, these dogs have been improperly trained by careless owners.”
Kaylee said Isla was “very easy to train” and hasn’t ever shown a hint of aggression.
“Harley was home all the time when we got Isla as a puppy. They are best friends now. As soon as he comes down in the morning, they cuddle up on the sofa together – they are pretty inseparable.
“She comes on the school run every day and is greeted by all sorts of dogs and people of all ages.
“Everyone around here adores her – she’s like the famous dog of Minchinhampton. If I’ve not got her with me, they all ask where she is. We’ve even had people stop their cars and jump out to see her, people we don’t know.
“The postman knocks at the door just to say hello to her, even if he doesn’t have any post for us. Isla loves him.
“Leo often takes Isla out on his own and looks after her all day – he’s good as gold with her.”
Kaylee doesn’t support the government’s proposed ban on XL Bully dogs – but says she would support a licencing system.
“I don’t believe banning the breed will work, people will work around the law. I’d be happy to get her assessed and get a licence.
“I think it’s cruel to class my dog as a dangerous dog when she’s not a dangerous dog.
“You would be putting my dog into the same category as killer dogs — when she’s far from it. She is an amazingly loyal family companion.
“I know quite a few XL Bullies; her sister lives about ten minutes from us. My partner’s brother has one too.
“I’ve never heard of any incidents around here with them, they are all like Isla, friendly – as she should be.
“If they ban her, she’ll have to wear a muzzle out in public and it will give the impression she’s a dangerous dog when she’s not.”
Here’s what happened when journalist Daniel Jae Webb met Isla in person:
