05-02-2025
XL bully-style ‘muscle' dogs sold for discount after ban
XL bully-style 'muscle' dogs are being sold for discounted prices following a government ban.
Eleven of the 14 'muscle' dog breeds such as
There were fears that fans of the banned XL bully would switch to the cane corso, a mastiff which has been dubbed 'the XL on steroids'.
But buyers have also abandoned the Italian mastiff breed, which can weigh up to eight stone, and has become a favourite among Premier League footballers and
Its latest Pet Industry Report, drawing on UK-wide data from more than seven million pet listings, said: 'There is no evidence that cane corsos are picking up supply or demand following [the] XL bully ban.'
Researchers found the average price for an XL bully fell by 9.5 per cent in the run-up to the ban, while the typical cost of a cane corso dropped by 11.4 per cent, from £818 to £725, between 2023 and last year.
While the cane corso, which is not a recognised pedigree dog breed in the UK and therefore ineligible for
Overall, year on year, 86 per cent of muscle dog breeds including the American bully, cane corso,
The XL bully
XL bullies have been blamed for at least 17
It is now a
'Many buyers wrongly viewed having muscle dogs as a status symbol and often – most unwisely – believed that having such a dog would be good for personal security.
'Many feared that [after the ban] these buyers would simply turn to other similar dogs like the cane corso. That would have been unfortunate as these dogs need large open spaces, are extremely powerful and have some innate characteristics that need to be carefully trained and policed.'
Fans of the cane corso include Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison and his England team-mate
Mr Lagercrantz added: 'We are glad to see that many potential buyers are now educated about having a powerful dog in a domestic space with children.
'With public opinion moving away from muscle dogs, this has also made people wary of encountering them in social spaces or walking their dogs near them, which has also reduced demand among buyers.
'We always advise consumers to thoroughly research any dog before purchase.
'Choosing a pet that is suitable to their home and actual lifestyle, not one which projects an image on social media.'
