The next dangerous dog breed that Brits are likely to be turning to has been revealed – as the XL bully ban comes into effect.
Data also revealed the cities that were searching for dangerous dogs most online. The number of searches for XL bullies on online dog marketplace Puppies has dropped 47% in the last three months. Meanwhile searches for other breeds that can be aggressive if they’re not trained properly, have been on the rise.
Data was gathered by looking at searches across the country’s 50 most populous cities outside of London, allowing discovery of both the “next” dangerous breed and the places most eager for it.
READ MORE: Two out-of-control 'Bull breed' dogs shot by cops after mauling walker
For more XL Bully news, click here.
The data revealed that the Cane Corso was top of the list with 174,000 searches, followed by the Rottweiler with 84,000 searches with the German Shepherd in third with 77,000.
![Cane Corso](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article29855568.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_GettyImages-1291949432.jpg)
Cane Corso searches had increased by 36% while Rottweiler searches had jumped 35% in that three month period.
Also noted in the data were Staffies and Jack Russells for their potential to be aggressive if not properly trained. In terms of location, Leeds was found to be the top spot with 2,175 searches made for the sale of potentially aggressive dogs per 100,000 residents.
At 700 PSI, the bite of a Cane Corso is more powerful than a lion and according to Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, it's the second most powerful among dogs.
Manchester took second place with an average of 2,048 monthly searches while in third was Cambridge, with 1,704 searches per 100,000 residents.
![XL bullies have been being searched less often (stock)](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article31815932.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_xl-bully.jpg)
Speaking to the Daily Star, a spokesperson for Puppies said: “As we expected, our research suggests that many people are already moving on to other breeds that have aggressive tendencies. More needs to be done to ensure that pets are not just bought as status symbols and are trained properly.
“Proper training and responsible ownership will be the difference between another spike in dog attacks and people feeling safe to walk the streets and go to the park with their children without potentially being attacked by a dog that hasn’t been cared for properly.”
They added: “But more than that, it is a big wake-up call for breeders. They have a role to play too and need to ensure that the puppies they breed are going to responsible homes, especially if they have the potential to become aggressive.”
![Other breeds could take the place of the XL bully (stock)](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article31815946.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_Angry-Rottweiler.jpg)
This, they said, could come with a dangerous new precedent for some of these breeds: “We may start to see many of the dogs on this list being bred irresponsibly. Puppies that should have happy, healthy lives ahead of them may suffer from genetic diseases or psychological issues. This will, ultimately, put dog owners in a difficult position and pose a threat to the public.”
What of these breeds? Are they being vilified unfairly, or does more need to be done to keep them in check? “It is not fair to say that any dog is born to be aggressive. However, we cannot ignore the fact that some breeds have inherited tendencies that make aggressive behaviour more likely if not controlled. Not to mention, some dogs can do damage beyond a few scratches and pose a real risk to human life.”
“But that does not mean that dog owners have to avoid these breeds altogether. The only way to ensure that these pups do not face the same fate as the XL bully is to encourage responsible dog ownership. That means proper training, supervision and control.”
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