Arsenal footballer David Raya training XL bully to guard his property

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya is being guarded by an XL bully dog after the homes of some footballers were targeted by criminals, it has been reported.

The 28-year-old Spaniard has reportedly hired experts to train the dog, called Goku, to protect his property, according to The Sun.

It comes just weeks after it became a criminal offence to own an XL bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate – any unregistered pets can be seized and the owners fined and prosecuted.

Raya and his girlfriend, Tatiana Trouboul, have an exemption certificate for the dog, which lives in a secure cage with them at their home in north London, The Sun reported.

The breed was added to the Dangerous Dogs Act on 31 October last year following a spate of attacks. Further restrictions mean the pets must be muzzled and kept on a lead in public.

A number of Premier League footballers’ homes have been raided by burglars and criminal gangs in recent times, including the Cheshire mansion of Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.

A spokesperson from Elite Protection Dogs, the firm hired to train Goku, told the newspaper the player has had the one-year-old pet since it was a puppy.

The company added: “We are training Goku on a long-term contract.

“Everyone with XL bullys is worried. But David is a responsible owner, he wants to be responsible with him.”

Read more:
Woman dies after being mauled by ‘XL bully’ dogs
Large bulldog-type dog shot dead by police
Banning bully dogs will not reduce attacks – experts

Around 40,000 of the large bulldog-type American breed are believed to have been registered before the 1 February exemption certificate deadline.

Police chiefs have urged members of the public to report any XL bully owners not following the rules.

On 24 February, a ban on the sale of the dogs came into force in Scotland.