September 28, 2024, 1:46 pm | Read time: 8 minutes
XXLBalu is not just an American Bully XL but also one of Germany’s most successful pet influencers. On TikTok alone, more than a million followers track the daily life of Balu and his owner Flo from Hamburg. In 2021, the popular duo even won the audience award at the German Petfluencer Awards.
XXLBalu from Hamburg is quite a sight. The American Bully XL stands at an impressive 73 centimeters at the shoulder and weighs nearly 70 kilos. But that’s not the only reason this large dog turns heads: XXLBalu is one of Germany’s best-known pet influencers. His videos have been viewed millions of times and have garnered over 42 million likes on TikTok alone.
PETBOOK spoke with owner Flo at the Pawlooza dog festival about his very special dog and the things he wishes he had known before getting the Bully.
“That was probably one of my biggest mistakes”
PETBOOK: How did you come to have Balu?
Flo: “I’ve wanted a dog like this my whole life. My family always had dogs, so I became a real dog person. I always wanted a Pitbull or a Bull Terrier; that was my teenage dream. But my mother was strictly against having such a dog in the house. As an adult, I never had time for a dog due to work. When I finally could, I wanted to get a Stafford or Pitbull, but it was complicated with the breed list—especially here in Hamburg and other states.
So I looked for alternatives and came across the Bully. However, I didn’t know that it was also on the list, as the Bully is considered a mix of Pitbulls. I searched the market for months and eventually found Balu with a breeder.”
“I spent between 25,000 and 30,000 euros on Balu’s health”
In our preliminary conversation, you mentioned that there were some important things you didn’t know about the breed before getting Balu. What exactly?
“First, I didn’t know that Bullies are on the breed list. That’s something that’s not really communicated, which is a shame. Many people buy such dogs without knowing that mixes of certain breeds also fall into the same category as the parent breeds. That was probably one of my biggest mistakes.
Additionally, I didn’t inform myself enough about how to properly raise large breeds. I thought a dog is a dog, but there are big differences between raising a small or large dog. With large dogs, you have to be careful not to let them play too much in the first few months and not overfeed them so they grow joint-friendly. There are many things to consider to ensure the dog leads a healthy life in the long term.”
You also mentioned health aspects that are often not discussed. What experiences have you had, and what did that mean financially for you?
“I spent between 25,000 and 30,000 euros on Balu’s health. The high veterinary costs are mainly due to the size of the dog. Everything is more expensive, from medications to treatments. For example, if my mother’s dog, a small Tibetan Terrier, and Balu had the same illness, my mother would pay 30 euros for antibiotics, but I would pay 120 euros because Balu is so large. Vaccinations, tick treatments, everything costs more.”
“One should be aware that the costs for large dogs are much higher than for small dogs”
But that wasn’t all, was it?
“No, Balu also had two cruciate ligament tears, which were very expensive—including aftercare and physiotherapy. I was glad to get away with 6,000 to 7,000 euros. He also had other illnesses, like diarrhea or colds, and I always had to pay three times as much because the medications are weight-dependent.
Additionally, Balu has a grain intolerance, which is typical for this breed. That also cost me a lot of money because I didn’t know for a long time what was causing his rashes and visited several clinics. Overall, I’ve probably already invested between 25,000 and 30,000 euros in veterinary costs. It was a mix of genetic predispositions and just bad luck.”
So you’ve not only had to deal with the normal costs for large dogs but also many health issues with Balu.
“Exactly, one should definitely be aware that the costs for large dogs are much higher than for small dogs. You should always have a financial buffer. I was lucky that I could afford it through my work. But if you have little financial leeway, a large dog could be a real challenge. Of course, there are also healthy dogs, but you should be prepared.”
“Balu triggers inner panic in many people”
Why did you decide against health insurance?
“At first, I didn’t think much about it and was quite naive. When he was almost a year old, he had his first cruciate ligament tear. From that point on, the insurance would have become very expensive. So I decided to set aside the money I would have paid for insurance and cover the veterinary costs out of pocket. In hindsight, it might have made sense to insure him early before he had health problems. Because once the dog has something, it’s hard to get good terms with the insurance companies.”
Balu is now eight years old and has had two cruciate ligament tears and now also arthritis. You mentioned he gets a monthly injection for it. What experiences have you had with that?
“Yes, Librela is really great. The first six months it worked wonderfully. Balu was running around like a young dog again. However, I noticed with the last injection that the effect didn’t last as long. It could be because I’ve been pushing him a lot lately, or the body might have developed some immunity to the drug. I read online that in such cases, you should take a break before giving the injection again. What I particularly appreciate about this monthly injection is that it doesn’t break down through the organs like other painkillers.”
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“70 percent of reactions are positive, 20 percent are afraid, and 10 percent react really negatively”
You mentioned that in some states, the American Bully is considered a listed dog. How do people react when they see you?
“The reactions are very mixed. Many people are afraid, especially those who already have respect or fear of dogs. Balu triggers inner panic in these people. But on the other hand, he also attracts many people. When we walk through the city, we’re constantly approached, people ask what kind of dog he is and if they can pet him. I’d say 70 percent of the reactions are positive, 20 percent are afraid, and 10 percent react really negatively, with derogatory comments or suspicious looks.”
Apart from the prejudice that listed dogs are particularly aggressive, are there other prejudices you regularly encounter?
“Not really. Many have a different image of me as an owner because it’s often said that only a certain ‘clientele’ keeps such dogs—as a status symbol. But Balu is not a status symbol for me; he’s a family member. If someone were to attack me, which luckily hasn’t happened yet, Balu probably wouldn’t defend me. He was raised to be completely gentle, doesn’t bite back, and would rather run away. I think that’s good; he has a certain coolness that I’ve encouraged.”
How lucrative is the work as a pet influencer for XXLBalu
You’ve achieved an enormous reach with your videos, over 45 million likes. Why do you think people like your content?
“I think it’s Balu’s nature that fascinates people. Many have a preconceived notion of his breed, and then they see how gentle he actually is. He’s big and strong, but at the same time a total cuddle bear. People also appreciate that we don’t sugarcoat anything. I show in our videos when we have problems, and we discuss them in the community. We have a great community that talks openly about everything, and I think that goes over well because it’s authentic.”
A question many are interested in: Do you earn a lot of money with the channel, or is it more about product testing?
“We’ve never really accepted advertising offers. We’ve only tested products that we really found useful, like indestructible chew bones, because Balu destroys every toy. We haven’t done it commercially, which probably also contributed to the success. I do it for fun, not for financial reasons. Likes are like a reward for the work I put in.”