On May 4, 2021, Nikki Phillippi and her husband, Dan Phillippi used the video-sharing platform known as YouTube to announce that they had put down their Bull Terrier, Bowser, for biting their son Logan.
Nikki Phillippi (born May 14, 1987) is a content creator, YouTube, Instagram, and all-around social media influencer who is best known to the public for her lifestyle and Christian-related content on various social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram.
After the announcement, Nikki Phillippi, who is not a stranger to controversy, received heavy online backlash for a decision that was tagged inhumane and unfair by most members of the public. This article focuses on the influencer’s dog saga and everything that led to her decision to put the dog down.
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Nikki Phillippi’s dog, Bowser was a Bull Terrier
We don’t exactly know when or how Nikki Phillipi adopted Bowser in the first place, but Bowser spent 9 years with the family before the decision to put him down after he had bitten the influencer’s son, Logan. Another irrevocably clear fact is the fact that Bowser was a Bull Terrier.
In general, the Bull Terrier is a member of the terrier family dogs and is a mix of the Bulldog and the Old English Terrier which were bred into suitable family dogs and show terriers. While they are primarily family pets, they may not work for certain families, especially novice dog owners, families with other pets, and little kids due to their tendency to be aggressive. In regard to aggression then, obedience training and careful socialization in their early life stages are essential requirements.
Facts About the Bull Terrier
The rugged, powerful and aggressive tendency does not entirely negate the fact that Bull Terriers can also be gentle, affectionate, playful, and less volatile to family members than their ancestors. Their tough, powerful nature often expresses itself in their stocky build. A classic Bull Terrier often manifests in two categories, standard, and miniature. A standard male bull terrier can reach up to 22 inches in height with a weight of around 29 kg (65 lbs), likewise, a standard female of the same breed can grow up to 21 inches in height and weigh around 25 kg (55 lbs).
The miniature male bull terrier can grow up to 14 inches in height and weigh around 15 kg (33 lbs) while the female miniature bull terrier can grow up to 13 inches with a weight of around 11 kg (24 lbs). The physical features of a bull terrier include naturally upright ears, long faces, egg-shaped heads which are flat on top, small, dark, and close-set eyes, a broad body, a short and strong back, and a medium-length tail. The bull terrier has a short and dense coat and can come in various colors, including white, red, black, fawn, or brindle.
Bull terriers require proper care and supervision. Their tendency to become overweight means that owners must take care not to overfeed them. This dog breed also requires the day-to-day exercise of up to 40 minutes due to its very high energy level. Failure in this aspect can make your bull terrier dangerous and destructive. The bull terrier has a low drool tendency, low tendency to snore, low tendency to bark, and a low tendency to dig.
Lastly, an average bull terrier is expected to live for up to 14 years, depending on the circumstances of its life and how much care and attention it receives from the owner.
Why did Nikki Phillippi put her dog down?
Nikki Phillippi, in tandem with her husband, Dan Phillippi, made what one can almost be certain, is the rather difficult decision to put down their 9-year-old bull terrier known as Bowser McTrowsen. This painful decision came on the back of the dog’s life-threatening attack on the couple’s then one-year-old son, Logan.
According to Nikki Phillippi, Bowser had started exhibiting more of his aggressive side over time which had resulted in the loss of valuable property as time went on. The couple could no longer put up with his behavior and felt it was time to let the dog go. It should be noted that euthanization was not Nikki’s and her husband’s first choice. As a matter of fact, the couple had tried to find a new home for Bowser but had been told it was an improbable task by the humane society they consulted.
After a lot of consultation similar to the one they had with the humane society, the couple took to YouTube, on May 3rd, 2021, to release a video announcing Bowser’s passing through a process known as euthanization. The love and affection they had for the dog led to the couple inviting an anesthesiologist and overseeing the process in their backyard. All these happened after they had given Bowser a dream last day which included much-needed quality time.
Nikki Phillippi was criticized for her actions after she returned to social media
Following the YouTube video she made with her husband, Nikki Phillippi decided to take a two-month break from social media. It was a decision she made to regain her mental health balance which she said was disrupted by the backlash she received for her decision to put down her bull terrier.
The YouTuber claimed she received death threats and was called a lot of unprintable names for a decision that was difficult for her. Explaining what happened in a follow-up interview, Nikki’s husband, Dan, clearly stated that the attack on their son resulted from the fact that he snatched Bowser’s food. Dan also said that Logan had shown some aggression to the dog after hurting his ear in an earlier incident.
Bowser’s loving and gentle personality allegedly changed after he was also attacked by Nikki Phillippi’s parents’ bull terrier. The birth of their son also made it a challenge to look after Bowser and this led to his less than stellar behavior.
If there is one issue that gets social media users riled up, it’s the issue of dogs, and putting down their dog exposed the Phillippis to plenty of backlashes. They were criticized for a lot of things, including Dan’s reference to the movie Old Yeller in the video. They were also criticized for having a photo shoot with the dog before sending him to his death.
To top it all off, a petition to de-monetize the couple’s YouTube channels began circulating online after they made the video and it garnered more than 12,000 signatures. Nikki Phillippi expected the backlash they got for their actions but reiterated the fact that no one was as upset as she and her husband.