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Is there a thread about the poor 5 week old baby yet? [warning, distressing content]

197 replies

thewinehasgonetomyhead · 14/12/2018 11:07

Standing in the kitchen with my two DD almost in tears:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-46565175

OP posts:
knittedmouse · 14/12/2018 12:10

Forget the breed argument.

How about, dogs can be a dangerous species due to them being descended from wolves. No matter how cute and anthropomorphised they are, they're a predator species and animals sometimes revert to type depending upon how they're triggered.

MamaLovesMango · 14/12/2018 12:12

Yes brizzle because Pit Bulls are a banned breed. Do you understand probabilities? There are more SBTs owned than Pit Bulls and with dog attack’s being a rare occurance, it will always be more likely that a SBT will be involved than a Pit Bull. Add into that SBTs are an overbread breed so there are higher numbers of SBTs against other breeds of dog. As I previously said, if you look at articles from 20 years ago, you just need to replace SBT with GSD.

It’s a complicated situation, not as easy as SBTs are dangerous.

sallysummer · 14/12/2018 12:13

Plus it's pretty hard for a pit bull to kill in this country, seeing as they're a banned breed.

and nobody has a banned breed do they? Between 2013-2016 the police seized nearly 5000 dogs that were banned breeds.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

anniehm · 14/12/2018 12:13

I'm no fan of staffies, one attacked my ddog as a 12 week old pup and consequently he doesn't really trust other dogs, however no dog should be left unattended with small children, I wouldn't even trust mine despite him being very good with my nephew and being a soft mouthed breed (killing the sheep doesn't make for a good sheepdog!). Stop blaming dogs when it's irresponsible owners and breeders

Lovemusic33 · 14/12/2018 12:13

Knitted I agree, people should not allow dogs near babies, they are animals after all and all dogs cat attack. If I have young children visit my house I put my dog in another room, I’m pretty sure she would never hurt anyone but it’s just not worth the risk and it should be the same with any breed.

NotAColdWomanHenry · 14/12/2018 12:14

It's often unclear because the Staffie is classed as a pit bull along with the banned pit bulls, and pit bulls in general come top for attacks and fatalities. But they are definitely one of the most likely breeds to attack and to kill.

dangerous dogs

"The rise in the attacks coincides with the exemption of Staffordshire pit bulls from the Dangerous Dogs Act."

Of course staffies can be lovely and are known for being great with kids. That doesn't change the fact that any dog can attack, for various reasons, and in that situation, a dog with massive powerful jaws, that is trained to hunt, fight and lock on, is going to attack worse and cause the most damage.

These threads always have so many black and white views on them, but it seems obvious to me that it's both. A dog will be much less likely to attack if their well supervised, trained and socialised - of course. But B when that doesn't happen, it is also a breed issue because when they do attack (which staffies sometimes do, sorry but that's a fact) then certain breeds are more dangerous.

The Jack Russell is statistically the most likely breed to bite, but because it's small, it's much, much less likely to end in a fatality than with a staffie.

DeloresJaneUmbridge · 14/12/2018 12:15

As a midwife and health visitor I always reminded parents that it wasn't safe to leave a defenceless baby with any dog.

The number of parents who say "oh he wouldn't hurt a fly" is shocking.

It's any dog...not just Staffies (if this was a Staffie. It's not the firat time they've got it wrong).

FWIW my sister has always owned Staffies. All have been beautiful dogs great with her older children. This may be down to sheer luck or more likely because she's a good owner who takes her dogs from puppies through to old age.

It's not safe to leave a baby alone with any dog. They are animals with animal instincts. We don't always appreciate or understand this. Dogs are instinct led and not rational. You can train them but not overcome the most basic stuff.

MamaLovesMango · 14/12/2018 12:15

Yes eddie they have. I just did a quick google. Lots to read online from suffocation to contracting bartonella from a scratch or a bite. A few old fashioned maulings too.

NotAColdWomanHenry · 14/12/2018 12:16

Also the "staffies are great with kids" narrative, while it may often be true, maybe doesn't help as it will encourage people to have staffies around kids and assume it's not a risk.

Wordthe · 14/12/2018 12:18

Horrific

Lovemusic33 · 14/12/2018 12:20

Breeding should be banned unless you have a licence to breed, it would solve a lot of issues. Dogs are often seen as a fashion accessory, Staffs were overbred and a lot ended up in rehomming centres (most are lovely dogs), things have moved on since then and there seem to be less of them but more huskie type breeds as it became cool to have dog that looks like a wolve, there are loads in rehoming centres and I see a lot of posts on Fb complaining about them attacking other dogs, 30 years ago it was rotti’s and Doberman’s (you don’t see many now).

Plopchops · 14/12/2018 12:22

I have a pug cross, she has never ever so much as growled at a human...cats, other dogs, squirrels but is a huge softy around people. That being said she is NEVER left unattended with any children. The risk is just not worth it.

Just this summer my little girl was bitten in the face by a mini staff cross. It was 5 and never attacked anyone. Obviously owners and ourselves were shocked and I have to look at the scars everyday and be thankful it is just 2 small scars on her face and nothing worse.

I am not jumping on the 'breed' bandwagon because I truly believe that any dog is capable of it.

Deadringer · 14/12/2018 12:24

I am sick to death of shit parents not caring for their poor defenseless babies. I am also fed up of seeing videos/photos on Facebook of dogs and babies curled up alseep together, or tiny kids giving huge dogs treats, or dogs licking the face of a tiny baby. It's not fucking cute, it's sickening! Dogs are animals, and even the best trained, most beloved animals shouldn't be trusted with tiny humans. Angry

Stringofpearls · 14/12/2018 12:24

I read about this this morning, really really sad, poor little thing.

Lovemusic33 · 14/12/2018 12:24

Plop I was bit in the face as a child by my friends springer spaniel Sad, my daughter loves to stroke dogs but I don’t let her get too close, you never know how a dog will react.

amusedbush · 14/12/2018 12:25

I have owned a staffie and I know several people who have had staffs their whole lives and every dog has been a big soft lump of a dog.

I now have a Jack Russell, who is an arsehole of a dog. He doesn't like children (or old men, or other dogs...) and thankfully DH and I do not want children because there's no WAY I would trust him around a baby.

WhyDontYouComeOnOver · 14/12/2018 12:28

The rise in the attacks coincides with the exemption of Staffordshire pit bulls from the Dangerous Dogs Act

Ah right. So the rise in generic dog attacks is directly relatable to a group of people sitting in a room discussing the dangerous dogs act?

OK then.

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 14/12/2018 12:29

Not to be blunt, but for everyone who says “I never leave my toddler/small child alone with the dog”- well, that’s irrelevant isn’t it? Because if a reasonably sized dog (like a staff or Rottweiler etc) decides to go for a baby the only difference to whether they’re being supervised or not is that you’d get to watch it happen.

Doesn’t mean to say that dogs can’t live safely in a family home with young children or babies, but people need to use common sense.

Just this week a FB friend shared a picture of her five week old in her bouncer on the living room floor with her two Rottweiler with their heads resting on the top on the bouncer looking at the baby. If anything happened in that situation the blame would unfairly be on the two dogs instead of their muppet of an owner.

Wordthe · 14/12/2018 12:29

Of course any dog is capable of attacking but the severity of the attack depends on how powerful the dog is

Plopchops · 14/12/2018 12:31

@Lovemusic33 It is so awful. My DD was actually really brave, wanted to go back and make friends with the doggy. But I am not totally paranoid and blame myself for letting her be around an unknown dog. It happened right in front of my face and re-living it just makes me even more concerned about her being around other dogs.

She will ask people if their dogs are friendly but in general now she stays clear. It is a big reality check that they are animals after all and we can never know what they are thinking.

starcrossedseahorse · 14/12/2018 12:34

Why I agree with all of your points apart from the 'sprock' comment!

As a working spaniel owner of many years standing I can tell you that sprockers are a recognised cross in the shooting world and have been around for many, many years. Nothing to do with the current trend for crossing a poodle with anything that moves and selling it for a ridiculous price.

Just putting in a word on behalf of my retired 17 year old sprocker!

EwItsAHooman · 14/12/2018 12:34

Breeding should be banned unless you have a licence to breed, it would solve a lot of issues. Dogs are often seen as a fashion accessory,

I agree. I also think there should be restrictions on so-called designer breeds and dogs should only be crossbred if the two breeds are compatible or for genetic diversity (e.g., breeding out health problems associated with specific breeds). There should be an education awareness campaign around responsible dog ownership which promotes effective training, proper healthcare, good habits, and safety.

Wordthe · 14/12/2018 12:35

Oh yes the Facebook baby and rottweiler picture 🙄
what exactly is the message being sent out here?
People show their best side on Facebook the thing that they are proud of, presumably she is not saying 'my baby is so worthless that I give my rottweiler opportunities to eat it'?

perhaps she's saying 'look at my perfect little family, my fur baby and my human baby love each other'

Is she saying I am proud to be a dog owner and I am such a good dog owner, my skill with dogs is so great my knowledge of dog psychology so extensive that I know with absolute certainty that my very powerful attack dog would never ever harm my baby.

Yes I think that's it she is saying, I am so powerful and so good at what I do that I'm in total control of this impressive looking beast
go me

WhyDontYouComeOnOver · 14/12/2018 12:36

@starcrossed - Fair enough, I'm talking about "designer" breeds sold online for a thousand pound rather than working dogs crossed for a purpose.

cadburysflake · 14/12/2018 12:36

I got shot down on here a few months ago for saying that I didn't think that ANY dogs should be trusted around babies and young children. I stand by what I said. I got called the c word for suggesting that once a dog has bitten anyone it should be put to sleep. Why risk it?

It breaks my heart that small babies and children end up with serious injuries or worse because of stupid people who allow such dangerous animals (when I say dangerous animals I mean any dog) to be left unsupervised with babies and children.

That poor poor baby.

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