My dsis is leaving 11mo unattended with a Rottweiler

[HeffalumpsDaughter]

Dsis and I have a fairly fraught relationship but have actually got on really well for the last few years since she’s become a parent. I absolutely adore my niece and nephew and it’s been really lovely to finally have what feels like a ‘real’ relationship with my sister at last.

Today she put a post on FB of her with her 11mo sat on a sofa with an enormous Rottweiler beside her. There were several photos of the baby with the dog licking her face and one with baby sitting astride the dog and holding onto its ears. Accompanied by a post by dsis saying along the lines of ‘these dogs get a bad name but it’s down to bad training and bad owners, not bad dogs. My friend rescued this Rottweiler 4 months ago and has not had to raise her voice to her once in this time. She’s the best behaved dog I’ve ever met. I’ve only had to meet her 3 times and I have no problem leaving dd to play with her while I had a cuppa in the kitchen. No such thing as bad dogs, only bad owners!’

Before I add anything else I will confess I don’t know anything about dogs. I have never had one, never spent a significant amount of time with a dog or taken a dog for a walk on my own. So I admit I could be getting this completely wrong (and I really hope I am). But just looking at the photos makes me feel sick with worry. Surely it doesn’t matter how well trained a dog is, if an 11mo pokes it in the eyes while a grown up isn’t within grabbing distance, it could bite? And if a Rottweiler bit a baby it could be horrific?

Personally I think dsis is being incredibly reckless, but as I say I may just be reacting like this as I don’t know a thing about dogs. If it is reckless though I just don’t know how to speak to her about it. Any form of criticism will result in a massive fallout. She’s pretty much cut off the rest of my family, despite them doing nothing wrong (from my POV obviously). I feel like I’ve only really just got my dsis back and I don’t want to lose her again because I’m worrying about a dog that I’ll never meet.

There are several comments on her fb after the pictures saying how cute they are and about how Staffies/Rottweilers always get bad press. Nothing that mentions safety at all.

Wwyd? I’ve been telling myself all day that I’m worrying about nothing but then I look at the photos and feel physically sick with worry.

To be fair, you dsis is right. There are very few bad dogs, only bad owners. And as a pp said, the very definition of bad owner is leaving a child and a dog alone, encouraging a child to tease a dog or 'ride' it. The very definition!!

We have two rescue Dalmatian’s and an 11 month old. The dogs have never shown any malice towards my son and appear to enjoy his presence-always greeting him from his naps and home from nursery etc with gentle licks and a relaxed facial position and positive body language. He feeds them from his highchair and they never have snapped or been rapid and scared him gently taking the food and often rub against his hands for fuss. Never would I leave him unattended with them even for a split second. I don’t even have them in the car together without being secured and in separate rows (7 seater)
Children are unpredictable
Dogs are unpredictable
It doesn’t bode well to mix without supervision. I watch mine like a hawk together and drill into my son to be gentle, not to play with their limbs or tail (even though one of them likes to hold your hand, but teaching him it’s on her terms) to avoid the face and to do gentle strokes and when they come to him.
They will not be left alone until my son is considerably older, at least junior school age. It’s not worth the risk

Rottweilers have lock jaws. Your dsis would not be able to retrieve her dc.
I feel quite sick for you op.
My ddog caught my little finger during a play time and bloody hell I could hear the bone groan. Urgh.

That poor dog!

Without hesitation, report it. Someone needs to be looking out for that defenceless child.

Hi OP- has she not seen the recent news of the 5week old baby killed by staffies when left alone? Maybe send that to her. I'd also contact child services on her behalf- she is putting that child in grave danger.

We have a cocker spaniel and a schnauzer. Both incredibly friendly and docile- never would I let my (currently imaginary!) baby/toddler/young child sit on them/pester them or leave them alone with them.

Lock jaws...what a load of rubbish, clearly someone with no anatomical knowledge of dogs there

I have large dogs and a toddler, never left unsupervised and I would never allow toddler to touch them unless strictly supervised. People are stupid though sadly and it’s the dogs that pay the price.

@Snowwontbelong
That is completely incorrect. No dog can lock its jaws.
Unfortunately that doesn’t stop any dog from being able to inflict damage.

No dog has lock jaw ffs, thats rubbish. A rottie will obviously have stronger muscles in its mouth/jaw than a chihuahua or a westie would have but no breed can lock their jaw

I am a dog groomer. We often get rescue dogs in. Even after they have been coming in regularly for months on end showing no signs of aggression I never fully trust them. I don’t even trust dogs that aren’t rescues. Even the most placid of dogs can react negitively when you are doing something they do not like. Owners are often surprised to hear about it when it is out of character.

It scares me that people do not realise the potential danger they are putting their children in. YANBU.

Haven't heard the 'lock jaw' claptrap in a while but never mind that, a Rottie will have a stronger bite than a Cocker or Springer Spaniel. A Cocker could still do a fine bit of damage to a child if pushed! Blame the deed, not the breed and all that.

I’m a complete wimp and have messaged a mum friend from school asking her to pm my dsis. School mum friends runs puppy behaviour classes and has a child who attends a group with dsis little boy. So they’re not really friends, more just acquaintances, I really don’t think she’ll be bothered if my dsis gets the hump with her.

I know I should really say something myself but firstly I’m a complete wimp and hate confrontation, especially with dsis who will always take the slightest criticism as all out war. Secondly, as I said, I know nothing about dogs. Dsis will immediately tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about and refuse to even consider my opinion as she’ll think I’m just another Rottweiler hater.

That sounds like a good plan.

I love my dogs and I know they are bombproof but there is no way they are left unsupervised with a child.

You've done a smart and timely thing there hopefully.

I have a dog and three young children. She is not a Rottweiler. She's a cocker poodle cross.
She is never never never left alone with them. For everyone's sakes including hers.

Horrifying that your dsis would et her baby sit on the dog, dogs usually hate that, plus it's a rescue with unknown history? So bloody stupid of her. 😡

I’m a complete wimp and have messaged a mum friend from school asking her to pm my dsis. School mum friends runs puppy behaviour classes and has a child who attends a group with dsis little boy. So they’re not really friends, more just acquaintances, I really don’t think she’ll be bothered if my dsis gets the hump with her.

I think this is a great approach - not wimpy at all. Far more likely to be effective.

your sister is a fool as is her friend who rescued the dog. I have a tiny spaniel who weighs less than 20 pounds and I wouldn't leave him alone with any young child just in case - still less an 11 month old!

I've had Rottweilers and they've all been amazing dogs. They are naturally protective and amiable (their standard describes them and being calm and good humoured)

There is barely a breed anywhere that isn't described in a way that makes it sound like a gentle, manageable dog in the right hands. The simple fact is that in the wrong hands, some breeds are still unlikely to be much of a problem whereas some others represent a horrible bloodbath waiting to happen.

When I was looking for a breed to bring into our family I read literally dozens of breed standards and looked at literally dozens of websites dedicated to specific breeds to get a lowdown on characteristics.

I don't think I saw a single admission of a breed being more prone to aggression than average. Lots of euphemisms are employed though, words and phrases like 'naturally protective' for one. Stubborn, dominant, wilful, brave, powerful, etc etc.

And as for 'calm' we all want a calm dog. But sometimes 'calm' dog can be a dog who doesn't show much emotion or any noticeable signs of agitation or stress. That is, until the second it decides it's had enough and snaps, doing catastrophic damage.

My dog is the last thing you could describe as calm (he's a hyperactive twit) but at least I can read him like a book. I can see very clearly when he's feeling nervy or uncomfortable and I can act to remove him (or the source of his discomfort) from the situation.

Certain breeds are always sold with the line 'with firm handling and good training the can make an excellent family pet.'

That is a very loaded statement indeed. I wish breeders would be more honest and more responsible about describing the characteristics of the breed they champion. Certain dogs that were bred for protecting, hunting, herding, baiting and fighting simply don't^ make the best pets without an awful lot of work to squash their natural instincts and breed temperament. It can be done - by why do it? I honestly don't understand why people are drawn to breeds that are known to be potentially problematic.

Leaving a baby unattended with any dog, let alone a new rescue that has barely had time to settle in its new home is grossly irresponsible and frankly stupid.

We have a 7 year old staffie x rescue, she doesn’t get left alone with the kids despite never showing aggression, especially not when they were babies or toddlers because bairns that age don’t know their own strength and could hurt a dog, even accidentally.

She’s right in that there are no bad dogs, just bad owners. Maybe she needs reminding that there are bad parents too, and she is one.

Sounds like an excellent solution op
How often does she see this friend?
I can't believe no one else on her Facebook said anything!

The other thing is I often see dogs (especially rescues) described as 'staffie cross' as Christmas has just done.

I think the likelihood of that dog posing a potential threat to people or other dogs very much depends on what it's been crossed with. The assumption is that if it's a cross then it's less likely to be aggressive than a pure breed Staffie. That might be true if it's been crossed with a spaniel or a Golden Retreiver but crossing it with a pit bull or a mastiff breed or an Akita for example, would be a very different story indeed.

They were clearly not left alone thou were they if she uploaded a photo of them together.

She said in her post that she was happy enough to leave them to play while she went into the kitchen to have a cuppa nightwatch. I don’t know if they were left to play on the sofa, maybe they were separated. I have no idea but her post certainly indicates that she was leaving baby and dog unattended.

Never leave a small child and a dog alone together. No matter how well behaved, placid, loving the dog is.

It takes less than a second for a child to be hurt by a dog, and it need not be a bite or an attack. A dog cuddling up to a small child could smother it, a dog playing with a child can cause harm.

We had family dogs when I was a child, our dopy and lovely golden retriever once sent a small relative flying with a wag of her tail.

Fortunately on carpet and the child thought it was great because he loved dogs but near a stair, on a tiled floor, or near a road it could have been very different.

I wouldn't leave my collie despite then being a herding dog (he's a super guard dog too, we are his flock), dogs can turn (ditto cats btw, my friends daughter still has a scar from their jealous cat)