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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that Staffies are not "nanny dogs"

716 replies

Flowersinyourhair · 14/10/2016 20:07

Ok. I await the cries of "it's not the dog, it's the owner" and "we had one and it was wonderful" etc etc. However, once again here we are looking at a news story about a dead baby and a seriously injured toddler as a result of a Staffie attack. AIBU or does something drastic need to change regarding perceptions of dogs like this who are apparently fine, until they're not. This dog was, it seems, the dog of a PC. Not a thug or a dog fighting yob. A PC.

I await the barrage of abuse here. I just feel so sad about these poor defenceless little boys who harmed no one and have suffered so tragically.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
minifingerz · 16/10/2016 00:22

"disprove other peoples' statements that smaller dogs/other breeds don't do the same kind of damage."

They don't!

They are vastly less likely to kill, regardless of how frequently they attack.

It's like trying to argue that being hit by a 950cc Fiat 126 is going to indict similar injuries to being hit by a Range Rover with a 4 litre engine.

RoseGoldHippie · 16/10/2016 00:24

OP you have stated in this thread that you find it hard to believe people don't ever leave children and dogs unattended ever and that you would rather not have a dog that you had to be on constant alert around children. This to me says you think there are safe dogs you can have and leave with children unattended for any amount of time and that I believe is irresponsible. As Plutos list proves any type of dog can quite easily kill a child.

You keep only going on about staffies even though most reports you read are often stated as a staffie type breed. Though actually this is not even always the case and has been pointed out to you many times and you seem to have just ignored this quite important fact if you are talking about breeds.

If people were licensed to own and breed dogs, there would not be the issues we have now of excessive intercross breeding which can and does result in more dangerous types of dogs. It would also prevent the morons who have no idea how to look after a dog to own one and would also prevent people who do not understand how to keep children safe around dogs having one too.

Pluto30 · 16/10/2016 00:26

They do.

Other people explicitly said dachshunds don't kill people. They have, and are obviously capable of doing so.

So, by your logic, it's fine that they attack frequently - and often viciously - as long as they don't kill a person. Cool, sound logic.

RoseGoldHippie · 16/10/2016 00:28

Should have been a bit clearer - as tabhlaharasa said we need a full licensed system where people would need to actually earn a license not just pay for one!

DT2000 · 16/10/2016 00:30

Minifingerz would you rather be crushed by a tonne of feathers or a tonne of bricks......both cars will do the same damage at the same speed

tabulahrasa · 16/10/2016 00:32

"It's like trying to argue that being hit by a 950cc Fiat 126 is going to indict similar injuries to being hit by a Range Rover with a 4 litre engine."

Well it's not if you're comparing dacschunds with staffies.

It's more like comparing a 950cc fiat 126 with a 1.25 litre fiesta.

And I'd be arguing that things like speed limits, alcohol limits or whatever else might have made a difference would be more effective than banning the car that hit someone.

1pink4blue · 16/10/2016 00:45

Thankfully most of you have never experienced having your child mauled by a dog.
When it happens it is so fast and the damage is done.
in my own experience my son was not left alone with the dog and she turned I never saw it coming she knocked him down got on top of him and started scratching him and biting him I threw her off and threw myself on top of him but she didn't stop she kept coming back and back she bit me also she was pure muscle and so strong and fast
luckily my teenage son heard the commotion ran downstairs and kicked her in the head and threw her in to my secure back garden and got her off.
my son is badly scarred but alive.
As it happens she was a full kc registered SBT we had owned her for 6 years and I have older children and she never showed any type of aggression she was never left alone with my children.
she was pts that night and I will never own another dog .
That family and every family whose child is mauled or killed will live with this for the rest of their lives I was lucky my son is alive.
I believe all dogs have the capacity to kill or seriously hurt someone.
Oh and I was one of those stupid people who called them nanny dogs and said my dog would never do that I now see how deluded I was and now my son will have to live with his scars.
I also don't think a dog license will change anything because if you have the money to buy a dog you could get a license.

tabulahrasa · 16/10/2016 00:46

Though actually that depends whether you mean mini or standard dachshunds - I'm assuming mini because standards are about the same size as staffies and much rarer...

tabulahrasa · 16/10/2016 00:48

1pink1blue - that post about daschund sizes wasn't in response to your post, just in case it looked like it was.

1pink4blue · 16/10/2016 00:48

I know that's ok

1pink4blue · 16/10/2016 00:50

Sorry hearing about that baby just brings it all back especially as he has the same name as my son

tabulahrasa · 16/10/2016 00:57

"Sorry hearing about that baby just brings it all back especially as he has the same name as my son"
Sad

For what it's worth I think anyone who thinks they could rescue a child from any sized dog (except one that fits in your hand) has never experienced a dog attack of any kind.

Dieu · 16/10/2016 02:23

I grew up with Staffies. My parents got our first in the 80s. She was the only one in our town. Can you honestly imagine that now? They have been overbred and rescue centres are full of them. Heartbreaking.
Our first Staffie made our childhood. She was fucking bonkers but brilliant. Looking back, would I leave her alone with my children? No.

WiddlinDiddlin · 16/10/2016 03:32

Skipped a few pages..

I'd love a totally honest answer here from those who have had dogs and kids.

Who here has told a dog off, punished, corrected, whatever you want to call it... when that dog has growled or curled a lip at either you or your child?

Who has used punishment based methods in general, so shouting at, collar corrections, hitting?

Who has failed to consider the stress that their dog experiences on a routine basis, and/or on a more occasional basis - things like house moves, visitors, parties, kids hurtling about?

If you have done these things, you are increasing the risk of a dog bite - and it is much more likely that the dog is going to bite someone other than you. It will be a smaller person, or someone they don't know so well, or even a total stranger.

maisieclaire123 · 16/10/2016 04:13

Any dog could turn on an adult or child makes no difference what breed they are. I have a Yorkshire terrier and a German shepherd and the yorkie is more aggressive the the shepherd makes no difference the size of the dog at all! The little one is very much the boss! The big one wouldn't say boo to anything and won't even go out his own backdoor at night to go to the toilet I have to go to. In case there is a noise or something and he dashes straight back in or hides behind me and it will be the yorkie that barks at whatever is was! If a dog is going to bite it will bite. Breed doesn't matter!

Pluto30 · 16/10/2016 06:02

Widdlin I think this is one of the worst mistakes people make.

With our old, slightly snappy JRT x Cocker Spaniel (she was only snappy because she was 14 and had a bit of arthritis, and was also blind and deaf), I would tell my DD not to touch her constantly. That when the dog did certain things or made certain noises, the dog was telling her something and that she had to listen.

I used to always tell other peoples' children, "Ok, she's had enough now, you can come back for another pat later" because a lot of parents seem totally oblivious to warning signs from dogs.

Getting mad at a dog for behaving like a dog is beyond stupid, and yet people do it constantly.

miserablesod · 16/10/2016 06:35

Most 'staffies' these days aren't even proper staffies. Bred with god knows what and sold for £100 as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. I don't think most people know what a properly bred staffie looks like! Poor breed getting a bad name when most of the so-called staffies are just cross-breeds.

Bruce02 · 16/10/2016 06:57

But we're not talking about your spaniel on this thread are we?

Sorry to go back to this. We were talking about my spaniel when a poster asked me why I would have a dog in the house at all if i felt it was a risk at all.

You questioned why I compared a dog to knives, I didn't. I explain the risk comparison and why I have a dog. I have a spaniel. The poster asked me a question, not about any type dog, about why I have one.

Lots of people with all types of dogs do not leave their kids with them.

You assumed I was talking about staffys. I was answering someone's genuine question.

dibs1973 · 16/10/2016 07:13

My sister had staffs, both very soft, we would never leave our dd alone with them, not for fear of being attacked but licked to death! My nephew grew up with them from a very young age and there were no issues but we would never let him walk them as they both hated other dogs after being attacked whilst on their leads, the dogs doing the attacking were dogs that most would consider safe family dogs like labradors.

KayTee87 · 16/10/2016 07:55

1pink1blue your experience sounds awful, I'm so sorry that happened to you and your baby, you must have been terrified Flowers

Lostwithinthehills · 16/10/2016 08:19

Widdlin if my elderly dog growls or expresses annoyance (an infrequent occurrence) because of something my DD has done it is my DD who is spoken to. My dog is simply saying 'Oi, watch out!', when she's been bumped into and she's well within her rights to say it. My DD knows she must respect my dog and has been taught to be as considerate of my dog as she is of anyone else. Generally they leave each other alone because my dog just wants a quiet life and consequently she's no playmate to my DD.

Roussette · 16/10/2016 08:35

1pinkblue what a dreadful experience for you. I'm sure it's something that will never go away and I quite understand why you would never own a dog again.

Original poster
Flowersinyourhair · 16/10/2016 08:44

1pink1blue

That sounds utterly awful. I am so glad your son is ok. I hope that your words have some sort of impact on this thread and encourage to see the risk people take by letting these dogs into their homes.

OP posts:
GahBuggerit · 16/10/2016 08:56

in response to some of the comments regarding being able to over power a dog, i recall when my sbt was attacked by another bigger sbt. i was easily able to pull tge other dog away and give it a warning boot.

yeaes ago when i witnessed a lab i think it was attacking one of my friends cats it took 2 grown men to stop it, one of them was bitten very badly on his arm

i know i could overpower my sbt if needed, im not so sure i could ever over power a bigger dog than her.

GahBuggerit · 16/10/2016 09:03

and no, 1pink1blues post hasnthad any impact on me except sadness that it happened to them

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