To think that Staffies are not "nanny dogs"

[Flowersinyourhair]

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.

I truely believe there needs to be a law that you need a licence to own a dog. It might put people off if they realize they can't just get any cute looking dog off gumtree.

Too many dogs in shelters and awful instances like this happeneing at the moment.

Yanbu. It's a myth.

I've always had staffs. I've trusted them to a certain degree but I have never left either of my children alone with them.

Same with my grans cocker and same with my parents lurchers and schnauzer.

I'm not going to sit and judge bereaved parents. I can't imagine what they must be going though it's heartbreaking for all involved.

Because poodles are expensive.

Staffs especially staff cross breeds are cheap and easy to get hold off.

They aren't bad dogs they're just badly and over bred and too easy to get hold off.
*aca!

As several people have already said: Do not leave a dog alone with babies and young children. Not even my soppy "sleeps and farts all day" spaniel. Just don't do it.

The problem is people are silly and careless with their dogs around their babies/toddlers .

l want to shout at the silly owners who let their dog snuffle all over the baby , get on the sofa with their baby, sleep on the bed beside small children etc.

l had a large dog, Weimarener, when my dcs were born l never once left them in the same space although my dog had never shown any signs of aggression her entire life.

I had a large playpen where dcs crawled/ played when l was busy, dog was always outside it. Gates everywhere to keep toddlers and dog seperate even if in same room.

People are bloody irresponsible however l would never choose to have a staffy if l had dcs......l have never heard of a retriever mauling any child.....

A few years ago the tabloid demon dog of choice was the pit bull, and there was a flurry of stories about them. One interested party did an experiment. He rang up the news desk of a Fleet Street tabloid and said he was a local journalist and had a human interest story about a child mauled by an Alsatian. Were they interested? Reply was thanks but no thanks. Got a friend to ring up the next day and ask the same story except that this time the culprit was a pit bull. Suddenly the tabloid was all over it.

So it is possible that we're getting a skewed view based on what the media decides is news, but then again I think that a tragic event like this one would probably make headlines even if the culprit was a golden retriever.

The round up of recent deaths at the bottom of this article suggests that the usual suspect breeds are strongly represented but not exclusively so.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/may/28/hospital-admissions-for-injuries-caused-by-dogs-up-76-over-past-10-years?0p19G=c

aca I meant.

yanbu
there is a reason why bull breeds like staffies are banned in many european countries under their respective dangerous dog laws

Where, in any of the statements issued by the police or the parents, does it state that the mother was in the bath or the children were alone with the dog? Where!?

Those parents have to look at themselves.

Cruel and unnecessary. Their baby is dead, their toddler is seriously injured. Let's pile a whole heap of blame on them too, eh?

None of us were there, none of us know.

Doesn't help that every article with a bull breed shows a snarling frothy mess

Attacks from a lab for example (which has happened), showed a normal looking yellow lab looking sweet and soulful at the camera.

Press biased? Of course

Certain breeds are generally better natured dogs. Why anyone chooses the breeds that aren't so good isn't easily explained. However, having said that, I don't think having dogs and young children is a good idea. Dogs and children are very high maintenance and it can be difficult to give each the time and attention they need. It seems that many families think they are complete if they have a dog, yet do they actually know what they're taking on? I think not. Education is the key. We've cut teenage pregnancies through education, now we must educate about dogs, we really have to.

Staffie is the hated dog of our time. When I was growing up it was Rottweilers. Before that German shepherds. All dogs can turn - THEY ARE ANIMALS!!!!

I say this as a staffie owning parent. I wouldn't leave him alone with her, nor would I any dog. You cannot predict an animals behaviour. Much as they are one of our family members.

My first thought when I heard this story was to cry. It's horrendous and unimaginable the pain these poor parents are going through.

Sad that some feel the need to attack an entire breed because of it.

Agree with hello this year it's staffies that are the 'devildogs'.
Few years ago it was rotties.
No dog are ever 100% reliable! I would never leave a child on their own.
Staffies shouldn't be banned.
Any dog can bite.
Some of the smallest dogs were responsible for most attacks over the last few years.

I'd like to add too my previous post that I have nothing but absolute sympathy for the whole family

They were originally bred for fighting,

baba i knew a thread like this would be coming up.
We haven't had one for around 2 months saying how horrible staffies are.

Those parents have to look at themselves.

What a horrible comment.
Those parents will never forgive themselves.
They are going to bury one child and have another who probably is going to have horrific scars.

So anyone now with a staff and small child should get rid of it and fill the over crowded animal shelters with more unwanted Staffies? I think this thread is completely unnecessary and achieves nothing.

here you go

Labrador attacks a little boy. Leaves him with horrific facial scaring. Yet the lab looks innocent as pie and there's no baying for blood on labs

Compare it to any article regarding a bull breed and you see the same savage frothing snarling animal who obviously wants your blood

The fact the dog had time to badly attack both children clearly shows they were alone with the dog. itv also had on the news report that the mother was in the bath when it started. She made a bad decision, it could happen to anyone.
tarla

I'll preface this by saying something some people may think is controversial:
There are no nanny dogs!

"The trouble is you have no way of knowing do you. This dog, it seems, was owned by a respectable, decent person and hasn't harmed before. When it did, it did so to a horrific extent. How could you ever know whether this dog was to be the one in a million?"

You are right. You never know. No matter the breed. In some cases the likelihood is a bit higher, but the possibility always exist.

you have no way of knowing with any dog. I love dogs, my family used to breed dogs. But dogs sometimes react in a way an owner wouldn't have thought the doggie to be capable of... dogs are animals, they may not think: "oh, cute baby.". They may think something like: "stinky intruder disturbing the hierarchy. And oh my, aren't these screams exciting?!"

Children are smaller than dogs and their screams may trigger hunting instincts, screaming may excite a dog... (and yes, some dog owners may now say: "but not my darling fluffy...". Well, you never know.)

First of all, if you do have a dog and bring home your baby... that's not when you should start worrying about whether that's safe. It's way to late by then, you should have worried months ago. You'll have to "baby-train" your dog. Installing doors to make sure the dog can't enter the nursery or the play room is also a good idea.

Not to mention that a baby may disturb the pack hierarchy, something a dog may be very very opposed to. So, you should to train your dog and more importantly watch him when he's around a baby or a child...
No dog, not even a chihuahua, should be left alone with a child. Unless you 100% sure that the dog can't reach the child (or the child the dog).

here's another one border collie this time. Again sweet picture of the dog.

Soubriquet - no worries! I thought it was the case but I now know it isn't
For the record I have known staffies and to be honest I do think they are lovely dogs. One thing that does scare me though is how high they can jump (would be worried about them escaping and being run over)
I just think I more people need to realise the fact that although we like to think we do all know our dogs and they aren't part of the family they need to be watched like a hawk around children. And as someone mentioned about cats - yes you are absolutely right I love my furry babies but don't trust them at all!