Dogs near babies/children

[Blue2017]

Aibu to think its ridiculous when people say " oh it's okay my dog won't go near the baby or hurt him/her " how can they be so sure?

I've a dog and I totally agree with you. A little dog seems gigantic to a baby or toddler!

My in laws swear blind that their dog would never hurt my kids. Despite the fact it is a guard dog primarily (overseas) and has bitten 4 people in its lifetime (not in a guarding capacity, all 4 were family friends...).

Apparently they can all "read" him and know when he's going to attack so would intervene (well why didn't they before?!). This doesn't comfort me whenough you think how quickly a dog can bite compared to how slowly aging in laws could get across a room...

Needless to say we never visit and I've said to my husband that we won't be til that dog is dead.

My midwife who visited after the birth said to me, children and dogs can have lovely relationships, but that dogs can never be predicted even good dogs, so to never leave the dog alone in the same room with the baby. She said that her youngest was 4 and she still didn’t leave them alone together even though they loved each other. I’ve stood by this and never leave my daughter alone with the dog. He’s lovely but he is a dog after all! If someone was having a baby and thinking about getting a dog I would advise not to (and I love the dog a lot). It’s just an added hassle you do not need imo. I wouldn’t get rid of one because they’re a member of the family, but I wouldn’t get one after.

I love my dog and he is an absolute gent around people but we keep him and our baby in separate spaces and they only interact under supervision. He's only a dog and everyone has an off day. I don't know that he would never bite a child if he was stressed. If he were put down for biting a child on my watch I would consider it 100% my failure of both the child and him.

Yy to not getting a dog if you're thinking about having a baby. I love my boy dearly and it works well because he's so good - we were very lucky - but I wouldn't get another dog until my daughter is a lot older.

YANBU.

I still remember the day I was walking newborn baby in the park and a very excited dog ran over and jumped up at the pram.

The stupid owner was shouting at me to keep the dog away from the baby. I had to stand between them whilst she caught up with dog and got it back on lead.

I could quite happily have murdered her and the dog. I do accept it wasn't the dogs fault, but I've never been so scared or felt so powerless in my life. It's really affected me.

As such, I hate dogs and dog owners. I'd NEVER leave a child alone with ANY dog.

I trust my two implicitly. I'd not leave Ddog2 with a young child as he is bouncy and clumsy and could knock them over, although he would never snap but Ddog1 I'd have no concerns about. She is the sweetest, kindest dog you can imagine and actually tries to cuddle up to crying children in the street if she is close enough. She hates people crying and tries to comfort them. Doesn't mind being pulled about and is endlessly gentle. I wouldn't let kids pull her about too much of course but she is such a lovely dog. The only time I've ever heard her snarl is at a man who attempted to approach me on a dark cycle track.

As such, I hate dogs and dog owners..

Thank you. (?all of us?)

My rescue GSD goes out of his way to avoid babies/ children so I'd never inflict them on him.
If on a walk and off lead and he sees a baby in a push chair, or a child, coming towards him he'll veer off in an arc away from them as far as possible until they've gone past. If on the lead he turns his head away and speeds up.

I love my dog to bits but would never leave him alone with my 2yo DS even though they adore each other. I am always next to them when they are playing but my dog can get quite excitable and jump around, DS loves it but has been scratched on the arm once from being to close when my dog jumped, but never bitten.
We have a rule that when the dogs having his mad half hour our DS is not allowed in the kitchen (where the dog would be) because he'll wind the dog up even more - he likes to let the dog 'chase' him around the room/garden - and its not worth the risk that the dog might get a bit full of himself and bite DS.

I have always had dogs for as long as I have had children. Never left them unsupervised when small or a bit bigger. They can be great friends but also have awful accidents.
My dog is huge (8 stone of soppy) and adores the 18m old. However the both need to grow up with mutual respect and understanding of each other. This started early with clear boundaries that she is never to go in his crate - it's his safe space and he doesn't sleep in her room - it's her space.

As a dog owner I advocate teaching both dogs and children but you must watch dogs with young children. You may think you know your dog but you do not know the child or how your dog will respond to the child

I wouldn't leave them alone, mainly as children, particularly very young ones, can be quite boisterous in the way they approach pets. My dog is a sweetheart, but I don't want to put her in a situation where she feels trapped or where she can be hurt or scared.

That said, I'm happy for her to be around children and babies when we are in the room with her. She isn't particularly interested in babies anyway; she would much rather play with the older children or get a belly rub from the adults.

Common sense is what matters, but kids and dogs can have such wonderful relationships too.

Well said @Celebelly

I love dogs but would always take care round a baby or small child. Our last dog was a bearded/border collie cross and she had a herding instinct so always had to watch her.

I was told by someone who had had gsd's that dogs are wary of high pitched noises and they should never have toys with squeakers in and they can react to babies or young children crying.

Better safe than sorry would be my motto.

Don't worry OP, you'll get unanimous support because nothing whips MN into a frenzy quite like those awful, awful dogs. (except maybe trans rights and fat people)

Though I wouldn't leave a dog unattended with a child because I wouldn't trust the child not to antagonize the dog until such a point where it reacted the only way it can.

You can never ever 100% trust small children and dogs around each other. Dogs have bad days, pain, new illnesses you may not know about. It's such a huge risk, I would never take it even though DDog is soft as shite and stays away from children.

YANBU. My son has never run up to a dog, but so many dogs jumped up at him when he's been right next to me holding my hand, or in his pushchair, that he's terrified of them now. Every time the owner has said "oh he/she wouldn't hurt a fly" as if that excuses their out of control dog. Do they not realise that even a small dog appears huge to a toddler?

I don't trust my dogs 100%. I don't trust my toddler 100%, mainly because i am not in their minds, I don't know what they're thinking or what either might do. Its when people get complacent that accidents happen.

That being the case I mitigate against risks and apply common sense.

I agree. I have dogs, and both of them are amazing with children in their own way. One is brilliant with children with special needs, and will sit quietly next to a child in distress until they are quiet, and the other is really drawn to the sound of children, and loves the affection of them. I’d still never leave them in a room alone with children, and children they meet are given strict instructions to listen to me at all times when dog is around, and if I say to leave the dog alone for a moment, they must do it or the dog will be put away.

I own 4 German shepherds, all very placid, but they are animals, so wouldn’t leave them alone with my youngest. How could you trust something that eats it’s own shit when bored???

My two little terrier crosses are the sweetest, most gentle little things and the whole family adore them and trust them up to a point. I keep them away from children and babies as they're unpredictable and I can't be 100% certain the dogs wouldn't react in a bad way. We've discussed how things will be when (hopefully ) grandchildren come along and all agree we would never leave them unattended in the same room.

YANBU. We have a dog and she's fabulous with the DC, but despite that I've never left her alone with a child. When she came to us I taught her to leave the room whenever I did so now it's a reflex action despite the fact that the DCs are much bigger.

Dogs are generally predictable beings but children aren't and that's why you can't ever guarantee that a dog won't bite a child. It's a bit arrogant to presume you know your dog that well.

I don't trust any animal with teeth around children.

If they have teeth, they are capable of biting.

Caged animals are slightly safer as you can physically restrain them, but house rabbits, cats,dogs and anything else free roaming. Not a chance.

I've got a dog and a cat and I don't leave them together. The cat could easily bite and or scratch nastily and the dog could bite. Unlikely but possible

The thing is, children and babies can test even the most patient of us. My DS can be lovely with my cats one minute and the next he'll take a swipe at them.

It depends on the dog, and the child.

The dog I had growing up was genuinely bombproof - nothing, including fireworks and children's parties, phased him.

The dog I have now - I'll let children stroke him in certain situations, but if I know he's overtired, likely to see something he might take a dislike to (motorbikes), or if I feel the child is going to manhandle him, it's a no. I'd never leave him unsupervised with children, but I've no concerns about him being in the park around them because he will ignore them unless they wave a stick in his face (at which point he thinks he's in for a game of fetch / tug of war, which is understandable)

I love my dog, he is a soft as shite lab who adores children and is happy to be patted when he is out on the lead IF THE PATENTS AND CHILD ASK. Otherwise we avoid children and I would never leave him alone with a child. Common sense isn't it ?