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Original poster

Family fall out dog incident

189 replies

violashift · 26/08/2019 17:19

I didn't see this happen but it has caused a massive extended family fall out on what was a lovely bank holiday.

At cousins house ;my sister and Bil are there with nephew age 5. He is playing in the hall with his brother.
The dog comes in initially wagging tail but within seconds the dog is having a go at my nephew who is about dog height.

My sis filmed all of this as she was filming the kids playing in the hall but dropped the phone when the dog went close to her son.

Pics attached. Brother in law kicked the dog in panic and pulled nephew away.

It all kicked off after that my cousin blaming the brother in law for kicking the dog and refusing to except anything was wrong saying the dog wouldn't hurt him.

Guess I am asking for advice on the next steps. Sis is shaking thinking the dog could have nicked an artery and cousin is annoyed the dog got kicked.

We have all left.

===================

edited by MNHQ - images removed by request

OP posts:
Merryoldgoat · 26/08/2019 17:22

What was the dog doing? Did he bite your nephew? Lick him? What actually happened?

orangeshoebox · 26/08/2019 17:23

well, dogs and kids should never mix like that. cousin is lucky that nothing more happened.
dog should have been on lead or somewhere where it couldn't get to a small child like that.

Mydogsnotfat · 26/08/2019 17:23

Can't see properly but is it a puppy? Looks to be after the flappy hair which puppies love. Makes a very big difference if we know the age of dog but illustrates why they must always be supervised.

Aquamarine1029 · 26/08/2019 17:24

Is that a Pit Bull? That dog doesn't look like it was playing. Is the dog accustomed to being around children?

Original poster
violashift · 26/08/2019 17:25

No he is 10 years old.

He nipped nephew. I would post video but too outing.

OP posts:
Bambamber · 26/08/2019 17:25

What did the dog actually do? What do you mean he started having a go?

Bambamber · 26/08/2019 17:27

X post is the dog a puppy and was it a playful nip or was it a warning nip? What was your nephew doing at the time?

Woodmillburns · 26/08/2019 17:29

Both are wrong.
Kicking a dog who may or may not be behaving aggressively is going to provoke it and make it more likely to bite.

The dog in those pictures does look like it's about to attack the child but may be out of context . However younger children and dogs are not always a good mix, so should of been kept apart

CuriousaboutSamphire · 26/08/2019 17:29

Pit bull?

Your cousin is a test. No matter the disposition of the dog it shouldn't be given free run at children and, if he is the dogs owner, should be ashamed of himself, caring more for the dog than his nephew.

All you can do is repeat that he is in the wrong and needs to get his head out of his arse.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 26/08/2019 17:31

Test, in this case, = twat

Wildorchidz · 26/08/2019 17:31

That looks scary to me.
The dog is 10 years old and is very close to a 5 year old child’s head and has its mouth open...

Gruntvsgunt · 26/08/2019 17:32

“Could have nicked and artery” 🙄. Yes because a nick would definitely do that! Dramatic much

NovemberWitch · 26/08/2019 17:34

You need to keep the child and the dog apart, especially as the dog isn’t familiar with children, and it was the dog’s house. So, adult fails all round.
Parents weren’t proactive, cousin (presumably childless) doesn’t see the problem. Parents need to be more aware of dangers.
How is the child? Scared of the dog or just very wary?

autumnkate · 26/08/2019 17:34

Hell no. That dog would be no where near my kid again.

Wildorchidz · 26/08/2019 17:34

There are arteries in our neck. A nip/bite could sever those.

WiddlinDiddlin · 26/08/2019 17:34

You'd really need to post a video for any sort of an evaluation on whats actually happened there (and even then, without the lead up to the incident AND the consequences afterwards, even an excellent behaviourist is going to struggle to give you a definitive answer).

You certainly CANNOT tell from those stills if a dog was simply playing or not, anyone who thinks they can is deluded!

If you can't show the video, can you describe accurately what happened?

Things like 'child was doing x, dog entered, began to bark, then...' etc, NOT 'dog had a go' .. thats not descriptive enough.

Useful information would include who was present, what exactly the child was doing at the time, where the dog was, the dogs body language, sounds, tail (was it wagging, slow loose wag or high, stiff wag, was it tucked under the body, straight up in the air etcetc).. and also what happened in the half an hour before the incident can also have some bearing.

Moving fowards, would not have that dog near children in future until you have seen a reputable behaviourist, regardless of whether this was play or not.

MumofTinies · 26/08/2019 17:38

Cousin is being unreasonable, that dog needs putting down.

NovemberWitch · 26/08/2019 17:38

Exactly, @autumnkate. Forget the forensic analysis and babble. Dog and child apart. Face bites are a serious problem, physically and psychologically.

XXcstatic · 26/08/2019 17:39

If a dog was biting a child, I would do whatever it took to keep the child safe, including kicking the dog if necessary. I would not blame anyone who did the same to my dog. Punishing the dog with any additional violence would be wrong but, from your OP, it sounds as if your BIL only kicked it to save his son.

XXcstatic · 26/08/2019 17:40

“Could have nicked and artery” 🙄. Yes because a nick would definitely do that!

Very easily done with a bite to the neck. The carotid artery is millimetres from the skin's surface.

Hangingwithmygnomies · 26/08/2019 17:42

Is this the first time the dog had been around little ones? What breed is it (not that it matters) although given the height of the dog to your nephew I'd say maybe a staffie type? We had an incident with my PIL Staffie with our now 3 year old when he was about 18 months. He went near her when she was on the sofa and she gave a warning snap but didn't connect with my son. We got a dog behaviourist round to assess the dog, as PIL were talking about rehoming or being PTS fearing she would bite next time. She observed and advised that she was not an aggressive dog but because she felt trapped she had given a warning as young children are unpredictable. We were advised to keep them seperated by a baby gate and for my son to feed her treats through it so she saw him as a good thing. Now she is his best friend but obviously we don't leave them alone together for a second. Your cousin has handled this poorly as your BIL was obviously scared enough for his son to kick the dog. Had that been my dog, I would have been apologising profusely and putting steps in place to make sure it never happened again. Is your nephew ok?

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 26/08/2019 17:43

Kicking the dog was wrong but I think we can all understand your BIL's panic. The dog should not be around children. I don't know why your cousin isn't taking this more seriously.

Buzzfrightyears · 26/08/2019 17:43

What was the child doing before this happened?
Was the dog provoked, playing etc?

diddl · 26/08/2019 17:43

Can't tell much from the pics!

Is it unusual for a dog to go from wagging to attack mode so quickly?
(With no warning?)

That said I think that most people's reaction would be to get the dog away somehow wouldn't it?

Next steps?

Leave cousin to stew.

Are you thinking that you have to take sides?

nothingsreallynewunderthesun · 26/08/2019 17:46

A very similar situation happened in my family - extended family member dropped by unannounced and unexpectedly with her off lead, unrestrained dog and walked straight into my mother's living room where my then toddler was playing and dog went straight for my then toddler - toddler was waving his arms in a game he was happily playing with a toy plane, but nobody expected a dog to be in the room.

The dog went straight for him and caused ragged, tearing damage to his hand which despite careful cleaning became infected and took an incredibly long time to heal.

Nobody kicked the dog but I wish I'd taken him to a&e and reported it as a dog bite and reported to the police, instead of bowing to family pressure not to make a fuss, especially as I later found out the dog had bitten an adult male family member and drawn blood through jeans, and another child family member had been blamed for walking too close to it.

Dog owner then had the gaul to tell my mother that the attack was my fault as I had failed to teach my child - who was then 18 months old - how to behave around dogs, and my father who is of the dogs can do no wrong school of thought backed her up saying that the dog was only playing and "just being a dog" and if toddler had stayed still there'd have been no harm done.

Nobody would acknowledge the fact it was 100% the dog owner's fault because she's one of those people everyone treads on egg shells around and her live for the dog was apparently more important than anything, and the family culture is incredibly sentimental towards pets but rather no nonsense and brisk about children Hmm

It damaged relationships within the family for years, especially as the dog was there, off lead, again next visit as though nothing had happened.

I wish I'd reported it so it could have been put down if anyone else reported it biting at least - it clearly had a history.

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