To think some dog breeds should never ever be around babies and children

[Redburnett]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-59953038
Such a sad case where the dogs had apparently never shown aggressive tendencies previously.

@OhWhyNot

So all these rough people you talk of only have this type of dog

Never do they have other types of breeds of dogs

As a previous poster has pointed out above, other breeds of dog - German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Huskies, Malamutes - have all been indicated in recent years as “status dogs.” However, all of those breeds are large, very powerful, and need a lot of stimulation. For the average person who wants a status dog with the minimum effort, something like a Staffie is far easier to handle and live with.

Still it’s these breeds that are being reported when a child tragically is killed. That’s the point …

I do remember when it was reported though I think few in comparison Rottweilers too (not always small children) they were very popular dogs in the 80/90’s

People still get the other breeds Huskies in particular are very popular around here

@HacerSonarSusPasos you reference Wikipedia but don’t reference the paragraph underneath…at least show the full story. I have a staffy myself and he is the softest, kindest, gentlest dog I’ve ever known and he and my DD10 adore each other. Would I leave them alone in the house together? No. Does he lie unsupervised on her bed while she does her homework on the PC in her room? Yes. ALL dogs are capable, SOME breeds MAY be more susceptible, but it’s incredibly unfair (to the dog and those of us who are responsible owners) to tar all of them with the same brush

The whole case shows pretty negligent parents. I would trust that they had well trained dogs whatever the breed.

The baby was on a social services care plan before it was even born. Parents promised dogs would be behind a stairgate on the kitchen and away from baby. They clearly weren't.

Dad having a fag whilst mum sleeping on the sofa with a newborn sleeping on the sofa in "doughnut ring". Clearly didn't care about any safe sleep guidelines at all.

*wouldn't trust they had well trained dogs!

Some people are just absolutely oblivious to obvious dog body language. We have a toddler and a dog and their interactions have always been carefully managed. DD is almost 3 now and knows never to approach DDog when she's eating, never to put her face near DDdog's face, to make sure DDog knows she's there before she strokes her, never climb or stand on DDog, etc. But you see videos of people letting their toddlers climb over dogs who are giving off blaring alarm signals that they aren't happy: lip-licking, whites of eyes showing, ears back. And the parents are absolutely oblivious. It's terrifying.

The good thing is that growing up with a dog is making DD very sensible around other dogs. She never screams or shouts when a dog comes near and she knows how to safely interact and I think that's important too. I think keeping them away from dogs entirely and not allowing safe interactions is problematic in itself. Learning how to do-exist safely with dogs and other pets (we have a cat too and are just as careful with interactions there) is v important, IMO.

*dog licencing

@OhWhyNot

Reporting bias on children being mauled to death by a dog

Oh please

Do a quick online search. I found almost as many news reports where the dog breed wasn't specified as reports where it was.

@Iamclearlyamug are you that confident that if your dog attacked your DD while you were in another part of the house you'd be able to intervene before it did irreperable damage? Because i wouldn't. And all dogs seem perfect angels before they snap for the first time. The issue with these breeds is that they are stronger, more stubborn when they attack and thus capable to inflict much more damage than your other family breeds.

My sister has two rescue staffies that had a pretty rubbish start in life. They are both a bit bonkers but incredibly gentle and loving dogs. I actually trust them far more than my own cocker spaniel who has known nothing but love and gentleness from a pup but is a snappy little sod at times. You just never know what you’re getting with a dog and it’s madness to take a risk with any breed around children in my view.

NO dog should be left near a defenceless baby. I have a Labrador, daft as a brush, never bitten anything in her ( long) life but I’d never leave her alone with a newborn or a small child.

And there's also never any need to leave babies and dogs together unsupervised. If DD was asleep and I wanted to leave the room for a moment, I called DDog and took her with me to wherever I was going. If we were both going to sleep, DDog went in another room. When she was learning to walk and a bit grabby and unpredictable, they were kept separated. It's not particularly difficult to manage.

Look at lists of incidents of children being killed by dogs (and adults)

It’s always reported as it’s a horrific tragic news

This was more a case of neglectful parents being at fault than the dog

They had SS involvement from birth.

I love staffies. I have a real soft spot for them.
I absolutely trust mine with my children. Seems excessive to want to stop certain breeds being around children just because of a few fuckwits that dont train their dogs or pick up warning signs in behaviour.
Im in favour of licences to own a dog, but not breed specific legislation, as not only is it not fair to breeds like Staffs, it also gives people a false sense of security around other dogs. All dogs need careful supervision with young children, and especially very young children theyre not used to and visiting children.

YABU. no dogs should ever be left alone with babies. All dogs are unpredictable. All dogs are able to kill babies. In fact I remember not too long ago a jack Russel killed a baby being in the news.

The dog wasn't at fault. They even killed the dog that did nothing but lived in the same house. The baby was left on the floor with a dog while the dad was outside having a fag and the mum was asleep.

it also gives people a false sense of security around other dogs. All dogs need careful supervision with young children, and especially very young children theyre not used to and visiting children

Good point

I work with dogs for a living. I would never, ever leave a baby or small child alone with a dog present. That said, you have to acknowledge that larger breeds would be more dangerous as they can cause so much more damage. Think Alsation versus Yorkshire Terrier!

Dogs do not like sudden erratic behaviour. Which is typically how toddlers behave. My own absolutely lovely dog (now deceased) was a Husky, and she was the softest dog going, with a heart of gold. But, I remember the time a young and very erratic child entered our garden and started running around with his arms flapping, she started to bear her teeth. As much as I adored her, I knew that there was a real possibility that she could bite him, even though she had never bitten before. You can't trust dogs not to bite, just because they haven't previously.

@Branleuse

Absolutely

I would never, ever leave a baby or small child alone with a dog present
But in this case, the baby wasn't. Report states mum was asleep next to baby.

@HacerSonarSusPasos

I know I'm going to get shit for this, but I think anyone who keeps a pitbull type dog around their kids is massively irresponsible and naive and deserves to go to prison if the dog end up injuring or killing the kids.

This.

People are very naïve when they spout the line it's so good, would never hurt their baby or child etc. The fact is when a dog with a very strong jaw latches on it can do tremendous damage. If a dog is angry/scared etc then the response might be extreme so why even take the chance.

Dogs are animals not 'fur babies' as ridiculous people lacking in something call them. When you hear of dogs in bedrooms or beds with people and even babies you have to question the thinking skills of the owner.

If anyone that reads this statement from the report thinks and changes how they behave, it may save an injury or a life of an innocent child:

"Simon Newbury, a specialist in veterinary forensics, said there were 23 individual puncture marks on Reuben's body.

He said they came from "at least four to five bites or engagements" and "quite possibly as many as 18 to 23 if single punctures are single engagements each time".

"I suspect Reuben was shaken between engagements," Mr Newbury said.

He said the attack "would have lasted a minute or longer".

"It's possible Dotty was stimulated into prey drive by a certain movement."

He said he believed Dotty "saw Reuben as a small prey or squeaky toy"."

The baby was put on a child protection plan before he was even born.
The issue was not the dogs themselves. It was the parents.

So why do some owners call dogs their babies/fur babies. I see this as a new trend on social media 'me and my fur babies' usually some silly person snuggled up with a dog dressed up in whatever/in their bed/doggie selfie/etc. When did people stop realising that dogs are animals, great pets but animals at the end of the day!

"Sophie Bradley, a social worker who had dealt with the family before the incident, said Ms Litchfield described the dogs as "her babies" and had been "warned dogs can be unpredictable and can get jealous"."

@IncompleteSenten

The baby was put on a child protection plan before he was even born. The issue was not the dogs themselves. It was the parents.

Ah so the dog didn't think the baby was a toy and shake it then. The dog killed the baby. The parent was in the room asleep but the dog still killed the baby. Why make excuses for an animal that reacts like an animal? Startled or scared or whatever, an animal reacts to that as an animal. Some dogs are dangerous, most are not but why take a chance.