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Original poster

to stop DD going to this house because of the dog?

336 replies

gonaenodaethat · 03/03/2008 11:38

My DD is 5 and in reception. She is very fond of another little girl who has been to play at our house several times.
When her daddy came to pick her up last time he said 'We'll arrange for you to come to ours soon' to DD.
However I know that they have one of those Staffordshire Bull Terrier type dogs and I'm just not happy to take the chance of DD being around it.
So, do I make an excuse when they ask and not let her go or should I broach the subject with the parents and ask them to keep her away from it?
Or am I just being precious and slightly ignorant?

OP posts:
Chequers · 05/03/2008 14:11

Message withdrawn

Youcannotbeserious · 05/03/2008 14:19

No sorry, CHequers - It was ruty... and it was meant as a joke - I did put it at the bottom that I was being flippant and I do agree with the posts...

Sorry!

Rochwen · 05/03/2008 14:27

Youcannotbeserious, my dog lives on a farm with livestock including my beloved chickens and she has never shown the slightest inclination of chasing or hunting any of them, that's why the attack on the deer was so shocking to me. It came out of the blue and I was truly shocked by the savagery and efficiency with which she knew how to kill.

...and she too prefers her rabbit cooked.

CountryGirl2007 · 05/03/2008 14:40

That is an extremely strange thing for a dog to do, especially one that is used to livestock. Dogs can act out of character just like people though. My aunt had a JRT who used to decapitate rabbits and go after rats but JRT's were bred to do that, she also had a Rough Collie who would corner rabbits and bark t them and get bored and go away, she was a herding breed so she didn't have hunting instinct like a JRT. It's like how staffies and pits shouldn't have a human-aggressive temperament since originally they were bred to participate in dog fights and bull/bear baiting.

I feel sorry for the poor deer though, they are lovely, I was present when one was pts (humanely) before and felt terribly sorry for the little thing.

willow · 05/03/2008 14:44

Not sure if this might give you an explanation, Rochwen, but we used to have REd Setters when I was young. They were impeccably behaved with us kids - we could dress them up; herd them over jumps in the garden (so wanted a pony); curl up in their beds with them, even when they'd just had puppies. The only time one of them ever did anything was when some poor sod who had been run over came to our door. Mum opened the door to this man - who was dripping blood - and the dog immediately bit him. Oops. She never did anything like that again. Our reasoning was that something - blood, his adrenalin levels which must have been sky high? - spooked her. Was the deer obviously injured - bleeding etc?

Maybe dogs are inherently programmed to attack things that have been run over?

Youcannotbeserious · 05/03/2008 14:46

Rochwen....

Wow! OK, I can see that would be shocking......

My dog does like to jump into a friends fish pond and chase the (very bring orange) goldfish around, but he's a bit dimwitted to be able to catch on...

He does hate cats too - but my money would absolutely be on the cat should he ever actually get into a fight with one!!

Chequers · 05/03/2008 14:49

Message withdrawn

ahundredtimes · 05/03/2008 15:37

I'm interested in this thread on the amount of people who don't leave their dogs in the same room as their children, alone.

I do. Mine are 10, 8, 6.

I mean the puppy goes into the sitting-room and sits on a beanbag and watches telly with them.

Is this wrong?

I suppose if he's in nippy mood then I go in and soon as I hear an untoward noise.

Chequers · 05/03/2008 15:56

Message withdrawn

Youcannotbeserious · 05/03/2008 15:57

ahundredtimes.

I leave my dog with my DSDs (Now 10 and 13, but 5 and 8 when we got the dog)

I don't have any worries about how he'll be with the new baby either... Apart from the crying... He does like his sleep!

tori32 · 05/03/2008 16:05

All dogs have the potential to cause injury to a child given certain circumstances. I would not leave any dog alone with a child who could potentially tease the dog/touch it in a ticklish spot and annoy it etc. a dog can turn without warning, especially when they get older. Children do not see body language from animals and will touch them when the animal is clearly saying leave me alone IYSWIM.

Rochwen · 05/03/2008 16:14

I asked the lady from the RSPCA why my dog might have gone for the poor dying deer and she said that 'it was just too good an opportunity to pass up' i.e. for a wolf in the wild this would have been an easy meal and app wolves are total food opportunists, they eat everything. Like I said my dog is used to livestock and she's never gone for a lamb or a chicken (yet). She even sleeps in the sun with next doors cat (they grew up together and she knows the cat has the upper hand). Very bizarre and, yes, very upsetting for me. I think deer are beautiful animals and seeing one die so violently really shook me up. I see my dog in a totally different light now.

REgarding when you can leave them alone with your child. I think it depends how dog savvy the child is and how big the dog. My dd is only 2 and a half and she does torment my dog, e.g. pull her ears, pinch her, pull her tail. That's not on and I am trying to teach her not to do that. So, I can't leave her because one day the dog will have had enough and defend herself. However, once my dd has learned how to treat a dog correctly and she is big enough to run away or push the dog away then I too would leave them in the next room as long as I can hear what's going on, but right now, she's too young and small, if that makes any sense.

Rochwen · 05/03/2008 16:17

Tori (we must have cross posted), that's an excellent point. I deal with a lot of animals and through experience I have learned when to leave them alone. Children are not aware of these signals.

FioFio · 05/03/2008 16:17

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Marne · 05/03/2008 16:20

So that staffy's get such bad press.

Any dog can bite.

I hav'nt read the whole thead but staffy's are real good with kids, there are a few of us on here that have staffys and will back me up on saying they are lovely animals, kind and loving.
The only reason why they get bad press is because people (mainly young men) buy them and they hav'nt got a clue how to train them, they want a dog that makes them look hard but have no idea how to look after them.

I have just bought my first staffy after lots of lovely advice from MN and my neighbour who has a staffy and a young dd.
I have never met a bad staffy.

It makes me sad when people asume that they are pit bull's.

Rochwen · 05/03/2008 16:44

With regards to staffies. The problem is that they look very similar to Pit bulls and are thus tarred with the same brush but they are a totally different breed of dog and are not known for agression, in contrast to Pit Bulls and American Pit Bulls.

wannaBe · 05/03/2008 16:52

I disagree re staffies and agression. Yes, they are known to be very friendly towards families/children, but they are also very well known for being agressive towards other dogs. That doesn't constitute a good family pet imo and I would never have one.

But I still wouldn't keep my children away from all dogs.

JeremyVile · 05/03/2008 17:15

Wow!

I'd always been under the impression that cat people were freaks and dog people were perfectly sane.

I see that I was wrong.

2shoes · 05/03/2008 17:19

wannabe
we have had 2 staffs
first one yes hated other dogs(loved people) and was a terror.
second one was scared of its own shadow and would never pick a fight.
not all staffs are bullys.

Rochwen · 05/03/2008 17:22

Jeremy, I hope that was meant as a compliment towards cat people.

ahundredtimes · 05/03/2008 17:24

No cat people ARE fraeks and cold and arch and often talk to themselves.
Dog people fall off their chairs laughing and like to eat and take hearty walks.

Hope that's made it all clear now JV.

I don't know anything about Staffs, except I met one in the park and he was very nice to my puppy and friendly to ds1, but I thought he was ugly

JeremyVile · 05/03/2008 17:27

My sister has a staff and he really is a sweet, affectionate dog but there is no way I'd leave my son unsupervised while the dog was around. My sister (who probably thinks I'm a loon) very kindly always puts him in the kitchen/garden when we're there with DS.
I love dogs but since DS I have become more wary.
Also, as others have said, Staffs may not be naturally aggressive but like all animals can have an off day and while I fancy my chances against a spaniel/poodle etc, theres no way I could prise a staffie off my son if the worst happens, and sod social niceties or the feelings of the owners, I'm sure your dog is just precious but not as precious as my son.

JeremyVile · 05/03/2008 17:32

TBH, I'm not quite ready to give up my suspicions re cat people.

But I realise my prejudices may not be as solid as I once thought.....

ahundredtimes · 05/03/2008 17:33

Ah, but this is why I don't understand this thread. Because every dog owner on here has said they'd put their dogs away if they were asked or even just do as a matter of course if children come round.

I do, and I've got this ludicrous dog with long ears and big paws who waves his bottom all the time.

FioFio · 05/03/2008 17:38

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