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Original poster

2 year old attacked by Labrador...

20 replies

lilymolly · 26/08/2006 08:58

Just read on teletext a 2 year old girl is in hospital with head injuries caused by labrador dog.
Hope to god shes is ok, but got me thinking...

I have 8mnt dd and 3 year old Lab who has NEVER EVER been remotely aggressive to her, but guess there is always a first time. Itrust her 99% cos can never trust 100% cos she is an animal but.....

Am I being over reactive or merely cautious? Would love someone elses opinion

OP posts:

Freckle · 26/08/2006 09:10

I don't think you can trust any dog 100%, so just ensure that the dog isn't with your dd alone at any time.

There was a report on the local news here about a boy who was attacked by a pit bull and has severe injuries to his arm. A neighbour got the dog off him by hitting it on the head with an axe. The dog has now been put down. Poor boy.

Original poster

lilymolly · 26/08/2006 10:24

bump

OP posts:

1Baby1Bump · 26/08/2006 10:27

i have 2 3 year old labs and as i said on the thread about 'will my dog be jealous' if they even so much as looked at ds wrong they would be gone in a heartbeat, regardless of how much i love them.
a labrador is a very strong and powerful dog. i hope the little blighter is ok.

1Baby1Bump · 26/08/2006 10:29

hate to think what a pit bull could do, being a fighting breed.
and by saying that im not looking for an argument about who has the safest breed by the way!

magnolia1 · 26/08/2006 10:30

All animals can have a tendency to attack, it really depends on the circumstances to be honest.
I would never leave a 2 year old with a dog because at that age they are not old enough to trust not to jump or pull the dog etc...

Not excusing a dog attack at all but it is extremely rare for a dog to attack for no reason at all and in nearly all circumstances something has happened leading up to an attack.
It is a parents responsiblity to not leave a young child with a dog.

Poor boy must have been terrified. Was the parent in the room?

Original poster

lilymolly · 26/08/2006 10:37

Think the child and dog where in garden and it was not a family dog, but either a neighbours or friends.
Do not know any other details.
I agree about the breed of dog being important, to me if a dog if bred to attack there is more risk involved, Labradors are retreivers and have soft mouths therefore the risks are lower imho hence why we chose this breed (pre dd) because we have friends with kids and knew we would have kids some day.
Thats not to say other dogs are nasty iyswim, most I think are great, buts its always a worry.
Saying that I have horses and want dd to ride (if she wishes) and the risks are prob greater with this than the lab? I think we have to be responsible with dd/ds and dogs to ensure they do not play too rough, but I know I have left dd alone with dog for a few minutes but I never thought in a million years dog would do anything, but know I know now not to do this anymore.

OP posts:

SueW · 26/08/2006 10:37

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Chandra · 26/08/2006 10:41

Any dog can attack and some can get jelous about new babies (there was a baby mauled by a small breed recently and the baby died afterwards).

Lets not forget that even a perfectly trained and well natured dog will attack if he feels he is in danger, and sometimes it just takes an overexcited toddler to make the dog snap! so, never leave them alone unless they both know perfectly not to overstep the mark.

magnolia1 · 26/08/2006 10:41

I know they have soft mouths in comparrison to other breeds but any dogs bite is going to harm child greatly.
I have seen a yorkies bite a lot worse than some larger breeds

My youngest is 3 and I do leave her in the front room if I am in the kitchen etc... I don't shut the dogs out and she will just go and let them in anyway. But If we have friends of our girls over I don't leave them with the dogs alone.
To be honest it is as much about trusting your children to behave correctly with dogs.
My brother was an evil child and I am supprised he wasn't bitten by my mums dog after the things he done

Chandra · 26/08/2006 10:43

BTW, and don't forget that labs have an excellent and well earned reputation as family dogs. If they use them for the blind is for a reason.

magnolia1 · 26/08/2006 10:47

The pitbull one is a typical blame the breed story!! It was a pitbull cross, could have been crossed with a fluffy spaniel for all we know but we don't know how it was treated at home ANY BREED that is mistreated is likely to attack.
We actually need to ban irresponsible people from owning dogs if they can't train and treat them well

The sad fact is stupid people think having a bull terrier breed makes them look good and idiots who want to make money are still using them for fighting. It sickens me to think of what these dogs go through to make them act in the way they do

CaligulaCorday · 26/08/2006 10:56

I notice the boy's father (the pit bull attack one) is calling for pit bull's to be banned. Er... I thought they already were? What was the Dangerous Dogs Act about? Someone remind me?

The labrador one - if the dog wasn't the family dog, then it's even more important not to leave the child and dog together without adult supervision. I always get a bit paranoid about my DS going to the home of a child where there is a lovely old lab, and impress on him that he must never play-fight (or real fight for that matter)with his friend in case the dog thinks he's attacking the child of the family and goes to defend him.

magnolia1 · 26/08/2006 11:04

Its only American pit bulls that are banned from breeding over here. This one was a cross so not seen as a threat. The sadness is that this pit bull cross was probably and accidental breeding but the family history of the father was unlikely to be known and so there is no way of knowing. But saying that it said it escaped from the house after kids let it out so not well trained!!

I know if my kids open our front door the dogs will go as far as the front garden and lay down

CaligulaCorday · 26/08/2006 11:11

I have to say, I did think "wtf is someone doing with a dog like that with kids in the house?"

Why don't people bother to train their dogs, particularly when they have children? How is it possible to be so perfectly stupid?

magnolia1 · 26/08/2006 11:22

We were so wary of who we homed our Staffie Puppies with. I only let them go to families with children so I was almost sure someone would be at home. I trusted my instinct when they came round and anyone who didn't seem to know anything about puppies or wanted them at 6 weeks or had another dog of opposite sex then we said no.

I know you can't know everything about where they go but I had awful thoughts of idiots having them and then over breeding or fighting them
I even got the new owners free neutering vouchers from the Mayhew Animal Centre in London.

We are even having an extra dog tag on our dogs collars saying neutered and microchipped because it stops some people from wasting their time stealing them for breeding or fighting

1Baby1Bump · 26/08/2006 12:50

it is very sad and i agree if a family dog attacks the parents of the child are toblame for leaving the child alone with the dog.
dogs must be trained. trained not to run at people or bolt when you open the door. running at people, especially children scares them if nothing else.
also a doberman that bolted from a garage into the road caused my dad to crash his motorbike when i was little.
i live near an area where staffs are the dog to have. they are paraded around with ridiculous harnesses on bearing huge brass shield things by idiots in baseball caps and jogging pants. the dog is usually dragging the kid along who has no control and i'm sure not a clue about his dog. its these idiots that give dog owners a bad press imo.
and im not saying that all owners of these dogs like this, far from it.

FluffyCharlotteCorday · 26/08/2006 12:55

Most of the ones round here seem to be. To mention nothing of the shit they leave on the street (same ones no doubt)

1Baby1Bump · 26/08/2006 13:00

agree there. i never see them armed with poop bags.

1Baby1Bump · 26/08/2006 13:00

collecting poop is not cool is it?

magnolia1 · 26/08/2006 17:35

Well I'm cool and I collect poop

Have to say we very nearly didn't get our 1st staffie coz of the stereo type around here but so gald we did. The most gentle and loving of dogs are mine

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