Tragic, poor little one year old boy killed by rottweiler at families home...

[ScoobyDoo]

What another tragic loss of life, poor little sole

Link here

Just read Mrs Spoon's link including:

"They were not in their own home and the dog in the yard was probably experiencing a house full of kids for the first time."

The baby was not in its own home - possibly - but the 3 older children surely were?

They had owned the two and a half year old dog for six months - presumably the previous owners had good cause for wanting rid of it. Either the dog's bad temperament or that they were not able to cope with looking after it.

Hunker - the dog licence was abandoned because it had become more expensive to administer, than the income it was bringing in. (I can't remember exactly how much it cost, but it was something like 35p or something silly.)

This was in the early 80s and it was also partly the idea that the dog licence was an outdated, nanny-statish idea, not consistent with Tory ideals. There was a suggestion at the time, that the licence should be put up to realistic levels, but Mrs T and her cabinet didn't see why old ladies should have to pay a swingeing tax to have their beloved pets (making exemptions for income was apparantly beyond their imagination).

To be fair to them, it simply didn't occur to them that people would be so stupid that they would want to have badly trained, incredibly large, strong dogs in their homes, who might attack them or their children. If anyone had suggested that to them, they would have thought the idea was outlandish and scoffed at them. Quite understandably.

The dog hadn't been a problem with the kids before; but to take in a dog like that at 2, even if you are a good dog handler, must be a bit iffy.

The grandparents were the parents of the baby's mother; the 16-yr-old, 7-yr-old and 6-yr-old presumably were the baby's mother's siblings, who live in that house, and the dog was used to them?

But not to the baby, who probably got excited and shouted or waved his arms at the dog

We had beagles when I was little - six of them. They were much loved and well cared for and lived in the outhouse (very comfortably set out) and were not allowed in the house. We were allowed to play with them under supervision. They were well domesticated and trained but were not seen as additional members of the family/human but were treated and respected as animals.
I consider many owners make the mistake of not seeing/treating their dog as an animal. Any breed can cause harm, and barriers should be observed between dogs and babies/children. I don't see that banning more breeds is the answer but it seems legislation is seen as the 'easiest' way to approach the problem.

My cat lives outside
I couldn't have a dog. I am still scarred at the vision of my grandmothers mixed breed dog jumping through the air, teeth bared, all ready to bite. Luckily my granddad had hold of her choke lead. Dog looked exactly like those pics they show of big dogs with their teeth dripping with spit etc

One thing I hate more than dogs is dog owners who call their fuck-off beast-hounds "Pookums" and tell me he's "soft as buter, woo wouldn't hurt a fwy, wood-oo, dinkums?" while the hellish creature is sitting growling in that low, rattling, menacing way, with a faint glint of red in his eyes.

And that's just the cocker spaniels.

Hunker, Not A Dog Person.

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I was just watching the news report. It's terrible.

I try to prevent my dds being left alone with my dog. It isn't always upheld by me or my DH. I am aware that children don't treat pets with respect when they're so young.

my DH's friend had two staffies a few years ago when still at home. He'd had them years, both staffies and a cat which they'd got as a kitten the same time as they got the puppies. Cat used to sleep with the dogs.

friends mum came home to find the two staffies had played tug of war with the cat (that they'd know for two years) - cat everywhere.

That story always makes me shudder

i hate little dogs with a vengeance. Ds, 3, was attacked in Germany recently by a nasty little long haired dachsund, ds and i walked past it in a cafe lavatory [why was it allowed in?] and the stupid old lady owner was not bothering to hold its lead. It took one look at ds and charged, leapt up, snapping and scratching him. He was terrified. He ended up thankfully with only a couple of scratches, but i was incandescent with rage. The old lady just waved it off nonchalently. Obviously a bigger dog would have caused more damage. I grew up with dogs as a child and would like to have one again, a cross breed or a border collie, but some dogs i hate absolutely. the combination of stupid people and big dogs is so terribly dangerous that something really must be done.

oops, are you German?

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bull terriers are another shockingly dangerous breed. We had one when i was a baby, before she suddenly pinned my older sister to the ground, then she was rehomed. I really think certain breeds should be banned altogether, at least from everyone except professional breeders.

(Inappropriate roffling at Oopz'z poztz)

Q: Why did they have a rottweiler?
A: Because they are the sort of people to whom a rottweiler appeals
Q: What is the sort of person to whom a rottweiler appeals?
A: The sort of person who views a dog as a status symbol and thinks that a status symbol is more important than their child's safety.

Quattro is A Judgmental Dog Person.

agree Quattro.

Or French? You have a sound of an Allo, Allo character about you.

I zink ze ess key be may zztuck!!!
Or elze she iz incognito....

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you zzpeak de truth. But ztill, I am zzzniggering....

one of the dogs i grew up with was a border collie. she was fantastic. Of course needed a lot of exercise and i wouldn't get one unless we lived in the country.

Why was a 16 year old left in charge of everything?

OMG, I am roffling at oopz az well [bluzh]

oopz, what are you doing???