Baby killed by family dogs

[littleducks]

Cant believe there is another story like this:

news.aol.co.uk/family-dogs-maul-baby-to-death/article/2009020713191350252763

I agree kazbeth.
In that case a couple of years back (older child, girl, can't remember names) hadn't the grandmother actually just let the dog into the house? there was no suggestion the child was alone; I think reports said the grandmother was in the living room with her and the dog just went for her.
And there was a baby a year ago or so snatched out of his carer's arms by a dog. Clearly some animals are very unpredictable. Being in the same room is no help whatsoever if 80lb of dog clamps its jaws round a child's head. Sorry to be graphic, but that's the reality.

We had two dogs before our DD came along, and althought we were 100% sure they wouldn't harm her we used a baby gate on the kitchen door to start separating the dog side of the house from the baby side, before she was born.

She's 5 now and we only have one dog, but they are still never left alone - the dog and child conbination tends to lead to over excitement on both sides which could be dangerous.

Better safe than sorry - but terrible for all concerned when it happens.

Both Springer Spaniels BTW, so very good natured dogs generally.

I have a tiny miniature long haired daschund. When my DD1 came home he was terrified of her, ditto DD2 and I seriously considered giving him to my mum.

He weighs about 7kg and I am fearful either of my daughters will hurt him rather than the other way around.
They have become his total life.

He cries if they cry
Barks to alert us if they waken up and we are downstairs TV on
Has to be pulled out from under one cot or another 3-5 nights a weeks as he is desperate to sleep in the same room as them.
Plays games with them
Brings them in his dry food to eat
Trys to clean their dirty noses

I never have had any reason to doubt him and he's tiny but I still don't trust him 100%.

I've had dogs all my life both small and large and I would really never vouch for a dog 100%
Anyone who says they can are fooling themselves.

I wonder if it is significant that they were the grandmothers dogs? My MIL has 2 border collies who DD (22mo) loves and I am fine with her playing with them (supervised of course) now. When she was a tiny baby I felt completely differently and didn't want them anywhere near which was a cause of some problems with MIL who of course believed they were perfectly safe. It was just a really instinctive feeling for me to protect her from any chance of harm and perhaps a grandmother however much she loves the baby might tend to trust the dog a little bit more.

Read this and it makes me so so sad. When my Ds was born my parents had a jack russell they had got from battersea about 2 years previous. She was lovely, sweet but always a little spirited. When DS was born she would bark at him and was introduced slowly on a lead (we never got passed this stage). One day while out walking she went for a tot (about 18mths) and missed his face by inches (she was on a lead). My parents went to the vet who explained that this was in reaction to the baby coming into the house. They had her put down (my mum still is upset now 6 mths on) but stories like this makes me realise that we did the right thing. We spoke to the vet for hours about rehoming etc but he was adament that it was inapproriate.

When DD1 was only 6 months old, my mum's neighbour's staffie jumped up when my DH was trying to get her carry seat into the car.
The dog had it big mouth wide open and my DH instinctively gave the dog a kick and it backed off.
But them the yob of a neighbour came out ready to beat DH up for kicking his dog!
That dog was never taken for a walk , just let loose in the street everyday whilst he watched football (all day long).
The dog was run over a year later!

And back in the 1980's on my parents estate they used to have "packs" of dogs going around and they would attack people. I think it was back in 1984 they had the dog warden out and the police trying to round up the "pack".
Once that lot were taken off the streets we never had any more problems.

Jesus christ ripeberry where the hell do your family live?

Both Staffies and JR are bred to bite and hang on. JR furthermore are bred to shake rats to death. Neither breed is a sensible family pet, particularly not with such a small baby in the house.

A "sensible" family dog is a retriever type- they are bred to have very soft mouths and more often than not have the sweetest dispositions. But then again, no dog, not even the gentlest pet in the world, is 100% safe to be left alone with a small child.

Dogs are pack animals, they perceive a baby being given attention over them, thrust into their territory, (as in the circs of this tragedy) as a massive threat and need no provocation whatsoever to attack. It is not the Dogs' "fault" as such as they are only following instinct and have no power of reason or judgement in that sense.

Foolish Woman is all I can say. To be placed in a position of utmost trust and to leave the baby vulnerable to attack in your care. I will bet my ass she has said how much of a softie he was and how great he was around babies.

I sobbed my heart out when I saw this on the news last night. so so sad.

in reply to those who say that a child is far more likely to be killed by a car, yes, of course that is statistically true. Even with children properly restrained and parents driving carefully, a run away lorry or drink driver might hit you. TRUE - but you, as a parent do all in your power to minimise that risk, you are aware of possible dangers and stay alert. Children who have been taught to cross the road safely/use lolly pop man might get hit by a joy rider that mounts the kerb - true, but the parent would not be to blame.

These do not equate to the dog cases. Because in the dog cases the person in charge of dog and/or child has not taken EVERY REASONABLE PRECAUTION - this is what angers and upsets the majority.

If you have left a dog with a child, you do NOT know, no matter how well you know your dog, what MIGHT happen in any set of unusual or unforseen circumstances. SO, don't EVER take that risk.

my neighbour has 4 staffies. The possibilities scare me.

Not a very nice estate on the West side of Cardiff. For a few years taxi drivers and buses would not enter
I was so happy when i left! But i hate taking my car there now, i would rather go by train and bus as there is no-where to park anymore and cars get keyed all the time.

Our (very good) CM has just got a jack russell puppy. I can't think that she would have got the puppy without thinking through the consequences of dog + mindees, BUT we weren't asked about how we felt about it and I am slightly uneasy. I guess CMs with dogs have to comply with regulations about the contact their dog would have with the mindees?

In the report I read about this case, the baby was in a basket or bouncer on the floor
and the grandmother discovered the dogs attacking the baby, which implies she was out of the room. She then ran itno the street to raise the alarm but the neighbours who came into the house were too late

What a horrific and tragic story, that poor Mother and Father and the Grandmother, forever now their lives will be filled with "what ifs"

I have a 4yo, 3yo and a 6mo, am a dog lover but there is no way I would have one right now. I don't think it is actually fair on the animal, children are noisy, they are rough and I would feel sorry for the poor dog.

It would also be a nightmare either dividing the house up, kennelling the dog outside or having to watch it with the DDs 24/7. I have cats, they hate the DDs and don't ever want to be in the same room as them.

well said loobeyloo; an analogy would be letting your toddler play in the car with the keys or play on the driveway with the car in gear and nobody in control. People just WOULDN'T would they ?

One of the dogs, bought as a guard of sorts because of thugs in the area, was called tyson ..hardly an aspirationally cuddly/family minded label...

poor little baby. utterly horrific and preventable.

I haven't read the thread but am appalled that stupid people STILL think it's ok to leave a small baby and a dog like this alone together unsupervised.

When will they learn? It's not fucking rocket science imo.

Very sad story. We rehomed our dog because he was not good around babies.

Just wanted to say that labradoors bite children, and my friend was bitten in the face as a child by their family pet border collie, so I wouldn't rely on 'breed temperament', personally.

I am sorry ilovemydogandMrObama, but yours is the exact attitude that welcomes trouble, imo!

We have a 3yd old Collie. He is a wonderful natured dog, very well behaved & trained. We have had him since he was a puppy & almost as soon as we brough him home dd (now 5) has sat with him while he eats & hand feed him his (dry) food. He was happy to do it anytime, which was a bonus really as dd always did it. With me always watching over.

However last summer we had a bad heatwave (we are in Australia). Dd carried on as normal, feeding the dog. He was hot & obv wasn't happy about this. He turned himself around, obv now that he was trying to block her from his food. I didn't event hink anything of it at the time. She just walked to the other side of him. So, he bared his teeth at her...form the moment on she was removed & he was left to his own devices. She didn't feed him for ages after that.

To my mind, that is how quick they become unhappy with situations. One feed he was happy, then next he wanted her to back off. Heaven know what would have happened if I wasn't there to see his warning.

Once the heat wave passed, he was once again happy to be fed by her. This heatwave we left him to it.

Now when he is unhappy/hot etc he goes to the front door or under the dining room table, they are his back off zones. We respect that.

Now dd2 (6 months) is moving around we make sure she cannot pull at the dog or annoy him.

Please don't be so complacent as to think "it won't happen to me" because you really just don't know! I don'r think dresing a dog up is really a good idea, one day the dog may just not be in the mood & snap!

Like some others have said I do believe that the fact that this baby was being cared for in the grandmother's house at the time is relevant. I think parents with dogs probably have their homes geared up to making both the dog and children safe in the same way you toddlerproof your home. But these measures may not be in place at granny's house. That coupled with a dog not used to babies is possibly a recipe for a tradgedy such as this.
I'm not a dog lover and do feel uncomfortable to see dogs around small children. I accept there are alot of very responsible and careful dog owners around. Sadly there are a lot of irresponsible ones too. There are parents who take risks with their children's safety simply because they don't consider it a risk (I know someone who never insists that her children wear seatbelts because she doesn't think it's worth the hassle for the short journeys she usually makes). It's very sad when something like this happens and even sadder that there will still be people who think it is safe to leave their children unsupervised with a dog.

sandcastle First of all, I do not let DD dress up the dogs! Yes, in the past, DD has put a hat/blanket on the dog.

Frankly I am horrified that you let your DD handfeed your dog. I keep the kids out the way when the dogs are being fed.

And you say my attitude attracts trouble - whatever.

This thread started as a baby was killed by a family dog. I am saddened by this as a mother and a responsible dog owner.

And you know, every time there is a dog thread, I defend people who have dogs and love them. I pick up after my dog and go onto threads and defend those who do the same.

But really - if people are going to to say that my attitude attracts trouble, then I find this personally offensive...

How is my dd hand feeding our dog any different from her/dh/me giving him treats from her hand?

In all fairness, (not that I need to explain myself)....n adult handful of dry food because she gets bored giving him anymore. She also uses them to 'train' him & this is how we got him to understand that she is above him in the pack.

I was told that this stops them being possesive of their food by a trainer after dh was biten by our Jack Russel after trying to pick up his food bowl to fill it(who was then rehomed, btw)

The two (putting a hat on a dog & giving it food while it sits obediently) are worlds apart, imo!

In all fairness, (not that I need to explain myself)....she probably gives him what equates to an adult handful of dry food.....