Dog attacks boy

[GhoulsAreLoud]

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8386023.stm

Sorry, this is a disturbing story. As a parent and dog owner is absolutely chills me.

I wonder what more can be done to prevent these kind of incidents?

It depends on what sort less than perfect training? A staffy needs a strong hand, but doesn't need to know how to sit,stay,roll over etc to make it a good dog.

It is however a startlingly intelligent breed, very eager to please, and can easily be trained to be agressive. But then, again the same could be said for a lab. They too are very intelligent, so could be trained to be aggressive, with relative ease I imagine.

A Staffy would do good with a strong owner, even with no formal training. Without a strong owner, but with one who has no intention to train agression, you will end up with a very, very bouncy, licky, energetic and willfull dog, but, not a vicous one.

The only lab we have ever had was very submissive, so I don't know if they require such strong owners.

She too is a rubbish retriever. Despite being from purebred, champion gun stock. If she heard a gun, she would probably piss herself. And when I throw her ball, she gives me this look that says "Seriously, you want me to chase that??? ALL the way over there??? No thanks" and then curls up at my feet.

ceres - my gut feeling is there is not so much a bad dog, but a bad owner.

Rubys - I am sure this sort of thing happened. My black lab was capable of extreme violence. Usually against other dogs.

My cousin's dog had to be destroyed having attacked a child.

It's not a new thing, IMHO>

Ruby, yes if you get a pedigree from a less than scrupulous breeder, there is more chance of inbreeding. Always look for recommendations/ask vets/on breed specific forums, when choosing a breeder.

Yes, it can make a lot of money. People who don't care and are only in it for the money won't bother seeking vetinary treatment/worming/fleaing or chipping puppies.

'Proper' breeders, make a pittance after paying for all the above, but do it anyway for the love of the breed.

Vaccinations would cost £25, chipping £50ish, flea treatment £3 per dog, seems to me there's quite a bit of change out of £1,000 there and our puppy left it's mum at 7 weeks, so I assume they fed it for what 3 weeks, breast milk before that.
Not bad going is it ?

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8392842.stm

I hope that 'this' time, they can make this charge stick and that he gets the maximun sentence for manslaughter, rather than the 8 week sentence that Ellie Lawrensons uncle got. Perhaps then , these scum would realise that there is a serious penalty for what they do, rather than a token slap on the wrists

if i knew my brother had a dog like that, i'd never speak to him, much less have my child anywhere near where that dog might be.

and if my mother still allowed that dog into her house, well, she'd never see her grandchildren, either.

if by some twist of fate my brother's dog still did what his did to that kid, i'd probably kill him.

I do hope the police manage to get a decent conviction.

Owners have to take full responsibility for their pets actions.

Agree totally with you, Expat.

absolutely agree. as i have posted earlier my aunt has a dog, a small terrier cross, that is not to be trusted with children. this is a known fact and everybody concerned makes sure that the dog does not come into contact with children - she is walked on the lead and picked up (she is that small!) if any children wander anywhere near, at home she is always put into another room, with the door locked, if any children visit the house. she has never bitten anyone - but she has growled and that is enough for us to be extremely cautious and make sure the situation never arises where she could bite.

she is a rescue dog and was badly treated in early life, probably her reaction to children arises from fear.

with a bigger dog i think the measures taken by by aunt, and the rest of us, might well not be possible.

Agree Sassbeast, the serious penalty of a death of a family child is obviously not enough to put these wankers off.

Totally agree with expat too.

face it: this guy will get a light sentence, because there's really no such thing as a harsh sentence here, and children will continue to die by the jaws of these dogs who have no right to even be born, which is sad for both them AND the dog.

I think the light sentences in thee cases are because it is usually admitted that having the death of a young family member on the counscience is punishment enough. It is true in a way but does not show to the ones which haven't had a similar drama happening to them yet that keeping illegal dogs is not such a good idea, until the irreparable actually happens .