Toddler dies after pet dog attack

[Caligula]

toddler dies after pet dog attack

Oh god I always feel sick when I read news stories like this one - that poor family and that poor child. I feel so paranoid about DS going to friend's houses where there are dogs. Especially after what that woman from the RSPCA said about the heat.

They have a downstairs room which is a bedroom and lounge all in one which is pretty big and he normally goes in there because he has a thing with dd's toys. Anything she has, he wants be it her teddys or even the beaker she drinks from.

It was a friend of dh's who had a white staffie. He was quite normal until one day out of the blue he just attacked another dog and then a few days later he turned on dh's friend. He took him to the vet who explained that it was quite common for white staffies to be more aggressive. There was a medical explanation for it, I just can't rememeber.

My dog was a complete pacifist and never fought back if any dogs attacked him. BUT he once saw off a burglar who was trying to get in the house, and he also saw off a drunken lunatic who was running at my dh shouting. Best dog ever, easily. (sob)

Blimey... thats rare, a staffy turning on a person. Did they have it put to sleep?

I'm endlessly bringing all my sons soft toys in from out the garden btw, and I know its not him that puts them there cause he can't walk! My washing machine is on day and night, usually with several pairs of eyes pressed up against the glass...

Spidermama - sorry but 'yuk' at having dog present at birth. Going a bit far....

My dog, a yellow lab, is just the most gentle, calm and soppy dog I ever knew - but I know that she's still a dog and am still quite worried that she will turn on DD's (4 & 5 yr). Some people can be quite irresponsible though, I was in the park with the dog and there was a big crowd of mums and children (some sort of toddler group meeting) my dog wasn't that near them nor was she remotely interested in them, but suddenly a little boy around 2yrs starts running towards her, he startled the dog and she actually ran away from him, but the mother wasn't concerned that her son had done that. He was still chasing her and the mum was almost laughing in a 'ahh look at him' kind of way.
Luckily my dog is used to children, but if that was my children....

Lol at 'yuk' smelly. A little unconventional I know but at home obviously, not in hosp. Don't laugh, but he was very supportive during labour.

Sounds like he was a great dog Spidermama. I'm starting to miss him too!!! As you say, very few dogs would hurt children or indeed be allowed in a position where they can.

Forgot to add the reason he took him to the vet was to have him put down sadly.

He was very upset but he decided it was the best thing to do and couldn't live with himself if the dog had turned on a child.

My sister had a golden retriever- ideal family dog etc etc until it bit their two year....

Any dog is dangerous. Dogs are animals with instincts no matter how sweet they seem.

i've got a GSD and a staffy, the staffy would sooner lick u to death than bite, and as for the GSD, well, he's all for running away and hiding behind my legs.

however I understand not everyone likes dogs, and seeing a huge GSD come running is intimidating which is why we only have them off leads when there's no one around quite literally, otherwise they are walked on leads as in my mind it's safer to have them on leads when other dogs/children are around, not that I think they would hurt it's just for my peice of mind.

once this beanie's born I won't be leaving the dogs alone with him, both dogs are good with children but personally I don't want to take any risks.

as for the poop on pavements - nothing winds me up more to see that and up at the parks/beaches it's horrible it doesn't take much to pick it up doe it!

IMO all dog owners should be made aware of this:-THE DOG OWNERS

CODE OF PRACTICE

FOR PARKS AND PUBLIC PLACES

Always read and observe the bye-laws and regulations which apply in public parks and open spaces. These are generally displayed at the entrance to parks, or available from the Local Authority. Co-operate with park staff in the exercise of their duties.

Even when your dog is off the lead please ensure that it is under control and does not interfere with other people. At al times respect the rights of other park users. When sports pitches are in use it is particularly important to keep your dog on the lead.

Train your dog to defecate at home before you take him/her for a walk. Clean up after your dog at all times ? especially if he/she fouls in a park, on a sports pitch or other public place. Avoid indiscriminate fouling.

Do not allow you dog access to children?s play areas or ornamental gardens, even when on a lead.

Do not let your dog out on its own unsupervised, even if you do live near a park or public place where the dog make like to wander.

This code has been reproduced from a publication by the Pet Advisory Committee, 1 Dean?s Yard, London, SW1P 3NR. 1992

(also like to point out we've never taught our dogs to be violent they don't understand words like attack or kill) nor do they understand fisty cuffs of anything.

The thing is, nearly all dog attacks are out of the blue. I always get impatient with shocked dog-owners who say "he was always so gentle". Of course he was! Otherwise you wouldn't have kept him! Nobody has ever said "he was always a nasty, vicious brute, we always knew he'd go for a child one day..." That's why you always have to err on the side of caution with dogs, without being hysterical and making your kids scared of them (every time my kids come back from my mother's, I spend weeks undoing the damage she's done by making them afraid of dogs. It really annoys me.)

but munz, my sister and her dh had never taught their dog to be violent. Dogs are unpredictable. My sister blames herself as she left them in the same room together for a few moments.
Personally I would find it very difficult to constantly keep a dog and a child separately.

we were thinking of a play pen, (althou as the child gets older it's going to prove more challenging granted.) so watch this space, don't want the child to be scared of dogs but by the same notion i'd never forgive my self if one of ours did ever attck someone/another dog.

Responsible dog owners are already aware of this Fimbo, without having it written down - it is just common sense.

It is sad that the people who SHOULD be reading it and taking it into consideration are unlikely to read it or care.

Although I am left wondering what indiscriminate fouling is and how one can avoid it... I mean, if your dog is "turtling" not much you can do about it!!

< I recon someone should tell the locals around here that they seem to let their dogs out the front door to wander the streets and where ever they want>

Spidermama - perhaps I should have gone... instead.

Everyone understands dogs have to poo, but there are those people who let their dogs roam to poo, or who take them out for their walks just to poo anywhere but their own gardens, and then leave it for everyone to walk in.

Why is it my 2 year old and ds when he was 2, had to understand the phrase 'WATCH OUT FOR DOG POO'? They have to learn to spot it a mile off.

yes, its the leaving the poo bit melly. I just don't get the indiscriminate bit, if you then pick it up anyway. I suppose there could be circumstances though, like in front of the bus queue....

This is a tragic event.
I was in my local park at the weekend feeding the ducks with dh and ds and this really annoying family turned up with a rottweiler (sp)and it wasnt on lead, running around all over the place, in and out of the river, chasing the ducks and going near everyone in sight. Even paid a visit to the small childs play park. Bearing in mind this park is a NO DOGS area, with loads of signs. It makes me mad.

I read a story a few years ago about a baby only a few months old who was grabbed and dragged around the floor by a german shephered-the baby lost its genitals. That story haunts me.

What can one do about families with dogs in parks where they shouldn't be, who are chasing around without being controlled? Is there someone they can be reported to? It's so out of order. That's a horrific story Mumfor1sttime.

Phone the dog wardens Caligula. People should not allow their dogs to be a menace, and the Dog Wardens cover that

Serah your post has irritated me slightly. Yes, common sense it may be, but how many dog owners are actually aware of the code? I have lost count of the number of times I have seen parents let dogs off the leads at parks etc, just because their child is used to the dog doesn't mean every other child is comfortable about it. I don't want to get this out of proportion and I am not anti-dog in fact I have the opposite ends of the spectrum, an 18mth old who would clap and touch every dog he ever sees to a 7 year old who would run a mile.

see I think dogs should be on leads when children are around, I know they cna't run about then, so u take them at a differnt time of day, we're lucky here there's lots of farms who don't mind us walking the dogs on their field if there's no animals in there but at the park children = my two on leads. (even if they're not close, if we can see them they're straight on)