Is it ever OK to have a dog in the same house as a small child ?

[invision]

I constantly read about attacks that leave babies & toddlers scarred for life or worse.

Why would anyone risk their childs wellbeing like that ?

Oh do have a op.

All this piss taking is citing day to day stuff that is all part and parcel of life, ergo you don't really have a choice.

Owning a dog while you have a small child is a choice you do have.

To want both is plainly selfish and the only potential loser is the child.

Aye quite right...out go the mattresses.
I was just thinking abt the electricity actually, there have been cases of kids getting those plug protectors out...
I'll have to have a standing order with the market about getting food delivered... but now no frozen things either...and no tin cans those lids are dangerous when taken off... and nothing with plastic...
Do you think cardboard paper acceptable? Or do you think papercuts/infections might lead to the horrible flesh eating bacteria???

To have children and want to raise them is plain selfish is some people's opinions.

If I had to weigh up the risk/benefit analysis of dog versus cuppa, the cuppa turns out to be more dangerous for less benefit every time.

But you don't look at the risks properly because for you, the cuppa is 'everyday'.

But children do benefit from growing up with animals!

I don't mean that in a Romulus and Remus kind of way, btw

OOh yes, all of those 1000s of skinny lattes and builders'-tea-with-7-sugars were absolutely essential.

And don't get me started on the complete all-consuming urgency of the need for a warming mug of Bovril.

As for Cup-a-Soup, life and death stuff.

Of course there are some hot drinks which are frivolous and pointless, Lady Grey for example

I was raised by wolves. They were terribly neglectful.

Google "dog attacks 2011"

A small sample:

A boxer bulldog attacked a 23-month-old girl this afternoon while her father was within a few steps of the child

The researchers also found that 10% of the dog bite attacks involved sleeping infants

Nearly half of all American children are bitten by the time they turn 18. In fact, attacks on children account for nearly 50% of all reported bite-related injuries and 79% of all bite-related fatalities.

And yes it is all 'everyday life,' which we all have done risk assessment for and deemed to be an ok risk in both ours and our children's lives. For some people dogs are 'everyday life' and having them is no additional strain or worry.

Drinking alcohol is/can be a dangerous pass time...drinking can lead to many abuses and poor decisions which can lead to harm...one does not need to drink... your (flat) argument can be used for that too...

If you have no eloquence to state why besides saying 'it is wrong' 'you're putting your child at risk' then I doubt you will sway anyone.

More statistics for you invision;

99.9% of your posts are absolute twaddle and do not have a point.

Oh I think it's fine. I just make sure I keep an eye on them to make sure our dog doesnt get hurt...

scurry you should have moved in with some dobermans. Mine was lovely she even tucked me in at night

I can Google too

Terrible dogs. Such a danger

My children greatly benefit from having a dog.

My youngest is a toddler and when I can't keep an eye on both her and the dog I put the dog out into the garden where she has a kennel, water etc.

My children are NEVER at risk from harm.

The dog is so amazing with the children and she adores the baby. Infact when DD was a baby and still spent the day in her basket downstairs our dog would lie by it whenever anyone came into the house, it was like she was protecting her

Anyone want a with their potentially lethal cuppa?

Or do you need some for the completely harmless family pet?

and tbh I think the dog is in more danger of being hit over the head with a toy by the baby.

Do you have any low fat ones Dastardly?

At the moment my children are in more danger from each other than they are the dogs. They seem determined to cause each other serious injury. The dogs tend to seek their safe space when this happens. I wish I could join them half the time

BeerTricks, why would you report Scurry for being rude to me ?...re:
*More statistics for you invision;

99.9% of your posts are absolute twaddle and do not have a point*

I am quite capable of looking after myself thank you.

So you all agree then, owning a dog when you have a baby/toddler is perfectly OK and in no way endangers the child.

Just want to be clear on this.

I do, but I can't get to them because the cupboards are child-locked, even though my DCs have graduated as nuclear physicists.

I would buy some more, but that would involve going to the shops and running the gauntlet of a quiet cul de sac and occasional Nissan Micras travelling at breakneck 12mph.

Of course even if I could open a packet, they probably have cancer-causing trans-fats in them according to the all-holy Bible that is the Daily Mail

So I'll just have to bake some. Which will take a while as the oven is limited to body temperature in order to avoid burn risks. But that's ok, because, like some other people on this thread, I have literally so much time spare I am waiting for Doomsday purely so it fills my day