3 month old killed by dogs
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7876508.stm

Awful awful story :(

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

that is really sad news a parents worst nightmare

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

When are people going to finally realise that dogs+infants can be very bad news?

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

I made sure right from the start that my Staffie was never given any doll like toys to play with. Also Staffs can jump I am really struggling to stop Darla its the only thing she does that I do not like she does not even chew. Often people play with dogs in way such as holding toys out of their reach making them jump for the toy etc. When you hold a baby a dog could easily and without malace go for the baby thinking it is a toy. It is something I am very conscious about

Very sad story

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

i also have a staffy and am also very conscious of his strength and the way people percieve the breed , i have no children but my 3 year old nephew absolutely loves Zak (my dog) even though they seem fine together i would NEVER leave them alone. this is another tragic accident :(

^ .. i also have a problem with Zak jumping up , drives me mad but doesn't try if i hold my hand in front of him , i get my nephew to do this when the initial burst of excitement (you know what i mean) is happening.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

My staffie (Zack) used to do this also, and as such he was never left alone with any children for fear of him knocking them off their feet. As he got older, he settled down and now he's 10 - he's more like a rug.

Sad, sad story and i can't believe someone would leave a baby in the company of two dogs. Although i suppose we don't know the full story yet. The parents must be absolutely broken hearted :erm:

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

regardless of the dog type, it should never EVER be left alone with a child in the room. There is no getting around the fact, it is still an animal, not matter how 'soppy' or 'dosile' a dog may seem usually. they can turn without warning. My daughter has always been around dogs since birth (now 7) and has never been left in a room alone with a dog, even our own dog.

This is a very sad incident, but as already said, people need to learn about dogs and children. The kennel club do rate staffys as being one of the best dogs around children, but it truth, it means nothing. especially if the child is the second into the environment (ie, dog was in the family first, then a baby comes along). A dog will learn it's place if the child was there first (this is not to say it's ok to leave them alone), but if it is used to being the pack leader, or the one with all the attention, it can try to eliminate the threat (ie, child).

only one thing to say - never EVER leave dogs and children alone.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

Tragic. :(

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

I have an Akita so 20 times bigger than a staff and she is soft as s*** but for a while last month she suddenly became very possesive and wouldnt let my girlfriend near me (althought they got on fine together) even to the point of snapping at her and barking (akitas dont bark)

She loves my GF agai now and sits with her instead of me most of the time, and loves playing with her. She still likes to be involved and a cuddle has to be 3 of us.

Even so I it did make me worry about if a kid was on the scene.

Akitas were used like nannies in Japan, left to look aftr the toddlers while the mum worked the fields.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

like i said - they are animals. It's down to the owner to ensure the dog knows it's place. you should never treat a dog like it's a child because all dogs work in a pack mentality. the more leniency it is given, the higher it thinks its standing is in the pack (in pets cases, this means the human family) and this can lead to challenges for position, thus very unpredictable behaviour. I don't care what people say their dog is like - it is still a dog and will work on basic instinct.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

Sounds like the dog whisperer there - but very true indeed :tu:

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

no dog no mater how you train it should be even in a room with a baby unleashed if the baby is going to be with in its reach

i love dogs have two terrier crosses myself but they are animals they know nothing but the moment to quote that dog wisperer fella

adults seem to not understand the dog obeys them and doesnt bite them because they are seen by them as the dominant dog

though i feel sorry for the family we need some convitions in these cases to get it through to more people how dangerous doing this can be

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

They have just lost a baby - The grandmother does not need a conviction, she has to deal with whats happened and look her daughter in the eye.

Typical rants everytime there is an accident.. 'Send em to the gallows, where were the police' etc etc

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

Now you've done it..... You mentioned the death penalty, and asked where the police were, run now while you still can..... ;)

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

I suppose until we know the full story we shouldn't make any assumptions, as the uncle got jailed for a similar 'accident' in St Helens just a few years back.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

the problem with that is it happens they say we didnt realise and it just keeps on happening

if we were talking about say a venamous snake loose in a room nearly every one here would be up in arms ( be honest now )

dogs kill they can kill faster in most cases than a snake

this sort of thing should be able to be stopped its not like the people invoved are simple people most of the cases i have seen the people involved have all seemed well capable of understanding it after the fact

but becuase its put over as an accident it does not seem to impact the majority as something that should never be done

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

yes it keeps on happening but the nature of the press means we all hear about it. A few kids die from dog attacks a year but how many die in the bath? or falling down the stairs ? or falling off their bike? shoudl we punish parents for letting their children be children.It is all very easy to be sucked in by the media to think its a daily occurrance but it isnt.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

Very true...However I can't help thinking that cases like this are preventable just like the bath drownings and other deaths that affect children..

Perhaps the government should have a little less worry about the nation's diet and make a much bigger push to make people THINK about preventing cases like this happening with a bit more planning and forethought..

Might work for a short time until folk get complacent again and forget to be as vigilant.:erm:

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

thats just the ones that die just check out the stats on dog attacks they happen so often the press ignore them as non stories they are just to common

nearly 4000 people ended up in hospital last year from dog bites and its on the increase rather than getting better

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

It is education that is required. I don't really see what a prosecution and any subsequent punishment would achieve in terms of progressing us as a society. I can't imagine that you could punish the Gran any more than she has already been.

Use the money we've saved from these pointless prosecutions to make people realise that you can't leave babies and young toddlers unsupervised. To most of us that's a no brainer but there is a section of society who think of their pets as being human. There are too many maimed, and in this case worse, youngsters being exposed to real danger all the time.

It doesn't matter if they're called Lucky, Fluffy or Cuddles. It doesn't matter if they're dogs, cats, venomous snakes, alligator or Bunnies. They don't actually think like we do!!

Legistlation won't work Education will.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

not saying it should in this case it should but at some point it needs to be
( as to legilastion we dont need it the laws already there its just that nearly always the they have suffered enough thing comes up it needs to be brought home more forcfully that this isnt a good thing to do and that it is the owners responsibilty what the dog does )

because most of these should not be classed as accidents they may not be done deliberately but they are easily ( nearly always ) very avoidable

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

An absolutely tragic case, as already mentioned we don't yet know the specifics of the case but if this is like others it'll be, "I only took my eye off of her/him for a second".
Its good to hear also from the dog lovers on CF that people know only to well not to leave a dog unattended with a baby or toddler, I've heard it so many times before that, "my dog would never hurt anyone, I'd trust him with anyone", as roger says when all is said and done they are not little humans, they are animals.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

i cringe when i hear those words "mine would never hurt anyone"

especialy when the dog is one of the ones that could easily kill a adult let alone a baby

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

We can only dream but surely if they were going to they'd have done so by now. Sadly this won't be the last time this sort of thing happens. :mad:

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

Agree absolutely, but wonder how long it will be before we have another similar incident.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

So do I. However, when you live with a creature that has never hurt anyone (indeed, is friendly to everyone) it's easy to assume they are safe.


I have two terriers. One Westie and one Yorkie. Both are incredibly friendly and (the yorkie in particular) docile. Would I leave them alone with kids? No. I've seen how quickly they can turn violent. Thankfully only with other dogs, but it was enough to remind me that no matter how domesticated, dogs are still natural scavengers and are quite capable of attacking if they spot a weakness.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

exactly which is why i say we need a prosecution ( maybe not in this case but at some point ) people still think thier dogs are fluffy friends

i love my dogs but never let the kids be in charge of them until they are old enough to know what to do and do so in a VERY confident manner

dogs spot fear / weakness a mile off

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

A lot of people cringed when dog-licences were stopped... they knew that dogs would end up with owners who could not, or would not, control them properly. And in the hands of many who would abuse them.

Dog crap everywhere, roaming packs of dogs kicked outdoors everyday, trophy dogs trying to make the owner look 'ard.... they give responsible owners a bad name.

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

well there is less dog crap in the streets than there used to be and there were always loads of dogs running around council estates even when there was dog licences

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

I agree, dog licences should be reintroduced. In order to own a dog, you must be able to prove you are responsible and can afford to keep a dog - cos its not cheap.

Whether or not this will ever happen is another story, but it could potentially stop those chavs from having pit bulls on street corners intimidating people. I've nothing against pit bulls (and if they are handled correctly make the most wonderful pets), its the idiots who rear them for fighting I can't stand :erm:

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

I thought pitbulls were illegal? or is that just american pitbulls? what other type are there?

I do notice that Staffs are classed as pitbulls and we are allowed them is that what you meant?

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

I didn't think it was all pit bulls, see what you make of this http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welf...ogsleaflet.pdf

Staffies are not pit bulls but are sometimes confused by people who don't have an understanding of the differences. Staffies are very often shorter 14-16" tall (although you do get the odd longer legged version) with the bull face (squashed looking nose). Pits are often taller and are much more agile/lean than staffies. Both make excellent pets in the right hands :rolleyes:

Re: 3 month old killed by dogs
 

Them Jap ones look a bit beastly lol