Please people, NEVER leave your baby unattended with your dog

I know, everyone thinks "but Fido's so sweet - he'd never hurt a fly".  Well guess what, Fido is still an animal, and completely unpredictable.    An ounce of prevention prevents stories like these:Family dog kills 2-week-old

Ughhh!  it just makes me so mad! 

My dog broke my daughter's arm when she was a week shy of her 2nd birthday. Granted, it was an accident but animals don't know how to be careful and you're right, they are unpredictable.

We have some friends who have three pit bulls. They swear up and down that they are the nicest dogs but I am scared to death to let my daughter play with/around them.

I read an article around two years ago about a Chihuaua that horribly maimed an infant. I have a cousin who literally had her face torn off by a Chow when she was a toddler.

I love dogs but I don't even trust my own that I've reared from puppies. These stories sicken me.

Jesus Christ, that is beyond horrific.

I also do not trust my dogs. I love them, however they are dogs and they will do what dogs do. I also don't trust people who blindly trust their animals even more than I don't trust dogs. Those people scare me. I would NOT trust my kid around somebody with rose coloured glasses.

I have a giant doberman and a miniature dachshund. We keep them both kenneled up (they have very nice kennels in the living room by the fire... they love their special places) when we are not "working" them.

Even with these careful circumstances & my dogs being obviously well trained dogs, the dachshund has totally bitten my daughter. The dobe has knocked her over (albeit accidently), leaving her with a busted face or a bloody lip.

Dogs are dogs.

Man that story makes me so sad. I feel so sorry for the parents. It would be so easy, especially in those first two delirious weeks, to forget to shut the nursery door. Even with strict care, it could happen to anyone who has a dog (or any animal, really. Cats, even birds are animals & can do some damage [ESPECIALLY BIRDS! UGH!])

I can't even begin to imagine how traumatized they must be.

Oh how awful.  Every single time I hear this it makes me sick.  An ounce of prevention.... just one little step to crate the dog, or baby gate, or put outside in a fenced run or yard when the baby is out of the crib.  I know you're dead delirious and sleep deprived early on but it takes a second to get in the routine.

I'd never trust our dogs with a baby either.  I know them and trust them with the older kids, cats, new dogs, the vet, etc.... but honestly I trust no dogs around a baby.  Our new one is a lab mix puppy and chews on everything (and it Hurts!) so we're learning not to chew on people.  That's a no brainer why he'd be in his little area if we had a baby in the house.  My older one... beagle and gentle as anything.  But still, a dog is a dog no matter how cute some folks dress them up.

I hate the "so sweet and won't hurt a fly" arguments.  My cocker spaniel was just that and he turned on me out of nowhere one day....went right for the face and drew blood... I needed stitches.  We'd raised him from a very tiny puppy and he was 5 then.  I'd been sitting on the floor watching tv petting him and out of nowhere he snapped.  Main reason I'd never leave a dog unsupervised with a child.

That's so terribly sad.

I never leave my dog unattended around my little cousins. She is the sweetest dog, but little kids can be rough and scare dogs, and dogs don't always understand the difference between an adult and a baby.

I just want to say one thing in particular: pits are no different than any other dog.

I get so frustrated when people base their ideas about this breed on media hype. The problem is that they have been unfairly depicted in the media because often many of the people that get pits get them for their appearance and don't treat them well. There are many pit owners that are just like your average lab owner. People always give me a wry look when I say I have a pit, then their next question is "is she nice?" They are gentle and intensely loyal dogs. There are no bad dogs -- only bad owners.

The bottom line is that ALL dogs need to be supervised extremely closely when there are small children in the vicinity. The dogs don't understand that they can hurt the child (sometimes theymight not even know what the infant is) and on the other hand, small children (toddlers - small elementary school kids) don't really know how to be gentle with dogs (trying to ride them, poking them, etc.). Incidents like this can be prevented, and it certainly is a tragedy when things like this happen.

I have a huge problem with this, my son just turned two and my daughter is 9 months.  Their Grandfather has a lab that is pretty grumpy because he is VERY overweight and gets alot of ear infections.  I sometimes let their grandfather watch them if I have to work and my fiance is not going to be home in time.  I worry about my kids constantly when they are there b/c I know they allow the kids to play on the floor right next to the dog.  I've seen him growling at them when I come back.  My fiance had his cheek bitten off by their dog when he was young and had to have a skin graft. 

I don't know how to stop this from happening, I want the kids to see their grandfather, but they spoil that dog terribly and I know they may agree to my rule to my face but they will ignore them when I am gone.  I can't even invite these people over to our house to watch the kids b.c they bring the dog everywhere they go.  They have done a lot to take care of us and I don't want to disrespect them by telling them their dog is unwelcome.  Any ideas on how to be kind and have a back bone?

boedk8.... I wish there was a way to get them to understand your point of view especially given what your fiance went through as a child, but, for some no matter what they hear nothing will change their mind.  Comes down to that "Oh by MY dog would never" sense of false security some people get. 

Maybe trying to just sit down quietly with them and mentioning you're scared and wouldn't want the children to have to go through the pain and emotional scars from fear after being bitten.  Not sure that it would help but honestly it's worth a try.

Original Post by boedk8:

I don't want to disrespect them by telling them their dog is unwelcome.  Any ideas on how to be kind and have a back bone?

 When it comes to your children's safety, you really can't afford to worry about hurting other people's feelings.  You tell it to them nicely but straight.  Because if one day you came back to the grandparents' house to find an ambulance outside and the paramedics desperately trying to revive one of your babies you'd never forgive yourself for having kept quiet. 

Any dog that has severely bitten someone already (was it the same dog that bit your fiance?) should have been put down immediately.   Don't leave your children there any longer - even if it's inconvenient and you have to arrange alternative child-care.  And make it clear that you can't have the animal in the house.  It's your home and you make the rules.

It wasn't the same dog that bit my fiance, that dog was put down immediately, that happened when he was a little kid.  It's just the same family, so it gives me even more reason to be concerned.

I just dont know what to say, " I like you and your dog, but i"m worried he's going to bite" ?  I know they would just tell me I'm crazy. And I know they would never keep him in a seperate area.  So I guess I just shouldn't ever take them there, sad but true.

I trust my 6 month old English Springer Spaniel with my 2 year 9 month old son.  But when my son was first born we had a pit bull, and a staffordshire terrier cross.  I would NOT trust them even when we were around.  Now my staffy cross lives with my parents, and my pitty was put down for Killing our cat.  I swore that my pitbull was the gentle oaffish giant..but he got too rough with the cat and broke its neck..  I myself have been bitten by 2 dogs, My friends German Shepard grabbed my wrist while walking by..it left a large puncture hole..when I was little and sliding at a friends house, her mutt dog bit my arm (left a scar on my bicept) Any dog can bite!

Original Post by jordielg:

I just want to say one thing in particular: pits are no different than any other dog.

I get so frustrated when people base their ideas about this breed on media hype. The problem is that they have been unfairly depicted in the media because often many of the people that get pits get them for their appearance and don't treat them well. There are many pit owners that are just like your average lab owner. People always give me a wry look when I say I have a pit, then their next question is "is she nice?" They are gentle and intensely loyal dogs. There are no bad dogs -- only bad owners.

I love our friend's pits. They are sweet and love to play. They are, however, three times the size of my daughter and any dog that size makes me nervous. One of them seems very skittish around her as well. Our friends don't have kids so the dogs aren't used to them. I am not bashing pits, just stating the breed as I did in my other examples (I assume your comment was in reference to mine since I was the only one that mentioned pits). I think that irresponsible owners that don't research their pits' history are the reason behind all the stories we hear in the news.

That is awful. People can be very careless and have no commen sense. I know I may come off wrong in saying this but its how I feel.  I yelled at my sister-in-law because she said they will make the cats outside cats if they cant get along with the new baby. First of all these are jersey cats that live in nevada desert. There are coyotes, black widows, and scorpions in their back yard, also a couple blocks from them their are lions some one owns. So I yelled at her for that. I mean her and my brother have had these cats since they were born. Its just wrong. I understand the animal can be dangerous but thats the part of being a parent, you protect your child from everything. You cant punish an animal for being an animal. Make sure the babys room doesnt have any one hiding under the furniture and then close the door tight if your going to leave he/she unattended sleeping or whatever. If the cat is around and it seems to be irritated smack it away, yell at it, or get at squirt gun. My brother also has a husky and hes big and he gets hyper very easily. He also likes to nustle in laps. He has his own room like the cats do that they can get locked up in. Cats have their own room for food and litter and their toys which those end up all over the house.

Again I think its awful for what happens to these babies and my heart goes out to them but if you can prevent it then its your own fault.

Edit: this is about the pitts. I have 2 german shepard, rautwiler (sp) and pitt mix dogs. Yes they are the biggest babies in the world, but if you trust them around your cat that is just stupid.  They have the predators mind set when it comes to small furry animals or small anything. I know from experience from losing a rat(my brothers) and a chinchilla. Also if you look at every stuffed toy we buy for they its usually shredded. We got my dogs when I was 10, im the youngest and my brothers are 2 and 7 yrs older than me. I was old enough to be around them plus they were tiny puppies when we got them and that made me way bigger than them. For our cats we keep them separated, they stay in our finished basement complete with fluffy couches to sleep on. One cat stays up stairs cause shes is as old as the dogs and was their before them so she can put up with them and at this point shes still faster than them in old age.

Original Post by jordielg:

I just want to say one thing in particular: pits are no different than any other dog.

 That is totally untrue. You have the rose-coloured glasses of a dangerous owner. You're not doing your dog or the breed any favors by candy coating them. It's your responsiblity to understand the breed, including its history & capabilities

". They were used for general farm work, hunting wild pigs, bears, and other large game, guarding the homestead, and general companionship."

http://www.amstaff.org/amstaff_history.html

Although friendly, this breed is loyal to his family and will protect them from any threat.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/american_staffordsh ire_terrier/

In contrast: "The Bichon Frise appeared in the 13th century as a descendent from the Water Spaniel. Traded by Spanish sailors and transported from continent to continent, the breed eventually became a favorite of those in the 16th century French royal courts. The breed was also favored by the painters of the Spanish school, who often included them in their works. Although the breed's colorful past includes use as a circus dog, today the Bichon is enjoyed primarily as a companion animal."

http://www.akc.org/breeds/bichon_frise/

Dog bred to hunt large game vs. Dog bred for the lap of a princess

I'm an owner of a beautiful Doberman Pinscher. Dobermans are absolutely not "like any other dog." I would not be a responsble owner if I allowed myself the delusion.

Any dog can be abused, any dog can bite, but not every dog is bred to be strong, fearless and protective.

I am fully aware that dogs were bred for different reasons and that, to a certain extent, has strong effects on their temperament. For you to immediately generalize that I'm a dangerous owner because of a single statement is a bit hasty, but I suppose that comes with the relative anonymity of the internet.

What I was saying is that ANY dog, even a Bichon -- despite being bred as a lap dog for the royal court -- can be dangerous around a child if the owners don't treat the situation with the care it deserves. And in that sense, they are just like other dogs in that they need to be supervised carefully or not around children at all.

I appreciate your comments as I know that you have probably had to deal with some of the same issues being the owner of a Doberman. My aunt had a Doberman when I was younger and I know people were often afraid of Brandy just because of her size and build.

I can assure you that I'm under no delusion about Lucy and her physical ability to cause harm -- it's certainly true that in the wrong hands or in the hands of an owner that doesn't understand how to properly care for and manage dogs -- especially those that are strong-willed as well as physically strong -- she could certainly be dangerous; my fiance and I have worked very hard to be responsible dog owners and continue to do so on a daily basis.

I have a pit bull and if I had a child I would not be afraid of letting him play with them.  BUT i would never leave him ALONE with them, I'm quite sure he would never bite them, he's just very large and easily excited.

any dog can bite, doesn't matter the breed but its wrong to assume that pit bulls, dobies, and rotties are the most agressive.  The link below said daschunds were the most agressive towards their owners! The pits bulls, dobies and rotties scored average or below argressiveness towards strangers!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/ho waboutthat/2254479/Sausage-dogs-are-the-most- aggressive-dogs.html

I think it has a lot to do with how the dog was raised. From when my pup was six weeks old I used to tug his ears, pull his tail, push him around, poke him in the nose, stick my hand in his mouth while he was eating, all because I wanted him to be used to, and prepared for people to do those types of things to him.  He never growls or does anything to make you even slightly feel threatened. But that doesn't mean I'd leave him to babysit. 

all dogs can be dangerous to children and it's up to the adults to make sure the situation is treated with care!

i have lots of dogs and a 16 month old baby.. i think the safest way to ensure ur childs safety (if you allow dogs in the house) with a baby is to keep the dog in a cage.  i agree when everyone says that a dog is an animal and should not be trusted alone with a baby.  i own pitbulls and one of them sleeps inside in a cage.  sometimes i let him out in the house and he is the sweetest dog with the best temperment.  very calm and loves all humans so far...  my baby lays on him and can do anything around him and he is very gentle with the baby.  even though i would never leave any of my dogs whether it be my cow dogs, my hunting dogs, or my pits with my baby unsupervised. 

i just have to say to all pitbull haters out there... yeah pitbulls were raised to fight back in the day.. was that their fault?  dont hate the pitbull, hate the owners that did that to them.  i think the only way to breed that out of them is to breed them and never fight them.  its all about how u raise it imo.

take care everyone :)