Yet another child savaged by dog

xzanti

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1241655,00.html

This is about the fourth attack of its kind in recent months, what's going on? Have dogs suddenly started going mad or what? I don't remember there ever being this many dog attacks in such a short space of time, I know they've mostly been in England but should these dogs (rothweilers, bulldogs, Dobermans etc) be banned as pets? I know I wouldn't have one as a pet for all the money in the world if I had a child.. No matter how placid the dog seemed or well treated it was.. I just don't trust them

Setun

Rumour has it that they're plotting something, probably to take over the world or something.

xzanti

Daddio wrote:

Rumour has it that they're plotting something, probably to take over the world or something.

LOL..

smart*ss

Ruu_Old

Less of the smartarsh comments please, don't want to get anyone all hot and bothered here.

That news story doesn't tell a whole lot. Those particular breeds that you have mentioned should always be supervised when around children. Dobermans have a reputation of being aggressive, although that is not always the case.

Rovi

Daddio wrote:

Rumour has it that they're plotting something, probably to take over the world or something.

That's exactly what the cats want you to think :cool:

6th

Daddio wrote:

Rumour has it that they're plotting something, probably to take over the world or something.

Thats a bit of a shítty response seeing as a child has been seriously hurt and undoubtably she will be left scarred (physically and mentally) for life.

I dont care that this is AH where anything goes, out of order.

biko

There's always been attacks in England, Poland and the like. People have big fecking dogs that they can't control or just don't care about.
I get a feeling it has increased with gangstas getting pitbulls etc.

Unsurprising it's children that get the worst bitten, they're small and can't fight back.

There should be a ban on fighting breeds in Ireland, unless you're a K9 unit or the like. Why would someone want a pitbull, other than intimidation?

6th

Maybe I should go find pictures of similar attacks for you guys to have a laugh at?

6th

Girl, 3, mauled by dog in garden
A three-year-old girl has been airlifted to hospital with serious head injuries after being attacked by a dog.

A police spokesman said the incident happened in the garden of a house on Church Road, in the village of Claverdon, in Warwickshire.

The Doberman dog, which was owned by a family member, has since been destroyed, police said.

The girl received head, neck and throat injuries, which are not thought to be life-threatening.

A spokesman for Coventry Air Ambulance told BBC News that paramedics had to sedate the girl before she was airlifted to Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham.

"She was taken to the A&E department and it is thought she may need plastic surgery, but it is not clear at the moment as we just stabilise and get them to hospital as soon as possible," he said.

From BBC.

Ciaran500

The joke was about the post, not about the child :rolleyes:

Kojak

Daddio wrote:

Rumour has it that they're plotting something, probably to take over the world or something.

Ha

CiaranC

Id say its a world takeover thing too.

Or maybe theres more media to report this crap now than there used to be.

Either one.

xzanti

6th wrote:

Maybe I should go find pictures of similar attacks for you guys to have a laugh at?

I don't think anyone's laughing at the thought of a child being mauled by a dog (at least I hope not) I think someone was just taking the p1ss over the way I worded my thread thats all...

humanji

6th wrote:

Thats a bit of a shítty response seeing as a child has been seriously hurt and undoubtably she will be left scarred (physically and mentally) for life.

I dont care that this is AH where anything goes, out of order.

Are you honestly surprised that people are having a laugh on AH? It's been happening for years. Bit late getting shirty at it now.

Tabnabs

xzanti wrote:

I don't think anyone's laughing at the thought of a child being mauled by a dog (at least I hope not) I think someone was just taking the p1ss over the way I worded my thread thats all...

Well said OP!

6th

The thread is about a 3 year old getting attacked by a dog, I dont care how the Op worded it I'm sure the intention wasnt to have a laugh.

Fúck me getting shirty, its sick to think what some people will have a joke about.

Heres a story of a kid the same age as my own, they even look alike:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/5/newsid_2527000/2527393.stm

CiaranC

oh shut up you silly person

Pepe LeFrits

Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?

6th

http://www.doganswers.com/bitepics.htm

Easy to tell who doesnt have kids.

Plug

"20 stone"
Thats hardly right, not even my father weighs that much:rolleyes:

xzanti

6th wrote:

http://www.doganswers.com/bitepics.htm

Easy to tell who doesnt have kids.

We may not all have kids but no doubt we all have someone close to us, and most of us will have younger brothers and sisters, I have 3 nieces and 2nephews all under 5 and this sort of stuff gives me nightmares, I don't think it's fare to insinuate that only people with kids take this seriously..

peasant

Ruu wrote:

Less of the smartarsh comments please, don't want to get anyone all hot and bothered here.

That news story doesn't tell a whole lot. Those particular breeds that you have mentioned should always be supervised when around children. Dobermans have a reputation of being aggressive, although that is not always the case.

All and any dogs should be supervised around children, regardless of the breed. Even a little terrier can do horrific damage.

Equally all children should be supervised around dogs (you wouldn't believe what stupid ideas kids can come up with)

Ruu_Old

CiaranC, don't bother posting again here.

peasant, agreed.
Lets get this back on topic please. OP if you would since you started this, do you think the parents are to blame? Not much info as to where they were or how it happened.

xzanti

Ruu wrote:

CiaranC, don't bother posting again here.

Lets get this back on topic please. OP if you would since you started this, do you think the parents are to blame? Not much info as to where they were or how it happened.

Well if the child was 3 and left in the company of a Doberman without a muzzle then that was very stupid of them but like you said we have little info to go on as yet...

But my thread was really more to ask should they be banned as pets?

6th

xzanti, my apologise. I didnt mean to suggest you didnt care, you posted a very worthwhile thread. Unfortunately some thought how you told it was more important than the content. Before I became a dad I cared about these things so it might appear I was being unfair.

On topic - My brother has 3 rothweillers and no kids. I have never been to my brothers house with my child and thats all fine. He knows my position and respects it.

Although I am fond of his dogs myself, I would like to see a ban on dogs of this type. Peasant is right though, all dogs are capable of doing damage and its a parents responsibility to make the right choices.

xzanti

6th wrote:

xzanti, my apologise. I didnt mean to suggest you didnt care, you posted a very worthwhile thread. Unfortunately some thought how you told it was more important than the content. Before I became a dad I cared about these things so it might appear I was being unfair.

On topic - My brother has 3 rothweillers and no kids. I have never been to my brothers house with my child and thats all fine. He knows my position and respects it.

Although I am fond of his dogs myself, I would like to see a ban on dogs of this type. Peasant is right though, all dogs are capable of doing damage and its a parents responsibility to make the right choices.

Apology accepted, you're dead right not to bring the baby to the house, my friend has a rottweiler (edited :rolleyes: ) pup and she's a sweet little thing but I still wouldn't turn my back for a minute where kids are concerned...

And re small dogs also being dangerous, I had a pomeranian when I was small and I have a very subtle but permanent reminder of him under my left eye from when I tried to dress him up and put him in a buggy when I was 4 :rolleyes:

Why do people say "rothweiler", it's rottweiler... just curious...

anyway it's fine having the dogs around I think as long as they're properly trained, possibly by professionals
but still not unsupervised or even around children!!

6th

I know that some people think that their dogs are placid and well trained but the fact is they can snap through no fault of the owner.

btw I'm not anti-dog at all. I've had pets all my life and currently have a cat. cats can be dodgy too, especially around new borns.

fits

When will people ever learn that you shouldnt let kids near dogs unsupervised?? Any dog is capable of attacking a child. Also when will people ever learn to keep their dogs on the lead or under control or locked in at all times?? Its not just children at risk. I cant fecking walk my perfectly civilised dogs around where I live on their leads without some dogs running out of gardens and accosting them. Its also great fun when I'm out on one of the race horses!!! I spoke to someone last week about their dogs always 'getting killed' on the road outside his house. When I politely suggested they build a dog run for the dogs or keep them indoors, he replied that that wouldnt be 'fair' to the dog... Hello! They've had about ten dogs killed over the last few years... what exactly is fair???

Bit of a rant there, but people need to bloody well cop on to themselves!

6th

Properly trained is really all people can do if they decide to have a dog like that. But its never 100%.

Also I see so many dogs out without muzzles.

Pyr0

xzanti : I'd bite you too if I was that dog :P

I'm always on edge walking by pittbulls or Rottweilers, my friend has one and he is huge ! Yeah they can be trained (he sleeps in the same bed as a 1 year old Cocker spaniel) but I'd still be cautious around a "perfectly" trained dog.

I was scared to death when my cocker spaniel started barking and going for a Rottweiler when I was walking him, fortunatly for the dog and me he trotted on beside his owner (who was a few feet away) I don't even think it had a leash, definatly didn't have a muzzle.

sharonlarkin

Hi, i just have to say I definitely agree with Peasant. I have kids, cats and a dog. And even the most docile dog would soon get fed up with a child tormenting it. Even though I trust my dog, she is never alone with the kids. Cause I know my 3 year old son would be trying to sit on her back, and pulling at her ears. Its just kids curiousity. So she just goes where I go. And just to say how soft my dog is, she gets bullied by the cat!!!.

mountainyman

There are always dog attacks.
In every generation there are dog breeds which people buy to feel tough.
At the moment most obviously it is the Pit Bull. It is also the Rotteweiler, the Ridgeback, the Dobermann and to a lesser extent the German Shepherd.

The owners will try to make their dog act tough, they will turn it into a vicious dog. Frankly any breed can be vicious but certain breeds can do real damage. All the above breeds (except the GSD) should be banned and that means the dogs should be detroyed. Ownership of a GSD should be contingent on attending a certain amount of training.

It is true that it isn't the dog it is the owner but only a55h0les buy pit bulls and to a (much) lesser extend this is true of Rottweilers and Dobermanns. I accept that old people cna be nervous etc. and want a dog to protect the home but a GSD can do this and is also a highly trainable animal.

MM

Ruu_Old

Dobermans are very easy to train, but has to be at a young age like most dogs but as mentioned if they are known to be an aggressive dog then precautions should be taken. The bulldog would be a favourite in England and has been for many years because of its status and mentality, used in logos and such.

6th

My brother got the Rotties not because they look tough but I think he might feel they are misunderstood. His are lovely, gentle dogs but its what they are capable of due to their size and strenght I worry about. He has had them trained and is very responsible - the ideal big dog owner in my opinion and I'm sure if kids came along he'd find a new home for them (dogs not kids).

fits

6th wrote:

I'm sure if kids came along he'd find a new home for them (dogs not kids).

I really dont agree with this. People seem to think that dogs are disposable once they decide to have kids. Its not right... Why did they bother getting a dog in the first place. If I were to have kids I certainly wouldnt get rid of the dogs, but I certainly wouldnt let the children pull, hang out of and play barbie with the dogs either.

'Ideal big dog owner' my bum! (If that is what he would do...)

6th

6th wrote:

the ideal big dog owner in my opinion and I'm sure if kids came along he'd find a new home for them (dogs not kids).

How kind of him. Well, our dogs are part of our family. PUtting them somewhere else would be like putting kids somewhere else =/

Pyr0

Yeah I don't see how giving full grown Rottweilers to strangers is a very good idea. Also, I doubt he'd be able to give them up that easily I take it he's had them since they were pups ? I'd never be able to do that, even with the dog I have now which I've only had for about half a year, it would kill me.

sharonlarkin

People cant keep their eyes on kids 24 hours a day. Its impossible, I should know. Thats why if I have my dog in the house, she comes where I go. And I certainly never sit and watch my kids pull out of the dog, anyone who does that is just irresponsible. And I know a few of those aswell. My kids know better than to do anything to the dog, but they still give it a try. Its stopped immediately. I don't agree with people letting kids jump around any animal. Parents have to be responsible for both kids and animals.

I've been in other peoples houses where their son was jumping on the dogs back. It was a german shephard. I said it to the mum that the child shouldn't be doing that. Her reply was "its just a dog, he probably doesn't even feel it". I hate that kind of attitude towards animals.

Rb

Personally I've only ever witnessed complete knackers walking around with pitbulls/dobermans/rottweilers, completes their "hard man" look I suppose but I've always wondered how well these dogs are being trained. I'd say 99% of them aren't well trained, these are dogs that really need some investment of both time and money into their training, something which I can't see the majority of their owners doing. So I'm not surprised that there has been attacks, these are tempermental dogs and if they are indeed badly trained then its no shock that they turn on the person/object that is causing their frustration.

Sick to see dogs being terminated because of their owners lack of responsibility though. However, leaving a child around such a dog unsupervised is absolutely retarded, and both the childs parents and the dog owners should face punishment for putting the child in such a position.
I wouldn't leave any child around any dog. Dogs, like us, get pissed off and children have a known tendancy to pull tails/hair so leaving a child by itself is never a good idea.

Belle_Morte

bluewolf wrote:

How kind of him. Well, our dogs are part of our family. PUtting them somewhere else would be like putting kids somewhere else =/

Same here.

Surely random dog attacks occur, well, randomly; but has anyone else noticed that the media seems to pick up on the idea periodically and you see dog attack stories everywhere? Then they move onto another topic and you hear no more about it.

peasant

PyrO wrote:

I was scared to death when my cocker spaniel started barking and going for a Rottweiler when I was walking him, fortunatly for the dog and me he trotted on beside his owner (who was a few feet away) I don't even think it had a leash, definatly didn't have a muzzle.

ahemmm:D

So you're complaining that a perfectly behaved dog didn't have a muzzle (a lead would have been desirable, though) but yet you're own little mutt went for the other dog ??

Had anything nasty resulted out out of this, I presume in your opinion the Rottweiler would have had to shoulder the blame?

Hmmm ... so it's ok to have a yappy, snappy dog as long as it's called "Cocker Spaniel" but when it comes under the name tag "Rottweiler" it needs to be muzzled, no matter how well it's behaved?

Strange double standards, methinks


And yes, I am aware that the Rottweiler by law should have been muzzled.
But just because something is law it doesn't always make complete sense, does it ...

Pyr0

peasant wrote:

ahemmm:D

So you're complaining that a perfectly behaved dog didn't have a muzzle (a lead would have been desirable, though) but yet you're own little mutt went for the other dog ??

Had anything nasty resulted out out of this, I presume in your opinion the Rottweiler would have had to shoulder the blame?

Hmmm ... so it's ok to have a yappy, snappy dog as long as it's called "Cocker Spaniel" but when it comes under the name tag "Rottweiler" it needs to be muzzled, no matter how well it's behaved?

Strange double standards, methinks


And yes, I am aware that the Rottweiler by law should have been muzzled.
But just because something is law it doesn't always make complete sense, does it ...

Hmmm I've noticed I didn't make it very clear when I said "went for". You know when a dog passes another dog and they try pull you over to them ? Well thats what happend, my dog is very active outside anyway and gets excited when another dog comes by, which leads to him barking.

peasant

Pyr0 wrote:

Hmmm I've noticed I didn't make it very clear when I said "went for". You know when a dog passes another dog and they try pull you over to them ? Well thats what happend, my dog is very active outside anyway and gets excited when another dog comes by, which leads to him barking.

I know perfectly well what you mean ...but still, in a case like that your dog would be the misbehaver ...yet the Rottweiler has to wear a muzzle by law, just because it's a Rottweiler. Not really fair, is it?


As an aside:
You might want to work on that excited barking thingy. Not all dogs react as calmly as that particularly cool Rottweiler when they're being "shouted at" by another dog. You might find yourself with a punctured cocker sooner or later.

iguana

fits wrote:

Also when will people ever learn to keep their dogs on the lead or under control or locked in at all times??

To be fair dogs absolutely need to have time out and off their leads. Unless you have a football pitch of a garden dogs do need some time to run free. Obviously they need to be well trained before doing this, but if they don't get a regular chance to burn off steam your only storing up trouble and making them unhappy.

nando

I'm not sure where I stand on this - I don't think it is actually that easy to define which breeds "deserve" an automatic ban. Far too many grey areas...

What I do know is that while working as a vet 5 of my 7 dog bites have been from Westies. The other 2 were from a Yorkie and a Cocker Spaniel. I will add that I have met in total 4 well behaved Westies that did not try to take my hand off - and considering they are consistently in the top 3 most popular breeds in Ireland that is a very small number for the amount I met day in day out!

Again I never came across a poorly behaved Rottie or Dobie - I know they exist but I never had to deal with them (thank god!). And whoever said Rotties tend to belong to complete knackers - I find they're very popular with the wealthy who have a bit of land and nice jeep.... usually as a companion to a Lab and a Bernese Mountain Dog for some reason

mountainyman

peasant wrote:

I know perfectly well what you mean ...but still, in a case like that your dog would be the misbehaver ...yet the Rottweiler has to wear a muzzle by law, just because it's a Rottweiler. Not really fair, is it?

It is fair, the Rottweiler can do alot more damage. The Rottweiler is a dangerous dog required by law to be muzzled in public. Frankly they should all be destroyed.
If an unmuzzled Rottweiler bit my dog I would make certain that it was destroyed.

MM

Fratton Fred

I'm surprised no ne has mentioned breeding. There is so much interbreeding going on with pedigrees, they end up head cases and this can lead to them being nasty savage dogs.

The Rottie gets a lot of bad press. It is no more agressive than any other breed, but it is a huge dog and if it is mistreated, badly bred etc it can endup nasty. A lot of aggressive Rotties are owned by people who need to compensate for something (The same reason blokes drive big cars;) ) raised properly they are great dogs, but I would never leave one alone with a young child.

mountainyman

Fratton Fred wrote:

The Rottie gets a lot of bad press. It is no more agressive than any other breed, but it is a huge dog and if it is mistreated, badly bred etc it can endup nasty. A lot of aggressive Rotties are owned by people who need to compensate for something ...

There is no reason to own a huge potentially dangerous dog. At the very least a special license should be required. Also Rottweilers are more aggressive than some other breeds. They are more aggressive than Old English Sheepdogs, Labradors and Bearded Collies for example; they are no more aggressive than a terrier but a terrier can't do the same damage.

MM

WizZard

mountainyman wrote:

There is no reason to own a huge potentially dangerous dog.

Every dog is potentially dangerous. :rolleyes:

mountainyman wrote:

they are no more aggressive than a terrier but a terrier can't do the same damage.

I think to a young child a terrier can do just as much damage as a rottweiler

peasant

mountainyman wrote:

There is no reason to own a huge potentially dangerous dog. At the very least a special license should be required. Also Rottweilers are more aggressive than some other breeds. They are more aggressive than Old English Sheepdogs, Labradors and Bearded Collies for example; they are no more aggressive than a terrier but a terrier can't do the same damage.

MM

Sorry mountainyman ...but that's rubbish.

Out of your sample group there, especially the Old English Sheepdog has massive aggression issues. (I know that, because I own an OES mix and have had quite some insights into OES circles)

OES for the last few years have been bred with massive focus on their appearance. They now have twice as much fur than they had 10-20 years ago. Their coat also is longer and fluffier than ever. One side effect of this is that, other than pure show dogs, you hardly see unshorn OES any more. Their coat has become unmanageable for the average owner.

But much more frighteningly, because of focussing on appearance only, OES breeders have left all health and character screening by the wayside, with the end result that the OES now is one of the most stubborn, unpredictable and potentially aggressive breeds out there.
They also have grown in size. Male dogs now come in at a shade unter 70 cms at the withers and weights of 40+ kgs.

Yet the "Dulux Dog" continues to have a reputation as a placid, friendly clown and the ideal minder of children.

Nothing could be further form the truth.

This is just one example of how breeders can spoil a whole breed.

But generally speaking, classification (and in some cases sweeping condemnation) of dogs' behaviour and character by breed does not work.

Dogs are individuals and circumstances are individual ...and so are their owners.

The only way to assess a dog is to look at each single one, the conditions it is kept in and the way its owner trains and handles it.

The really unfortunate thing about this all is the fact that undesireable and incapable dog owners seem to focus in on certain breeds, thus tarnishing their names.

But this is not the dogs' fault.