Mum's dog bit my LO

TopQuark

No dog, no matter how socialised or well-behaved is ever to be trusted 100% of the time when in the company of babies and small children. The same goes for cats, rabbits and most other animals.

The details of the OPs story are not very clear, but it seems that there was at least some knowledge that this dog had a particular issue with small kids. So in future, don't take the small kid there. If the Grandmother chooses the dog 'over' the grandson, then that's her business. I agree it might be upsetting for the OP, but you can't control how other people feel. To be honest, of all kids I know, none of them are more important to me than my pets.

Isn't it interesting how we'll happily put an animal to death at the merest hint of an issue, but we're willing keep monumental quantities of human detritus alive....

System

Quite clearly OP your mother accepts help on your terms (that the dog is locked away) or she doesn't get help.

The Mother of the OP has a choice. The child of the OP does not.

Waldemar

HPoirot wrote: »

Wasn't a problem to my dog, any chocolate in the house and she'd be on it before you even knew it was there. Chocolate, cakes, etc, had to be kept in a high cupboard as she was terrible for her sweet tooth.

There is a difference between chocolates. Dark chocolate / bakers chocolate is the killer due to high levels of theobromine which dogs metabolise a lot slower than us. For example a 10KG dog could die from just 50g to 75g of dark chocolate and be very sick on a lot less. Milk Chocolate on the other hand would require 500+g for the same 10Kg dog.

MrsAtobe

Waldemar wrote: »

There is a difference between chocolates. Dark chocolate / bakers chocolate is the killer due to high levels of theobromine which dogs metabolise a lot slower than us. For example a 10KG dog could die from just 50g to 75g of dark chocolate and be very sick on a lot less. Milk Chocolate on the other hand would require 500+g for the same 10Kg dog.

And different dogs of the same weight can react in completely different ways to the same dose of theobromine, which is why I would no longer risk feeding chocolate to a dog. You have no way of knowing whether even a small amount will kill your dog. HPoirot, my first dog used to share everything with me, she loved a Mars Bar, but I wouldn't risk it now.

catkins

TopQuark wrote: »

No dog, no matter how socialised or well-behaved is ever to be trusted 100% of the time when in the company of babies and small children. The same goes for cats, rabbits and most other animals.

The details of the OPs story are not very clear, but it seems that there was at least some knowledge that this dog had a particular issue with small kids. So in future, don't take the small kid there. If the Grandmother chooses the dog 'over' the grandson, then that's her business. I agree it might be upsetting for the OP, but you can't control how other people feel. To be honest, of all kids I know, none of them are more important to me than my pets.

Isn't it interesting how we'll happily put an animal to death at the merest hint of an issue, but we're willing keep monumental quantities of human detritus alive....

I've highlighted the bit I totally agree with. I love dogs but am sensible enough to realise that NO dog can be completely trusted. I have no children but when my nieces and nephews visited when younger I would let them see and stroke the dog but then put my dog into another room just to be on the safe side. Most of my dogs have been complete softies but I still would not have taken a chance. A few rescues I wasn't so sure of as I didn't know their backgrounds totally just that they had been illtreated (one bit my husband twice).


I don't see that the mother should get rid of her dog. She probably could not rehome it so it would have to be pts and I would imagine that would upset her as I know it would me. The dog just needs to be kept away from any children in the house. A crate would be a good idea as long as the children knew to keep away from it.

j.e.j.

Pollycat wrote: »

I did know the dog had bitten the OP's sister's kid as well as her son.

Yeah it's bitten the little girl twice apparently. And the OP's boy once.
I hope they've had a tetanus jab.

tesuhoha

Well people are saying that the dog should be walked but if it was then it could easily turn on a child in the street.

Really a dog like that should be destroyed before it gets a chance to have a go at another child.

FBaby

The dog bit (or really snapped and bruised) the child after 1/2 hour of the child being in the home. A slight different picture to a dog that runs to a child to attack them as soon as they see them!

heartbreak_star

tesuhoha wrote: »

Well people are saying that the dog should be walked but if it was then it could easily turn on a child in the street.

Really a dog like that should be destroyed before it gets a chance to have a go at another child.

This is awful. Of course the dog should be walked but there have been sensible suggestions of basket muzzles.

HBS x

Kayalana99

Solsol wrote: »

I have told her I won't be taking LO there anymore but I'm also now getting grief from my siblings for not helping with mum while she's ill! I can't win whatever I do and I don't think it's fair that I have to leave my son with someone else while I go and help her if she's not prepared to leave her dog with someone else for a while! I already have to leave him for three days a week to go to work so I don't like to do it any more than that

Trying not to come across as petty or anything but this whole thing has just infuriated me!

I think you are coming across as petty, personally I think the dog should be reported...but if you're not going to do that surely YOU could put the dog in another room? It's not rocket science...it's been suggested and you're trying to say that they should of put the dog away...but your Mum is ill (and in bed?) etc so even if someone else can it does not take 2min to lock dog in another room and surely you can keep LO away from dog whilst you do.

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread but personally don't see what other options you'd have (other then not going when you could just put dog in another room.)