Dangerous dogs with children

foreversomeday

Hi everyone, I was on my ivillage pregnancy month board today and someone has posted the following message (summarised). I'd be interested to see what you all think as I know a lot of people here (as I do) consider pets to be members of the family, I just thought it was a hard decision to make (but I do agree that the girl in question is irresponsible.) I will pass on comments.

Basically the poster's DF's brother's girlfriend (I'll call her her SIL even though she legally isn't.) is pregnant, but owns a 10 year old staffordshire bull terrier, which is not trained at all, even toilet trained, has a history of being vicious (has attacked more than one person), and is known to not like children. The poster says she doesn't think it's to do with the breed of dog so much as it's training (or lack of). The SIL must realise it's not the best plan to have the dog with a new baby as she has looked into options of rehoming it, but most rehoming centres have told her that the dog is more than likely going to end up being put down due to its age and temperament, which she doesn't want to happen.

If they keep the dog, they can't get the house they have been offered, as it doesn't allow pets, and the other option (AFAIK) is for them to move in with her family, there is a history of abuse there so that doesn't seem the best option either. There has been a big family upset over it with someone arranging for the dog to go to a "nice home" which was actually a cover up to have it destroyed, which the SIL found out about and was understandably upset this was being decided behind her back and she was being lied to.

The OP was looking for advice really, and most people have just said "A dog is not as important as a baby" or "Stay out of it, don't get involved!" but she does seem genuinely concerned for the baby's welfare.

Raksha

Very occasionally, being PTS is a release from the demons that some animals have, and under these conditions, I'd say it's the least risky of the choices available.

So sad that so many Staffie owners give this wonderful breed such a poor reputation

lostinrates

The dog's lack of training is a sad state of affairs and, although I feel harsh saying it, if they can't house train a dog how great a parent will they be?

I think in thier situation I would have dog PTS too. I've known some sweet staffies.:(

I love my dogs and my cats, they ARE my family, but I will not leave a baby alone with them if I have a baby. However much faith I have in them who knows what the baby could do to them to excite or upset them.

MrsTinks

At 10 the dog isn't unsalvagable but I get the feeling they are not willing to invest the time and money required to resolve the issues to make it rehomable. I've just (hesitantly!) taken the step of agreeing to pay £170 for ONE 1 1/2 - 2 hour session with a VERY good dog trainer because we too want a family and as it stands I don't feel the progress that I have made with my dog is enough for us to be ready for having children in the house and more importantly for me to be able to walk her when we meet other dogs whilst she's on the leash. My fear wouldn't be that she'd ever harm me or antoher person but she could pull me over and when pregnant that's not something I can risk. Don't get me wrong I've spent a lot of time and money on my dog and resolving her problems, but I'm at a point where I can no longer improve her without professional help - so that is what I have decided to get.

I HATE putting down dogs because of owners blatant neglect when it comes to training and frankly I don't think they deserve to have children if they can't be "bothered" to train a dog which now has to pay for their selfishness! Unfortunately unless they can find a VERY unique home for it I feel the safest thing is to put the dog down for it's sake and that of people around. It's not a dog you can rehome to your average home and it would more than likely end up in a kennel for the rest of it's life... and THAT isn't fair either...

nikki702

lostinrates wrote: »

The dog's lack of training is a sad state of affairs and, although I feel harsh saying it, if they can't house train a dog how great a parent will they be?

I couldn't agree more!

Hawthorn

This is so sad!

What about a rescue specifically for Staffies? Here's some

http://www.sbtrescue.org.uk/

http://www.staffierescuescotland.co.uk/

http://www.cleverstaffords.co.uk/norma.htm

http://www.sbtse.org.uk/

The last link may be particularly useful as it lists regional rescue centers.

The beauty of these rescue centers is that they very rarely put to sleep a healthy animal, regardless of issues.

This may be this animals only chance of surviving, bless it. I love staffies. I have an English bull terrier myself.
They aren't the easiest dogs, but by god do they make up for it with affection and fun

shelley_crow

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are normally great with kids, so much so that they are one of only 2 breeds that The Kennel Club reccomend to have around children. It makes me wonder what has been done to that dog to make it the way it is. Staffords aren't normally vicious dogs.

The mother to be has a choice, get rid of the dog or keep the dog and risk the baby being mauled to death. Staffords have ridiculously strong jaws, if one started on an adult i can categorically say that it could easily overpower an adult. When you look into their breed history, they were bred for bull and bear baiting. Being such a powerful dog, obedience to the master was another key element that was factored into the breeding. Staffords that weren't people friendly were destroyed, hence the human loving dafties we have today. My stafford is as daft as a ball of fluff but when you consider their history, having a properly trained stafford is paramount.

It's quite blatant that the owners won't take responsibility and take the necessary steps to train this dog (as they should have 10 years ago). They would be best to turn it over to a confident handler and trainer of the breed, for the good of the baby and the dog.

Needless to say that if she genuinely fears for the safety of the child then a phone call to Social Services wouldn't go astray, they will be putting their child in uneccessary danger. I don't know whether the RSPCA could get involved too.

Sorry for the long rambling rant post, this never fails to get my goat!

tbain

shelley_crow wrote: »

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are normally great with kids, Staffords aren't normally vicious dogs.

I am sorry but I totally disagree with that statement and it is completely untrue, there have been countless cases in the news and in the papers of staffys going for kids. This might seem like a controversial statement to make but as a mother of three and my youngest being 2 years old I wouldn't trust any lockjaw or large dog with a baby or child. We have a Shih Tzu and at least I know no harm will come to my child with this dog ( Although I will add he is never left on his own with the dog). After all you never hear of Shih Tzus, Yorkshire terriers or poodles mauling anybodys kids do you? I also don't think that it is how a dog is brought up that matters, I personally think that some are capable of flipping and losing it just like that.

a11waysindebt

Never,never,never leave any dog alone with a young child,I don't mean just babies.

I have a 2 year old Rottie myself and even though this dog is trained,He is capable of very quickly turning and getting very protective.

A friend of mine has a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and I once had to pick it up by the collar and chuck it over a 6ft wall after it decided on grabbing hold of his 3 year old daughters doll from her hand and she was screaming in fright.

I couldn't believe it when he said "The little !!!!!! always does that" if it was my dog there would have been an outcry.

Even though my dog is like one of the family, he has only got to bite a child once and I will be the one who puts him to rest.

If his daughter was mine I would have put his dog to sleep.

You will quickly find the baby crying and attention the new baby will have will wind the dog up.

shelley_crow

tbain wrote: »

shelley_crow wrote: »

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are normally great with kids, Staffords aren't normally vicious dogs.

I am sorry but I totally disagree with that statement and it is completely untrue, there have been countless cases in the news and in the papers of staffys going for kids. This might seem like a controversial statement to make but as a mother of three and my youngest being 2 years old I wouldn't trust any lockjaw or large dog with a baby or child. We have a Shih Tzu and at least I know no harm will come to my child with this dog ( Although I will add he is never left on his own with the dog). After all you never hear of Shih Tzus, Yorkshire terriers or poodles mauling anybodys kids do you? I also don't think that it is how a dog is brought up that matters, I personally think that some are capable of flipping and losing it just like that.

And i disagree with that. Staffies have been adopted by the masses as the dog that will increase their street cred. These mindless cretins take them on and have no intention of looking after them or training them correctly, in fact they wouldn't have the first clue how to. Staffies, like any dog, can be nasty if they are not trained.

I don't profess to be an expert on these matters but as someone who grow up around staffies i'm sick of bad owners giving this breed a bad name. This article may of interest to you

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7239464.stm

Can I ask what your experience of interacting with staffies on a day to day basis is? You read as someone who doesn't actually know anything about them, which is fair enough. As i said, the Kennel Club recommends staffies,as mentioned in this article. You can say i'm wrong but you'd be somewhat short sighted to disagree with The Kennel Club when it comes to dogs, lol.

In more than 22 years and countless staffies, I've never owned a bad one. Mine have been trained, are obedient, well socialised and well adjusted. Speakng as a mother too, there are no better dogs for children. The only bad experience of dgs i have had is a vicious yorkshire terrier trying to chew my achilles heel when i was 6 years old. Of course, I wouldn't make a sweeping generalisation that they are a bad breed, because that doesn't seem very fair.

tbain

shelley_crow wrote: »

tbain wrote: »

And i disagree with that. Staffies have been adopted by the masses as the dog that will increase their street cred. These mindless cretins take them on and have no intention of looking after them or training them correctly, in fact they wouldn't have the first clue how to. Staffies, like any dog, can be nasty if they are not trained.

I don't profess to be an expert on these matters but as someone who grow up around staffies i'm sick of bad owners giving this breed a bad name. This article may of interest to you

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7239464.stm

Can I ask what your experience of interacting with staffies on a day to day basis is? You read as someone who doesn't actually know anything about them, which is fair enough. As i said, the Kennel Club recommends staffies,as mentioned in this article. You can say i'm wrong but you'd be somewhat short sighted to disagree with The Kennel Club when it comes to dogs, lol.

In more than 22 years and countless staffies, I've never owned a bad one. Mine have been trained, are obedient, well socialised and well adjusted. Speakng as a mother too, there are no better dogs for children. The only bad experience of dgs i have had is a vicious yorkshire terrier trying to chew my achilles heel when i was 6 years old. Of course, I wouldn't make a sweeping generalisation that they are a bad breed, because that doesn't seem very fair.

I have no owning experience of them and to be frank I would not want to compramise the welfare of my toddler in any way by owning one. Ifyour childless then fine, but why risk having one otherwise!I am not 'short sighted 'and regardless of what the Kennel club says about these dogs the point I was trying to make is how can you or anybody say there are no better dogs for children when there is evidence via the media showing cases where children have been attacked by staffys and other lockjaws? Would you have the gall to say all that to a mother whose child had been attacked by one? Oh by the way, you just made a 'sweeping generalisation' about Staffys by saying what you just said !