Labrador Attacks Child in park

[helenthomas]

Funny how the mother is allowed to be protective of her littl'un after the event. If she'd been as protective as the dog had been of the puppy leading up to the attack, things would have been different. I have a black lab (and a flat coat) and she is the typical goofie softie, but she's a rexcue from ireland and so we have no idea what happened to her before she came here, and neither would any stranger, so we have to be careful. Read. Some of the comments on the article too. Some people calling for all dogs to be banned. Gotta love blinkered over reactions. I vote we ban children.

 

 

I read some of the replies too. 'Get rid of all dogs except the poodle types....' I still turn white with fear when I spot a 'poodle type' - my Nan had one as I grew up and never was there a more evil dog.

I think there was fault on both sides. Yes , the child should be educated for sure, but also when taking your dog to a park such as that, you have to expect all sorts and protect your dog from unwanted attention. H.

[BenBhoy]

I agree that the child's mother showed little commonsense. The dog may well have been defending the pup, but the dog still attacked. If it had been a Staffy, GSD or Rottweiller - imagine the uproar on this forum. Out would come the well used phrases like - "I don't know why people have these dogs".I appreciate they might have done serious damage, before the blind come out and defend their breed, but all dogs are potentially dangerous, in the wrong hands, wrong situation, at the wrong time.

 

The owner was stupid and so was the mother, but it is the youngster who suffered and ultimately, so will the dog.

 

exactly what i was thinking mate, exactly. punish the deed not the breed.

Edited August 12, 2011 by BenBhoy

[mick miller]

I'm afraid it's more down to the owner in my view, although the mother is not without blame.

 

"They looked friendly, and the dog was off the lead right next to a children's park, so I assumed it would be fine and we walked over."

 

I get tired of seeing dog poo and loose animals in parks and especially near children's play areas, kids are curious and will naturally want to approach a cat, dog, rabbit whatever to pet it. Yes, it's up to the parents to teach children to be wary of unfamiliar dogs but its more important in my view for dog owners to find areas where it is safe to let their dogs exercise off the leash. A park, full of strange people and children you don't know, isn't the best place.

 

I and my family have had a few rescue mutts over the years, many have had some issues with regard to strange people, other animals and children. I've always kept those animals on a leash in public and taken them to places were there are as few people as possible before letting them run loose. Never have I taken them anywhere near a children's play area. I'm soon to be getting my first proper dog from a puppy, a working cocker bitch, her training off the leash will take place were there aren't any other people around,which means driving her to those places. Around strangers the same rules will apply, she'll be on the leash.

 

FWIW, I got severely bitten by a retriever when I was around 6 years old, it had been left tied to a railing outside the entrance to a public library, and yes, I had approached it to stroke it. The scars on my hand are still very visible.

[Gordon R]

BenBhoy

 

When I wrote that, I wasn't expecting another thread so soon.

 

I rest my case.

[kent]

I'm afraid it's more down to the owner in my view, although the mother is not without blame.

 

"They looked friendly, and the dog was off the lead right next to a children's park, so I assumed it would be fine and we walked over."

 

I get tired of seeing dog poo and loose animals in parks and especially near children's play areas, kids are curious and will naturally want to approach a cat, dog, rabbit whatever to pet it. Yes, it's up to the parents to teach children to be wary of unfamiliar dogs but its more important in my view for dog owners to find areas where it is safe to let their dogs exercise off the leash. A park, full of strange people and children you don't know, isn't the best place.

 

I and my family have had a few rescue mutts over the years, many have had some issues with regard to strange people, other animals and children. I've always kept those animals on a leash in public and taken them to places were there are as few people as possible before letting them run loose. Never have I taken them anywhere near a children's play area. I'm soon to be getting my first proper dog from a puppy, a working cocker bitch, her training off the leash will take place were there aren't any other people around,which means driving her to those places. Around strangers the same rules will apply, she'll be on the leash.

 

FWIW, I got severely bitten by a retriever when I was around 6 years old, it had been left tied to a railing outside the entrance to a public library, and yes, I had approached it to stroke it. The scars on my hand are still very visible.

 

 

Dead wrong, the pup should be imersed in kids etc and learn they are especially protected humans. Its a little like sheep breaking and needs to be done and you can't do it on a lead or a lonesome field someplace

[mick miller]

Obviously, however you still don't let your 'trained' dog loose in a park and certainly nowhere near a child's play area. Socialisation is essential for all dogs, they should be introduced to as many sights, circumstances and environments as possible whilst young in a controlled manner, an older dog that has had issues needs much more work to reintroduce it to circumstances that it has become wary of, especially when you don't know the background of a dog as in a rescue case.

 

You don't however let it loose, off a lead, right next to a child's play area or in a park despite the training and exposure you have given it, it is still an animal and you cannot guarantee 100% it's reaction to a child running up to it, at face level, with arms out probably squealing like a banshee.

 

You have misinterpreted my post in your reply, I stated that MY TRAINING of this pup (as in gundog training off the leash) will take place away from parks, children and other distractions. However, I still stand by my belief that dogs, despite training, should be on the leash in public places and parks and when socialising. My own pup has already had it's socialisation classes will other puppies arranged and it will be introduced to as many circumstances as possible whilst young.

 

It's my first chance to bring a new dog up as it should be, instead of having to solve already ingrained issues in a rescue case.

Edited August 12, 2011 by mick miller

[Boromir]

I'm afraid it's more down to the owner in my view, although the mother is not without blame.

 

"They looked friendly, and the dog was off the lead right next to a children's park, so I assumed it would be fine and we walked over."

 

I get tired of seeing dog poo and loose animals in parks and especially near children's play areas, kids are curious and will naturally want to approach a cat, dog, rabbit whatever to pet it. Yes, it's up to the parents to teach children to be wary of unfamiliar dogs but its more important in my view for dog owners to find areas where it is safe to let their dogs exercise off the leash. A park, full of strange people and children you don't know, isn't the best place.

 

I did use to take my dogs to a place where there was no play park, football fields, quiet areas etc but you'll also find that this is the place where the bad owners and their dogs go as well as it is out the view of people, they then let their badly socialised or aggressive dogs off the lead to tear up other people's dogs and the usual answer you get is "he's never done that before" or "my dog attacked his first".

Since moving house I have gone to a local park with a Children's Play area in it. And I have met all different breeds of dogs including the Staffordshire bull Terrier all have been very playful and not one dog has attacked mine or another dog since ive been here. I and many owners at this park pick up after their dogs as we get given free clean up bags and dog waste bins are provided also being a responsible owner is the main thing. Child area is safe from dogs as its fenced off.

 

So a park for my dog is a safe place, my dog will ignore children or will sit down to get stroked by them if I let him.

 

The dog owners have a responsibility for their dogs and the child's mother also has a responsibility for the child. In that article both parties did wrong, but I bet the mother didn't ask the dog owner if it was ok to make a fuss of the dog. We only heard from the mother's side of the story.

[mick miller]

I did say she wasn't entirely innocent. Not all owners are fully sapient adults as you are clearly aware. Fortunately my distraction free areas are parts of permissions that have no public access and in particular I'm looking for areas on there were there's no ground game to distract her either. I guess I'm fortunate in having mostly lived in semi-rural areas, except for a dozen or so years spent in inner London.