can you really EVER trust a dog with an infant?

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I opened my AOL this morning only to find this disturbing story. When I think of Labs I think of an awesome dog....and when you throw in a poodle to the mix well you know we all love our doodles. I wonder what the extenuating circumstances are in the following story? So very sad.

 

Newborn Fatally Mauled by Family Dog Near Houston

 

Published September 04, 2011 

| Associated Press

HOUSTON –  A two-week-old Houston-area boy has died after being mauled by the family dog.

The incident happened Saturday night as the baby sat in an infant carrier on the floor of a room in the family house. Harris County sheriff's spokesman Thomas Gilliland says the dog, a Labrador mix, began sniffing the child and attacked him before the parents could pull it away.

The child was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he died early Sunday. Animal control officers have taken custody of the dog for quarantine.

[Phyllis & Duffy]

I live in  Houston and also read this story this morning.  How terribly sad.  I also read the baby was left on the floor while the mother was outside watching.  I have to agree with Lindsay M.  This is the worst lesson in life this young mother will ever learn. 

[Adina P]

Oh horrible!  I don't fully trust my dogs with my infant.  More than a second or two of sniffing and I call them away.  I just don't want them to get the idea they can hover over him for long.  Plus they have no clue about their size and could easily stomp on him while running to the window or getting excited over something.  Boca is notorious for having NO regard for space (if there is a 2 inch space to walk through and a foot wide space, she picks the 2 inch space) and stepping on feet obliviously.  Plus she drops bones constantly.  As far as bite, I don't think it's likely but it COULD happen.

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

Until a child is old enough to be responsible for his/her actions they should not be left unattended with a dog. We ask too much of our dogs to "understand" or "intuit" the motivation of small children.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I have actually heard of a case in which a newborn was killed by a 6 week old lab puppy, while her 17 year old mother was "sleeping" in the other room. I think she was probably passed out or something, you would think you'd hear... 

 

I personally would not ever completely trust a dog around a child (8 or younger I would say), or vice versa. I think it's not worth the risk to leave either one unsupervised with the other. 

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

This is a horrible story.  I feel so sorry for that mom.  I just can't imagine carrying an infant for 9 months, loving it so much and being so excited for it to be born, and then taking him home for 2 weeks and then losing him.  Especially like this where she was able to watch it happen and now will never forgive herself.  She's also going to (I'm sure) lose a dog she loved as well.   I just can't imagine the horror she's living.

[Lynda Kamrath]

No, no matter how controlled a dog is, they are still dogs and cannot be trusted with an infant.  You need to supervise them at all times.  It is just not worth the chance, as indicated above.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

This just gives me the chills, literally. You are right that the circumstance is unknown, but 2 weeks home and they leave it on the floor with no supervision? What an awful thing to happen. You just never know so you are in charge and responsible for both the dog and baby.

[Christine & Camus]

So sad. I never leave an infant or young child unattended with a dog nor would never leave an infant alone on the floor. Too many unpredictable factors can come into play.

[Phyllis & Duffy]

Here is the attachment that was on the news last night about this horrible tradegy.  It was NOT a Lab mix and there was someone in the home.  End result was the same - baby killed by a dog.  My heart goes out to this family.

 

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8341432

 

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

There is a family in town that has a Pit Bull which is against the town's ordinance.  So this family tells everyone the dog is a lab mix.  I wonder if this situation is similiar.  No matter what, you're right - baby was killed by a dog.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

This would just have to be a parents worse nightmare and how does one recover from something like this? How terribly horrible for everyone involved.

[Bryce P]

I trust Huff would 100%. But would never leave him in a room with a baby alone. I just wouldn't want and injurys. If Huff just wanted o play with the baby bad things could happen if not supervised.