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.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Very sad story.

All animals bite.

If ever asked, " Does your dog bite?",  your reply should be, " Yes, but he has not bitten anyone yet"

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good response. I guess no one would ever pet any dogs then : )

[Sue]

Although I trust both of my dogs 100% around my granddaughter, I still would never leave her unattended with the dogs.

It would seem to me that there was some sort of warning signs in the dog that attacked. What a horrible thing to happen!

[F, Calla & Luca]

How sad and awful. I do wonder what happened. I do trust my dogs but even people have their moments.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I just read this too. Very sad story.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

What a horrible thing.  I would never think of leaving one of my grandbabies alone with either of our dogs.  Guinness is as sweet and calm as can be, but even so prey drive is just part of who he is...and you never know.

[Ellen, Brûlée, and Tira]

Heartbreaking!  No animal, however trusted, is without the potential to bite.  We are reminded, by tradedies like this, to always be vigilent.  

[L.M.]

What an awful story....and I agree with all of you when you say that an animal is an animal and you truly just never know.  With my own dogs, I came to the conclusion that until the child (in this case my nieces) turned about 4 and were tall enough and strong enough to walk by without being knocked over by my pups, I would literally not let them out of arm's reach of an adult....just in case.  I think dogs can be set off by anything...a strange smell, sound, anything....and obviously it doesn't take a lot to injure an infant.  This is an awful story but perhaps a necessary reminder for many of us.

[L.M.]

While I'm not going to defend the dog or blame the family, I just have to add another piece of information to the story...I read the whole article on another website.  The mother was OUTSIDE the house "watching" the 2 week old baby (who was on the floor) from a window.........

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Seriously, that is just so unthinkable to me, I would never ever leave a small child alone with any dog, not to mention a baby.

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

At two weeks, the baby was still very much an unknown - an intruder in the house.  When my granddaughter was that age - and for the next few months - we always held Sedona's collar and carefully controlled her investigation of Kayla.  Even now, the two are never left unattended, even for a few seconds.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Very sad story...

 

Let's face it, labs are big dogs...for all anyone knows the dog was trying to "play" with the baby.  But since the mother was outside, no one will ever know...

 

I can't imagine how this mother must feel.  Such a tradgedy