'Ax Men' Star's Daughter Killed By Dog

With any sized dog...small children and babies should NEVER be alone with a dog.

Even with my declawed wimpy cats - I bought one of those screen covers for my baby's crib.

My Lord how silly can you get?

In fact looking at my babies pictures there are not all that many that did not also contain the family dog at the time looking on like a protecting angel.

I do remember at a slightly older age being annoy with her that when I taking a bath she would love jumping into the tub with me from the toilet seat.

That dog was with me for most hours of the days including sleeping on the floor by the crib and laster sleeping press against me in my bed.

More concerned on the cat front that they would go in and cuddle up with her to snuggle on keep warm - if they were to do this on her face as a new born she could sufficate.

I've also heard of situations where the most friendly loving dog, mauls a baby/toddler when a parent isn't around. Dogs can get very jealous. More a rare thing, but why they h*ll would you take the chance?

Small children and dogs have to be supervised. It doesn't even have to be a matter of possible viciousness. There was the story of the little girl strangled by her scarf when her good natured golden retriever apparently decided to grab it like a tug rag. When I was about seven I was playing near our backyard in-ground pool (this was pre-fence laws) and our big black lab, Otto, came running up to me with a ball he wanted me to throw in the pool for him. I took the ball and went over to the pool's deep end, he got excited and jumped up on me knocking me into the water. I could easily swim by then, but if I couldn't, or if I hit my head, I might have drowned.

As far as I am aware the story of a cat suffocating a baby to death in a crib is nothing but old folk lore with not one confirm case known.

Next you live in a very strange and sad and very foreign universe to mine to had fears that you own family dog would harm anyone in your family.

One of the nicety pictures I still have is of me press against my mother side with the dog sleeping on my mother lap.

As long as you still give the dog attention and allow him or her be around the baby I see very little danger of him or her feelings jealous or not bonding with the baby as part of the family/pact.

Taking attention away for the dog and at the same time keeping him away from the baby seem far more likely to cause problems for you then having him or her right there as you care for the newest member of the family.

It seems to me the fact is, it happens sometimes. Why take a chance?

I agree with Green Witch and Linkat...better safe than sorry - no matter how precious the pooch.

Good post.

By not having the dog around the baby and with you when you are taking care of the baby you are more not less likely to have a problem with your pet in the future that why not!

You what the dog to bond with the baby not view it as a strange and annoying addition to the household.

See below


http://www.foxvalleypets.org/cats/default.asp?details=26&page=398


MYTH: “My neighbor told me my dog might attack my baby because of hunting or protective instincts.”

Actually, a dog's instincts seem to help it understand that a baby is helpless and non-threatening. Most dog owners report that their dogs put up with a lot more from a very young child than from an older child or adult.

Unless your dog has a history of biting people and other animals, or is trained to attack or fight, aggression is usually no problem. But remember " a dog is still a dog. Even if you've prepared carefully, the new baby will still disrupt your dog's routine. Early meetings should be carefully monitored " but don't let your anxiety get in the way! Your dog may interpret your nervousness to mean the baby is a threat.

A well-trained, properly cared-for dog will quickly become a fast friend " and often guardian " of a new baby. We've heard dozens of stories about dogs of all ages, genders, and breeds sleeping next to the baby's crib. Some new parents even tell us the dog will start barking if they don't get out of bed fast enough when the baby cries!

MYTH: “I've always heard that cats can suffocate babies.”

Cats are natural “cuddlers” when they sleep, and many prefer to curl up on top of people or snuggle up next to a person's head or neck. If you want to keep your cat out of the crib, either install a screen door on the nursery or use crib netting.

Cats also display the interesting behavior of “sniffing breath” " putting their noses up to the nose and mouth of another cat (or human), possibly to investigate what the other has recently eaten. This probably gave birth to the myth of cats “sucking the breath” from babies.

Recent reports suggest that many of the cases where cats supposedly “suffocated” babies were most likely SIDS " sudden infant death syndrome, or “crib death.”

A severe allergic reaction can cause an infant to stop breathing. If your baby shows signs of allergy to a pet, your child is probably allergic to many items, including some foods. Your baby will be much happier and safer " and probably grow up healthier " if you identify these allergies early. Pets should not sleep with allergic children.


MYTH: “A lot of people have told me their pets got jealous and behaved badly when their first child was born.”

Jealousy is a human emotion. Companion animals interpret changes in their usual routine as threats. As a result, they may show “anxious” behavior, become sullen or withdrawn, or be more edgy or aggressive.

Making a smooth, gradual transition to the new baby can prevent most major problems. Avoid anthropomorphism " giving your pet human thoughts, motives, or emotions. Your pet is not “jealous” or “getting even” " your pet is trying to tell you something!

Punishing a dog or cat for a change in behavior after the baby arrives will only make things worse. Look for a way to reassure your pet instead. Physical punishment only encourages aggression in your pet and sets a poor example of human-animal interaction for your child.

“Synchronized attention” is the key to a happy home. It simply means that when baby gets your attention, so does Fido or Fluffy. Our sources even recommend walking the dog at the same time baby goes out in the stroller, or saddling the little one up in the Snugli when it's time for Bowser's morning romp.

Likewise, when the baby is asleep, divert your attention to the million other things that need to get done, rather than setting out a lot of “quality time” with a pet. Dogs especially will take this to mean that they only get your attention when the baby isn't around. Not only will you find a dog or cat underfoot every time you put the baby down for a nap, you may be setting up competition for your time. Synchronized attention teaches both baby and pet how to share the limelight happily.

For the most part, I agree with you. My own experience with my Black Lab Cross (Kelsey) is proof of your basic statements. She was a 110 pound agressive 1½ year old when I got her from the SPCA.

I spent a lot of time with training and she obeyed me without question, responding to both verbal and signed commands. Children could take food out of her bowl and even her mouth if I was there.

The thing with these large dogs is that they know they are bigger than a little kid. They know they can bully the little kid when the pack leader is not there.

I could be sure that no child was ever in danger of harm when I was there. When I was not there....not so sure. Little kids can do some small thing to bring the natural instinct out in a dog.

I never left a little kid alone with Kelsey. This may have been erring on the side of caution because she was so well trained but why be foolish about it and take a chance. The best trained dog can, like us, loose it for a moment. Children should also be 'trained' on how to act around animals.

Some of that makes very good sense to me...still...I would much rather not take a chance of an accident happening. I think we are talking about a child being left with a dog unsupervised. Not keeping the child away from the dog all the time. There is a way to do that without seperating the dog completely.

How much of that is your own experience and how much is taken from the internet?

Regardless.....NEVER leave a small child alone with an animal. Yes, they are animals NOT pets.

As I had said before the family dog was one of my guardians and not view as a threat of any kind during my whole childhood.

She sleep in my room on the floor by the crib and when I was older she sleep in the bed with me.

Family pictures showed that from day one the dog was always around me or I around her<grin>.

The intenet would not exist for some 40 years when I was bonding with my first dog.

Well all I can said is that my family dog sleep on the floor by my crib so she was the one who took some of the night duty of keeping an eye on me.

Once more I would like to point out that there are at any one time in the US many millions of dogs around many millions of children and still the total death from all dogs attacks is only around 12 a year.

This compare to 500 or so a year of children younger then 4 years old being kill by their own parents.

I do not know how safe having dogs around children need to be but off hand it seem damn safe to me to have a normal family dog around children.

exactly, why risk it?

One of my cats, roland, is very affectionate towards me. I'll wake up and he'll have climbed up on top of me, and fallen asleep, all spread out.

He also has the habit, since kittenhood, of standing next to something he wants to lay on, and just falls over, whump. (timmmmmm-berrrrrrr).
Once when I was in bed, he came up parallell to my face and just fell over across my entire face.

You know, why are any of us even having this argument?

A rottweiler killed a 2 and a half year old girl.

Obviously the parents wished not they had not left the girl unsupervised with the animal.

None of this is going to bring that poor child back, and if some want to risk have known agressive dogs around their friends and families, these posts are not going to change a thing.

Does anyone believe anyone is going to say something to Bill Rimjob that will make a dent?

Why bother?

Well if it make you happier I see no real downsize of keeping the cats out of the crib at night.

And even to lean you some support once I remember falling asleep on my back on the couch only to find myself dreaming that I was having trouble breathing.

When I woke up I found my big heavy cat BJ sleeping soundly on my chest and happily going up and down as I breath in and out.

Let see I do not remember supporting having a dog with known problems around anyone let alone a child!!!!!

That is not the same as a dog that is a household pet with zero history of bad behavior being an unreasonable risk to have around children.

Second breed type is not a guide to them being aggressive or not my friend.

I had known lay back dogs of all breeds including the evil devil dogs the pit bull, chow chow and Doberman that I would have zero problem trusting as I known those individual dogs and seem them react around other dogs, cats and children.

Chai22 let pin you down so all pit bull dogs should be view as aggrieves no matter how long you had known such an individual dog and had taken note of him being very lay back and completely non-aggrieves?

So a pit bull that had always been friendly to strangers, who had put up with kittens playing with his tail and running over him or a small and very annoying small dog trying to hump his leg should be view as dangerous and a risk to children because of his breed alone?

No amount of good behavior from such a dog should be taken into account because of it breed correct?