6 Yr. Old Boy Dies After Dog Attack (Rottweiler)

[Miakoda]

Boy dies after dog attack

RICHMOND, Va. Police in Henrico County say a six-year-old boy died last night after being mauled by at least one dog in his father's home.

Police say the boy died shortly after emergency workers arrived at the suburban Richmond home last night.

Animal control officers took six dogs from the home.

Police have not released other details of their investigation, including the name of the victim.

[Roxy's CD]

I know that the breed is important to some, but I'm awfully sick of seeing threads about: (Pitbulls, GSD's, Rotties etc attacking and killing children)

ONce again a tragedy. Some people should keep a closer eye on their children, and dog owners should be more responsible. Period.

[skyeboxer]

Ah, so sad. So pointless and so preventable. My thoughts are with that family tonight.

[adoptashelterpettoday]

I know that the breed is important to some, but I'm awfully sick of seeing threads about: (Pitbulls, GSD's, Rotties etc attacking and killing children)

ONce again a tragedy. Some people should keep a closer eye on their children, and dog owners should be more responsible. Period.

Agreed. I wish parents would stop leaving their child alone with a dog ANY dog. Kids are sometimes not super nice to dogs, and even the sweetest, best behaved dog can have it's buttons pushed. They dont have logic like us..

Like some idiot foster (ex foster) had left a 5 month old Dobie mix foster puppy alone with his 7 year old neice. The dog got rowdy and niped her IN PLAY. The guy threw a HUGE fit and said "you have to take this dog NOW.". He admitted that the dog was just playing, but it scared his neice so the dog had to go somewhere else. I told him it wasnt safe to leave any child alone with any dog and he said "they played together a lot". Sad part is, I am sure this guy is STILL leaving his neice alone with his dogs. I wonder what will happen when one of his dogs bites his neice? Probably to the pound with it...

Rant over..

Some people are idiots.

[casablanca1]

That's sad. It sounds like they're not sure if there were more than 1 dog involved in the attack. I don't really buy the 'Never leave your kids alone with a dog' theory. To me, if you have kids, you don't have a dog who can't live with a kid without killing it. Plenty of dogs could be left alone with a hyperactive 3-year-old boy and his favorite poking stick, and never touch the kid.

[adoptashelterpettoday]

Plenty of dogs could be left alone with a hyperactive 3-year-old boy and his favorite poking stick, and never touch the kid.

You really think so? I dont.

If Jr pokes the dog in a sensitive spot, the dog WILL lash out no matter how sweet and nice it is. Dogs arent that smart, they dont have logic. They dont KNOW things. They dont know, "hey if I maul this kid, the kid will be hurt." Their instinct is to get away from the source of their pain as quickly as possible. They rely on instinct not common sense/logic.

[casablanca1]

It depends on the dog and there are many dogs who love children, who would rather die than hurt a child, and who would run and run and run from a tormenting child rather than lash out at him. My childhood dog was like that. I've owned two dogs since who were not like that, and I've loved them and hate to hear anything bad said of them, so I understand why people like to think that all dogs are essentially unreliable with kids. But it isn't true. Some are, some aren't. Barring, of course, a major thing, like the dog's in terrible agony, or the kid's using a flamethrower.

[ACooper]

I also have had dogs like that.............never ever would hurt a child. The problem is you can't be 100% sure unless the dog does decide to hurt a child.
Growing up we were alone for hours with our big dogs, running all over the corn fields, and later on the desert. If one had decided we P#$$ it off there would have been no adults or help for a looooong time. But we live and learn, I also didn't need to be in a carseat, seatbelts, or wear bike helmets.............but my kids do ;)

[casablanca1]

Oh, I wasn't trying for the 'back in the day' story about how we grew up tougher. I was just saying that it's silly to claim that all dogs are potential child-killers. It's like saying we're all potential serial killers because we all have opposable thumbs and can therefore use a nice butcher knife.

[adoptashelterpettoday]

I dont think all dogs are potential child killers.

As they say "it's better to be safe than sorry"

I wouldnt leave a child by him/herself EVER, even if a dog wasnt involved. It's just not safe.

[Bobsk8]

I know that the breed is important to some, but I'm awfully sick of seeing threads about: (Pitbulls, GSD's, Rotties etc attacking and killing children)

ONce again a tragedy. Some people should keep a closer eye on their children, and dog owners should be more responsible. Period.

I am too, and if I had small children, I wouldn't be getting any of the breeds that are often mentioned in these attacks.

[Miakoda]

I am too, and if I had small children, I wouldn't be getting any of the breeds that are often mentioned in these attacks.

I have a 7 month old son & all I will ever own are APBTs. That's our difference. I don't trust your dog, you don't trust mine....we've reached an agreement.

[ACooper]

Oh, I wasn't trying for the 'back in the day' story about how we grew up tougher. I was just saying that it's silly to claim that all dogs are potential child-killers. It's like saying we're all potential serial killers because we all have opposable thumbs and can therefore use a nice butcher knife.

I didn't think you were, and I wasn't going for that back in the day story either......:) Just came out that way from me didn't it? (we played yard darts too :yikes: )
I hope anyone with half a brain knows all big dogs aren't vicious child killers, but even if my dog didn't kill a child, I still wouldn't want a child bitten, or anyone for that matter. (and with some kids, I wouldn't leave them alone with my dog FOR MY DOGS SAFETY!! HAHA

[adoptashelterpettoday]

I am too, and if I had small children, I wouldn't be getting any of the breeds that are often mentioned in these attacks.

Jet, my foster Am Staff/pit bull will be leaving for his new home next week. He will have a 7 year old human brother as well as an 11 month old human sister. Am I worried? Not at all. I think he will make a fine brother to his human siblings, I think he will look out for them as all big brothers do.

Are his new parents worried? The only thing they are worried about is getting him everything that he needs (treats, toys, dog bed, exc) before he gets there.

His new mom was telling me that her other pit bull was older (senior dog) when her child was born. She said that her dog adjusted very quickly to having a child in the house and she really loved the child.

Pit bulls actually make wonderful family pets. I look forward to having pictures of Jet & his new brother to prove all you skeptics wrong.

Same hold true with Rotties, Dobermans and German Shepherd dogs.

[adoptashelterpettoday]

I hope anyone with half a brain knows all big dogs aren't vicious child killers, but even if my dog didn't kill a child, I still wouldn't want a child bitten, or anyone for that matter. (and with some kids, I wouldn't leave them alone with my dog FOR MY DOGS SAFETY!! HAHA

That's what I was trying to say :) --You dont know what kids will do to dogs (most of the time not on purpose). Even if the dog doesnt bite a child because it is poking, biting, pulling ears, exc, I know I wouldnt want my dogs to be tortured in that manner.

Someone was telling me the other day that they have a friend who had a small baby. The baby was just crawling. They also had an 80 lb labrador retriever. The people left the room for a minute, and heard the dog bark and run to the recliner it always jumped in to see what was outside. The baby's head was under the recliner. Thankfully, the baby was OK but it could have been tragic. The dog didnt mean to hurt the baby, but it's up to the owners to keep both the baby & dog safe.

[shea4]

The only dogs we ever had when I was little was APBT's we never had any problems with any kind of attacks. And my husband was raised with rotties never had problems there either we had a rottie when my son was born I have to admitt that I was a little worried when we brought him home but I would have been worried if it were any other dog .We never had any problems with her even when he was two and thought she was a pony she never even made a move that made me uneasy but she could just walk by him and knock him down because of her size I figured that would scare him but it didn't and she had never been around kids we took her everywhere with us I think we would still have her but she died of cancer 2 years ago not saing that none are dangerous I think its all in how you raise them but I have felt more uneasy around small dogs then big dogs I think just as many small dogs attack you just don't hear about it because people don't see them to be as big as a threat as a big dog . My aunt has a weiner dog that lives down the street from her and I know it has chaced her back in her house more than once and it will come running at you barking and growling before you can even get out of the car. like I said its all in how you raise them just like kids when a kid acts up you blame the parents not the kids same thing here when a dog attacks blame the owner not the dog and especially don't say its the whole breed.

[casablanca1]

we played yard darts too :yikes:

I'm convinced that previous generations simply felt that with a family of 6-12 kids, a little attrition wasn't neccessarily a bad thing, because those lawn darts were clearly lethal as hell :)

[shea4]

I called my mom after I read this today and told her about it I kinda had to laugh I asked her if she ever had a fear of leaving us with our APBT's she said NO I always felt better when ya'll were playing with them they weren't out for blood like your brothers and sisters were. LOL just had to share that;)

[Doberluv]

It depends on the dog and there are many dogs who love children, who would rather die than hurt a child, and who would run and run and run from a tormenting child rather than lash out at him.

I agree with you Cassa. My GSD and Lab were both absolutely wonderful and trustworthy with the kids. My son, when he was 2 unknowingly was squeezing our GSD's nose and twisting it. He was too young to be intentionally hurting the dog. He was just experimenting like with a door knob or something. The dog merely backed away and walked away. Of course, by the time I saw it, it already was happening. I told my son, "no." And he eventually learned not to do things like that. But the dog gave NO hint of intolerance. My son also fell off the dining room table onto the sleeping dog...."grunt, (knocked the wind out of him) and saundered to the other side of the room and went back to sleep. Not the slightest sign of a defensive reaction, not the slightest. Our Lab was the same way. Both these dogs had threshholds for stress way off the charts. And there are definitely dogs like that. My boy, when he was about 10 went fishing with his friend, went around our neighboorhood of private lanes, acreage parcells and the dog went with him. I never thought a thing about it. His friend's dog too, was as lovely as ours and they went all over the place with their dogs.

But, it is prudent to watch very young kids around dogs. That, I do not disagree with. And only when you know how the dog's tolerance level is with all kinds of situations would you leave kids with the dog. I do tend to agree with the usual advice to not leave kids alone under most circumstances. People in general do not seem to know their dogs very well I think. And just leave any dog alone with kids. Especially very young kids.

My parents had a GSD before I was born who guarded my sister in her playpen when outside in the summer. He would bark when she woke up and wouldn't let anyone near her....just lay by that baby during her nap. This was so long ago that it was safer then.....like 57-58 years ago.

So, I don't think it's cut and dry.

Anyhow....very sad story here. It just makes you wonder if some dogs are more evolved than others. There are too many possible factors to come to a conclusion, I think.

[ToscasMom]

Ah in the old days ACooper walked to school. Uphill. Both ways.:lol-sign: :lol-sign: :lol-sign:

I'm convinced that previous generations simply felt that with a family of 6-12 kids, a little attrition wasn't neccessarily a bad thing, because those lawn darts were clearly lethal as hell

This is probably closer to the truth than we imagine.

[RD]

I was left alone with a Labrador mix from age 2. He never bit me. I was left alone with a Chow Chow mix from age 4. She tolerated everything I dished out. When I was 7 or 8, I was left alone with a wolf hybrid and, yes, he tolerated me too. I wasn't super careful with dogs; my dogs just had good temperaments and never bit me. Two of these dogs were guard dogs on our ranch, and had bitten other people and killed other animals. I was safe with them.

IMO, ANY dog that will attack to the point of killing for a minor offense is unstable regardless of breed. This shouldn't be a "Rottweilers/Labs/Maltese x Chis kill children" thread. I hate people dragging out all the records of these attacks just to defend Pit Bulls, just as I hate people playing up Pit Bull attacks. Dogs bite, period. Killing a human family member is not normal for any breed.

I'd like to see DOGS (not just Pit Bulls or Rottweilers or GSDs or Pomeranians) seen in a good light. From all this talk, a newbie to dogs would think that they're vicious creatures when in reality, the killers are drastically in the minority.

[Lizmo]

I agree with RD, 1000%

[Momof2Pups]

I was left alone with a Labrador mix from age 2. He never bit me. I was left alone with a Chow Chow mix from age 4. She tolerated everything I dished out. When I was 7 or 8, I was left alone with a wolf hybrid and, yes, he tolerated me too. I wasn't super careful with dogs; my dogs just had good temperaments and never bit me. Two of these dogs were guard dogs on our ranch, and had bitten other people and killed other animals. I was safe with them.

IMO, ANY dog that will attack to the point of killing for a minor offense is unstable regardless of breed. This shouldn't be a "Rottweilers/Labs/Maltese x Chis kill children" thread. I hate people dragging out all the records of these attacks just to defend Pit Bulls, just as I hate people playing up Pit Bull attacks. Dogs bite, period. Killing a human family member is not normal for any breed.

I'd like to see DOGS (not just Pit Bulls or Rottweilers or GSDs or Pomeranians) seen in a good light. From all this talk, a newbie to dogs would think that they're vicious creatures when in reality, the killers are drastically in the minority.
:hail:

[Roxy's CD]

I also was left alone with my childhood pet. Never a problem.

But as it was mentioned in the thread, the only way you'll ever know, is if it happens, and then it's much too late.

I've caught my nephew a few times doing some pretty rough things to Hades. He just tucked his tail between his legs, ears back and came right to my side. He did the same thing when he was sick of playing fetch or being hugged.

Part of the whole issue is teaching kids how to behave with dogs. The time I spoke of with my nephew was when I had first begun watching him. After I spoke to him about how to treat the dogs, he understood and they all got along fine.

[ACooper]

Ah in the old days ACooper walked to school. Uphill. Both ways.:lol-sign: :lol-sign: :lol-sign:

Don't forget Barefoot in the snow!! http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/natur/nature-smiley-12.gif And don't think I'm not going to ask my mom about this attrition theory!!
(this could explain the mini-bikes, three wheelers, bow & arrow sets, bebe guns...........I am a girl for goodness sakes!)

[ToscasMom]

And don't think I'm not going to ask my mom about this attrition theory!!
(this could explain the mini-bikes, three wheelers, bow & arrow sets, bebe guns...........I am a girl for goodness sakes!)

ROFL! Talk about survival of the fittest!

[mrose_s]

once you have more than 2 dogs. its a pack. by themselves. all our dogs are fine around panda. they sleep with him. smooch him, kiss him. but if all four are together and panda makes a quick movement their pack mentality takes over.
panda makes sure he is never around the dogs alone and we make sure that if we go out, if panda is inside he is in a seperate room to the dogs if they are inside as well.

if you have 6 dogs and a toddler, than you make sure you keep an eye on them. makes me wonder what triggered the attack

[mrose_s]

we had three dogs when i was very young, one a boxer/bull terrier looked after me and my sister amazingly well. mum was watching us in the driveway one day (inside our gate that was slightly open) and a couple of men came up to the gate. and started talking to us through the fence. martha bolted up and shoulder charged the gate shut before we could wander out.

i grew up with a lot of dogs, and mum made sure to teach us that if we poked or beat or hurt dogs, then they might bite us. because she taught us well the most damage they did was knock us down constatly with their tails.

[Paige]

I was left alone with a Labrador mix from age 2. He never bit me. I was left alone with a Chow Chow mix from age 4. She tolerated everything I dished out. When I was 7 or 8, I was left alone with a wolf hybrid and, yes, he tolerated me too. I wasn't super careful with dogs; my dogs just had good temperaments and never bit me. Two of these dogs were guard dogs on our ranch, and had bitten other people and killed other animals. I was safe with them.

IMO, ANY dog that will attack to the point of killing for a minor offense is unstable regardless of breed. This shouldn't be a "Rottweilers/Labs/Maltese x Chis kill children" thread. I hate people dragging out all the records of these attacks just to defend Pit Bulls, just as I hate people playing up Pit Bull attacks. Dogs bite, period. Killing a human family member is not normal for any breed.

I'd like to see DOGS (not just Pit Bulls or Rottweilers or GSDs or Pomeranians) seen in a good light. From all this talk, a newbie to dogs would think that they're vicious creatures when in reality, the killers are drastically in the minority.


AMEN!

[Sunnierhawk0]

My 2 year old Rottweiler has, as I call it , a "freaky obsession" with children. She was not raised with small children, but whenever she spots one at a show or at petsmart, she must go say hello. This girl is usually rowdy, and a little spaztic, but when she is around children, its almost like she goes into "mother mode" and is the most calm dog you've ever seen. If I had children, would I leave feel comfortable leaving them alone with her? Yes. I know she would protect them & would feel safer having her with them.

I was raised with all sorts of breeds in my life, from pits to rotties to everything in between. I was at times by myself with these dogs, and I am still alive today. The only injury I have incured was a Rottie puppy getting her tooth caught under my eye from play, no vicious attack of the sort.

I am also sick of seeing all these post about children being killed by pits, rotts, gsds ect. Its adding coal to the fire of BSL, because owners are too stupid to realize a unstable temperment in thier dog.

[Giny]

My 2 year old Rottweiler has, as I call it , a "freaky obsession" with children. She was not raised with small children, but whenever she spots one at a show or at petsmart, she must go say hello. This girl is usually rowdy, and a little spaztic, but when she is around children, its almost like she goes into "mother mode" and is the most calm dog you've ever seen. If I had children, would I leave feel comfortable leaving them alone with her? Yes. I know she would protect them & would feel safer having her with them.

That is too cute, Sunnierhawk0! I can almost picture her with eyes lit up with glee when she sees a children.

[Sunnierhawk0]

She basically does! lol. Her nub shakes for all its worth, its pretty much the norm. When we did meet the breed there was this scared boy, his father wanted him to come meet them to get a "good Rottweiler expereince" and he walked over, of course she was in her OMG child! mode and he gave her a cookie, she proceeded to spit it back out onto home, and they were friends ever since lol.