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[Chiaroscuro]

That study about chiahuahuas being one of the most aggressive breeds is right. They get extremely antsy and aggressive around strangers, especially other dogs and children. They're not the sort of dog you can just walk up to and pet. Luckily, mine has only resorted to barking for aggression, and I've been training her off that.

I have a chiahuahua. He barks a lot around strangers, but never attacks or is aggressive. In fact he is quite coward. And the fact that is the old breed that the skull never closes makes them quite fragile. I doubt any chiahuahua can affort to attack even a very small child.

I choose it because the breed is the smallest one and my boy was at the same time afraid of dogs and wanting a dog. The breeders tried to tell me that this breed is not the best for childs but not because the dog can hurt the child but the child can hurt the dog easily. But everything went well and when my second child comes home some months ago the dog was extremely calm around her, never even barking.

 

[pulsemyne]

I had two pitbulls. Never harmed anyone but I always respected the breeds strength and never let them near very young children. On the other hand there's a Yorkshire terrier near me who is a right nasty little git.

 

[oneHeero]

Sad story, if a true one. Yet if I had a kid I wouldnt dangle it over a shark tank.
What Im saying is Im not sure how a responsible parent's baby is put in a position where it can be bit by a pitbull.

This a million times over. Yea the dog takes blame but it's a dog.. any breed can bite. Chihuahuas are even worst around kids this small and pack a punch for little kids. So the breed shouldn't be in question as much.

Why the fk was the kid left around a dog where a attack can happen in the first place? Let alone a one yr old. Your anger needs to not only go towards the dog but towards the irresponsibility of whoever wad watching your child and decided to let him play w a dog. Doesn't matter if it's a split second, I doubt you'd blame the pool for being left uncovered etc etc.

edit: I was insensitive but I read the thread and saw the kid was ok. Super cute pic of him on page one. I'm glad he's ok for real. Shitty situation all around. And I agree w you op, ggood thing you weren't around, I imagine how I'd react too.

 

[Jackpot]

When a grown dog bites unprovoked you put it down. End of.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

My wife is taking him to get checked out at an InstaCare. He should be fine. Just a few days after his 1st birthday. Poor kiddo.

Here he is pre-bite from last week. I don't want to post the bite pic, but under his left eye he has a puncture and top of his forehead is the other puncture. His eye bruised up too.

Dude, I know you're hundreds of miles away but they should be going to a hospital. A pit bull bite on the face or skull can be really serious. Face, hands and skull: would not fuck around with. He's too young to tell you when shit gets real. Hospital, preferably trauma center. As a surgeon who's done trauma, do this now. I know how complicated this is because family is involved and you are far away. But fuck all this: it's your kid. Flex those daddy muscles. Your first instinct was correct: this is so serious.

 

[mrklaw]

is the dog owned by your father-in-law? I can imagine that will create some difficulties if so. As skinnyrattler said though - get him somewhere that can check out the wounds, we were always told there is a risk of tetanus if a bite breaks the skin. at your child's age I think he'd be in the middle of his vaccinations?

I have no particular feelings for/against pit bulls but they do seem to be in the news more than other breeds for random attacks. So you'd think there would be something behind that.

I was bitten once when I was little by our family dog - random mongrel (half spaniel I think, but he was bigger than one of those). Didn't puncture anything and I was invading his space - he was a complete softy until that moment (and after really), so it was a shock.

 

[Cyprus]

I want to say something, but it would only offend. Sorry that your kid got bit.

 

[marrec]

When a grown dog bites unprovoked you put it down. End of.

'Unprovoked' means different things to different people.

Glad to hear your son is fine, a nephew of mine once was bit by a small mixed breed dog in the same way (around the eye) and made a full recovery with no scars or anything.

Remember, all dogs can be temperamental depending on their upbringing and you should NEVER leave a child with an animal unsupervised. You just never know how they'll respond to a small squishy human pulling on their ears.

 

[kharma45]

Labs are just as dangerous. You could make the argument that any well mannered dog you would trust. Why those two specifically I find odd. Lab's are powerful and can easily kill a child.

In the UK at least more people are hospitalised by Labrador bites than any other dogs. The thing with the Pitbull and other bull terriers is when they bite they instinctively go for the face and neck, and generally don't release either.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

What is a 1 year old doing within snapping distance of ANY dog?

Dogs are dogs and people have a tendency to anthropomorphize them heavily. Regardless of breed dogs aren't people and they should NEVER be trusted around infants/toddlers.

 

[anarckitty]

It happened over at my father-in-law's house last night down in California.

Are you guys planning on filing an insurance claim on your father-in-law's homeowner's policy to take care of the hospital/doctor's bills?

 

[Radec]

Sorry to what happened to your son OP, but don't take all the blame to the dog.

Sure the breed is known for its violence, but if you guys already knew that, why would they leave the child near to a pit bull ?

The dog probably isn't familiar with the kid as well, and they are very territorial.

 

[gutter_trash]

they are too much to handle for average people

 

[leadbelly]

There is some interesting info in here and a cursory glance shows a pre-dominance of pit-bulls though I have no idea if newsworthiness (ie narrative) is an issue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States

Actually I don't think that tells you much. By that I mean, it doesn't somehow prove a pit bull in terms of its temperament towards humans is unstable.

That wikipedia page cites two studies along with a 'fatalities report' list covering many years.

It is interesting to point out that the study from 1966-1980 found NO pit bull fatalities in the US during that time period. In fact the most common breed was the German Shepherd.

The study from 1979-1998 however shows pit bulls being one of the most common breeds reported. The other breed most commonly reported during that time period was the Rottweiler. Again, the German Shepherd was also frequently implicated.

From the 'fatalities report' list, pit bull is frequently mentioned, but it seems to be after a certain time period. In fact not a single pit bull is mentioned until 1981 and it is not until 2003 onwards that it starts to become frequent. From 1981-2003 what seems to be the most common breed reported is the Rottweiler. From 2003 onwards the pit bull starts to become more frequent, but still the Rottweiler is mentioned quite often. What this could indicate is that the Rottweiler and not the pit bull is in fact the breed that has caused the most fatalities within the US.

I'll also mention that the German Shepherd and Doberman Pinschers are mentioned quite frequently.

What do these dogs have in common? Well, they're all big or powerful dogs. Perhaps the reason they are reported so many times is because they're big and powerful enough to cause fatality in the first place.

It is interesting that pit bulls have only really been mentioned fairly recently as well. Maybe that has to do with the growing popularity of the breed as some kind of status symbol. You'd imagine that the people who would train a dog to be aggressive are more likely to get a pit bull over any other breed.

 

[Jag]

Dude, I know you're hundreds of miles away but they should be going to a hospital. A pit bull bite on the face or skull can be really serious. Face, hands and skull: would not fuck around with. He's too young to tell you when shit gets real. Hospital, preferably trauma center. As a surgeon who's done trauma, do this now. I know how complicated this is because family is involved and you are far away. But fuck all this: it's your kid. Flex those daddy muscles. Your first instinct was correct: this is so serious.

Yeah, I would get the kid to the ER immediately. Puncture wound in the head? That may need to be scanned just to be safe. Hopefully the walk in clinic says the same thing. Very cute kid too. Best regards for a quick recovery.

 

[anotherVegan]

If the dog owners are not doing anything, call animal control / animal cops and let them handle the dog.

 

[ElFly]

Hey bro, hope your kid is ok.

<3

 

[jmdajr]

This upsets me. I'd be completely irate.

Get a fucking Chihuahua.

 

[HelloMeow]

It's not uncommon for dogs to snap at small children if they get too close. Don't blame the dog if that was what happened.

 

[A Human Becoming]

Scanning through the thread it still boggles me why Jeff's wife didn't seek medical care immediately.

It's not uncommon for dogs to snap at small children if they get too close. Don't blame the dog if that was what happened.

If I recall the dog walked over from the other side of the room to bite.

 

[entremet]

pro-pit bull crowd should really save their arguments for another thread and let this guy vent. It doesn't add anything to the thread. After all he's been through, he doesn't want to hear you try to change his perspective.

Best wishes to you and yours, OP.

Cosigned.

Not everything has to be an internet debate.

 

[EsotericManiac]

I absolutely blame the dog, and the owners, in this situation. If my one year old daughter had this happen to her, you better believe this dog would be gone.

My cat has scratched my daughter on more than one occasion (more like 20). You better believe if this cat did irreparable harm to her vision or something...

"an unfortunate accident would just so happen to befall this poor animal"

 

[leadbelly]

Cosigned.

Not everything has to be an internet debate.

It doesn't no, but it is inevitable. As soon as you mention pit bulls you get people who will state just how dangerous they are and how they all need to be put down. That in turn will spark a response.

 

[entremet]

What is a 1 year old doing within snapping distance of ANY dog?

Dogs are dogs and people have a tendency to anthropomorphize them heavily. Regardless of breed dogs aren't people and they should NEVER be trusted around infants/toddlers.

Yep. Dog ownership should be licensed, with special exceptions to breeds like pits. There are too many ignorant owners.

It doesn't no, but it is inevitable. As soon as you mention pit bulls you get people who will state just how dangerous they are and how they all need to be put down. That in turn will spark a response.

It's called tact.

People need to vent sometimes. His son could've died in that situation. You don't get into a debate with the dude. And he's also calmed down himself.

I'm not a parent, but it's obvious that the paternal extinct is gonna override everything else.

 

[Emerson]

Dog bites by all breeds and in all forms are simply much more common than people think they are. In my 6-week emergency medicine rotation I saw dozens of dog bites. The worst was a family Lab who truly mauled a grandmother, but I've seen just about every breed as well since then.

My honest opinion is that all pets, while domesticated, are wild animals at heart. Humans can't really interpret what they're thinking and we don't always understand what will set them off. Some breeds are more dangerous or aggressive than others, but as a general rule I would never allow a young child to be too near any dog.

I hope your son is well and that he got the care he needed. I suspect that would come from a true ER, considering his age and the location of his injuries.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

I have never been a dog owner, but I am really glad I read this thread. A lot of info I didn't knew. Labs that bite people? whatt?


my mom has a small dog that snaps sometimes. its not big so it cant hurt people directly, but sometimes it becomes so disobident it can run into traffic, potentially causing an accident or through a persons bike because it chases the front wheel. it really seems psychotic, but it only snaps rarely

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Hope he gets better

 

[Schweinehund]

that's not good really.

He doesn't lash out in the corner, his leg's just start shaking. I do everything to make sure my dog isn't aggressive, I take his food away while he's eating, push him around to try to make him fight back, the dog is solid, there's nothing I've ever seen him do to a person to make me think he'll hurt them. Half the time the dog just rolls on his back when I reach down to him. He's the posterdog for submission...

Of course I feel bad he's terrified of loud noises, but I don't know how to fix that. In hindsight I should have named him Courage.

 

[mackattk]

Oh man... you guys are lucky that the pitbull didn't do much more damage. He could have easily lost sight out of one eye, especially with the bite being in such close proximity to his eye. I hope everything turns out fine for you OP. The dog needs to be put down. I absolutely love dogs, but a dog that bites a kid like that is a loose cannon, especially a breed that can cause so much damage in such a short amount of time

 

[leadbelly]

People need to vent sometimes. His son could've died in that situation. You don't get into a debate with the dude. And he's also calmed down himself.

I'm not a parent, but it's obvious that the paternal extinct is gonna override everything else.

Who says people are necessarily debating the OP, but rather the comments within the thread?

If someone makes the argument that pits are too unstable and all need to be put down, then it is inevitable that someone will respond to those types of comments right?

 

[Tornado Condor]

"it's not the owner's fault. They just train the pitbull incorrectly. Blah blah blah."

Pitbulls are dangerous and no one should own these horrible dogs.

 

[entremet]

Who says people are necessarily debating the OP, but rather the comments within the thread?

If someone makes the argument that pits are too unstable and all need to be put down, then it is inevitable that someone will respond to those types of comments right?

I'm just saying that context matters. Sometimes you pick and choose your battles. If the OP were to mention this to me IRL and I had pitbulls that I owned and loved, I would not try to refute him. There's a time and place for everything. That's just me, though. Do you.

 

[leadbelly]

I'm just saying that context matters. Sometimes you pick and choose your battles. If the OP were to mention this to me IRL and I had pitbulls that I owned and loved, I would not try to refute him. There's a time and place for everything. That's just me, though. Do you.

I've not really argued with the OP.

As an example, look at the post above you. Someone might see that comment and say to himself, "That's not really the case" and state this to him.

It's a thread. The person may not be responding to the OP directly.

Edit: Anyway, lets forget this.

 

[Subtle]

Sounds more like horrible parenting on your part.

Edit: and I'd really like to see a picture to see if it's actually a pit bull.

 

[flyinpiranha]

Sucks man, nothing worse than a hurt child and being helpless to do something (in your case being out of town).

Honestly the most surprising thing in this thread after reading it is the fact he wasn't taken directly to a hospital with a dog bite, especially one so close to the brain and eye cavity.

I think the breed 'can' have something to do with it, but it's like any animal. Each will be what the owners raise them to be (outside of degenerative mental issues). I've heard of Akitas attacking small children at a birthday party, German Shepards attacking children, and of course Pits doing the same.

They are animals. Even though we see adorable cuddling pictures every day some animals don't have the 'protect' instinct with children that some people think "should" be inherent.

I don't blame the dog in this instance. An older dog, not knowing the history, would never be in the same room with my kid until he was old enough to know how to act/react to him or at least with me in the middle between them. My kid is 8 and even if a puppy on a leash comes up to him he knows to first ask the owner, then slowly hold his hand out for the dog to approach and then he knows the signs of acceptance and may pet them then.

I don't understand the whole "wipe out the entire breed" as there are thousands of Pits out there being loving pets. I've been bitten by hamsters, sugar gliders, dobermans, snakes, lizards, and various other animals. Not once was I idiotic enough to ever think that the entire 'breed' should be wiped out. That's fucking stupid.

I'm just saying that context matters. Sometimes you pick and choose your battles. If the OP were to mention this to me IRL and I had pitbulls that I owned and loved, I would not try to refute him. There's a time and place for everything. That's just me, though. Do you.

I would assume posting it on a public message board visited by thousands of people would warrant that time and place for all discussion.

 

[the_prime_mover]

Geez OP - I really hope that your son is going to be o.k. - and please get him to a hospital asap.

I love my dog, think of her all the time and have difficulty thinking about the future when I know she won't be around any more, but if she bit anyone aggressively and without provocation she would be put down right away. If your in-laws are willing to put their dog above the well being of others then that will hopefully result in a very serious discussion between you and them. I guess in the US the medical bills are going to be costly. Will your in-laws be paying those fees?

I hope everything works out for your son.

 

[JJD]

Sorry about your kid.

Hopefully everything is OK.

Don't want to start shit, but after reading the thread I feel like I should share my small experience with pitbulls.

When I started dating my fiancee (8 years ago) her family had a pitbull and I fucking hated it. I wasn't used to big dogs (my family always had mini pinschers), and I was really afraid of him.

The dog never gave me much attention (probably because I was around my then GF all the time when close to him) and eventually I lost most of my fear, but I still never got too close to him without someone from her family around.

3 years ago we decided to live together and moved to a big house. Since I'm away from home constantly she decided to get a dog for protection and bought a pittbull, his name is Thor. I didn't want a dog regardless of breed, I don't have time to deal with then or any kind of pet, but considering that she stayed home alone so much I ended up agreeing.

I asked her to buy a female since they are supposedly more calm but she couldn't get one and bought a male anyway which displeased me.

In the 3 years we have had him he never attacked anyone, including a pair of burglars who entered our house last year and took away some stuff. The dog is useless as a guarding dog, but at least he intimidates people with his looks and his bark...problem is he don't barks that much and as soon as he sees anyone, even strangers he just starts wiggling his tail and gets in a playful mood.

I never trained him (don't know how), or paid anyone to train him to be a guard dog or just to teach him to behave. My fiancee is the only one that takes care of him and she is really loving, she loves that fucking dog.

Our family is always visiting, including my sister and her kids. They fucking love the dog too since my sister won't allow then to have one (regardless of breed). At first my sis didn't want the kids around the dog, or even bring then here because of him.

Anecdotal I know, but it's just my experience. Animals aren't inherently bad, and they will usually leave you alone if unprovoked, unless trained to act otherwise. I hope this wasn't the case with you father-in-law dog.

 

[hydragonwarrior]

pit bull that was hailed as being so sweet and loving right up until the moment they attacked.

Most owners believe this because they wouldn't (for good reason) attack the owner themselves. There's a bond established there.

These also tend to be owners who believe they're self training was enough; however, dogs have different behaviors. I had a Spitts (who are known to be temperamental) and it'd go haywire on strangers it didn't know - and this is also because we didn't thorougly train it or educate ourselves on how much work they require.

Luckily our Spitts was tiny but the same probably applies to Pit Bulls that haven't been thoroughly trained.

 

[Frustrated_me]

That is terrifying, I hope your kid is well OP. Do make all the effort to get him checked at a hospital.

As for that dog, my god.. Get him to be put down. I know the conflicts that can arise within the family but it's the proper thing to do. I never understood why some people value dogs or other animals more so than human beings.

 

[jmdajr]

Sounds more like horrible parenting on your part.

Edit: and I'd really like to see a picture to see if it's actually a pit bull.

How classy

 

[pestul]

Sounds more like horrible parenting on your part.

Edit: and I'd really like to see a picture to see if it's actually a pit bull.

Horrible parenting? Please..

 

[Zoe]

I think a lot of people missed this post:

It's an indoor dog and it crossed the room to bite. My two kids were playing on the couch after a bath and something went haywire in its head.

Unless that's not the full story, the kids weren't interacting with the dog.

That "something went haywire" is why I'll never be able to allow myself to have a large dog around small kids. I'm sure it's probably blown out of proportion, but I've heard too many stories of unpredictable behavior such as waking up hyper aggressive after a random seizure.

 

[pestul]

Most owners believe this because they wouldn't (for good reason) attack the owner themselves. There's a bond established there.

These also tend to be owners who believe they're self training was enough; however, dogs have different behaviors. I had a Spitts (who are known to be temperamental) and it'd go haywire on strangers it didn't know - and this is also because we didn't thorougly train it or educate ourselves on how much work they require.

Luckily our Spitts was tiny but the same probably applies to Pit Bulls that haven't been thoroughly trained.

And that's why they should be either banned or strictly licensed. Banning is easier because there are too many asshats out there..

We shouldn't domesticate animals that can turn your largest bones into a splintered chew toy on a whim. I love animals (including pitbulls/large dogs), but there are just too many reports of viscous attacks. When they're not ripping the faces off of children, they are sometimes crunching up other people's smaller dogs. Just last year, that is exactly what happened to one of our neighbors terriers.

 

[entremet]

I've not really argued with the OP.

As an example, look at the post above you. Someone might see that comment and say to himself, "That's not really the case" and state this to him.

It's a thread. The person may not be responding to the OP directly.

Edit: Anyway, lets forget this.

I'm specifically talking about the OP. Not anyone else that replies. I actually like pits. Even the OP backtracked himself. I'm not advocating ending any discussion on it, but in addressing the OP in logical fashion, when a concerned parent is not really thinking about stats and facts right now.

I'm not trying to quash discussion, just how to have tact in addressing the OP directly. That's all. Some people are already blaming the father. That's kinda shitty.

 

[Risible]

I want to say something, but it would only offend. Sorry that your kid got bit.

Hey, any chance you could be more of a passive-agressive dick?

Say it or shut the fuck up, don't offer backhand insincere apologies so that you can get your little "I want to say something, but..." comment in.

People who defend pit bulls are insane. Comments like

I'm sorry about your son, but this is not the dog's fault. Sorry. No breed would just go up to a small child and take a bite out of their skull unless provoked somehow. I've seen how small children act around dogs before, and honestly it's a miracle more aren't bitten.

Also, please tell me why a one year old boy was on the floor with a dog, that wasn't your own, nearby?

are fucking insanity. Please don't ever have children.

 

[Mumei]

I haven't read the whole thread, so: Is he doing better now?

Hey, any chance you could be more of a passive-agressive dick?

Say it or shut the fuck up, don't offer backhand insincere apologies so that you can get your little "I want to say something, but..." comment in.

People who defend pit bulls are insane. Comments like

Calm down.

 

[pestul]

I'm sorry about your son, but this is not the dog's fault. Sorry. No breed would just go up to a small child and take a bite out of their skull unless provoked somehow. I've seen how small children act around dogs before, and honestly it's a miracle more aren't bitten.

Also, please tell me why a one year old boy was on the floor with a dog, that wasn't your own, nearby?

Yeah.. but kids are allowed to be kids. Dogs are domesticated pets. We love our animals, but human beings (yes, even the despicable devil children) always come first. If you choose to get a licensed and approved large dog maybe that should forfeit your chance of having children.. or even letting them visit in the first place. Something definitely has to be done.

 

[Spectrum128]

Sounds more like horrible parenting on your part.

Edit: and I'd really like to see a picture to see if it's actually a pit bull.

Not so subtle after all...

 

[Chucker]

What is a 1 year old doing within snapping distance of ANY dog?

This is my question. I'm far more lax than my wife is about this stuff, but she watches our 2 year old like a HAWK when we're at my parents and they have 2 old ass Cocker Spaniels.

We have no idea what dogs are thinking, especially around little kids because they don't know how to gauge what the kid is going to do. We've had the conversation of "what if", and she also said put the dog down and potentially press charges no matter what relative/friend it is. It's shitty, but it's necessary.

 

[BattleMonkey]

Yikes, just yesterday my cousin was walking their dog and a pitbull from one of their neighbors "it was so friendly", just charged and viciously mauled theirs, a crowd of people had to beat the pitbull off their dog and it's hopefully going to survive. Pits are illegal in this city too.