Expert: Baby Swings Can Trigger Dog Attack

[booksenkatz]

Rocking your baby to sleep in a mechanical swing can trigger a deadly attack on the child by the family dog, a coroner warns.

At least two such deaths have been documented in Maryland over a four-year period, Dr. Albert Y. Chu of the state's medical examiner's office said Wednesday at a meeting in New Orleans of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The back-and-forth motion may activate the dog's instinct to chase prey, he said.

"Think about dogs chasing cars or tennis balls. They can't control their behavior — they just go," he said.

<snip>

More horror here:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=6&u=/ap/20050223/ap_on_re_us/baby_swings_dogs

[LisaM]

1. And two of the three examples were pit bulls

When are people going to wake up and realize that, as sweet as they may seem, these dogs can be very dangerous?

[Dervill Crow]

17. Pit bulls are no more prone to aggression than other breeds.

They just do so much damage when they DO bite that they have gotten a bad rap.

Having said that, I don't let kids near my Daizie (an AmStaff) because she wasn't well socialized with kids when she was younger. She's not toy or food aggressive and gets along fine with my cats, so it would probably be okay, but "probably" just isn't good enough. She's a lover and a sweetie, but I'm not going to put her in a bad situation.

I've owned dogs all my life, and I've only had one that I could say with 100% certainty that she would never EVER bite anyone; my sweet mastiff mix Trixie, may she rest in peace. She was instrumental in teaching my youngest son how to walk and enjoyed every minute of being crawled all over, hugged, kissed, and toddler-handled.

[LisaM]

18. I don't disagree with you

but they do cause a lot of damange, intentional or not.

[Dervill Crow]

20. Pit bull owners are a HUGE problem.

And I have five pit bulls in my immediate and extended family. I wish my teenagers were as malleable as these dogs! They really will do anything for their owners, and that's why they can be brutalized so easily. It breaks my heart to see how some people mistreat those dogs to make them mean.

Personally, German Shepherds scare me more than pits, but that's because I've been bitten by one. There are good dogs and bad dogs in any breed. St. Bernards can be mean and can do a lot of damage, too, but (except for Cujo) they don't seem to scare people as much. I would rather be bitten by a little dog than a St. Bernard or a pit bull, but I've known more ornery Dachsunds than pits. Maybe it's that short guy complex.

[B3Nut]

29. American Pit Bull Terriers are in fact excellent dogs...

My wife and I do Pit Bull rescue, and work with an organization in Chicago. The abuse and neglect we run into is appalling. Pits are actually one of the most people-friendly and people-needy breeds out there, handful of bad apples notwithstanding.

A famous basketball player in Chicago surrendered 3 dogs to a vet clinic down there, and the rescue down there took the two males (named Cain and Abel, interestingly) and a clinic staffer was smitten with the female and kept her. The player's manager surrendered the dogs, requesting that they be put down. This basketball player basically neglected these dogs...Cain and Abel had about zilch for social skills. Our friend who runs the rescue in Chicago took the two males, and we went down there and got Cain. We ended up keeping Cain. These two dogs didn't know what stairs were, what treats were, and what a couch was. Cain was a tail-chaser when he came to us, but he has recovered. His personality has really blossomed in the last few months...despite 2 years of neglect he's coming around to being a great dog. He's not the smartest dog I've ever run into....most pits are quite intelligent. Cain's just a dork. :D He's a sweetie though...gets along with everybody and now knows what a couch is. :D Abel's in central Wisconsin now, living with a family. He regularly sticks his head between their young son's legs and tosses him on his back and takes him for rides...it's HILARIOUS!

People do need to pay attention to what they're doing...dogs aren't people, and they're not pushbutton appliances either. Leaving infants alone with any breed of dog is asking for trouble, as any behaviorist will readily tell you.

Some Pittielinks for your enjoyment:

www.forpitssake.org

www.pitbullpress.com

www.workingpitbull.com <- Diane Jessup's site. She's an expert trainer and a brilliant person. She deserves DU props for standing up to Bill O'Leilly on his show despite the fact he wasn't letting her get a word in edgewise and kept spouting his blather.


Todd in Beerbratistan with the WI PitCrew

[radwriter0555]

27. Pit bulls were bred and born to kill. This is simply FACT. Just as the

maltese was bred to be a lap dog, the beagle to be a hunting dog, the dachshund to be a rat and tunnel dog, and the australian shepherd to be a herding and cattle dog, pit bulls were bred to fight and kill for sport, and they're still bred for this activity today, in numbers larger than ever in history.

[bleedingheart]

28. dachsunds were trained to go after badgers ...which are a vicious

...I had a dachsund as a kid..they can give you a nasty bite and don't like to be pissed with....

My dog was a sweety pie and the funny thing is that their tail is so strong that you can drag them with it..(we didn't do that)..because that is how their owners would get them out of badger tunnels.

[B3Nut]

30. DO a little research. Your assertion is a bit off base.

The original object of matching dogs in a pit (vile and abhorrent as it is) was not death of one opponent or the other, but which dog would quit first. Human-aggression was historically looked down upon as a sign of defectiveness...a pit man couldn't handle a dog that would redirect on its handler. Inner-city thugs have gone past the historical limits, but they are still in the minority. www.workingpitbull.com is an excellent resource. Pit Bulls compete in conformation and obedience shows, search and rescue, animal-assisted therapy, assistance, you name it. There are some bad apples to be sure, but they're not the norm by any stretch of the imagination. And no matter what breed of dog you've got, socialization is very important. We have a Pit and a Pit-Rottie cross that are Canine Good Citizen titled and who visit elementary schools and middle schools for humane education. We teach youngsters how to behave around dogs and how to think past stereotypes, and the importance of humane treatment of animals. We discuss the cruelty of dogfighting with "high-risk" youth in our presentations as well. Deuce and Weezee? They perform tricks for the kids and wander around the classroom seeking attention. :)

Todd in Beerbratistan

[Dervill Crow]

35. Thank you for the links.

I wish everyone appreciated what wonderful dogs pit bulls are! My girl Daizie is half English Staffie and half AmStaff. I have pictures of my dog and my "granddoggers" at work, and I spend a lot of time explaining to people that pit bulls are great family dogs.

[ElectroPrincess]

31. Even my ultra-gentle therapy dog tracks on the outdoor cat's

movement when we go out in front of our house. My beautiful K9 has the true temperament of a "Valium poster child" and I use her exclusively with hospitalized and elderly visits precisely because of her calm nature.

HOWEVER, and this is a big one, as the above folks aptly pointed out, K-9s hold a pack mentality even though they've been domesticated. My pup, is an English Pointer mix and I know when a cat's in the area because her ears perk up and she begins tracking it with her eyes.

My point: Not *any* K-9 should be assumed to have the thought process of a human. ALL good dog owners monitor their dogs interaction with small children, the ill and the elderly at all times.

I have not seen my therapy dog show aggression to ANY human being but I also know she is a K-9 and I am ultimately responsible for her behavior. I always watch and NOT EVER leave her alone with young children.

[Willy Lee]

37. Sorry, disagree.

Owners train them to kill.

[China_cat]

2. That's why

no matter how good you think your dog is with kids, you NEVER leave them alone together.

Not safe for the kid, not fair to the dog.

[booksenkatz]

3. Heck, we never even left our baby alone with our cats!

I've never read a story about a cat mauling a child to death, but you just never know what will set off a jealous pet. Luckily, our cats followed the general attitude shown in Nicole Hollander's cat books: it's too small to operate the can opener, too big to fit in our food bowls... must be a baby. Shrug. Back to napping.

This news piece disturbed me so much.

[teenagebambam]

8. Ah, for the days...

...when my mother would plop me outside in the backyard, in my playpen, with the dog to stand guard, and go about her business. Once he attacked the gas man for coming into the yard uninvited.

And just look what happened, I turned out gay!

[MADem]

14. Ha!!!!

My mother used to do that with the youngest of our clan. On the porch, in the bassinette, guarded by the loyal collie, who would do the same, attacking any stranger who came too close--a very fine, smart and protective dog, that one.

The baby turned out to be a dog owner!

[wildeyed]

21. I fostered a dog like that for a while.

Australian Cattledog. He loved my six month old daughter more than anything. I was allowed to pick her up, and my husband was allowed to pick her up, but he got really crabby with anyone else who tried to touch her.

I should NEVER have given that dog up. He was a wonderful, smart, loyal guy. We already had two dogs, though, and the deal was, as soon as he was healthy, I would find him a forever home. Which I did. But I still miss him.

[ElectroPrincess]

33. I'm glad it worked out but I would NOT leave *any* K-9 alone with a baby

Don't buy into the "Lassie mindset" because dogs, albeit protective, are not human.

I've been told that my therapy dog is the most gentle animal they've ever seen. And I agree with their appraisal. However, I did not ever leave her alone with my baby or toddler. Why? Because the rare times when it happens, it can be tragic.

Dogs are beautiful ... heck, some days I feel like mine are the most loving - even more so than the humans in my life -

But dogs are NOT human and owners run a serious risk when they always attribute K-9's emotions and behavior to that for people.

[fortyfeetunder]

19. Thanks for the chuckle

and welcome to DU! :hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Smart move...

When my 6 year old was about a year old, he got very boisterous when Tails, one of the kitties, walked up to him. He started doing that huffy-puffy arm-pumping gesture that babies make when they're excited.

He wasn't hurting Tails, or even touching him; but the cat perceived it as a threat, and hauled off and batted him with his paw, drawing a little blood. It was entirely my fault for not being aware of the effect my son was having on the cat. I guess I figured the cat would run if he felt uncomfortable.

Of course, my maternal instincts kicked in, and I shot out a look that sent the cat downstairs to hide for the next few hours; but it's a good thing I was there...

[ElectroPrincess]

32. While we're at it, don't leave a big dog OFF - leash ... EVER!

My now deceased Old English Sheepdog, OES (104 lb), was the largest of this particular breed. If you've seen the black and white Shaggy D.A. movie with Fred Murray ... well that was the size of my belated OES Mr. Benjamin.

I was walking him on leash on a Marine Corp base housing area during one fall day in 1997. Suddenly, I looked up to see a HUGE (140lb) male rottweiler in full run toward us. So funny now because he was about 50 feet away at the top of the hill. I swear it felt like "slow motion" watching him bolting our way. I remember being frozen with fear but able to eke out an "Oh Sh*t!" :wow:

It was an horrific sight - seeing that Rotty tear into my OES. I kept yelling for the other owner to grab their dog's back legs so we could safely drag them apart. The husband (and trainer) was TAD out of town, and although there was at least a dozen people watching this big dog fight, to include four grown male Marines, NOBODY was trying to stop the action.

That's when I put myself in the middle of this ... well, precisely when the Rotty was beginning to tear my OES's right ear off. I got in there with my hands up, kicking at the Rotty's chest. He didn't mean to bite me - but nipped me on my right side and forearm.

Guess what? After I started to get bit up, FINALLY one of those four Marines grabbed the Rotty's collar and pulled him back. Turns out that this K-9 has NOT demonstrated any aggression to humans, but is *seriously dangerous* to other K-9s.

When the situation had calmed down I ascertained that the father was out of town. The mom and the kids were aghast, "Why their dog NEVER acts like that?!? NEVER EVER!" Well, seeing is believing. Some K9s can be gentle with humans, but would tear another K9 to shreds - and all combinations in between.

One FACT I've learned from growing up on a farm and having been blessed with owning and training over a half dozen K-9s, is to NEVER say NEVER with regard to your own beloved K-9's behavior. Be they a pup or 12 years old.

Even if your K-9's behavioral history is commendable, please don't assume that such behavior is predictable OR that your K-9 is not capable of aggression under certain circumstances.

Sorry to be long winded but the above was an intense experience. I have sky-dived, but even that doesn't meet the Adrenalin rush I received being (no more than 90 seconds) in the middle of a big dog fight.

No sane person wants to be in the middle of a big dog fight. I must be a little "off" for the intervention. Guess I love all my K9s beyond the norm. :hug:

[NashVegas]

4. Oh Goodie. Let's Sue the Swing Manufacturers

better get a warning label on those things.

[ret5hd]

5. yeah frivolous lawsuits are the problem.

:boring:

[lastliberalintexas]

9. Actually, a warning is needed

If a manufacturer knows of a danger or risk associated with the proper use of its product, it should include a warning in the owner's manual or on the product itself. Many people may never otherwise know of the danger. Why you would have a problem with that is beyond me. :shrug:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

34. I think most people don't realize that by the time a mfr gets sued

The event has usually happened HUNDREDS of times and the mfr had KNOWLEDGE of hundreds of times (i.e. Mc Donald's = 700 complaints about the temperature of their coffee that they LIED about in court)

[DBoon]

11. They should put warning labels on the dogs

Warning: May attack small children if they act like dog food
May uproot plants in yard
May chew newly delivered mail
May pass gas without warning

[Maraya1969]

6. I just sent that story around to my email list

sounds like some important information.

[SomewhereOutThere424]

7. Animal Propaganda

Children are much more at risk at the wide spread semi automatic rifles united states criminals are able to get their hands on. The suppressed information of children being randomly shot with firearms in shoot outs (the 'among the victims were 3 children' bit), and the information that children are much more at risk of other things, could dwarf this out, but doesn't.

It's sad, they did this with wild animals. They put them in such a hideously dangerous category we'd flip out if we saw one even a mile from our home, they're thought of worse than terrorists. No one wants them around after their title is brought to such mud, so it's okay for companies who want to kill them to kill them. How many people really cry at night when wolves are murdered in fur shops in terrible ways, after the bush ad comparing them to terrorists?

It just saddens me. It seems they're going after house pets now more and more too. If less people love the animals, more people with intent to hurt them can hurt them. This isn't in my opinion a case of 'dogs are rabid creatures who will devour your babies'. It's more a case of, as said by other posters, negligible parents. I'd like to see someone calling leaving a large animal and an infant in the same room together child abuse, but lately environmentalist groups had been under attack as child abuse (see the vegan/child abusing thread just recently posted by similar 'scientific' study. Any rational person can tell an animal can snap at a child, but any rational person can also see that having a pet is more responsibility than assigning what was once a wild animal to be a babysitter).

Reading between the lines this is quite the dangerous little article, if it becomes a trend. The more who fear animals under the wolf in sheep's clothing bit as child murderers (just like wolves were even used in said analogy, further proving psychological threat to propaganda to animals), the more people will be allowed to do what they want to these 'dangerous' creatures. Yet...do enough studying, and you'll read that in the time frame shown by this article, dogs have been known to save children's lives, whether police dogs or home pets, as an act of loyalty.

I just hope this doesn't start a forest fire like the fur trade propaganda about wolves and foxes has. Man's best friend may be seeing a serious betrayal if that were the case. They can only hurt what we refuse to love; refuse to love the loyal dogs which have saved many lives, human and animal alike and they too will fall victim to the decrepid evils some men can think of as a profit.

[biftonnorton]

12. Info On Death From Buckets And Pools Could Dwarf It, Too

http://www.motherwired.com/april/drownproof.html

Buckets kill more toddlers than even guns do. I have assault buckets at home, but I keep them locked up.

[Kolesar]

15. interesting thesis ... eom

[Colorado Blue]

22. Check out the terrible things they do to wolves and other

creatures up in Alaska.

Even though the voters do NOT want this, the Governor of Alaska has authorized hunters in helicopters to murder wolves from the air. This is ostensibly to provide more caribou for rich white guys from the lower 48 to shoot. Which is BS because the only caribou wolves take are the sick, old, injured - occasionally they probably get a baby - but mostly ones who can't survive - ie, they strengthen the herd - so their action is not only cruel it is short-sighted, potentially damaging the long-term health of the herd.

Also they have legal BEAR BAITING up there. Drugged meat is put out to the bears, who get woozy, so rich guys from the lower 48 can shoot them at close range.

THIS IS HUNTING????????

I cry a LOT lately.

Thanks for your perceptive post.

[NickB79]

25. Drugged meat?

The closest hunters come to drugging bears is putting them into sugar comas by using old Dunkin Donuts as bait. No state allows actual tranqualizing drugs to be put in the bait.

[Colorado Blue]

36. I'm not sure what they use. But they are definitely not

themselves. Probably not illegal drugs though, as you say. I'll look into it.

[Red State Rebel]

10. I don't know about attacking, but it made my cat dizzy and sick

He was sleeping in the empty swing I used when babysitting years ago, the kids thought it would be cute to let him swing in it and wound it up - in a few minutes, he jumped out of it to the floor staggering and gagging. He'd never make it on a roller coaster....

[LibertyLover]

13. Dogs and kids

We are lucky with our dogs. They like our little girl very much. But we make sure that we rarely leave her and them together unattended. Occassionally for something like getting the mail but never longer. While they have never in the 16 months we have had her shown any aggression, we don't take chances. We made the decision before we adopted her that if any of the dogs had a problem, we would find new homes for them. It was a hard decision to make, but luckily we haven't had to implement it.

I did have to have my stepdaughter, who was living with us at the time, get her Belgian Teruvian (sp?) out of the house because the dog, unprovoked, attacked our toddler twice in the space of a couple of hours. The second time my stepdaughter actually saw that all her sister had done was to walk past the dog at a distance of better than 3 feet. The teruvian had started living with us as a puppy and had grown up around our little girl, who had the same ground rules with it as with our dogs - no hitting, pulling ears, tails, etc., no rough behaviour at all, petting only and the occassional hug and cuddle when mommy and daddy are there. It works with our dogs, but the teruvian for some reason suddenly got it in her head that the toddler was fair game. But since the stepdaughter was moving to her own house in two weeks we wanted to make sure that she had the dog, who adored her, for protection. So she took it to her grandparents' house. Now when my kid and the dog see each other its fine.

[ninkasi]

23. Years ago, when my grandkids were small

my husband and I got a rottie pup. She played with the kids til we felt she was too big, which with a rott can be 3 or 4 months old. We would take the kids outside to play with her as she got older, she adored them, and never acted agressive or anything but loving toward them. She allowed her ears to be pulled, anything they chose to do, but we were right there, and had her on a leash for good measure.

We had an 8 ft. wooden fence built across the back yard to keep people out, we notified all the utility companies, which could read our meters from the houses next door. We kept the gate to the back padlocked, and a beware of dog sign out.

Even though she was a sweetie, and the kids loved her, we never, ever let them around her unless we had her on a leash, just as a precaution. She died at the age of 10 from cancer, and my vet told me she was one of the sweetest dogs he had ever known. The best bet, though, is to not leave children unattended around any dog, regardless of what you think of the dog's nature.

[Piperay]

24. When I was around 2yrs old

my mother had me in the yard in a swing and the dog who belonged to the people in the front house came out charging and if not for my mother's quick action the dog would have possibly torn my arm off. My mother managed to pull me back in time and all I ended up with was the sleeve torn off my dress and a fear of dogs that lasted well into my adulthood (luckily I finally got over my fear and I love dogs and always have one).

[Boomer]

26. Some breeds just aren't a good mix with children

Individual mileage varies, of course, but we're always VERY careful to keep kids away from our Scotties. Terriers do not have unlimited patience with small children, and they're not likely to keep their annoyance to themselves.

In fact, one of our terriers had the disconcerting habit of stalking toddlers, and we once caught her about to nip the backside of a 3-year old niece when we were home for the holidays. This dog also loathed anything on wheels: baby carriages, skateboards, wheelchairs, tricyles.

Our Lab-mix, on the other hand, is a total mush and wouldn't harm a flea. We nearly had a heart-attack the first time he picked up a kitten by putting its head in his mouth, but he was just moving it from one place to another, very gently, and the kitten didn't seem to mind at all. He's great with kids, too.