Family dog fatally mauls newborn baby

Sacramento Bee ^ | April 22, 2016 | PAULINE REPARD

[artichokegrower]

A pit bull. Who would have thought?

[sparklite2]

In before the pit bull apologists.

[Kipp]

That's awful. But I'm not surprised at the breed. A lot of people say it's how the dog is raised, but it's not. I've posted before about a couple I knew who lovingly raised a pit bull from a pup, and a couple of years later in inexplicably turned on the wife (and had to be shot to stop the attack). The tv was on - the only thing they can think of is some noise on the tv triggered the attack.

IMO, having a pit bull is like walking around with a bomb where a quick movement or sudden noise will trigger it.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Or is it?

It is a 2-year-old, neutered male American Staffordshire terrier-mix named Polo...

[TXBlair]

That poor baby didn’t stand a chance in life, what with being raised by those two irresponsible morons. A dog that fatally attacks upon hearing a cough? Poor little one was doomed.

[3D-JOY]

I have an elderly friend with one who swears it is gentle...I keep waiting for the bad news...I hope it never comes.

[goldstategop]

I find it hard to believe a dog turns aggressive on being startled.

Dogs don’t get easily spooked.

[Delta 21]

The pack dynamic in action.

[goldstategop]

Properly socialized dogs protect their pack - not turn against it.

[goldstategop]

A dog’s personality and temperament should be checked to adoption.

With an older dog, you usually know what you’re getting.

I would not recommend a dog or cat unsupervised around infants and small children.

[rainee]

Omg! I can’t even imagine..I have a 3mo old baby & even if had a dog, wouldn’t allow it to sleep near my newborn. I don’t care how much you love, know your dog etc..you just never know!
Also, I think dogs of this breed or dogs that have a screw loose, their owners have to know! Just my opinion but why take the chance with your newborn baby! Horrible beyond words..

[sparklite2]

The American Staffordshire Terrier, also known as Amstaff or simply Stafford, is a medium-sized, short-coated American dog breed. It is one of several breeds commonly known as pit bulls. Wikipedia

[goldstategop]

Its just terrible.

As a dog owner though, I’ve never seen violence in a dog be triggered by a random sound.

No one wants a dog that can go off without warning.

[Fai Mao]

My wife has a cowardly Pekinese. In a fight between a 3 month old child and Pompom the baby would eat the dog.

It is the type of dog you need if you have small children

[goldstategop]

Molasser/mastiff-type breeds are often viewed as pit bulls.

Some people want a guardian-kinda dog.

[Bobalu]

Breed of peace alert.

[Blue Jays]

My parents owned a sweetheart pit bull who was a pure joy.
Their dog once bit a stranger who aggressively approached my mother while out on their twice-per-day walks.
She otherwise loved visitors, going to the bank drive-up (they gave her treats), and going on long car rides.

[sparklite2]

Before reading it in the article, I figured these people were probably apartment dwellers. Bingo.

And apartment dwellers that keep a pit bull as a guard dog ... probably shouldn’t have babies.

[Delta 21]

Some packs are not properly socialized. And I think the Staffies and Pits have been so interbed/inbred that they are just dangerously unpredictable like this.

Even the Chihuahua has to adjust and get over some jealousy when the grand baby first came around. But a PitBull is completely out of the question.

[bluejean]

It was a perfectly kind, gentle canine of peace until the moment it self-radicalized, became a ‘lone wolf’ actor (having nothing whatsoever to do with its breed at all) and went on jihad.

Pitbulls are the muzzies of the dog world.