Odd - there has to be something more to this story

spydre · Post by **spydre** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:09 pm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32027117/ns/us_news-life/

I found this odd. There has to be something more to this story. I mean, if the dog's area is outside, then I can figure no reason why the dog (and how) would remove a baby from his crib, and then run away with the baby when the parents tried to get the baby back. Am I the only one that thinks this is odd?

spydre · Post by **spydre** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:11 pm

Specifically, am I the only one that thinks the parents MAY not be telling the whole story?

If it's true, I'm sorry if I jumped to conclusions, but it seems far fetched, if not impossible to me, that a dog can and would take a baby out of a crib. And then run with the baby like he considered it a resource or prize.

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:20 pm

They say that the parents were downstairs and the baby was upstairs, and the dog somehow got into the house and grabbed the baby and left, but how is it possible that the dog went in and out unnoticed by the baby's parents?

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:24 pm

Well it is odd but not impossible. The parents did not speak on the video nor were they quoted in the article. So-o-o we will have to assume dog had a way of getting in and out, and parents were in another room and simply did not see dog going upstairs to the baby's room. There should've been a gate to the baby's room. I only hope child makes full recovery. What should become of the dog?

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:27 pm

But how did the dog get inside is the question. Is there a doggy door, or did the dog just slip in through an open window?

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:30 pm

A door could've been left open ar ajar. Some dogs can open doors. It's not shocking at all.

spydre · Post by **spydre** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:33 pm

Maybe it's because I've seen several stories in this area of blaming a child's injury on an animal that I'm doubtful. I'm not sure. I'm still suspicious.

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:41 pm

So you're saying that you think the parents PLANNED for this to happen?

Nettle · Post by **Nettle** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 12:50 pm

A dog would certainly be capable of taking a baby from its cot and carrying it out. Babies smell and squeak and can confuse a dog or awaken the prey drive.

If the dog was not prepared for the baby's arrival, and if it suffered less contact/attention from its family after the arrival of the baby and if it was shut out all the time, it would have been upset and puzzled, and waited its chance to see at first hand what was going on.

How it got in - well only the parents would know.

Poor creature was only being a dog. Babies can only be babies. As MM says, you can't fix stupid.

DogzRule1996 · Post by **DogzRule1996** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:17 pm

The video said that the dog somehow got in, grabbed the baby as if it were its own pup, and ran about 50 yards away from home into the woods about 10 minutes away. The baby suffers severe puncture wounds and dog is being taken care of by the city animal control or something like that. Nothing about parents. They don't state what the parents were doing downstairs or whatever.

spydre · Post by **spydre** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:52 pm

No, I'm not saying the parents PLANNED on this happening.

Look, we all know the, "A dingo ate my baby," case in Austrailia. Of course, in that case it turned out to be true. But in this area, it seems a lot of parents that have even accidently hurt their kid have said something similar - oh, the dog did that, the dog picked him up and shook him, etc. Of course, everyone pretty much sees through it around here. So I take cases like that with a grain of salt. And granted, I don't know if they put their son to sleep in a normal crib, but most cribs, unless the dog is huge, a dog pretty much wouldn't be able to jump into.

However, I do not fault the logic that the dog may have been thinking this was "her baby". When I moved in with my husband when we got married, the dog, who previously liked me, was miffed with me because I took "her" spot on the bed, and she was shut out of the bedroom most nights - until I gave birth to my son. (we lived with my in law's then). I remember my mother in law lying my days old son on her bed, and the dog lying across the bed near my son's feet, and the dog growling when my husband tried to approach - but she let me and my mother in law come to the bed. That was the only time it happened, but there was no doubt that Natasha considered Devin "her baby" as well as my husband and my baby. If there were visitors, she would stand guard by the playpen, or by his swing, or wherever he was. When they would sit outside, if my mother in law told the dog to "protect the baby", that's exactly what Natasha did, barking if anyone outside the family came up on the porch.

I truly miss that dog - she taught my boy how to be with dogs, and essentially, gave him the incentive to walk, too. So he could keep up with her.

Nettle · Post by **Nettle** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:53 am

Just as many dogs will see a baby as a prey creature. It squeals, smells of body secretions, pee and poo, it's helpless - those things can cause a dog to bite a baby.

If the punctures match the dog's teeth, it wasn't taking the baby in the woods to treat it like a puppy. Bitches don't puncture their pups.

mum24dog · Post by **mum24dog** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:47 am

Nettle wrote:Bitches don't puncture their pups.

No, but puppies are a lot easier for a dog to carry than a human baby.
I'm not going to speculate one way or another on a news article.

Pam

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:14 am

Saw an interview with the Dad this morn on Good Morning America.
Baby was 3 wks premature and they were still in the midst of babyproofing. Anyway Mom laid baby down upstairs while they went downstairs to prapre for the baby shower. after 2 mts Mom had a 'feeling' and went to chk on baby-- (she had noticed back door was ajar). Baby was gone. She screamed They immediately suspected Dakota the dog. They checked every inch of the house then they went outside. Dad called 911 as he con't to check the back woods. Mom found dog, and a few mts later they found baby, bloody. Luckily the baby is stable and now they expect him to recover.

Dad said Dakota took baby thinking of it as a toy. Baby was swaddled and perhaps that helped him. Dad feels Dakota shld not be pts but re-homed. Dakota had a history of taking things and taking it to the yard, and baby was something new to take. She might've gone back to it later and try to shred it or something. He has no hard feelings twd Dakota as she has been part of the family for 4 yrs and she was wonderful with 2 older kids.

This, to me is a case where dog was not prepared for a newborn. However baby came home early they ran out of time to prepare her, and finish babyproofing with gates, etc But it wasn't stated if they had planned to prepare dog. Perhaps they didn't feel a need to since she was so good with other kids.

It is an extremely unfortunate incident. All dogs must be prepared for a new baby, baby gates, and close sprvsn at all times. Hopefully this trajedy will be a warning to all dog owners to be responsible in preparing the family dog for the new change.

Nothing but best wishes to the family and speedy recovery to the baby.