Dog Decoder added 2 new photos.
The Perfect Storm
An 18 month old toddler gets the side of his face ripped off by a Labrador and I see it coming, able to do nothing. With my heart in my hands and the world seeming to stop, I’m a world away and only 100 ft from witnessing an accident that did NOT need to happen. It happened in seconds (seemed like an eternity); the boy hugs the dog who is tied to a railing of the toddler play area next to a line of strollers, with moms and children all around laughing and playing.
I’m training a puppy outside the area and the only reason I was watching was because this family was striking. Mom is over 6’ tall, 3 children, 2 girls ages approximately 8 and 10 yrs old and the little toddler in diapers, all toe heads (very blonde hair) walk into the park holding hands. The girls run off into the building, most likely to take some dance class while mom and baby wait for them in the toddler area. The little boy sees the dog at the far end of the toddler area and beams in on her walking toward her ignoring the other children, sandbox and swings. He wants to pet the sweet dog. Mom isn’t paying attention as she’s talking with friends who she obviously meets with on a regular basis and thinks life is grand.
Me, I see the potential danger lurking in these next minutes and move closer to watch the dogs body language; flitting back and forth between mom, dog and child hoping someone is going to pay attention. No one is. It’s a normal day at the park as far as they’re concerned. I start walking faster to get the moms attention as he nears the dog and I don’t notice anyone paying attention. The dog is beginning to get nervous with the approaching toddler, lip licking, rounded body, looking for a way out, tail tucked, frightened so of course, I start yelling for the boys mom to get her son and in an instant the boy is hugging the dog and in that same instant the dog attacks, taking most of the side of his face off. No growling, no sounds from the dog but a ton of body languages before the attack, now the only sounds are of a toddler screaming in pain and shock.
I’m so sorry to say that this incident does not come out of nowhere nor is it uncommon. 77% of dog bites happen from family and friends dogs with children being bitten the most.
As I see the horror unfold, I run to the toddler, I’m the closest one, sounding off questions to the owner of the dog. Yelling above the chaos, get the owners contact info, someone go into the building to find the two girls in class and someone else call an ambulance. We are descended upon with toddler now swaddled in his moms arms who is panicking, the dog is shivering huddled against the railing, unable to free herself while someone is yelling at the her. The puppy I had in training was w/ me the entire time, licking the boys legs as I lift him to his mother.
Here’s the back story and why this was the perfect storm.
The Dog:
The dog tied to the railing on the inside of the toddler area was a family dog who just turned 2. Yup. 2, the age of maturity and when the bite most often occurs. Why? Because puppies will put up with a lot; prodding, ears pulled, tail pulled, sat upon and more. Since they are tolerating it the parents think all is well. They aren’t reading the body language this puppy has been giving all along. Body signs of leaving the room when the kids come in, hiding next to a parent or under a coffee table, lip licking, look away, yawning, panting and more. So, when the dog hits her age of maturity having no one who understands her lack of tolerance, the bite is imminent. Now we have a dog tied with nowhere to go and no adults to save her. A strange toddler comes up and hugs her and without any help she feels threatened and in defense, bites the boy. This is not an aggressive dog. This is a dog who gave all the warning signs and no one listened because no one knew what to listen for.
The dog tied to the railing on the inside of the toddler area was a family dog who just turned 2. Yup. 2, the age of maturity and when the bite most often occurs. Why? Because puppies will put up with a lot; prodding, ears pulled, tail pulled, sat upon and more. Since they are tolerating it the parents think all is well. They aren’t reading the body language this puppy has been giving all along. Body signs of leaving the room when the kids come in, hiding next to a parent or under a coffee table, lip licking, look away, yawning, panting and more. So, when the dog hits her age of maturity having no one who understands her lack of tolerance, the bite is imminent. Now we have a dog tied with nowhere to go and no adults to save her. A strange toddler comes up and hugs her and without any help she feels threatened and in defense, bites the boy. This is not an aggressive dog. This is a dog who gave all the warning signs and no one listened because no one knew what to listen for.
The Toddler:
The toddler lives with 2 Golden Retrievers who love all the attention the toddler gives them. This is not all that common. Most dogs don’t like to be hugged but these two dogs did enjoy the attention. The boy thinks all dogs must like this if his dogs did, so without proper parental guidance in how to meet and greet new or strange dogs, the boy fearlessly and excitedly approaches the tied up dog to offer a big hug.
The toddler lives with 2 Golden Retrievers who love all the attention the toddler gives them. This is not all that common. Most dogs don’t like to be hugged but these two dogs did enjoy the attention. The boy thinks all dogs must like this if his dogs did, so without proper parental guidance in how to meet and greet new or strange dogs, the boy fearlessly and excitedly approaches the tied up dog to offer a big hug.
The Parents:
The mom knows this park, has friends here and knows this dog. What the mom doesn’t know is how to read body language nor did the guardians of the Labrador. If both of them knew how to read the warning signs, the dog would NOT have been tied up, the parents would have been paying attention to both the dog and the child. They would have educated their children on how to meet and greet dogs and with this education would have been more prepared by not ever tying a dog in this way and not allowing the child to hug the dog. Teaching respect between dogs and children is crucial so that this kind of thing doesn't happen.
The mom knows this park, has friends here and knows this dog. What the mom doesn’t know is how to read body language nor did the guardians of the Labrador. If both of them knew how to read the warning signs, the dog would NOT have been tied up, the parents would have been paying attention to both the dog and the child. They would have educated their children on how to meet and greet dogs and with this education would have been more prepared by not ever tying a dog in this way and not allowing the child to hug the dog. Teaching respect between dogs and children is crucial so that this kind of thing doesn't happen.
The dog was euthanized, the child suffered emotional and physical trauma and all because they didn’t know how to speak dog. This breaks my heart for every being involved. THIS BITE DID NOT NEED TO HAPPEN.
Please share this far and wide. Don’t let your children or your friends children become a statistic.
Get the Dog Decoder Smartphone App and start learning and teaching your children.
