My 16 month old was bitten by a fiends dog?

Question

I really close friend of mine was watching my kids yetserday, when I came to pick them up my youngest has a purple eye and teeth marks all arould her eye there is also a red dot on her eyeball.. they dont need stitches and wont leave a scar.... I was very understanding to my friend, dog are dogs my daughter was probley on his head he is a smaller dog shitsu.... but after talking to my sister and anoughter friend ( bloodhound breeder)they think the dog needs to be put to sleep.... It has nipped before...the dog was being a dog Its not like he could say hey get off me... we have great danes and they just move away.... what do you think She is a amazing friend... and I would never take a dog from a family ....

Answer 1

I do not think I could be so casual about a friend's dog that bit my toddler. Yes dogs are dogs but I would never have a child in a situation where harm may befall the child. I would never keep an aggressive dog no matter the size.
Amazing friend or not something should be said especially if this dog has bitten before. You need to make your friend realize that there is a strong possibility of it happening again. I also have a problem with the fact the toddler was bit in the first place. I have five dogs and I foster for GSD rescue all the time and no child in my care has ever gotten bit. I believe your friend was irresponsible in the care of your child.
You need to keep in mind how you will feel if it happens again and is worse then just a bruised eye with teeth marks and with a child that young it could be alot worse next time.
Do not get me wrong I am not saying you do not care but I realize when it comes to a good freind or a beloved family member sometimes we need a shove to see the light.

Answer 2

Was your child being supervised while with the dog? As you are saying, the dog is being a dog, if your child was annoying it in some way, and it had had enough, it would give alittle nip to let the child know that it had had enough. This is why children should be supervised at all times with dogs. They do not realise when their attentions are becoming too much for the dog, and then the dog ends up with the blame for something that is only natural for it to do.

However, your child and the dog could also have been playing - dogs use their mouths on everything else, he could have lunged out and gotten your child accidentally.

There are many scenarios. And, unless your friend was there watching your child, saw it happen, and said that it was an nip that your child didn't deserve (i.e. your child was no where near the dog when it came over and nipped her), I think it is unfair to blame the dog.