Avoiding tragedy when you keep dogs with children

The details of the tragic loss of such a young life are unclear – was the baby left alone with the dog? Had the dog shown aggression before? But the greatest tragedy of all is that this death – the second mauling of a baby girl by a dog in Britain in a week – could have been avoided.Bringing a new baby home is always a busy and hectic time in any house. Losing a child in sudden and avoidable circumstances would be unspeakably devastating. Adding, no doubt, to the family’s stress is the fact that Eliza-Mae Mullane had only been home for two days, having spent time in intensive care following her birth.The media has, inevitably, focused on the breed of the animal, an Alaskan malamute, suggesting that this is somehow to blame. But this puts the focus on the wrong player. A dog’s breed is no more reliable an indicator of its temperament than a person’s hair colour is of his. I’ve known soppy Staffordshire bull terriers, and nasty cocker spaniels.The animal’s temperament and ability to interact in the world is a measure of any number of factors, including its previous experiences and the quality of care given to it by its owner.No one is suggesting that the death of this little girl is the fault of her parents, Sharon John and Patrick Mullane.Various reports have suggested that Nisha, the Alaskan malamute that allegedly killed Eliza-Mae, had only lived with the family for a few months before the attack, and that the animal, believed to be five or six years old, had come home from the pub one evening with the little girl’s father after he heard that it was being given up by its owner.One neighbour told The Mirror that she thought the dog might have been mistreated in the past.Having a dog is a great responsibility. You must care for it, feed it, house it, and also teach it manners and show it kindness, if that is what you expect from the animal. You must be aware of its history and wary of its behaviour.Children, like dogs, are pack animals. They derive great pleasure and confidence from a sense of belonging to a group, and can benefit enormously from growing up with a dog in the house. Dogs are dirty and smelly, but so are human beings. Canines can be a wonderful addition to a family with small children.But in order to protect both child and dog, there are a few important guidelines:1. Never leave child alone with a dog. Ever.2. Make sure that the dog has his or her own personal den – a bed, usually, or a basket – to which it can retreat to avoid the grabbing hands of a toddler.3. Don’t get a dog right before or just after having a new baby. This puts too much pressure on you, and leads to the likelihood that the dog will be neglected; dogs need a lot of walks and attention, or they will, like bored children, throw a fit. If the dog is insecure, or young and boisterous, this could end in a horrible accident.When you go to Battersea Dogs Home to adopt, you have to prove your preparedness, with an interview and a tour of your home in order to prove that you have the time and space to raise a dog. The best way to avoid further tragic loss of life is to require every dog owner to have a licence allowing him or her to adopt an animal, regardless of breed. If they are – or have been in the past – mistreated or improperly supervised, dogs can become dangerous. The best way to protect children and animals is to make sure that all families wanting a dog are prepared for such a responsibility.(telegraph.co.uk)ANN.Az