Challenge Q: How would you react?

mamaholmes2010 · March 2013

This isn't about O, it is about my niece, but I would struggle on how to handle it if it were O.

My niece is 10 months old. She is active and energetic and comes from a home with a wonderful dog. Her Aunt and Uncle from the other side of the family have a dog from the same litter as her pup-there are no children in that home. A couple of weeks ago SIL and BIL were at the other dog's home. They were in the kitchen and my niece was playing in the other room-no one is sure what happened but the dog bit her right on the face. Badly enough that they needed to pull skin grafts from her neck to repair some of the damage to her nose and chin.

SIL's reaction has been that she doesn't care what happens to the dog as long as they never allow him around my niece again.

I feel like the dog can't really be blamed here because no one knows what happened-we don't know if my niece was pulling on him or anything at the time. Really if anyone is to be blamed it is my BIL and SIL for leaving her alone in the room with a dog. I also think I would ask that the dog owners take the dog to some kind of training or child socialization class.

So what do you think?

jillybean800 · March 2013

I honestly would take your SIL's stand. Never let that dog near my child again. Sure, the dog really shouldn't be blamed, and I'm not saying they should put down the dog or give him away, but it would be too hard to trust the dog around the baby again.

mamaholmes2010 · March 2013

letranger:
Yeah I wouldn't leave my kid with an unknown dog but I would never allow a dog that bit a child by any child after

EMOmamma · March 2013

mamaholmes2010:
let

mamaholmes2010 · March 2013

EMO-mamma:
mamaholmes2

TripMomma · March 2013

Since no one saw it and the adults decided to trust the dog to be alone with the child I wouldn't be able to hold the dog solely responsible. That dog would never be around my kid again, but I don't think I would make demands.