[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Cherie

It is not always a case of being left on their own though, alot of the time the dog pounces and the adult just can't overpower the dog in time to save the child, it's tragic but at the risk of upsetting LT certain breeds should never be family pets

To a degree you can train a Dog to behave and obey you, I don't believe in turning Dogs into robots but you can teach them what to avoid etc;

I just wish,parents would 'guide' their children not to rush up to Dogs, I have lost count of the times when out with my Dog, that a child has come running over to stroke him.
I never allow that,he wouldn't do anthing,I am as sure as I can be of that but I am protecting him as well as the children too.
Yet, I get really stern glances and words like 'misery' or 'spoilsport' from the parent/s because I refused to let the child stroke my Dog.

I don't think it is necessarily down to a breed of Dog,the only Dog that has ever bitten me was a Jack Russell,it is that children and Dogs on their own may not mix.
A Dog will rarely,to be honest attack anyone it knows without some provocation or neglect as to it.
Responsible owners and responsible Parents,then there would I dare bet be very few instances of cases like this.