A four year old girl has been attacked by a ‘Jackador’ - a Labrador/Jack Russell hybrid, needing 60 stitches to her face, and may be left permanently scarred.
Do you think this trend for creating ‘designer’ breeds may be to blame? I mean, seriously, a Jack Russell and a Labrador? Jack Russells can be snappy little dogs - give them a Labrador’s size and you might be asking for trouble.
We never hear what led up to these awful incidents. We are only ever told the end result.
To me, it’s a bit like saying someone died in a car accident. Without knowing whether the person had a heart attack, or was drunk, or got hit by a train, how can we really comment?
All we know here, is yet another child has been injured by someone’s dog.
I wasn’t there. I don’t know who’s dog it was even.
I don’t know what the child may or may not have done to it.
I don’t know how the dog was reared, or what it was trained to do.
I don’t know where the dog’s owner was, or where the child’s parent was.
Sheba, while I agree that some JR’s can be snappy little beasties, we don’t really know which parent this dog most takes after. For all we know, one parent could have been a very sweet natured JR, although I agree it’s a totally inappropriate cross in the first place.
As I said, all we see is the end result, and what a mess he’s made of that poor kid’s face. That was nothing like just a quick nip, it looks more sustained.
But I would still like to know what led up to it.
You make some valid points Mups - we don’t know the full story. The article says the dog pounced from a nearby balcony, which gave me the impression it was high up, above the child, because balconies aren’t usually at ground level. So it kind of implied it was unprovoked. But who knows? Was she squirting a water pistol at it, for example? Throwing things?
So yes, it’s impossible to know for sure what happened. But that poor little girl - such a pretty little face which could be scarred for life 
The fault as I see it lies with the dog owner .
How did it pounce from a balcony into communal gardens ?
Any dog whatever it’s breeding can bite be it mongrel ( which is what most of the so called designer dogs are ) or pure bred .
Even labradors bite people although mainly they do not .
You just cannot have a dog that bites people and dogs being on the same facial level as little children nearly always damage their faces .
You cannot have a dog that bites people full stop .
People are so useless if you dog has an uncertain temperament nip this in the bud or always keep an eye on it . Do not allow it access to children ( or anyone to be honest )
I have passed so many idiots whose dogs attempt to attack my amiable good natured dog and they never say a word . But if I say something ie why don’t you stop that dog they bristle with indignation how dare you criticise their mutt or their training ( lack of ) methods .
I say if you have a three year old child would you allow it to thump someone’s else’s three year old out walking .
Seems like a stupid question but the fact is these useless people probaby WOULD . Their children are usually as undeciplined as their dogs .
And those undisciplined children grow up to have dogs that they have no clue how to train - don’t even understand that dogs even need training - and so the cycle continues.
I am afraid so and people make excuses for their dogs even quite sensible people .
They always put the blame on someone else .
Eg Children ‘ teasing dogs ‘ children must be allowed some leeway .
My best friends father had a nasty little west highland that bit just about everyone .
He always said it was ‘children teasing it .’ No child teased it everyone avoided it like the plague .
Then it bit his octogenarian mother when she was sat on the sofa .
After it died he got a spaniel that bit everyone too once again he made excuses .
He was a snappy little man maybe the dogs learned from him !
A four year old walking with her grandmother is unlikely to be doing anything to a dog on a balcony.
Those who tease dogs are usually bigger and the dog is more likely to be be afraid of them .
Dogs that do serious damage do it to small helpless children
That’s terrible for the wee child. I blame the owners. Totally. Clearly they had no control of their dog if it did that amount damage to the child.
Yes another awful thing to happen poor child .
I’m actually always wary when I meet a dog who is a stranger to me I never touch them . I would tell my daughter to not let the little ones to reach out to touch a strange dog or go to cuddle it , It worries me . Yet I had two cavaliers king Charles for 16 years but I always told children don’t reach out to stroke or touch without asking or being aware . Queenie and lady were softies but one day a child went to grab lady and lady growled , after a telling off she never did it again . But I was always aware .
I am so saddened to read of another attack and also wonder why
Who knows why this came about and we can all judge but the responsibility is always with the owner just as it’s a parents responsibility to keep a sharp eye on the child around a dog, or any situation really. Always keep a sharp eye on any pet when there are small children around. Dogs, just like some people are totally unpredictable. I may think my dog is the sweetest dog in the world and wouldn’t hurt a fly but I don’t fully know that. It would depend on if my dog felt threatened, dogs have feelings an emotions just like people, go in their space and they may snap.
