Dog bite- I don't understand this reaction at all

[snarlingcoyote]

Her not wanting the other child to feel bad harkens back to the way people were raised to have consideration of other people, even if the "other people" owned an animal that may have harmed your or your child.

This woman obviously takes being a good neighbor seriously. It's likely that she's already worked things out with the other child's parents (and probably the police or neighborhood animal control since the incident involved an ER visit) and feels that the altercation or incident is no one else's business, therefore there's no need to discuss who is to blame for what. When neighbors want details about the incident, she's found a graceful answer (I don't want the other child to feel bad) to respond with instead of coming out and telling them it's none of their business.

There's really no need to force her to blame someone publicly. If the neighborhood is worried that there's some kind of bad dog in their vicinity, then they should worry no more. The authorities have been notified and they'll make the decision as to whether or not the animal should be removed.

This is how good neighbors behave.

 

[Mermaid02]

This is how good neighbors behave.

Really? To be a good neighbor you have to keep the fact that someone's dog bit your kids face a secret? It isn't like folks aren't going to see the bite, or the scar. I guess if my dog bit someone, I wouldn't expect them to NOT tell folks. What's the purpose? Because if you tell someone they might be afraid of your dog? They ought to be afraid of your dog. Forewarned is forearmed. Isn't that how that goes?

 

[goofy!]

I was bit by the mother of my first Komondor. It required an ER visit and 35 stitches in the face.

I did not feel the need to tell anybody which dog bit me as it was completely the owner's and my fault. Not the neighbors and for a long time, not the very close Kom community. We only shared the story later to educate new owners about the potential of this breed.

I did have to tell the hospital and animal control went out and put her on a short quarantine. But that is all they did as I was very adament that it was the people's fault and in no way was the dog's fault.

Knowing the breed, both the owner and I should have never just waltzed in on a hormonal mother with hours old puppies, holding a camera (seen as a threat). She reached up and bit my face and then dropped to the ground. It was her warning to stay away from her puppies. Unfortunately, Koms have great big teeth (to fend off wolves and bears) and warnings can do damage to skin. But if she really wanted to attack, she would not have just bitten once and dropped.

We also knew it was completely out of character for her and would not happen again when the puppies were weaned. So, no need to warn anybody. Luckily, I was not a neighbor, so nobody in the area knew what went down.

And she never bit again. It was clearly our stupidity in not taking heed of the breed and doing something really dumb. No reason to blame the dog.

 

[Tink888]

Her not wanting the other child to feel bad harkens back to the way people were raised to have consideration of other people, even if the "other people" owned an animal that may have harmed your or your child.

This woman obviously takes being a good neighbor seriously. It's likely that she's already worked things out with the other child's parents (and probably the police or neighborhood animal control since the incident involved an ER visit) and feels that the altercation or incident is no one else's business, therefore there's no need to discuss who is to blame for what. When neighbors want details about the incident, she's found a graceful answer (I don't want the other child to feel bad) to respond with instead of coming out and telling them it's none of their business.

There's really no need to force her to blame someone publicly. If the neighborhood is worried that there's some kind of bad dog in their vicinity, then they should worry no more. The authorities have been notified and they'll make the decision as to whether or not the animal should be removed.

I agree with this. It's between the dog owner and the parents of the child who was bitten. Anything else is gossip and no one's business.

 

[happygirl]

I agree with this. It's between the dog owner and the parents of the child who was bitten. Anything else is gossip and no one's business.

I agree it just bewteen the dog owner and the child family that was bitten,

 

[Mermaid02]

This is very interesting- what if I told you all now that it wasn't actually a small dog, it was in fact a pit bull mix??

 

[Ceila]

The dog has now seriously bit someone and has demonstrated itself to be a danger to others. I fI was the parent of the child who was bit, my feelings of responsibility would be to the children of the neighborhood, not to the dog owner. I wouldn't feel bad about honestly answering if someone asked which dog bit my child, and if I was friendly with families who have chidlren that play near the dog, I would probably give them a heads up as well.

ETA: The breed of the dog wouldn't matter to me.

 

[luvmy3]

I agree with this. It's between the dog owner and the parents of the child who was bitten. Anything else is gossip and no one's business.

If my child was bit by a dog in the neighborhood and I was friends with other people in the neighborhood that had kids, I would tell them what happened. I wouldn't consider talking about what happened as "gossip" because my child was directly effected by it, it would be a conversation I was having with friends.

 

[maxiesmom]

If my child was bit by a dog in the neighborhood and I was friends with other people in the neighborhood that had kids, I would tell them what happened. I wouldn't consider talking about what happened as "gossip" because my child was directly effected by it, it would be a conversation I was having with friends.

The problem being that converstation could become as confused as muddled as this one was at first.

Too much gossiping and not enough facts are a bad combination.

 

[Ceila]

The problem being that converstation could become as confused as muddled as this one was at first.

Too much gossiping and not enough facts are a bad combination.

Maybe you're confused about what the person you quoted said, but she was stating what she would do if her child was the one bit. I'm fairly certain that if MY child was the one who the dog bit, I'd know the facts pretty darn well. That's not gossip. What people choose to do with the information I give them is not within my control. But if I want to warn other parents about what happened TO MY CHILD, then I see nothing wrong with that.

 

[luvmy3]

The problem being that converstation could become as confused as muddled as this one was at first.

Too much gossiping and not enough facts are a bad combination.

If my child was bitten by a dog and required an ER visit I would assume that I knew the facts well enough to speak to others about it, so I have no idea what you are implying here. You can't control what others will talk about, and like I said, teh safety of any of my friend's children would be more of a concern than the neighborhood gossip.

 

[bumbershoot]

Really? To be a good neighbor you have to keep the fact that someone's dog bit your kids face a secret? It isn't like folks aren't going to see the bite, or the scar. I guess if my dog bit someone, I wouldn't expect them to NOT tell folks. What's the purpose? Because if you tell someone they might be afraid of your dog? They ought to be afraid of your dog. Forewarned is forearmed. Isn't that how that goes?

I agree.

I was bitten, at my own fault, by my own dog. Well, officially my mom's dog. He had sharp needle puppy teeth and I was being goofy and letting him nip at my heels...youch.

We told people! We weren't going to do anything "about" him b/c it was just a play thing for him, an accident, but we didn't want to be the rude dog owners who didn't tell others that their dog had bitten. And I, as the one bitten, wanted to make sure my friends were *careful* around him, at least while he was a puppy.

So as a dog owner and as the one bitten, I wanted to tell people. I can't imagine not doing so!


Cracking up at the long ago time when people were considerate of each other...when was that? Roman civilization? Egyptian? During the dark days Upton Sinclair wrote about? During the time written about in the original French work that sparked Dangerous Liasons (hint: gossip was rampant and destroyed people's lives)? When? Other than the made-up pseudo-idyllic TV 1950s, when was this?

 

[Hannathy]

I agree it just bewteen the dog owner and the child family that was bitten,

I agree with this and what breed of dog it was doesn't matter.