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Baby's swing risks deadly dog attack
Rocking motion can provoke pet's predator instinct

Janet McConnaughey
The Associated Press

Thursday, February 24, 2005

NEW ORLEANS -- Rocking your baby to sleep in a mechanical swing may trigger a deadly attack on the child by the family dog, an American coroner warns.

At least two such deaths have been documented in Maryland over a four-year period, Dr. Albert Y. Chu of the state's medical examiner's office said yesterday at New Orleans meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The rocking motion may activate the dog's instinct to chase prey, said Chu.

"Think about dogs chasing cars or tennis balls. They can't control their behaviour -- they just go," he said.

In 2003, a two-week-old boy was dragged from his swing and killed by the family's pit bull in Baltimore after the baby's mother left him to answer the front door.

In Edgemere, Md., in 1999, a three-month-old boy was mauled to death as his parents slept in another room.

In Tampa, Fla., an 18-day-old girl was attacked in 2000 after her mother left the room to warm a bottle for her.

In Summerville, S.C., in 2003, a dog lunged for a baby and bit her in front of the child's mother.

In Peru, Ind,. in 2000, Sabrina Williamson went to the store while her husband napped, two metres away from nine-week-old Alex.

When she returned, she found her husband wrestling with their pit bull, trying to pull the dog off the baby. They had had the dog eight years, since Alex's brother was four.

Dr. Marianne DiPadua of University Foggia in Italy said she is not convinced that the rocking movement sets off the dog.

"It's true movement can trigger an attack," she said. But she noted that dogs have also attacked babies in cribs or beds.

Most dog attacks are by pets that have never been aggressive, she said.

Catherine Mills, a North Carolina dog trainer with 25 years experience, said pets should be conditioned to ignore baby swings before a baby is put into one.

"Put the swing up, leave it on without a baby in it until the dog or cat totally ignores it," Mills said.

Even more extensive "desensitization" should be done like getting the dog used to a lifelike crying doll -- with a real diaper -- then the swing, and then the two together.

Best advice is do not leave even the most trusted pet alone with a baby.
© The Vancouver Province 2005