When family dogs attack: Are some breeds too risky?

The Cane Corso Mastiff, the same breed that fatally mauled a toddler in New York this weekend, has come under criticism as a &quot;monster dog&quot; that should be kept away from kids.

(Image credit: CC BY: Brittany Culver)

last updated 10 January 2015

This weekend, a 4-year-old New York City boy, Jayelin Graham, was killed by his stepfather's dog, as the child's mom and brothers, aged 2 and 5, watched helplessly. Neighbors said the dog's owner, Damian Jones, had trained the killer Cane Corso Mastiff and his two other "monster dogs" to be vicious. Jones insisted the dog "was like a big Scooby-Doo," and Jayelin's mother, Saquina (Honey) Jubeark, said the dog had never shown signs of aggression. Was this just a tragic accident, or are some dogs just too dangerous to live in homes with children?

Some breeds just can't be trusted: This tragedy could easily have been prevented, says DogsBite.org. Jones says he wouldn't have kept the dogs in the home if he thought they were dangerous, and Jubeark insists the Cane Corso (named Machete) was "good with kids." Come on. Anyone familiar with these breeds knows that keeping them "in a home with three toddlers is like playing Russian Roulette."

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Child welfare authorities could have prevented this: Putting a trained attack dog in a home with kids is "beyond irresponsible," says Julie Evans Ryan at The Stir. "It's worse than leaving a loaded gun around, because a dog like that is even more unpredictable." The mom and stepdad can't plead ignorance, but neither can the local Administration for Children's Services. According to neighbors, several people had pleaded with social workers to take the children out of this home. Apparently, there's plenty of blame to go around.