A dog which fatally attacked a two-year-old at his home was a Rottweiler, police have confirmed.
The boy, who has not been named, died in hospital on Wednesday after being attacked at an address in Egdon, Worcestershire, on Monday.
West Mercia Police has removed three Rottweiler dogs from the property, but could not confirm how many were involved in the attack.
They are currently being securely housed, the force added.
The boy suffered a cardiac arrest after the attack and was taken to hospital for treatment – first at Worcestershire Royal Hospital and then at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where he died.
Supt Rebecca Love said it was « a truly tragic incident ».
The boy’s family have asked that their privacy is respected at this extremely difficult time, police said.
Rottweilers are not included on the list of banned breeds.
The death follows a spate of dog attacks, including two other fatal incidents in March.
There are a number of reasons why dogs eat grass. Dogs eat grass to add fibre to their diet, to induce vomiting if they feel unwell, as a distraction from boredom, or to fill a void in their nutrition.
Health benefits
Grass contains dietary fibre. Some dogs eat grass to fill a void in their nutrition. ‘If you’re not feeding your dog a premium diet, they may be eating grass to source extra roughage,’ says Dr Jim Kennedy from Greencross Vets Beenleigh.
‘Roughage helps stimulate the intestinal tract and is a vital part of their diet,’ Dr Kennedy says.
‘A diet of prepared foods is often high in fibre, but not necessarily high in roughage.’
Because your dog enjoys it Your dog may also be eating grass simply because they enjoy the taste or texture.
‘Sometimes, pups just want to eat grass,’ says Dr Kennedy.
Rest assured, eating grass usually isn’t harmful to your dog’s health. However, make sure you keep your pet away from grass that has been treated by pesticides or chemicals and never let them eat mowed grass clippings.
‘Eating grass isn’t necessarily a problem unless it’s happening all the time,’ Dr Kennedy says.
If your pet is consistently turning to grass to fill nutritional voids in their diet, Dr Kennedy recommends you ‘Take your canine pal to your local Greencross Vets. Eating grass could signify underlying problems if it becomes a habit.’
To induce vomiting
Not all dogs vomit after eating grass, but some dogs eat grass to relieve themselves of an upset stomach, says Dr Kennedy.
‘Sometimes that’s exactly what your dog wants to do – pup feels a bit sick and knows that eating grass could lead to vomiting and a better tummy,’ he says.
Behavioural issues
There’s also the chance that your dog is simply bored. If your dog is locked up in the backyard alone all day, they may be eating grass to help pass the time.
‘Sometimes, it might be a distraction,’ says Dr Kennedy.
‘Most dogs will also chase a bit of long grass if they’re kept in an area where the grass is normally short.’
To keep your dog entertained for long periods, make sure you provide them with plenty of toys. Help them exercise by playing together for at least 30 minutes each day and taking them for regular walks.
If your dog loves to lick you, it’s for a few reasons: they’re very affectionate, looking for your attention, or acting on their wild instinct. A dog licking its owner is so common, dog owners usually call it « giving kisses » and consider it a sign of affection
It’s usually relatively harmless to let your dog lick you, but some dogs seem to lick people more than others. This behavior is usually harmless, but we break down exactly why dogs like to lick people, if it’s safe for them to do so, and how to train your dog to lick less if it’s becoming an annoyance.
Why Dogs Lick People ?
Affection: There’s a pretty good chance that your dog is licking you because it loves you. It’s why many people call them « kisses. » Dogs show affection by licking people and sometimes even other dogs. Licking is a natural action for dogs. They learned it from the grooming and affection given to them as puppies by their mothers. Dogs might lick your face if they can get to it. If not, they might just go for any available patch of skin, such as hands, arms, legs, and feet. Some dogs tend to lick less than others. This does not necessarily mean that a dog is less affectionate if it does not lick. It might have just learned things differently as a puppy or just not prefer licking.
While we don’t know for certain why dogs lick, most experts agree that there is probably a combination of reasons. Licking is not considered a serious behavior problem unless it bothers you. Knowing the reason for your dog’s licking might even change the way you feel about it.
Attention-Seeking: Licking behavior that starts as affection often gets reinforced by a person’s reaction: laughing, smiling, petting, etc. Maybe your dog is bored or lonely. There you are and it wants your attention. Even negative attention can encourage licking. When a dog is seeking attention, it will feel rewarded by any kind of attention, even the negative type. Pushing it away, saying « no, » or even punishing it still means you’re not ignoring it. This can encourage licking.
Instinct: When wolves (and sometimes dogs in the wild) return to their pups after a meal, they regurgitate meat from the hunt. The pups, too young to hunt on their own, will lick the meat from around the mother’s mouth. It is believed by some that this licking behavior has been passed down in the DNA, causing dogs to instinctively do it sometimes.
You Taste Good: Once that dog gets to licking you, it might realize you have an intriguing human taste that is a bit salty. Dogs love anything that has an interesting taste. Plus, licking is a way for your dog to explore his world. You’re part of that world after all.
Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior: Although it’s rare, dogs can suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, often brought on by prolonged stress and anxiety.1 Licking that occurs constantly (and usually involves the licking of objects, surfaces, and self in addition to humans) may be a real problem. Talk to your veterinarian about your concerns about your dog. Your vet might refer you to an animal behaviorist for help. Your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist may also prescribe medication to help relieve anxiety. Though you may think medication should be a last resort, it’s important to understand that animals cannot learn while in a high state of anxiety.2 Medication may be used as a tool in conjunction with training. Pharmaceutical treatment may even be used temporarily while your dog goes through training and behavior modification.
Is It Safe for Dogs to Lick You ?
It’s usually relatively harmless to let your dog lick you. However, don’t believe the old myth that dogs’ mouths are cleaner than humans’ mouths. Dogs’ mouths contain a lot of natural bacteria, which is part of the reason dog bites are so dangerous.3 However, this bacteria probably won’t cause harm unless it gets into an open wound. But hey, you might just think it’s gross. And that’s okay.
How to Get Your Dog to Stop Licking You You might think dog kisses are disgusting. Or, you might just feel like enough is enough. Getting your dog to stop licking you (and others) is usually a matter of denying attention when it does it. Stop touching your dog or looking at it. Turn your head away. Get up and walk away if you need to. As soon as the licking stops, reward it with attention, affection, or even treats. In time, your dog will usually get the point, that licking is undesired behavior.
Hot dog 