This post is for young families that include a dog. As an expecting parent, will it help your dog to accept your newborn baby if you bring home the baby blanket for your dog to sniff – in advance? Here are some parenting tips to consider when it comes to minimizing family dog stress, dog and baby safety, and dog training for new parents. [Read more…] about Should You Bring Home The Baby Blanket For Your Dog To Sniff?
Young Families
Infant And Dog: Is This Affection Or Kiss To Dismiss?
How often it is that I see pictures or videos with scenes like this one of an infant and dog. Usually, the caption refers to how the dog is comforting the baby or how the dog is being friends with the infant. I can understand how a parent who is not Dog Aware* may see that. Parents want their dog and child to be friends. It is a natural line of thinking for these parents to think the dog body language is saying, “I love you.” However, I ask you…is this affection or a Kiss to Dismiss? [Read more…] about Infant And Dog: Is This Affection Or Kiss To Dismiss?
Gaining Wings Book Helps Families Deal With Losing A Pet
In my mind, there is no such thing as ‘just a pet’. Animals that live and have lived in my home are very much part of my family. My dogs and birds have brought me comfort, listened when I needed an ear, been close when I just needed company, made me laugh and smile, and yes, sometimes want to made me want to get away from their challenges. Each time that I have lost one, I lost a big piece of my heart. If you too have shared your life with a non-human animal, you more than likely know what I am talking about. If you also share your life with a human child, that loss gives you even more to cope with. Leave it to my friends at Angel’s Paws Cincinnati pet hospice to publish a wonderful, Gaining Wings, a book all about helping families with kids deal with the grief of losing a pet when their pet goes over the Rainbow Bridge. [Read more…] about Gaining Wings Book Helps Families Deal With Losing A Pet
Dog Success Stations Prevent Problem Behaviors
If you are a parent, you more than likely already know this. Parenting can be even more challenging when your family includes a baby, infant or kids and a dog. Even if human kids are not part of the mix, raising a puppy can have its frustrations, absolutely! Dog Success Stations (coined by my teacher/mentor Jen Shryock of Family Paws) prevent problem behaviors BEFORE those behaviors become a THING. [Read more…] about Dog Success Stations Prevent Problem Behaviors
Should A Child Lay On A Sleeping Dog?
It is so easy to find photos and videos of kids and dogs like this online. A young child showing affection to her dog by laying on top of her family dog while he is sleeping. In this image, it even looks like it may have been posed. In other words, someone (perhaps a parent or another trusted adult role model) asked the little girl to do this for the sake of an image. Let’s delve into this topic – should a child lay on a sleeping dog? [Read more…] about Should A Child Lay On A Sleeping Dog?
Parents, Please Teach Kids, Do Not Hug Your Family Dog
Often kids mean well with their interactions with your dog (or other dogs) but they can do things – like hugging – that can cause dogs to feel uncomfortable. A lesson for parents of a kids and a dog: please teach your children this important relationship building lesson – DO NOT HUG YOUR FAMILY DOG. It is not only about dog bite prevention, but also about helping to strengthen your dog’s relationship with your children in the long term. [Read more…] about Parents, Please Teach Kids, Do Not Hug Your Family Dog