Story Created:
Dec 3, 2010 at 4:50 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Jan 6, 2011 at 1:48 PM CDT
By SpringfieldMoms.org
For many of us, the family is not complete without the addition of a beloved animal(s). For us, the pets came first. In our house, we adopted one dog from the Animal Protective League (80-pound Labrador, Buddy), and two years later we adopted another one (50-pound Labrador, D.J.). Becoming a dog owner was a mild warm-up to our lives ahead as parents.
We couldn't come and go as we pleased anymore. Who would come home at lunch to let them out? Numerous items were chewed on, destroyed, peed on, pooped on and vomited on.
But Buddy & D.J. lived the good life: sleeping on the bed, enjoying daily walks and photo ops in our annual holiday card. We had playdates with a neighbor's dog, Roxy! I'll admit I even created a scrapbook of our dogs. I believe that is when I knew it was time to address my biological clock! One of my fondest memories of pregnancy is that both dogs loved to rest their head on my ever growing tummy.
When we came home from the hospital with our firstborn, our big dog, Buddy, peeked his nose carefully over the pack n' play to check out his new "sister." However, a month into adjusting to new baby, our dogs got into a fight in the nursery with the baby being cradled in grandma's arms. I rushed between the dogs to break them apart (do NOT do that!) and got a nasty dog bite on my arm.
Their outburst came out of nowhere, but it quickly reminded me that my furry-children were animals, and my eyes were opened wider for the future. Flash-forward to a house filled with two active school age girls. Buddy & D.J. have endured much change! They have adapted amazingly well. We haven't had any more outbursts, and they tolerate being dressed in tiara and capes and always follow "the pack" around so we can all be together when at home. Mixing dogs and kids can be a lot of fun, but it also is important to remember their animal instincts. Here are some tips to keep everyone safe:
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Do not leave your children or anyone else's alone with your pets. Some experts say this is advisable until age 11. You can't predict the child's behavior any more than the reaction from the animal.
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Babies tend to treat pets like toys; they need to learn how to safely and gently pet and show love and attention to the animal.
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Give your pet extra attention when the child is asleep.
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Watch your pet for signs of jealously or depression.
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Make sure your pet is getting enough exercises and is eating well.
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If you are bringing home a newborn, bring home blankets from the hospital before you bring the child home, so the pet can "smell" the baby. A few months before the baby is born, play tapes of babies crying so they can get used to the extra noise.
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Reference Book: Childproofing your Dog: A Complete Guide to Preparing your Dog for the Children in Your Life by Brian Kilcommons.
Submitted by Kim Leistner, Springfield Moms founder and president.
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