Baby Safety & the Family Dog
Preparation with the family dog before a baby arrives can increase safety and harmony when a new baby joins the family. Jennifer Shryock is a certified dog behavior consultant who is dedicated to helping families prepare their dog for life with kids through her Dogs & Storks programs. http://www.familypaws.com/dogsandstorks/ "Our goal is to increase safety and provide parents with resource so that more companions safely remain in their homes even while the family grows."
(PRWEB) March 2, 2005 -- One of the most basic ways parents can help prepare
their family dog is to expose them to the baby equipment prior to its use with
an actual baby. I advise that Grandparents, Guardians and childcare providers
that have dogs also take these simple steps to evaluate their own dog and
circumstances.
I recall how wonderful the baby swing in particular, was
for moments of peace and quiet as well as much needed arm rest. A recent article
(http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/parenting/02/23/baby.swings.dogs.ap/index.html)
addresses valid concerns about dogs and mechanical swings. It is important to
keep in mind that all dogs react differently and supervision is a must all the
time!
I have seen first hand a variety of reactions to baby equipment by
different dogs. Some dogs become desperate to chase and catch the moving swing
while others seem to find it soothing. A human moving in the air is not normal
to dogs and can be quite confusing even though the swing is grounded. It is
important to know your dog's reaction to different situations and stimuli. Here
are some things to take into consideration:
1. Does your dog love to
chase anything and everything?
2. Is your dog reactive to sudden motion?
3. Does he startle easily?
4. Is your dog sensitive to noise? If so,
loud, soft or sudden? High or low pitch?
Adults in charge of supervising
a baby must never allow the dog to remain in the room alone with a baby for even
a second! This is a consistent key factor in most reports of attacks with
newborns and dogs. This point must not be taken lightly. If the adult is not
there for the dog to defer to and the baby makes noises the dog may be the first
to respond and possibly tend to the baby. This is very dangerous as dogs
communicate and relate very differently then we do as humans. What can
caretakers and parents do to prevent such incidents?
It is best to
introduce baby swings and all baby equipment to the family dog prior to the
arrival of the baby. Baby swings have all sorts of gadgets these days! They
vibrate, make music and even rotate. It is important to know your dog's
individual sensitivities and prepare him well ahead of time. Some points to
consider with baby swings:
1. Once in motion some dogs find the natural
desire to chase hard to control around baby swings.
2. The noise of a
vibration device in the swing can have an irritating humming noise for some
dogs.
3. Spinning objects that are meant to be visually stimulating to an
infant may be enticing to a dog to catch.
4. Noises of the music may be
irritating to some dogs' sensitive ears.
It is important that family
dogs learn how to behave calmly around all baby equipment prior to its use with
an infant. Practice before your baby is home with a doll in the swing. Some
dolls make noises and blink eyes etc. It sounds silly but it does help you role
play and visualize the real situation. This allows a time for your dog to safely
explore as you teach him how you want him to behave. Reward positive and
appropriate behavior. Make this a positive experience. Ignore unwanted behavior
and teach desired behavior. You do not want the first time your dog sees this
new equipment to be when you really are hoping the baby will go to sleep! Many
dogs learn that the swing is just part of the new furniture and ignore it. This
is ideal but still does not mean that it is safe to leave the room when a real
infant is resting in the swing. Refreshing and practicing obedience now goes a
long way towards a smoother transition once baby arrives.
Have a plan
for the situations such as the phone ringing. Here are some ideas.
1. Close
the door to where the baby is.
2. Take dog with you.
3. Put a leash on
your dog in the house to keep him near by or to use as a tether to furniture to
safely secure him.
4. Use a baby gate that you must physically lock in place
to gate off area when the baby is. (Not for those that like the high jump!)
5. Offer your dog some great outdoor activity in a secured area.
As
always it is never safe to leave a baby and dog unsupervised for any reason at
any time.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/3/prweb213980.htm