Friday, August 11, 2006

How To Keep Children Safe Around Dogs?

Puppy Training

Hi all,
Good day to you.
Today, I am going to share something very important with you.

Keeping Children Safe Around Dogs

The shape and figure of a baby is larger than life in the eyes of a dog. If “Laddy” is there first, let him in on all your baby preparations in the house. When the baby arrives, let the dog sniff any item of clothing that has been on the baby before bringing her home. Then let Mom greet the dog first before introducing the new family member. Hold the baby down for the dog to see and sniff, but make sure someone's holding the dog on lead in case of any sudden moves. Do not play, keep-away, or tease the dog with the baby, which only invites undesirable jumping up.

The dog and the baby are "family," and for starters can be treated almost as equals. Things rapidly change, however, especially when the baby takes to creeping around on all fours on the dog's turf or, better yet, has yummy pudding all over her face and hands! That's when a lot of things in the dog's and baby's lives become more separate than equal.

Toddlers make terrible dog owners, but if you can't avoid the combination, use patient discipline (that is, positive teaching rather than punishment), and use time-outs before you run out of patience. A dog and a baby should never be left alone together. Take the dog with you or confine him. With a baby or youngsters in the house, you'll have plenty of use for that wonderful canine safety device called a crate!

Any dog in a house with young children will behave pretty much as the kids do, either good or bad. But even good dogs and good children can get into trouble when play becomes rowdy and active. Legs bobbing up and down, shrill voices screeching, a ball hurtling overhead, all add up to exuberant frustration for a dog who's just trying to be part of the gang.

In a pack of puppies, any legs or toys being chased would be caught by a set of teeth, and all the pups involved would understand that is how the game is played. Kids do not understand this, nor do parents tolerate it. Bring Laddy indoors before you have the reason to regret it. This is a time-out, not a punishment.

You can explain the situation to the children and tell them they must play quieter games until the puppy learns not to grab them with his mouth. Unfortunately, you can't explain it that easily to the dog. However, with adult supervision, they will learn how to play together.

Young children love to tease and to roughhouse. Sticking their faces or wiggling their hands or fingers in the dog's face is teasing. We can make the child stop by an explanation, but the only way a dog can stop it is with a warning growl and then with teeth. Keep in mind that roughhousing and teasing are the two major causes of children being bitten by their pets. Treat them seriously.

The key note here is Never Never leave your baby alone with your dog.

Ok, that's all for today sharing.

Till we 'woof' again next week, have a wonderful weekend.

Cheers.


Puppy Training

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