subject: Dogs And Babies [print this page] This just in from Dallas: This just in from Dallas:
A tragic scene unfolded at a Texas home when a familys pit bull-mix mauled a 3-month-old baby just as police stood outside responding to an unrelated domestic call.
Infant Rayden Bruce died Monday night at a Fort Worth hospital from his injuries, while the 4-year-old dog was euthanized Tuesday by Burleson Animal Control. reported Fox affiliate KDFW.
All too common, right? Were going to explore how you can get your dog and your baby to stay out of catastrophic events like the one in Texas.
To Do List
How does your pet react toward other little people? Is the dog high-strung, have a tendency to be predatory? You might want to get in touch with a professional canine behavioral consultant to get an analysis and ways to re-direct and re-train the mutt.
Before the infant arrives Read: Months before enroll the pup in some type of dog obedience classes.
Stay away from playing games of aggression with the canine.
Take your dog to the vet for a check-up and any necessary shots.
Check with your Big Box pet store to see if they have a CD of recorded sounds the dog will encounter when the baby comes home. These recordings have things on it like crying baby, screaming baby, laughing baby and noises like that.
As long as you have a people-friendly dog, take it out on a leash for some socialization exercises. You especially want to get your pet used to infants and children. When the dog retains its cool around others, slip em a treat and a couple of words of praise.
When you come home from the hospital with your joy-bag-of-bones, introduce the kid to your best friend gradually. Mom should come into the house, alone, and greet the pet. Put them on a leash, asking them to sit-and-stay. You spouse can now come in, but not to hang around with you and the dog. They need to take baby to its crib. Let things return to normal for a little while. Once the infant has calmed and the dog has decided its no big deal, introduce the two. Not face to face, but slowly, in a non-threatening way advance toward the pup. Let the dog sniff the babys toes. Dont go any further than that with the first meeting.
You should never, ever leave young ones alone with a dog. Even the friendliest buddy can freak-out if they think theyre being threatened. Check-out this link. It will take you to The American Veterinary Medical Association and their tips on Dog Bite Prevention. https://www.avma.org/public/Pages/Dog-Bite-Prevention.aspx
Cordon-off a couple of new places in your house. Call one the Baby Place the other is the Dog Place. These gated areas let you safely separate the two so the dog can relax and you can bond with your child without making the canine jealous.
Get thee to a pro if you ever see unacceptable behavior between your dog and anyone within its sphere of influence. Additionally, any sudden changes in the pets attitude need to be addressed immediately.
