Kids & Pets - Living Happy & Safe Together

Being involved in rescue for many years, it is astounding and sad when I see perfect and happy puppies/adult dogs surrendered because of one bad choice the pet made one day - they bit or nipped at a child. Although it's human nature to rid oneself of a "bad" thing in the home where you should feel most secure and safe, however, I question whether this is a fair determination to actually surrendering a pet solely on the grounds of one "nip".

I have personally heard every reason and excuse why a pet has landed itself in a shelter or rescue program and one, in particular, that really upsets me is when the owner reports that their dog has either became aggressive or has actually "nipped" their child and now has labeled that dog as a "biter". Certainly it is understandable that any parent should and want to protect their child(ren) from harm but the key underlying question is: why did that pet do that in the first place? Although some people may find that one "nip" is enough to surrender a pet, I always wonder if the pet is really getting a fair "shake" when a parent was actually not in the room to witness such an attack. I further speculate whether at any time, prior to the child being attacked, whether the owner spent any time with that pet to acclimate it with young children to begin with? So, the real question is -Is the child the actual victim or is the pet?

Now, it may be possible that some personality traits in certain breeds may have them susceptible of being "nippy"; however, I am a firm believer it's the way you care and handle your pet, especially right from the start. A responsible owner will not only provide a lot of love, but proper, continuous and positive training to ensure the pet respect all humans, big and small. Same goes for raising and teaching children that are around pets.

There is no question that when you mix young children and pets together, BOTH need to learn respect of one another. An animal is an animal and although not as intelligent as a human, a pet does know when to defend itself. Young children, specifically, can have a tendency to pull ears, tails, and even hit pets. A parent should never allow or easily dismiss this behavior. Because young children do not know what's right from wrong or consequences of their behavior until later in life, to a pet that may be tormented by such a child, is usually why and when a pet may "nip". Basically, it's a dog's way of saying "leave me alone - I don't want to be bothered". Because a dog can not voice their feelings, they will act out their feelings and it’s up to the owner to know and see the signs or signals of a pet feeling uncomfortable or threatened to avoid such conflicts or harm.

Since some owners do not see it this way and immediately want the pet out of the home, in reality, this is not the pet's fault all the time, but actually the owner's (or previous owner should you have just adopted a dog and have no history on it at all). Although many reliable shelters and rescues will disclose to adopting pet owners whether a dog has the ability and patience to live with a child, sometimes it's not. It's up to the current owner to frequently provide positive training sessions with their dog. Same goes for when a pet shows signs of aggressiveness toward other humans when people are around the pet's owner. Dogs may become jealous and/or territorial and when signs of this happen, it is highly suggested to consult with a trainer or behaviorist. Unfortunately, some owners who do not like this behavior may in fact, be reinforcing it unknowingly. Pets should be of sound mind when children are present or at the very least, supervised very closely.

Here are some behavioral tests and further suggestions to helping pets and children coincide together in a safe and happy manner, especially for expecting parents:

• If you have a pet that has been living with you first, start taking steps to have that pet get familiar with having things that a young child will do eventually. This includes putting your hands in the dog's food or water, on occasion, when the dog is eating to see if there is any food aggression issues. Same applies to when a dog has toys and treats near him/her.


• Teach your dog to play "nice". Do not reinforce any aggressive or playing behavior with the dog and his/her toys.


• While your dog is eating, pet your dog on the head, backside and pull gentle on the dog's tail or ears to see if there is any reaction to this. If the dog continues to eat without any issues, this is a good sign of being tolerant to you being in its space. Any growling or negative behavior should be consulted with a licensed trainer.


• Put your face near the pet like if you are giving kisses. Children have a tendency to do this unknowingly. Any signs of showing teeth or growling should be consulted with a licensed trainer.


• Do not reinforce that the dog "runs the house". When a dog feels superior over its owners and requires all your free attention, you may find it extremely difficult to have both baby and pet in the home since the baby will then require all your attention when it arrives. A dog should know when enough is enough. Make sure your pet knows your tone of commands and that you are the master of his/her domain.


• Get at eye level with your pet; laying on the floor, crawling on the floor, etc... See if your pet has any change of behavior such as a higher energy level, trying to knock you over, etc... Remember, your baby will be crawling on the floors that your pet walks about so get your pet accustomed to this.


• Make sure your pet knows how to take food out of your hands "gently". Unknowing toodlers and young children have a habit of walking around with their treats in their hand and handing them over to a pet. A dog with no manners or aggresive with food, may nip a child while trying to take the food out of the baby's hand.

If you feel uncomfortable with doing any of the "tests" suggested above, you may be at a level that you do not trust your pet. Just remember that a properly trained dog that is happy, content, well socialized and adjusted will certainly be accepting of a baby; it just up to you to then teach the child to respect and be nice to the pet.

Just consult with a licensed dog trainer to assist you with behavioral testing should any issues arise so a modification training plan can be given to ensure that your "four legged baby" starts to acclimate itself with a little two legged baby running around as well.

Puppy Housebreaking Tips

A puppy, just like a newborn baby, needs lots of care, attention, time, and patience on your part. If you have the misconception that you only have to feed it regularly, take it out frequently and play with it here and there, you have another thing coming. A happy, healthy and well trained puppy all starts with you and your level of patience and care that you will provide in the months to come.

The day you bring home your puppy should be the day you immediately start to train your pet. We don't mean having the dog sit, stay or give paw but we do mean the dreaded "housebreaking". Housebreaking will be one of the most frustrating phases of owning your puppy but if you stay consistant with it, you can have your pet housebroken within a few weeks to a few months. Here are a few tips and necessities when training your puppy:

CRATE TRAINING

• Buy a crate! Crates are not bad places (unless you make it one). It will certainly assist you in the housebreaking - we promise! A matter of fact, within a few weeks, your puppy will be enjoying the crate as they will begin to see it as their "house/den". Just note, it will take time for your pet to get adjusted to it and your puppy may cry and whimper. Just stay consistant on a routine with it.
• When you purchase a crate, make sure it will accomodate your pet's size (and your pet can easily turn around in it). If you have a puppy that is anticipated to be at least 3-5 times bigger in size as an adult, we suggest buying a crate that will accomodate your pet as if it was an adult already. Most crates now a days come complete with the "optional" divider included to make the crate smaller in size on the inside for the time being.
• Don't put any expensive bedding in the crate. Our suggestion is to use old towels and blankets as they will be washed excessively due to being soiled frequently until your puppy learns to hold itself.
• NEVER put a puppy in a crate with a collar. Puppies have been known to strangle themselves!
• Since a dog's nature is not to do their "business" where they sleep, your puppy will soon realize how to hold it's bladder (or bowels) in the crate. Do not get discouraged if your puppy does have accidents for the next week or so. You will be washing the bedding frequently and perhaps bathing your puppy from time to time but this is why a crate is essential so the dog learns how to hold itself and help strengthen the bladder muscles.
• NEVER give a puppy the impression that the crate is a "bad" place. Make each visit a positive one. You may even use "treats" to lure or reward them once they volunteerly go in there. Never ever use it as a "time out - you did a bad thing" place. Puppies and dogs associate things to one another. So, if you use the crate as a disciplinary place, you will have a hard time getting them to go in there each and every time.
• A general rule of thumb of how long a puppy can hold itself is for every month it's old, it can hold it for that many hours during "up time". For example, if the dog is 3 months old, it should be able to hold it's bladder for approximately 3 hours while it's not sleeping.
• Do not leave a puppy in a crate for more than 4 hours without being let out to do it's "business" and some playtime. You will find it extremely difficult to housebreak once a puppy gets used to making "messes" in it's crate. Therefore, if you work full time, either make plans to come home everyday for lunch or have a friend/family member or perhaps a pet sitter come over. It is cruel to leave a small, young puppy in a crate for 6-8 hours at a time.
• Put ONE toy in the crate. Our suggestion is to have a rubber toy such as a Kong Binkee in there. Kongs are great as they can be chewed on safely and even stuffed with treats (and peanut butter!). This will definately stimulate your puppy mentally and physically while being left alone. Also, if it does get soiled on, it is easy to clean. We, however, DO NOT recommend plush, soft toys while young puppies are crated. Puppies in crates have "unsupervised" time and therefore, have the time to destroy soft plush toys and potentially eat the "stuffing" or even choke on the squeaker, should they get it out. Therefore, keep a safe but fun toy in the crate at all times.
• Do not place a crate near any electrical outlets that have electrical cords dangling from them. A bored puppy can easily find a dangling electrial cord as a toy and potential get it in it's crate to chew on thus causing the puppy to get an electrical shock.
• Place the puppy in it's crate while you go to bed. A young puppy should not be sleeping in your bed just yet (should you decide to do that). However, you may find it more soothing, for you and the puppy, to place the crate "near" your bed. Putting the puppy's crate in another room may cause the puppy to cry for lengths of time and as such, you not being able to sleep a restful night's sleep. A puppy that can see, smell and hear you will be more comforted, especially that it still needs to adjust to it's new home and surroundings.
• What goes in, must come out. Therefore, do not put water in the pet's crate during sleeping hours. A puppy's water can be taken away at 9-10pm. Also, if your puppy is in a crate for small intervals, having access to water is not necessary either. Your puppy can easily eat and drink when they are out of the crate and while you have the time to take it out to relieve itself.
• Never let a puppy's paws touch the ground when taking them out of the crate for the first few weeks. Pick up your puppy and take directly outside to avoid any accidents to the backdoor.

HOUSEBREAKING OUTSIDE OF THE CRATE

Once your puppy has learned the ability to hold itself in the crate, it does not mean your puppy is housebroken. You have just only hurdled over one small leap. Here are a few more suggestions to help you get closer to housebreaking your puppy successfully:

• Once you have just carried your puppy from the crate to outside, make and keep one word that you will consistantly use frequently everyday (i.e. "do business", "do potty", or "do pee-pee"). Say your choosen command over and over again until the puppy does what it's suppose to do and reward him/her with a favorite treat. Just make sure it has eliminated itself completely and then bring them inside.
• We do not recommend keeping a puppy outside for playtime after it has eliminated itself completely. The trick is to have the puppy only associate the "outside" as a bathroom area for right now.
• DO NOT give a puppy free roam of the house! This is the most important and crucial step in housebreaking your puppy successfully. If your puppy has mastered holding itself in a small, confined area (it's crate), giving a puppy free roam of the house or even a large room will give them plenty of opportunity to have accidents, especially if you can not watch your puppy's every move. Start the puppy's "privledged" area off small. A good place would be gating off a kitchen area where your puppy can eat, play, etc.. Also, if your puppy has an occassional accident, it would be easy to clean up as well.
• Your puppy's every moment outside of the crate should be supervised closely. The last thing you want is for your puppy to have a small accident and you not even seeing it. Unseen accidents that have not been cleaned properly will just give your puppy the thought that it can go there again. Canines have the instinct to go in the same place as this is where they smell their marking. Therefore, do not allow your pet the opportunity to do so in your house!
• If you see your puppy sniffing the floor or just moving in a pacing motion, take your puppy outside immediately and say your choosen command word until it has done their business. Again, reward them for a "job well done!". Just remember, you will be doing this SEVERAL times a day!
• Puppies should be let outside to do their business approximately 10-20 minutes after each meal, during playtimes, and before they go to bed. Just make sure, again, that they are let out immediately (without their paws touching the floor) after nap time or when you immediately wake up.
• Should your puppy have an accident in the house, do not use regular household cleaners as they will not destroy the enzymes in urine and feces. Although you can spray the area with a regular cleaner or fabric refreshing spray, to a dog's nose, they will still smell urine! A good product to kill the scent and enzymes is using Natures Miracle or a simple vinegar/water solution.
• If your puppy does have an accident in the house that you did not see with your own eyes (even though the evidence is right there), DO NOT discipline your puppy. It is actually your own fault that you were not there to "correct" the behavior. Usually a puppy will give you a few seconds of "signals" that they are about to go. So, therefore, just clean it up and and continue on. A puppy's attention span is like a baby's and will not know what or why they are in trouble. Catching the behavior or simply not giving your puppy the opportunity to make a "mess" will strengthen the association of the "outside" as the bathroom area making housebreaking more successful.
• Be prepared to be accident-free for a few days or a few weeks and then find your puppy just having an accident. This is normal. Just stay consistant and don't get discouraged. The little "light bulb" in their brain will go back on, as we say.
• If you can not watch your puppy (you have to take a shower, clean the house, etc..), use the crate! The crate is also a great way to give your puppy some "down time" for a nap.

OTHER HOUSEBREAKING TIPS

If you live in an apartment and do not have your own backyard, housebreaking will become a little more difficult as you don't have the ability to just open up the backdoor and have your own yard. Therefore, here are some suggestions that are useful, especially if you have a smaller breed:

• Puppy Pads - These are disposable pads that are just placed on the floor for your pet to eliminate on. Many people put them in a laundry area, kitchen or bathroom. Because many brands are "pre-scented" to lure your pet to go on them, housebreaking can be quite easy.
• Pet a Potty - This is a great product, especially if you live in a condo or an apartment. They come in many sizes from tiny to XXXL to accomodate the smallest to larger of breeds. Gives your pet a place to eliminate itself anywhere, even if you don't have grass! Perfect for balconys or terraces.

We hope you find some or all of our suggestions useful. If you feel that you have done all of the above (and then some) and your puppy is still having consistant accidents in your home, please make an appointment for your puppy to be checked by a vet immediately. Your puppy may be experiencing a medical issue such as a bladder infection.