FUN Stuff!

Ya just gotta watch this!!

Teddy punks Bruschi out of a treat (its cheerios, so save for humans and dogs) caught on camera.

www.youtube.com/colleenlearch

Two-Way Street: Teaching Teddy Appropriate Behavior Around Dogs

Now that Teddy is a skilled mobilist (mobilist: (n) one possessing ability to get anywhere, get into anything, and obtain everything within 3 feet of the floor, with speed), with a zeal for four footed friends, it is essential for us to teach him proper interaction with dogs.

My previous post pertained to me teaching Teddy to pet the dogs, but proper interaction involves so much more than that-- and, quite importantly, it involves teaching Teddy that it is NOT OK to run up to any dog, unfamiliar or familiar, and pet, grab, lick, poke, or pull its tail.  

More after the jump...

(photo: with the dogs at the park)

Training Teddy to Pet Bruschi and Kodi

There is always so much attention focused on preparing dogs for baby-- and I agree-- so totally important, but also important is grooming (no pun intended) baby for proper interaction with dogs, setting boundaries and letting the two-footed munchkin know how to and not to interact with dog.

I'm no physical therapist, but its common knowledge (and sense) that Toddlers lack the refined motor skills and dexterity required to pet a dog properly.  Tiny humans are not born with that functionality.  Their gross motor skills dictate that they interact with dogs... and other things... in a mannerism that looks like hitting.  And, lets face it... it is.  Dogs do not come pre-programmed to accept that kind of interaction willingly.  In fact, it scares the bejezus out of them!  A baby's motions are to a dog what King Kong's were to the people of sci-fi New York.  In a word-- FRIGHTENING!    

Therefore, while de-sensitizing my dogs to a baby's hitting motions, I also work on Teddy's own motor coordination, teaching him how to gently pet the dogs by stroking their fur, front to back, slowly and softly.  We've been quite successful at it, and we see Teddy go up to Bruschi, on his own, and appropriately pet the dog.  We still continue the exercise, even though Teddy has shown the behavior, because I feel it is important to continually affirm as he grows and develops his muscles.

More after the jump...

Kodi's Mama Instincts

The Rescue organization where Brian and I volunteer featured a video this week of one day old puppies, complete with all the sweet little squeaks and squeals they make at that age.  So cute!   A few fans on Facebook have shared that their own female who had birthed prior to being rescued heard the squeals from the video, then started crying and searching for the babies.

I read these comments and thought back to our first few months with Teddy, and how our Rat Terrier, Kodi took to him so quickly, and almost instinctively acted as his guardian when I stepped away.

More after the jump...

Lets start at the beginning...

I learned that I was pregnant back in January 2009, just after New Years.  And, as I am sure is the case with most expectant couples, my husband and I exchanged frequent expressions of sheer joy, fear, and "oh dear god, what are we going to do"-- about equally.

After the first few months and hearing a mini-heart beat every couple weeks at the Doctor's office, I started to gain a bit of confidence by relying on three factors that would enable me to "know what to do."  First, my highly skilled, incredibly capable Italian mother.  She practically speaks infant, and excels at getting them to burp.  Growing up, all her friends and neighbors would call her when they were having infant troubles. She was the baby guru.  Clearly, this had to be genetically passed down to the next generation, right?  

Second, my oodles of babysitting experience.  Every weekend night, every weekend, for years.  Years.  In addition to having an Italian mother, I also had a really, really, painfully early curfew and there was only one TV in the house with basic cable.  Oh, and one phone line, no call waiting.  No cell phones.  No email.  (Yes, we lived in NY, not Mars).  The families I babysat for-- THEY had HBO.  

And, third, I already had two (fur) babies, one of them being a Puggle, and I felt confident in my first two trimesters that there was nothing that a baby could throw at me that the Puggle hadn't topped.  "Oh the Joys of Puggle Puppyhood" will be the title of my third book.

So I rested in the belief that the puppyhood was pretty good readying material for me and Brian, but what about readying them?  

Kodi, Brian, and Baby. Oh my!

Puggle makes baby laugh June 2010.MP4