The Dog Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [70]
Start now to prepare Samson by gradually spending less one-on-one time with him. This is not meant to be unkind, but to help him cope with your need to devote a lot of time and energy to caring for your baby. If you are Samson’s primary caregiver, have your husband take over some of those duties. You want Samson to continue to feel that he is a loved and vital member of the family but not that he is the central focus of your attention. You also don’t want him to feel neglected.
Before the baby arrives, introduce Samson to as many other infants and toddlers as possible. Invite friends who have babies to visit so that Samson becomes accustomed to little ones in the house. Take him for walks near playgrounds or schools. Play tapes or videos of babies and children. Look for any opportunity to expose Samson to the sights, sounds, and smells of the baby world: crying, babbling, diaper changing, strollers, and so forth. You’re building him a baby database that he can download when your baby comes home.
Of course, it is very important that you closely supervise his interaction with all babies and children. Reward him for gentle behavior and correct him if he is too nosy or if he tries to lick them. Teach him to sit politely to be petted. Be aware that sight hounds might chase and knock down running children, whose erratic motion and high-pitched voices can trigger chasing instincts. Don’t take the chance of your children getting accidentally injured or bitten by a dog who becomes overly excited.
Silly as it sounds, I recommend that you carry a baby doll around with you when you walk Samson and when you relax or watch television. Get a recording of baby sounds and play it. A friend of mine even sprinkled baby powder on her forearm and baby food on her fingers to get her dog used to the smells.
Before you bring the baby home, ask your husband or a friend to bring home a blanket or other object that smells of your baby for Samson to sniff and become familiar with. When you come home, make the first introduction a rewarding one. Enter the house alone and give Samson a happy greeting and treat. Then have your husband follow you inside with your baby. Give Samson plenty of time to sniff and look over the baby while you keep a close watch on them.
Your life is about to change drastically, and many of your usual routines will be altered or gone forever. However busy you are, though, try to spend some quality solo time each day with Samson — even just a few minutes will help him feel secure. No matter how much you trust him, however, always supervise him when he is with the baby. With careful preparation and continued attention, Samson should quickly learn to accept this new addition to the pack and still feel loved by you and your husband.
BREED BYTE
Being around a greyhound with a white spot on her forehead brings good fortune, according to an old superstition. You may have better luck buying a lottery ticket if you want mega-dollars, but your dog is, of course, priceless.
Peter and Ugh, the Pee-Minded Pugs
SALLY HAD RECENTLY RELOCATED to a small second-story condominium with four pugs and two cats. Since the move, her two male dogs, Ugh, five years old, and Peter, one year old, had started fighting with one another, lifting their legs on furniture, and even defecating on the floor, something they had not been doing in their old home.
The dogs were walked three times a day, but Ugh in particular would hold his urine and wait to release it inside the condo. Frustrated, Sally realized she needed professional help. To rule out any possible medical condition such as a urinary tract or bladder infection, I conducted complete physical exams. Both dogs were deemed healthy. In taking their histories, I learned that Sally had adopted Ugh from a rescue group