Beware the Rise of the Toddler

A family adopted a six-month-old puppy who was anxious and afraid. When she was introduced to the family’s young cousins (four-years and eleven-months — TODDLERS) she seemed curious but then barked and lunged at them when they made any sudden movements.

The family tried to ‘firmly correct’ their dog’s behavior, but it didn’t work.

Correcting the dog will NOT teach the dog the right thing to do. Nor will it teach the dog to love the child, it will probably do the opposite.

It is not uncommon for a rescue dog to have no positive experiences with small children. Even dogs who have had good experiences with kids, will still be triggered by the movements of a toddler.

Regardless of new-rescue-dog or dog you’ve had for years, all dogs need to be supervised and taught how to behavior around children. For some dogs this is a quick lesson but for others with fears and anxiety, this can move at a slower pace.

Slow and steady made Pinball safe around Indy

This process will include desensitization and counterconditioning when a dog already has some anxiety around children, or good socialization when a dog is simply unfamiliar with small children.

Please Don’t Bite the Baby and Please Don’t Chase the Dog, excerpt pages 187 – 188

What is it about toddlers that gets to so many dogs? This question should be asked more often. But because many people feel their good dog can or should withstand anything their child has to throw at her (literally and figuratively), the question is not asked, and without questions there can be no help in the form of answers.

I knew even before having a toddler that they are bundles of energy with quick, unsteady bursts of movement. The literature about toddlers is filled with buzzwords that should scare the dick- ens out of anyone approaching this milestone: defiance, pitching fits, tantrums, and getting into everything. From the dog’s perspective many, if not all, of those can be difficult to process.

Quick, unsteady movements are triggers for your dog’s predatory or flight instincts.

Dogs have been honed by nature to react to quick movements for survival. Such movements signal that their dinner awaits. Your dog may not be looking at your toddler as a prey animal, but they are still programmed to chase anything that moves quickly and erratically. Think squirrels, bunnies, and even darting deer, and then ask if your toddler’s play movements resemble any of these animals. In this stage your toddler is triggering a very primal instinct in your dog. Some dogs learn not to chase the child, but they are in the minority. Most homes with toddlers and dogs report multiple nippings of ankles, pants legs, and hands as children move through the house.

So, what can you do?

Brody learning his little boy L is fun and not dangerous

Teach your dog to love your child. And while you are training, keep them separated by baby gates to prevent mistakes. When your dog is watching your child, your dog will get some great treats, toys, etc., so they make the association that when the child appears, they all have fun!

Don’t let you child grab at or run towards the dog – this can scare your dog and they will then have to choose how to respond to that fear. Fight is one of the first choices a dog can make when afraid.

Train your dog to know an escape route so you can quickly and easily send them out of the way of the toddler.

Teach your dog how to settle near your child and PAY your dog WELL for all the little zany things your child might do.

Pinball settling on the other side of a baby gate while my son behaves like a traditional toddler doing zany things. Note that Pinball is unconcerned and gets treats for his troubles.

If you take your time and do this right, your dog and baby can grow old together safely.

Brody is safe and content with his little boy L – and L even has a stuffed version of his favorite dog!!

Please Don’t Bite the Baby, and Please Don’t Chase the Dog has more suggestions than I can fit a blog.

For more helpful tips, on keeping baby safe around dogs, pick up a copy here or…

Visit your local library.

Spring Dog Training

Three Dogs Training class enrollment.

Pax’e is using the dictionary to learn more words for
treat, food, goodie, pizza crust, and others…
Spring session starts Saturday March 4th 2023.
  • Basic – 9:00 am – 3 available spaces
  • Distract O Doggie – 10:10 am
  • Intermediate – 11:20 am – 1 available space
Pax’e learned the word for donut
But forgot to specify what kind of donut…

For more information:

click here or contact Lisa@threedogstraining.com

Bad Xylitol, Bad…

Did I mention Xylitol is bad???

It can be in candy, gum (a lot of gum), chewable vitamins, supplements, peanut butter, substitutes for sugar, and even sold in a container that looks like honey as a honey substitute.

So many products like this one below have xylitol listed only in the fine print.
In this label, xylitol is very high on the list…

Read every one of the ingredients in the products you have around the house AND especially items you will be giving you dog.

Remember ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. In other words – biggest first. Xylitol is very high on the list for this product.

Others have done a great job of outlining the toxicity of xylitol in dogs. Here are some excepts from the veterinarian professionals:

Preventive Vet’s article “My Dog Ate Xylitol,” includes some of these warnings:

Dogs rapidly and almost completely absorb xylitol.

Ingestion of greater than 0.1g/kg can result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)…greater than 0.5 g/kg may result in acute liver failure.

Xylitol can cause low blood sugar within thirty minutes after ingestion… but may not show initial symptoms for twelve hours…

Preventive Vet, Dr. Beth Turner

Twelve hours is a long time to wait for symptoms to appear for a poison that acts this quickly.

So, if you think your dog has ingested xylitol – call the vet or poison control hotline immediately. A lot of irreversible damage can occur quickly.

VCA Animal Hospitals article “Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs,” includes some of these warnings:

The most common source of xylitol poisoning that Pet Poison Helpline gets calls about comes from sugar-free gum, although cases of xylitol poisoning from other sources such as supplements and baked goods are on the rise. In 2020, Pet Poison Helpline had 5,846 calls involving dogs ingesting xylitol!

VCA Animal Hospitals, Dr,’s Renee Schmid and Ahna Brutlag

Xylitol is too dangerous, too quickly toxic, and too easy to miss.

Reading the label of everything that comes into your house can help you avert tragedy.

Then… research online ahead of time so you know who to call if you suspect your dog has ingested xylitol. Don’t wait until time is running out.

Here is the website and phone number (888) 426-4435) for the ASPCA Poison Control. There may be a charge.

2022 – a new year – a new episode of Pets and Your Health

Pax’e dug up her headphones and is ready to answer questions with Dr. Adams, “Woof!”
To ring in the New Year, I will be talking with Dr. Frank Adams who hosts Pets and Your Health on SiriusXM Dr. Radio.

This a wonderful show (not just because they like me) but because Dr. Adams and his guests address a variety of pet-related topics that help us take care of the pets that make our lives better.

Pets and Your Health broadcasts live this Tuesday January 4, 2022 at 6AM, and again rebroadcasts later that day at 4pm.

If your dog gets you up this early for that pre-dawn walk, tune us in – Channel 110, SiriusXM.

If you are luck enough to sleep in, you can always stream this episode and others on SiriusXM Doctor Radio..

Safe dog and baby snuggling and walking together

Brody and Baby-L – The bond builds and the reports come in

Jessica’s first reports come in:

JDP                          October 22, 2018, 9:03 am

Things are going well. 

This weekend was sweet – I was on the couch giving Logan a bottle when Brody asked to snuggle.  He burrowed right in with us, but I had a pillow in between the two just for an extra buffer.  Logan was also sleepy and not grabby at that particular moment.  Since they were both calm, it was a nice 10 minutes!  Then Brody got hot under the blanket and crawled out for some air 🙂

Brody burrowed in right next to Baby-L

When our dog is calmly snuggled next to us with our body (and even an extra pillow) between dog and baby, we can insure all stays calm and safe as we continue to build their bond.

Trouble passing other dogs…

Because Brody also had some trouble passing other dogs when out walking, we worked on a desensitization and counterconditioning protocol. Taking baby and dog out for a family stroll is a great way to build a positive association – almost like a date night.

Brody walking nicely with his little boy…

JDP                         October 24, 2018, 8:01 am

One more thing that happened last night that made me explode with pride!

I was walking with Baby-L in the stroller and Brody beside us.  A woman with two big, lunging dogs was approaching us.  I crossed to the other side of the street to give everyone more space.  As I crossed the street, another big dog was in his front yard – he is on an invisible fence and he started barking and running up and down the front yard.  We were in the middle of these two.

I did “LOOK AT THAT!!! LOOK AT THAT!!!  Those are silly dogs!  Hooray!!!” and marched us all right in between all those crazy dogs, and Brody just trotted alongside the stroller – no reaction at all.  I heard the lady with the dogs on leash say “Look, you guys – THAT is a good dog.”

Wait a minute.  Someone used MY dog as an example of a GOOD DOG!?  Once we got past the madness, I had a little party for Brody right in the street.  I was so proud of him!  

Happy Wednesday! 

J
See more about Brody and Baby-L – How this beautiful relationship got started.

See excerpts from Please Don’t Bite the Baby and Please Don’t Chase the Dogs for more safe dog and baby tips.