We love getting check-ins from our adopters, and this one came with cute baby videos. What fun!Some of you might remember Sadie Mae ... the cute blue bombshell that landed in our Pit Bull Hall program in '06 after suffering crushing injuries (dog bites) to her front legs. Proud adopters Ingrid and Hayden have done such a nice job introducing their son Tiger to Sadie, and it shows in this video - where both dog and Tiger are being meticulously coached in proper touch. Such a great example. And they're getting ready to do it again with another baby on the way.
Sharing the Learning. Hat tips to Brent Toellner for highlighting the Dogs & Storks website with info for expecting families with dogs at home. Brent routinely investigates dog-related incidents that involve children in an effort to help us all wake up to the importance of parental responsibility. It's not always easy to read the details, but so very important if we ever hope to evolve into a smarter society that safeguards its children from unnecessary harm. Here's a recent interview with the Dogs and Storks founder, Jennifer Shryock.
Thanks to Ingrid and Hayden and all the other 'wide-awake' parents out there who are setting the example.
20 comments:
How totally adorable they both are! And what a good girl Sadie is. This is typical (in my estimation) of well balanced pit bull dogs and children. My grandchildren are 10 and 1 1/2 and our four dogs LOVE them..have to identify with the "too much licking" though. Wonderful video. Congratulations to this family for their "teaching".
So why isn't this video part of a PSA against BSL? Aside from the absolute cuteness factor, it shows what a normal, well-balanced pit bull dog really is: a lover of people, big and small.
Congrats to this family for taking the time to teach the child and the dog how to interact properly.
s&b/mty
Such wonderful behavior - encouraged by responsible pit parents! darling babies, both two and four legged. We did the same "training" with our APBT and young daughter. Though, entirely focused on our daughters wild baby arms, as our APBT was, from the day we came home from the hospital the perfect picture of a nanny dog. Always so special to see this wonderful breed truly loved and cared for.
What an awesome video! I posted to my facebook page so my friends can watch. Have a couple that are pregnant and would really benefit from it...good job!
A very touching -literally ;-) - and heartwarming video, portraying an awesome peeboo with an excellent temperament and a responsible parent supervising dog and a cutie pie little fella that is all boy. Thanks for sharing.
LOVE IT : )
Have to ask,
Is it really a good idea to teach a child that it is ok to take a ball out of a dog's mouth, climb in a dog's bed, and climb on top of a dog? Good training for the dog in a controlled situation like that of course - and that dog showed no signs of being uncomfortable. But, I have always read that kids who have a dog are at higher risk of being bitten by a strange dog - because they think that every dog will put up with what their dog at home will... so they (for example) grab a ball out of the mouth of a resource guarding dog's mouth.
Or is that the kind of thing that should be taught at a later age - and you would supervise closer if your toddler was around another dog.
Thank you - we're also posting as a good example of both the dog and parental supervision with babies and dogs! Well done!
Lynn in N. Cal
Thanks for sharing this video that shows exactly how a well-raised PB (and 7mo baby) acts. Our PB was exactly the same way with all three of our girls. :-)
Ohmygosh!!! This is soooo stinkin CUTE!!!! Godd job Mom of taking the time to teach the babyhow to be gentle and nice to the pup! What a handsome lil guy and the pup Sadie Mae, is so Beautiful!
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Beauty Obscure.
The parents in our circles know their dogs like the back of their hands, so know how much handling they can allow with the kids. Sadie, as you can tell, has provided this family with the joy of a very sound and tolerant companion, but of course it took them a few years of getting to know her and her comfort zone with handling. The parents also respect the dog's need for peace and provide quiet spaces (usually, crates) so they can take a break from kids, too.
The relationship they foster between kids and family dogs is very different from what they teach about strange dogs. Just like you wouldn't let your toddler climb up into a complete stranger's lap, they wouldn't let them get so close to a strange dog. I love watching smart parents teach their kids about strange dogs. It's such an important life's lesson.
Donna your answer is spot on. Children and parents in my circle know that they can trust my dog. But I am ever vigilant of mood and activities on both parties. My Quizz has found his most effective deterrent to be his tongue and enthusiastic kisses when met with over-loving nieces and nephews. But I must point out that I am always present to make sure no one is overwhelmed.
Sadie Mae's family has it well in hand. She'll be the best companion and partner in crime as the kids get older. Her soft mouth and soft nudges and kisses tell me she loves her babies already.
Leila & Quizz
Richmond, VA
Thx Leila. I may have said this before, but I just love your dog's name. Every time you add it to your comments, I smile.
"Quizz." Very cool.
What a beautiful video. Hats off to the parents for showing the world what wonderful dogs our pits are!!!!!! Hopefully this video gets into the hands of all those pitbull haters out there who think pits are nothing but vicious baby killers!!!!! Please pass this video on to all those pitbull haters over at PETA!!
I am the proud mom here (big puffy heart seeing this post!) ... just wanted to respond to Beauty Obscure, echo Donna's response, and say that we always supervise our son's play with Sadie. We do let him crawl on her, whatever he wants if he is being gently with her. Sadie gets up and walks away if it isn't play she is interested in. Also, our son is now 18 months old and he does want to pet strange dogs he sees. We always take his hand, approach slowly, ask the owner if it is OK (and even if they say 'yes' I still suss out the body language of the dog before I let Tiger touch him/her) and then explain to Tiger (for the ten millionth time!) that he needs to be very gentle, and he needs to ask before petting. So far so good.
Thanks for all of the great supportive comments. We are doing our best and it most certainly helps that we have such an amazing dog!
Ingrid in Alameda
That is too cute! So many people give up their dogs when they have kids. It's so nice to see them both being trained to live together instead! yay that made me so happy :)
Such a great video, but just curious - why "no licking"? Is it for safety reasons?
Just my two cents, but the pattern I see/hear is that baby comes, family puts previously adored dog outside, locked in back room, gated off from family (its pack), etc., then dog acts out, family can't handle it, gets rid of dog. We didn't really change anything with Sadie - she is part of the family and always will be. She was allowed up on her part of the couch when I was breastfeeding, still allowed in our bed in the morning (usually), etc. Granted she probably doesn't have the exact same life she had pre-baby (don't feel too sorry for her), but we made a concerted effort to make sure she was still treated like part of the family and not banned from every room the baby was in. I think that made a big difference, and I am saddened when I hear that someone's previously indoor dog is now living outside, or in the garage because they had a baby. You can make it work, it just takes a little effort.
Had to comment on this. I had a baby a year ago (fastest year of my life!) and was already the proud momma of a Dogo Argentino - a serious guard dog. My whole family (and a bunch of friends, too) were FREAKED out about how our Mojo would be with the baby. Mojo is new people shy and had previously been cautious around my niece and nephews. Their concern was not unwarranted. My husband and I worked really hard researching the best ways to introduce Mojo to the new baby. One of the most helpful, I think, was that I got a "cry baby" baby doll - yes, a baby doll that cried,laughed and made baby noises - several months before I was due to deliver. I wanted to get Mojo used to those types of noises and also my carrying and cuddling a baby. This allowed me to give her that experience without the fear of the real baby being present yet. I would carry the baby, coo to it, and make it cry/laugh/etc at all hours. After her initial curiosity wore off, she never showed interest or jealousy. That behavior carried over to when we brought our daughter home. We also unpacked and set up all the baby stuff we could before actually using it(strollers, swing, car seats, pack & plays, etc) so that Mojo could sniff them and get used to them before we had a baby in there. We made sure to press all the buttons at random times on toys, etc. so that she would become comfortable with the sounds/sights. We also try, like the Mackays, to keep Mojo on her pre-baby routine, so that she doesn't feel displaced or neglected. She still has her own beds (dog bed, our bed, sofas) on which to lounge and we make sure our daughter respects Mojo's space the same that we make sure Mojo respects our daughter's space.
I really believe that our work - and it was work - is what has given Mojo the comfort with our daughter she has. We continue to employ the "get used to it time" technique on all of the new things that we bring into the house for our daughter so that Mojo is not startled or scared into a bad reaction. I think you have to set your dog up for success and devote as much attention as possible to making sure the dog is as comfortable as possible with the big change a baby brings.
That video is totally enchanting. Congratulations, Ingrid, on your expanding family! And hugs to the beautiful Sadie Mae. -- Sheri
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