Kids, Cats and Dogs

By Jan Gamm
There are some common sense steps to take when it comes to either choosing a pet for the family, or trying to adjust a family pet to having a new baby in the house.

So many women, for some odd reason, decide to introduce a new pet to the family home when a new baby is expected. Perhaps all those hormones running up one leg and down the other are making some devilment with the old decision making abilities, because obviously this is the worst possible time to bring a new pet into the house.

Bad enough to buy a small pet, some people go the whole hog and purchase a Great Dane puppy or some equally large breed of dog. This poor animal's emotional needs and training issues are going to be set firmly aside as soon as Junior makes an appearance, so it is far kinder to leave well alone and invest in a smaller pet who might not require so much of your time when there is so little of it to go around, to avoid jealous confrontations between you and your pet.

If you already have a cat in the house, please be aware that cats love to settle down next to a nice warm baby to sleep. Very often if you ban a cat from baby's room or punish it for going near the new arrival, the cat will resent the discipline and try even harder to gain access to this new bundle smelling of baby powder, who takes all pussycats' lap space, previously reserved for him alone!

There is no reason why pets and babies cannot exist in the same house harmoniously, provided precautions are taken not to allow animals to go too near a newborn in view of infection and the dangers of suffocation should the animal settle close to the baby's face etc. Try to remember to make a fuss of your cat or dog when baby is around, so they are less likely to suffer feelings of rejection, especially if you have spoiled the animal prior to baby's arrival.

If you have a young family and have decided a pet would be welcome, choose sensibly. Fully matured animals of a breed known to have a possessive nature, such as German Shepherds, Pit bull Terriers, Welsh Collies etc, are not a brilliant idea, especially if you have no idea of their history. If you are choosing from the Pound there are so many smaller breeds with gentle dispositions, such as Labradors, Retrievers and Spaniels. A dog that dives on your children immediately and starts trying to chew their sleeves might be comical to watch but you are likely to have trouble with such a boisterous nature.

It is far better to try out a gentle dog, perhaps one that is already house-trained and obedient, especially if you have a limited amount of time to spend training.

As for cats, beware of the growling species! Those who are gentle by nature will always rub against your hand and purr loud enough to hear, so listen to what you are being told!