What Our Dogs Mean To Us...

I am a writer, teacher, and owner of two pugs: Alfie and Waffles. As such words and dogs figure prominently in my day. I set the rhythm of my life around my dogs—when they go in, when they go out, what time they wake, and what time they sleep. Their daily activities are a more faithful reminder of my schedule than any alarm clock.

Yesterday, I interviewed a fellow dog lover for an article I am writing. She mentioned, in what has almost become cliché language, that her pets are like her children. I know another writer who balks at such a suggestion—pets are not our children, he warns. They are different creatures, unique from us, and we do them a disservice when we compare them to human offspring. We should not infantilize or anthropomorphize them, he warns.

The disservice to me is one of language. The word “pet” no longer serves the function that animals, especially our dogs, play in our lives. They have come in from the doghouse, backyard and chain, and share our beds, sofas, and homes. Creatures of metaphor, the closest we humans seem to come in describing the interdependence between our pets and ourselves is the parent/child relationship.

“They are family,” we sometimes also say, illustrating again how integral our dogs are in our lives, suggesting a level of loyalty and fidelity we feel for them. We cannot imagine our lives without Spot or Fido, in my case, Alfie or Waffles.

This is often an issue a writer faces. When it comes to the big stuff—important concepts such as death and freedom and of course, love—words often seem inadequate, so we resort to the tools of the poets: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day….” We turn to metaphor and thus, we describe our pets to the closest similar relationships we can find: children or family members. They are important is all we are trying to say. They mean something to us. They figure in our lives. They fill a place in our hearts.

I do not have children of my own. I have nieces and nephews and my relationship with them is indeed, different from that of my dogs. But, like children, my dogs look to me for the important things like food, shelter and play. I figure in their lives as predominantly as they figure in mine, maybe even more so. We are indeed interdependent.

Perhaps we need better words than child, family member or pet to describe what our canine companions have come to mean to us. Then again, perhaps this truly is only an issue of semantics, a disservice only theoretical in nature. For when I sit curled up at night with Alfie and Waffles on my lap or at my feet, I do not need new words to describe what I feel nor does any pet owner. We know exactly what our pets mean to us.

We know love when we see it.

A special thank-you to Samantha for allowing me to share on her blog. To read more of my work and check out my daily adventures with my pugs Alfie and Waffles, please check out my blog Pugs & Pics (www.pugsandpics.com).

This guest post was submitted by Kim J. Gifford of Pugs & Pics. If you would like to submit a guest post of your own please contact me at babyandthechis@gmail.com

Sophie's Ride

 All dogs love being outdoors, even my paralyzed dog Sophie. She was used to going on daily walks before her illness and she still craved the sights and smells of our neighborhood. The desire to keep her mobile led to a whole series of vehicles I bought for her to try. The one she liked best was a doggie stroller called DoggyRide.

In my travels around town I noticed dogs being pushed in strollers. I had already tried a wagon and a wheelchair for Sophie, but she was afraid of both. The stroller idea seemed perfect because it was enclosed and I thought that would make her feel safe.

The only problem was the strollers I saw, were fitted for small dogs and Sophie weighed 50lbs. Then one day I saw a woman pushing her disabled dog in a large cart. She explained that it was originally intended to be attached to the back of a bicycle so pet owners could take their dogs for a ride. She had adapted it for her dog. She suggested I contact DoggyRide to see if a bicycle cart could be made for Sophie.

It turned out that DoggyRide had already realized how their carts could be beneficial for handicapped pets. Their website offered a model with a front wheel and handles so it could function as an oversized stroller.

I immediately bought one and it was a godsend for Sophie. The cart was easy to put together and very sturdy.

My dog could sit inside comfortably and have room to move around while I pushed her through the neighborhood. She felt safe inside the screened-in cart. She absolutely loved her giant red stroller and we used it nearly every day until the time came when Sophie couldn’t sit up on her own.

I have wonderful memories of her happily hanging her head out the front of the stroller so she could see other dogs or say hi to a neighbor. The DoggyRide cart was one small victory in the attempt to make my paralyzed pup feel more like a normal dog.

I hope you’ll follow more of Sophie’s stories at: Lessons From A Paralyzed Dog

This guest post has been submitted by Sharon Sheltzer of  "Life From A Paralyzed Dog." If you have a guest post of your own that you'd like to see on our blog, please email Samantha at babyandthechis@gmail.com

YouTube Saved My Dog’s Life

I believe in YouTube. After my dog Sophie came down with a progressive disease that left her paralyzed, I turned to YouTube videos to learn how to take care of her. You Can Learn Anything On YouTube is the first of the Lessons From A Paralyzed Dog that I learned. Every week I share more life lessons for people with disabled and special needs pets. Below are a few more.

Lesson 2: A Bed Is More Than Where You Lay Your Head At Night. I didn’t want Sophie to be isolated from the rest of the family so I searched for the perfect bed for a dog that couldn’t move. Just like Goldilocks, some beds were too firm and she fell off and others were too soft and I couldn’t pull her around. Then I found a bed that was just right.

Lesson 3: Play Games. My youngest dog Cody loved to roughhouse with Sophie before she was paralyzed and didn’t see any reason why he had to stop just because she couldn’t walk. So I adapted three games for my dogs to play: tug-of-war, sit down catch and the treat ball.

Lesson 4: One Bark For Yes and Two Barks For No. During Sophie’s illness she lost the ability to bark. My smart little girl taught me new ways to communicate, including some sign language. I hope you’ll continue to follow Sophie’s journey and share your story about a pet with special needs.

Thank you to Sharon of "Lessons from a Paralyzed Dog" for bringing us this guest post.

If you would like to submit a post to be published on Baby and the Chi's blog, please contact me at babyandthechis @ gmail.com

Guest Post: Staying Active As The Fall Approaches

Staying Active As The Fall Approaches

By Kathleen Thomas of Primrose Schools

 Children move from the moment of their birth. As they explore their world, they crawl, walk, run, and use their senses to understand their surroundings. As they grow into toddlerhood, they begin to develop motor skills and discover throwing and catching. Not only does physical activity encourage motor skill development, but children also learn social skills such as self-confidence, teamwork, sharing, and taking turns. 

Children of all ages require as much as 60 minutes of physical activity every day to develop healthy lifestyle habits and combat obesity. With obesity rates rising among children and adults, parents and caregivers wisely encourage regular physical activity. Active children grow up to be active adults. 

Be an active role model. Join in their activities as a participant rather than merely as an observer. As you play with your children, you model healthy habits and build relationships. In addition, use playtime to teach proper techniques and sportsmanship. Children do not magically learn how to play sports and it is nice to give them a head start before they enter, day care and move on to kindergarten. They require guidance to learn new skills and learn to play nice. Cherish your children during playtime, and create a lifetime of memories and healthy habits.

Rather than demand perfection, accept your child’s skill level and amend the games rules to guarantee success. For young children, lower the basketball hoop or stand close to play catch. Gradually add more challenges as your child masters skills. With each successful milestone, your child grows more confident in their ability to succeed. You create a winning situation by boosting your child’s ability to persevere, and they want to practice and keep trying to improve.

Verbally encourage your children’s efforts during physical activities. Children who struggle with hand eye coordination or dexterity may not enjoy sports activities. Encouraging words show them the importance of doing their best no matter what skills they possess. 

Encourage fair play and kind conduct. Sports remain a highly competitive arena. Teach your child to respect the skill level and playing ability of other children and be intolerant of inappropriate behavior. Many coaches also display poor manners so guard your attitude while you coach, supervise, and play along. Remember the goal of having fun while being physically active rather then playing to win. 

Ensure safety. Choose wide, open spaces for activities. Before play begins, comb the area for litter, exposed tree roots, or other dangerous substances. Insist every child wears appropriate, well-fitting safety gear, including helmets, knee and elbow pads, or chest protection. Frequently check the equipment to ensure it meets safety regulations and includes no exposed edges or holes. Teach proper stretching exercise before play commences. Provide adult supervision at all times, and carry a First Aid kit.

Provide a variety of accurately sized equipment. Children and adults quickly grow bored with the same activities. Add variety by creating a toy tub in your home. Include balls of all sizes, jump ropes, bats, chalk, hoops, beanbags, bubbles, skates, ramps, balance boards, musical instruments, and other items your children enjoy. As your children grow, inspect their toys to verify they meet your children’s needs.

Stay active on any budget. Purchase sports equipment and expensive tennis shoes if your budget allows or find more affordable alternatives. Search for sports equipment at consignment stores or trade stores. Mix homemade bubbles with soap and water. Run through a rain shower or sprinkler in the lawn. Walk, bike, or run around your neighborhood. Draw hopscotch on the sidewalk. Turn on the music and make up dance moves. Practice gymnastic tricks. 

Enroll children in age-appropriate sports. In addition to physical exercise, organized sports teach children sportsmanship, teamwork, and a skill they can use for the rest of their lives. 

Any opportunity children take to exercise, play, and stay active creates a lifetime of benefits. Play with your children every day, and enjoy family activities that teach life skills, combat obesity, and give you time to bond and laugh as a family.

Kathleen is a Communications Coordinator for the Atlanta day care facility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of day care preschools delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum.