A bite of presidential proportion

Yes, even Presidents have challenges when minding their dog. White house furry resident Barney has bitten someone. The victim is receiving medical care. As the reporter said this they giggled and seemed shocked. The thing is that ...this is quite common. Dogs communicate so differently then we do. They require us to LEARN and continue learning so that we can live together respectfully. Why do dogs bite? Simply because they have teeth and this is one of their forms of communication. Biting is a last resort for dogs. When I hear that a dog has bitten I always know there is more to the story. Here are just some of the questions that run through my head.
Where did it take place? I mean exactly...was it near a resource? Was it outside of their home?
What was the person doing when the dog bit? Were they walking away, bending over to pet...what?
Who was there when it happened? Adult? Child? Unfamiliar people?
What was the victim wearing?
ETc there are so many things that help us get insight to why it happened and what we might be able to do to not have it repeat. Bites are NOT out of the blue. There is always a trail that may have been scuffed over or overlooked or excused away but there is always a trail. Our goal is to educate about the subtle communication dogs use that indicate their state of mind and responses. I encourage everyone to become familiar with these and pay attention to what your dog is really saying to you!
For more information please visit Doggone Safe

Dogs in America

There are over 74 millions dogs owned in America. This is a huge number of companion animals that we humans claim responsibility for. All too often dogs are thought of as furry children or furry people until a baby arrives. This leaves families and dogs in uncomfortable situations. Sadly the number of dogs that are turned into shelters or rescues is on the rise due to financial issues. We must do all that we can when we bring a companion animal into our home to make things safe and secure for their entire life. I began Dogs & Storks in 2002 after seeing how many German Shepherds in our rescue were surrendered or abandoned due to a lack of information and resources on how to safely prepare dogs for life with children. Misunderstandings between children and dogs can cost lives and it is important that we do all we can to socialize and expose our dogs to many new situations so that they can comfortably adapt once a baby arrives in the home. If you are expecting and your dog has not been exposed to many children or experiences then I encourage you to reach out now so that we can increase your and your dog's success once baby arrives. Please take some time and visit one of our presenters website for some wonderful and insightful articles on dogs. Dogs need us to respect their doggie side and direct them with proper boundaries to be successful in our world. This is our job when we bring a dog into our home. So, if you, or someone you know, needs support or has questions please contact a presenter in your area or email me jen@familypaws.com

We are dedicated to increase safety and decreasing stress while including family dogs once baby arrives! Our dogs are in our lives because we invited them in. It is our job to do all we can to keep them safe and meet their needs even during challenging times.