Well, our puppy was supposed to arrive this past Saturday, but she or he is a total slacker and hasn’t even showed up yet! So we’ve got plenty of time to wait around, filling our days with agilities, walks around the neighborhood, and naps.
We’ve also had plenty of downtime to catch up on our reading. Mama has been reading lots of very boring things to us, which is just fine by us, because she lets us nap snuggled up with her, and she is quite comfy as a headrest.
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We’ve already spent the last few weeks telling you all of the ways that WE are getting ready for our future two-legged sibling, and we hope they’ve been helpful. But we also know that every family is different, and every dog has different needs. In addition to our ideas here, you may need other tools as you navigate your own journey. To that end, here are some resources to help:
Our favorite book on the subject is Your Dog and Your Baby: A Practical Guide. It’s easy to read, well-organized, and thoroughly addresses various common (and uncommon) situations involving babies and dogs.
There are several websites that offer webinars, articles, and other resources about issues related to dogs and children. The most prominent is Family Paws. Family Paws also offers a location-based search for trainers who offer their specific dog-baby preparation protocol, here.
As wonderful as books and websites can be, sometimes nothing beats a real-live trainer. Luckily, many training centers around the country offer  special classes, seminars, or private consultations about preparing for life with a baby and dogs.
In Austin, we recommend the Canine Center for Training and Behavior, of course, where the next Babies & Dogs seminar is coming up on Saturday, April 27 at 5pm.
In other areas, we’ve heard of the following classes from some of our readers. We can’t vouch for the training methods or quality at any of the centers below, so please do some independent research before signing up:
And finally, a few words about behavior issues. If you are experiencing behavior issues with your dog and aren’t 100% confident how to proceed, please seek out a seasoned, reputable trainer in your area, especially if you are preparing to welcome a baby or child into your dog-filled life. Most of these issues CAN be resolved with proper instruction and enough time. Do yourself a favor and get started NOW! For more info on picking a quality trainer in your area, see this post.**
To catch up on the rest of our series, check out the following links: