Pet Education

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Curriculum

Bringing a New Dog Home

Dog Bite Prevention

Your Pet and the Law

Wildlife Encounters

Working Dogs & Service Dogs

Dog Care

Cat Care

Preparing for baby's arrival
We all want our pets and children to enjoy a wonderful, loving relationship. We cannot assume that our pets will naturally, or easily, adapt to the arrival of a new baby. We need to spend time preparing our pets, the home environment and planning how we will introduce our pets to the baby.

Preparing your home
Preparing your pets for the baby’s arrival
All parents want a wonderful and loving relationship between their children and pets. However, we cannot assume that our pets will easily adapt to the arrival of a new baby. If your family already has a pet it is important to help your pet adjust to the new baby.
Dogs and cats are creatures of habit and enjoy routine. It's important to start preparing your pet as soon as you know there will be a new baby in the house. Taking time and effort to prepare your pets for the baby’s arrival will help enable a smooth transition and avoid jealousy and resentment.
Our Pet Planner will guide you through these challenges and help navigate the preparation process.
Will a baby affect the time we spend with our pets?
Looking after your baby will greatly impact the amount of time you spend with your pet. It is important to spend time training and preparing your pets to adjust to this change well before the baby arrives.
We are Family image of dog and gate
What changes do we need to make to the environment?
Your baby’s arrival can also mean you need to make changes to your pet’s physical environment. If you are planning to keep your pets out of certain rooms or areas of the house, then start doing this as soon as possible. This is so they don’t associate the new baby with being kept out of these areas. Work out how you can create a barrier to stop your pets from entering these areas.
We are Family image of dog in car
Helpful hints
Begin new routines as early as possible so your pets are comfortable with them well before the baby’s arrival:
If possible, your partner should take over all pet care duties, such as:
feeding
exercise
play
hygiene.
Get your pets used to being alone for chunks of time each day, even when you are home.
Closing doors to create barriers is not always an option. Some ideas are:
baby gates as barriers for dogs
fly wire doors used as internal barriers for cats.
If you need to change your pet’s sleeping arrangements, make sure their new sleeping area is safe and warm.
If pets travel with you in the car, you may need to change the seating and restraints to make sure they are safely separated.
We are Family image of dog
Preparing your pets
Is there any pet behaviour we need to modify?
Dogs and cats enjoy routine and are not comfortable with sudden change. Changing your pet’s behaviour is not always an easy task. Be patient and keep practising over time. If you need help, your veterinarian or local obedience clubs are excellent resources.
Helpful hints
Make sure your dog understands and obeys basic commands such as ‘sit', ‘stay' and ‘drop’.
Teach your pet to relax on a mat by themselves for a period of time.
Ignore inappropriate behaviours or attention seeking actions such as 'jumping up'.
If you intend to walk your dog with the baby in a pram, don’t assume your dog will be comfortable with this. Teach the dog to walk by the side of the pram before your baby arrives. Never tie your dog’s lead to the pram.
We are Family image of dog grooming We are Family image of cat grooming
Grooming your pet
Make sure your pet has been well groomed a few weeks before your baby’s arrival, including:
coat brushing and cleaning
ear cleaning
claw trimming.
There are many good groomers who can assist you with this task. Contact your veterinarian for recommendations.
We are Family image of cat health check
Organise a health check at the vet
Organise your pet’s regular health check at the vet before the baby’s birth.
Helpful hints
Make sure your pet is up-to-date with their:
worming tablets
flea treatments
vaccinations.
Research the advantages of de-sexing your pet.
If there are behavioural issues to address, get advice from your veterinarian.
We are Family image of dog We are Family image of cat
Organise someone to look after the pets while you are having the baby
Do you have someone to look after your pets while the baby is being born and in the hectic days that follow? Your baby may arrive unexpectedly, even in the middle of the night, so it’s important to plan this well in advance.
If it's possible, your pets should remain in their own home, where they are most comfortable and relaxed.
Helpful hints
If someone will be in your home to care for your pets, familiarise your pets with their carer well before the birth. The person should also be familiar with your pet’s routine.
Make sure you have a good supply of pet food, which covers the hospital visit and the first weeks at home.
If the pets are being cared for away from your home, by family or friends – make sure they are familiar with the carers and the home where they will stay.
If your pets are going to a boarding establishment, do your homework well in advance to find a reputable facility. Discuss options for getting your pets to the facility. Keep in mind that the baby may arrive in the middle of the night.
We are Family image of dog experiences We are Family image of cat experiences
New noises and smells pets will experience
If your pets do not know a baby, there will be new sounds and smells to get used to. Our pet’s sense of smell and hearing is far more developed than ours. Familiarise pets with new smells and noises before the baby arrives. Provide lots of positive reinforcement while introducing these new sounds and smells.
Helpful hints
Play a recording of baby noises in areas where the baby will be most often, so your pets can get used to these new sounds. Increase the volume over time.
If your pet is uncomfortable, reduce the volume and start the process again. Continue this until your pet is relaxed hearing baby sounds.
Take your pet into the nursery to smell and investigate the furniture and walk around under supervision.
Let your pet to explore smells by applying lotions and powders on your hand and let them sniff.
Bringing baby home together
Bringing the baby home
Once your pets are comfortable with their new environment and routines, the next step is to make sure their first meeting is a positive experience.
Bring home an item of clothing the baby has worn for your dog to smell before you bring the baby home. This is an important step in getting your dog ready for the arrival of the baby.
Both humans and dogs share the senses of sight, hearing and smell. While humans communicate mostly through hearing and sight, dogs primarily communicate by smelling.
Baby at home together with the cat Baby at home together with the dog
Research clearly identifies children in the 0–4 age group as most at risk of hospitalisation due to dog attack. There are a variety of strategies to make sure your child is not at risk.
Actively supervise all interaction between your baby and pets.
If you can’t actively supervise, then make sure the pet and child are securely separated so there cannot be any physical contact.
Understanding the potential risks associated with having a baby and pets will reduce the likelihood of accidents.
At home and a first meeting
The first meeting between pet and baby
When you arrive home, it is a good idea to greet the pets without the baby first. A new mother looks and smells different to the last time the pets saw her, when she was pregnant. The pets will be excited to see her.
Helpful hints
Before the baby comes home, offer your pets a sniff of a blanket or clothes with the scent of your baby on them. You should accompany this with positive reinforcement, such as stroking and reassurance. This will help your pet associate the baby with a positive experience.
Wait until everyone is relaxed and settled before you introduce the new baby.
Introducing your dog to the baby
Introducing your dog to the baby
The ideal time to make the introduction is when everyone is calm and relaxed. If possible, make sure your dog has been well exercised, but not over excited, before the meeting.
Helpful hints
Bring the dog in on a leash.
Allow the dog to approach mum and smell the baby.
As part of this process you can unwrap the baby’s feet so that the dog can smell them.
It is important you gently reassure and positively reinforce the dog with praise and stroking.
Repeat the process regularly over the first few weeks until the dog’s curiosity factor declines.
Under no circumstances should you force the dog to meet the baby. If the dog is not comfortable, stop and try another time.
Seek professional advice if your dog continues to show reluctance.
Introducing your cat to the baby
Introducing your cat to the baby
Cats are less likely to make a huge fuss of the newborn. They may be curious but will investigate in their own time. While feeding the baby, call the cat and allow it to come to you.
Helpful hints
Do not force the cat or restrain it, as this can create a negative association with the baby.
Let the cat approach and smell the baby.
You can unwrap the baby’s feet so that the cat can smell them.
It is important to gently reassure and positively reinforce your cat with praise and stroking.
Provide the cat with lots of opportunities over the first few weeks, to make sure it’s comfortable around the new baby.
Seek professional advice if your cat continues to show reluctance.
Maintaining routines with your pets
Maintaining routines
After working hard on any changes to your pet’s routine before the baby’s arrival, it should be relaxed and comfortable with it’s new routine. Maintaining the routine is important as it reassures your pets that all is well, even though there is a new family member.
It is important your pets do not associate the baby with being separated or alone. It's a good idea to make sure your pets spend time away from you even when the baby is not around. If you are feeding the baby and putting the dog outside, you can give your dog something to do, such a playing with a toy. A 'Kong' stuffed with treats or something else to chew on can keep your dog happy and occupied.
Maintaining routines with your cat Maintaining routines with your dog
Helpful hints
Where possible, spend daily quality time with each of your pets.
Grooming or going for a walk are great ‘quality time’ activities.
Sitting on the couch, giving your pet a pat is relaxing for both you and them.
Who elses is looking after your baby Pets of other people caring for your baby
Who else is looking after your baby?
Grandparents, family and friends often help with care of babies and young children. If they have their own pets, make sure they understand 'supervise or separate'. Hopefully they have been preparing their pets for the new arrival too. Grandparents' pets, in particular, may not be used to young children.
Helpful hints
Give a copy of the 'We Are Family' booklet to all caregivers. If a caregiver is coming into your home to care for your child, it is important they are across your routines and requirements – particularly in relation to active supervision and separation.
If your baby is being cared for in the caregiver’s home, always ask what rules they have in place with their pets. If necessary, advise them to actively supervise or securely separate.
If the caregiver is not prepared to supervise or separate, find another caregiver.
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The facts about dog attacks
Children aged 0 to 4 are the highest risk age group for serious dog attack injuries requiring hospital treatment.
7 out of 10 of these dog bite injuries requiring hospital treatment happen in the child’s own home or at a family member or friend’s house. This strongly suggests that the children are being bitten by their own dog or a dog they know.
Approximately half of the bite injuries were to the head, face and neck
Children are usually bitten on the face, neck and head
Children are more likely to be bitten on the face, neck and head due to their height.
Every dog can bite children
Every dog can bite
One of the biggest problems is over confidence of the dog owner that their dog won’t bite. Every dog can bite in the wrong situation. The two main reasons why children are bitten are:
inappropriate play
going near a dog when it needs to be left alone.
Active supervision helps prevent dog bite injuries in young children
Active supervision helps prevent dog bite injuries in young children
Active supervision is very important for reducing dog attacks on children. Research shows dogs are less likely to attack if an adult is there, especially if it's the dog’s owner. Immediate intervention allows a parent to prevent an attack or minimise the severity. Research has identified that young children are unable to fight off an attack, due to their size and strength. This is a contributing factor to the severity of injuries.
High risk behaviours
Research suggests that over 80% of the dog bites to young children are from the child interacting with dog in the following situations. An informed, supervising adult can prevent these behaviours.
Avoid high risk behaviours
Dogs should be left alone when they are eating Dogs should be left alone when they are feading
Dogs should be left alone when they are:
eating
playing with their own toys or possessions
sleeping or in their kennel or bed
with their puppies
tied up
at parties.
Children need to avoid starting at the dog Children need to avoid climbing on the dog
Children need to avoid:
hugging dogs around the neck
patting dogs on the head
climbing on the dog
playing roughly
staring at the dog.
Reduce the risk of dog bites
Actively supervise or securely separate dogs and children with a gate Actively supervise or securely separate dogs and children with screen doors
Actively supervise or securely separate dogs and children
Parents must actively supervise all interactions between children and their dog. Active supervision means your focus is always on the dog and child. Always supervise from close by so you can quickly intervene.
If you can't actively supervise your child and dog, they must be securely separated. This can be as simple as kids playing outside while the dog is confined inside. Two levels of separation is ideal, such as a locked door and a baby gate as a backup. The dog must be securely separated when your child is asleep.
Make sure your dog has somewhere to rest away from your child. Dogs enjoy their rest time especially when they are older. Child free zones are just as important as dog free zones.
Supervise or separate: more information
Most dog attacks take place in the homes of family or friends. Family members and friends must actively supervise or securely separate when your child is around their dogs as well
Most dog attacks take place in the homes of family or friends. Family members and friends must actively supervise or securely separate when your child is around their dogs as well. When you have children of family or friends in your own home, you should securely separate your dog. You cannot assume your dog will behave the same way around other children as with your children, especially if you are not actively supervising.
When your children are in somebody else’s home, active supervision or secure separation is needed. Your child is unlikely to play differently with your dog and someone else’s dog. Different dogs can react differently to the same behaviour from a child.
Don’t be afraid to discuss this with your family members or friends. If they do not agree to your request, do not leave your children in their care unless you can stay and supervise.
Model positive behaviour with your pets
Model positive behaviours
Children learn from us all the time. Pets also remember what they learn at a young age. It is very important to model positive behaviours to both pets and children. If you play roughly with your dog, your toddler will do the same. The reaction of your dog towards your child can be inappropriate because your dog has been taught to react this way.
Before you decide to engage in rough play with your pet, ask yourself:
What behaviours am I reinforcing with my pet?
Do I want my pet playing with my child roughly?
If you are not comfortable with your answers, then change the way you play with your pet.
Pets and children do not understand how to behave with each other. Toddlers can accidentally do things to hurt or upset your pet.
Avoid inappropriate behaviours
Pets and children do not understand how to behave with each other. Toddlers can accidentally do things to hurt or upset your pet. Toddlers grab fur, pull ears and tails or poke at eyes and noses. While we consider a harmless hug around the neck a sign of affection, your pet might not like it.
Toddlers can accidentally hurt or upset your dog because they are unsteady on their feet. By reducing the opportunity for your child to inappropriately interact your pets you are reducing the risk of your child being bitten. Dogs can’t tell children to stop and react according to their instincts. If dogs feel threatened or hurt, they may bite or scratch if they can’t escape.
Once your child is mobile, you must be much more aware of your home set up, to make sure your dog and child aren’t near each other without supervision. A high percentage of the dog attacks of 0 to 4-year old’s are toddlers.
Learn basic dog language
It is important to learn basic dog language and the warning signs dogs give. Understand how your dog shows you it is:
comfortable and relaxed
frightened or nervous
angry or aggressive.
Most dog owners can tell when a dog is happy and relaxed or angry but have difficulty recognising when the dog is nervous or frightened. This is important, as the dog’s behaviour is unpredictable and could escalate out of fear. It is important to look at all the signals a dog gives through it’s whole body, instead of just the dog’s face.

Keep your Pets Safe with Microchips

Microchips reunite pets with families

For animals that get separated from their owners, proper identification is a ticket home.

A microchip is a very small device, about the size of a grain of rice, that is placed under an animal's skin using a hypodermic needle - much like giving the animal a shot. The microchip contains a unique identification number that matches up with the owner's contact information maintained in a database. When a scanner is passed over the chip, the scanner displays the number. If the owner's contact information is up to date in the microchip database, the owner can be located quickly.

Microchipped pets should also wear collars with proper identification.

Reuniting lost animals with their owners relies on accurate contact information being connected with the microchip. The microchip itself contains only a registration number. Animal owners must register their pets’ microchips and keep their contact information current in the registration database. Without accurate contact information in the database, a lost animal might not be returned to its owner even after its microchip is scanned.

How to Choose The Right Pet for You or Your Family

Choosing a Puppy

Adopting a dog into your family involves a great deal of responsiblity.fairly large amount of responsibility. Often times, many people choose to adopt dogs that are still puppies, since they wish to raise a dog entirely in their own home. Making the choice of which puppy to adopt can be extremely difficult, especially since all puppies are naturally adorable! However, there are a few important tips that you can follow which will greatly help you in choosing the puppy that is right for you.

Eyes

A good tactic to use when choosing a puppy is to first check their eyes. Ask the breeder if you can pick up the puppy, and then cradle the puppy in your arms (so that you can clearly see their eyes). A healthy puppy will appear alert, attentive and have a clear gaze. If a puppy’s eyes appear to be cloudy, this could potentially signify a genetic condition involving the eyes, or an eye infection. Also note any discharge from your puppy’s eyes, as this could also be a sign of a medical condition.

Energy

A healthy puppy should have an abundance of energy, except when napping. Watch your puppy during playtime, noticing their general behavior. A puppy should not be constantly lethargic, or sitting out when other puppies are playing. However, it is generally not advised to choose a puppy that is hyperactive, as this can create behavioral problems later on.

Potty Training

When choosing a puppy, it’s important to be honest about how much time you have for the initial training of your puppy. Some breeders will begin a training program for their puppies before they are adopted, and may even potty train their puppies. This can be a very valuable aspect if you don’t have the time to potty train your puppy immediately after adoption.

Temperament

Another important thing to keep in mind when choosing your puppy is temperament. Puppies that immediately run up to you and look for attention are likely to be very excitable when they mature into adult dogs. A puppy that is interested in you, but does not immediately come to investigate is likely to be a fairly low-maintenance dog emotionally, but may not be able to bond with you as much as some other puppies. These temperament statistics are not always correct, as each puppy is different. If in doubt, use your best judgment when choosing a puppy. Try to imagine their temperament characteristics on an adult dog before deciding to adopt them.

Size

Even in the same litter, it is possible that some puppies will differ greatly in size. This is usually indicative of how big they will be as adult dogs, so try to keep this in mind. If you choose the ‘runt’ of the litter, you may end up with an adult dog that is slightly smaller than other dogs of the same breed. If you choose the largest puppy, you may eventually have a grown-up dog that is much larger than you had first expected. Use common sense, and you should be able to choose the right puppy to bring into your home.

So You've Decided to Get a Dog, Now What?

You should consider these when choosing which dog is best for you:

the breed or mix of breeds: this can determine how much exercise, attention, vet care and maintenance (such as grooming) the dog will need

Activity level: How active is your family and how much will the dog be included in your activities? Will family members be able to run, play or walk the dog at a sufficient level on a daily basis to keep it healthy and happy? Do you live in a high rise apartment or in a house with a fenced in yard?

What size dog can you accommodate?

When looking to purchase a new dog, size tends to be one of the first considerations people take into account. However despite what you may want, you have to decide what you can actually house. Obviously a Great Dane in a 800 square foot apartment will probably not be best for you or the dog. Factor your current and future living conditions into your decision.

What will the dog cost to care for and feed?

Be practical with your financial situation, and what breed you would like to own. A dog with hair instead of fur requires professional grooming, a large dog eats far more than a small dog, and breeds with a predisposition for medical conditions will need medication as they get older. Owning a purebred is more expensive than owning a mutt. Be sure not to get in over your head with the cost of maintaining your pet.

What is the breed’s natural activity level?

Some dogs are very energetic, to the point where they don’t stop moving until they sleep. Other dogs will barely have the desire to run at all. Figure out what you want in your dog, and then compare it with a breed that attracts you. For example, if you wanted to go jogging with your pet every morning, you may pick a Labrador or German Shepherd.

How much attention does the breed require?

Dogs need attention from their human companions. However, some dogs need far more attention than others. Evaluate how much time you can spend with your animal each day, and compare it to how much is recommended for the breed you are considering. If you would like a dog that simply likes to be in the room with you, and doesn’t require more than the occasional pat on the head, you may consider something like Brittany Spaniel.

Is the breed good with children?

Consider if the breed you are interested in is suitable for children. Don’t just take into account your current situation, but your future as well. Remember, some dogs can live to be near twenty.

How difficult is the breed to train?

For some people, training their dog to do a certain task or job is an important part of owning them. It is no secret that some dogs are easier to train than others. If you have your eyes set on a breed, look them up in a book called ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’. This book is written by Professor Stanely Coren at the University of British Columbia. Professor Coren tests every major breed’s intelligence and lists them in descending order from “Brightest Dogs” to “Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence”.

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Teach Your Children How To Be Safe Around Dogs

Children aged 0 to 4 are the highest risk age group for serious dog attack injuries requiring hospital treatment.

7 out of 10 of these dog bite injuries requiring hospital treatment happen in the child’s own home or at a family member or friend’s house. This strongly suggests that the children are being bitten by their own dog or a dog they know.

All dogs are capable of biting regardless of their size, age, or breed. We can make our children and pets much safer by understanding what the high risk behaviours are and how we can set up safe practices within our homes.

Children are usually bitten on the face, neck and head

Children are more likely to be bitten on the face, neck and head due to their height.

Every dog can bite

One of the biggest problems is over confidence of the dog owner that their dog won’t bite. Every dog can bite in the wrong situation. The two main reasons why children are bitten are:

inappropriate play
going near a dog when it needs to be left alone.

Active supervision helps prevent dog bite injuries in young children

Active supervision is very important for reducing dog attacks on children. Research shows dogs are less likely to attack if an adult is there, especially if it's the dog’s owner. Immediate intervention allows a parent to prevent an attack or minimise the severity. Research has identified that young children are unable to fight off an attack, due to their size and strength. This is a contributing factor to the severity of injuries.

Avoid high risk behaviours

Research suggests that over 80% of the dog bites to young children are from the child interacting with dog in the following situations. An informed, supervising adult can prevent these behaviours.

Dogs should be left alone when they are:

eating
playing with their own toys or possessions
sleeping or in their kennel or bed
with their puppies
tied up
at parties.

Children need to avoid:

hugging dogs around the neck
patting dogs on the head
climbing on the dog
playing roughly
staring at the dog.

Reduce the risk of dog bites

Actively supervise or securely separate dogs and children

Parents must actively supervise all interactions between children and their dog. Active supervision means your focus is always on the dog and child. Always supervise from close by so you can quickly intervene.

If you can't actively supervise your child and dog, they must be securely separated. This can be as simple as kids playing outside while the dog is confined inside. Two levels of separation is ideal, such as a locked door and a baby gate as a backup. The dog must be securely separated when your child is asleep.

Make sure your dog has somewhere to rest away from your child. Dogs enjoy their rest time especially when they are older. Child free zones are just as important as dog free zones.

Supervise or separate: more information

Most dog attacks take place in the homes of family or friends. Family members and friends must actively supervise or securely separate when your child is around their dogs as well. When you have children of family or friends in your own home, you should securely separate your dog. You cannot assume your dog will behave the same way around other children as with your children, especially if you are not actively supervising.

When your children are in somebody else’s home, active supervision or secure separation is needed. Your child is unlikely to play differently with your dog and someone else’s dog. Different dogs can react differently to the same behaviour from a child.

Don’t be afraid to discuss this with your family members or friends. If they do not agree to your request, do not leave your children in their care unless you can stay and supervise.

Model positive behaviours

Children learn from us all the time. Pets also remember what they learn at a young age. It is very important to model positive behaviours to both pets and children. If you play roughly with your dog, your toddler will do the same. The reaction of your dog towards your child can be inappropriate because your dog has been taught to react this way.

Before you decide to engage in rough play with your pet, ask yourself:

What behaviours am I reinforcing with my pet?
Do I want my pet playing with my child roughly?

If you are not comfortable with your answers, then change the way you play with your pet.

Avoid inappropriate behaviours

Pets and children do not understand how to behave with each other. Toddlers can accidentally do things to hurt or upset your pet. Toddlers grab fur, pull ears and tails or poke at eyes and noses. While we consider a harmless hug around the neck a sign of affection, your pet might not like it.

Toddlers can accidentally hurt or upset your dog because they are unsteady on their feet. By reducing the opportunity for your child to inappropriately interact your pets you are reducing the risk of your child being bitten. Dogs can’t tell children to stop and react according to their instincts. If dogs feel threatened or hurt, they may bite or scratch if they can’t escape.

Once your child is mobile, you must be much more aware of your home set up, to make sure your dog and child aren’t near each other without supervision. A high percentage of the dog attacks of 0 to 4-year old’s are toddlers.

Learn basic dog language

It is important to learn basic dog language and the warning signs dogs give. Understand how your dog shows you it is:

comfortable and relaxed
frightened or nervous
angry or aggressive.

Most dog owners can tell when a dog is happy and relaxed or angry but have difficulty recognising when the dog is nervous or frightened. This is important, as the dog’s behaviour is unpredictable and could escalate out of fear. It is important to look at all the signals a dog gives through it’s whole body, instead of just the dog’s face.

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