Say Hello to My Little Friends...

Meet the Pretty Girl and the Old Man:

These are our dogs. I love them dearly, but if they did anything like the dog in this story, I might not be as forgiving:

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Do I have reason to be concerned? I don't think so. They're both generally well behaved. They're not always great with other dogs but that's because they're both guard dog varieties. The dog in that story is basically a tamed wolf. Nevertheless, precautions need to be taken. Pretty Girl is already signed up for an update to her obedience training, and Old man is so well behaved that I'm not sure what else we can do with him. What does the internet have to say?

eHow has a good list of reasonable preparations: (Although I'm not enthusiastic about the baby-doll solution)

How to Introduce a Dog to a Newborn

I also like Pregnancy.org's advice on bringing the baby home:

The First Day Home - Baby and Dog

We'll see how it goes.

Toxoplasmosis fun facts...

We have pets. Two dogs and a cat. Besides wondering if I need to get a second job to afford adding another mouth to feed into the mix, I am concerned about the health and welfare of the baby.

For today, let's talk about the cat, more specifically, let's talk about cat feces. I've heard it supposed to be bad for pregnant mothers. Go figure. I didn't know any of the why's and wherefores. Here's what I've learned from the internet:

It is caused by a parasite bug called Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasma gondii is also found in garden soil.

According to the CDC, 22.5% of Americans are infected with this little bugger. In France, 88%.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis are generally flu-like. Although, some recent studies have tied toxoplasma to schizophrenia.

Gripped by panic and fear yet? Relax. The bottom line is this; don't eat raw or rare meats, wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, wear gloves while gardening and wash your hands thoroughly afterward, clean the cat's litter everyday and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. Common sense stuff.

I was surprised to find out about the gardening thing, but mostly my concerns are soothed because when it comes to the cat, I do all cleaning up anyway. And now we have scientific confirmation that cat ladies really are crazy and the French are indeed dirty.