Ludwig is my first child, but Rudy has been my dog's child for a long time.
We went home from the hospital, barely 18 hours after the birth, and the first step at home was for Rudy to say hello to Ludwig. Rudy is a big bulldog who, despite his age, still doesn't understand how big he actually is. It was important to us that he was allowed to say hello to his new family member. However, it still had to happen on our terms, and without it becoming a wild experience that was uncomfortable for Ludwig.
As the days went by, Rudy was allowed to get closer to Ludwig, and especially on the sofa where Rudy was calm, they were allowed to get really close to each other. Rudy is the type who loves to cuddle, so when Ludwig had breastfed and had to burp on his shoulder, Rudy was quick to lay his head on the same shoulder so he could sniff Ludwig.
Tummy time is important for babies, and of course Rudy had to be included in that process too. Tummy time takes place on a mattress on the floor, and Rudy especially loves it since we are all down to his level.
Now we have reached the point where Ludwig is 10 months old and crawls everywhere. He has become interested in touching everything, and this presents a bit of a challenge. Ludwig is still not 100% sure about his movements and certainly not about how much strength he actually has. This has led to episodes where he has pulled my hair, poked my eye and pinched my nipples – because everything is used as a lever when you want to move forward in the world.
We are therefore aware that Ludwig is not hard on Rudy, so that Rudy does not feel the need to "defend" himself. For God's sake, their bond must not be destroyed due to poor oversight from the parents.
Rudy, on the other hand, has become a huge fan of Ludwig's mealtimes, which no longer consist of breast milk. Ludwig sits in his high chair and is fed 4 times a day. Everything that spills over the table mysteriously disappears. Ludwig has even become so clever that if there is something that doesn't please him, he stretches his hand over the edge, and, woot, it disappears into thin air.
Every day is a huge gift for me, as a mother of both boys.
I catch myself smiling as I look into the room. Here I find Ludwig playing, while Rudy lies firmly planted in the corner, completely in control of his little brother.
My heart melts when they spend time together voluntarily. Relationships between dog and child help develop the child's empathetic abilities and social skills. The dog is man's best friend, and the thought that Rudy is not only my best friend, but also Ludwig's best friend makes me very happy.
Rudy is now 7.5 years old, and when I think back to things I can remember from my childhood, it's only from the age of 4. I wish for everything in the world that Ludwig will be able to remember his amazing big brother – but when Ludwig is 4, Rudy will be almost 11.
Now, I'm not particularly religious, but a few times in my life I've said a prayer, hoping that my wish would be fulfilled, so here we go.
“Dear God.
Send youthfulness and health Rudy's way. May he live a fantastic, long and happy dog life, leaving his paw print deep in Ludwig's heart.
Amen.”
Bloggers of the week
This blog post is written by Mie Eriksson, who is the lucky owner of a 7-year-old Old English Bulldog named Rudy. They are active together on Instagram with the profile @ The.Erikssons
The bond between dog & children
Ludwig is my first child, but Rudy has been my dog's child for a long time.
We went home from the hospital, barely 18 hours after the birth, and the first step at home was for Rudy to say hello to Ludwig. Rudy is a big bulldog who, despite his age, still doesn't understand how big he actually is. It was important to us that he was allowed to say hello to his new family member. However, it still had to happen on our terms, and without it becoming a wild experience that was uncomfortable for Ludwig.
As the days went by, Rudy was allowed to get closer to Ludwig, and especially on the sofa where Rudy was calm, they were allowed to get really close to each other. Rudy is the type who loves to cuddle, so when Ludwig had breastfed and had to burp on his shoulder, Rudy was quick to lay his head on the same shoulder so he could sniff Ludwig.
Tummy time is important for babies, and of course Rudy had to be included in that process too. Tummy time takes place on a mattress on the floor, and Rudy especially loves it since we are all down to his level.
Now we have reached the point where Ludwig is 10 months old and crawls everywhere. He has become interested in touching everything, and this presents a bit of a challenge. Ludwig is still not 100% sure about his movements and certainly not about how much strength he actually has. This has led to episodes where he has pulled my hair, poked my eye and pinched my nipples – because everything is used as a lever when you want to move forward in the world.
We are therefore aware that Ludwig is not hard on Rudy, so that Rudy does not feel the need to "defend" himself. For God's sake, their bond must not be destroyed due to poor oversight from the parents.
Rudy, on the other hand, has become a huge fan of Ludwig's mealtimes, which no longer consist of breast milk. Ludwig sits in his high chair and is fed 4 times a day. Everything that spills over the table mysteriously disappears. Ludwig has even become so clever that if there is something that doesn't please him, he stretches his hand over the edge, and, woot, it disappears into thin air.
Every day is a huge gift for me, as a mother of both boys.
I catch myself smiling as I look into the room. Here I find Ludwig playing, while Rudy lies firmly planted in the corner, completely in control of his little brother.
My heart melts when they spend time together voluntarily. Relationships between dog and child help develop the child's empathetic abilities and social skills. The dog is man's best friend, and the thought that Rudy is not only my best friend, but also Ludwig's best friend makes me very happy.
Rudy is now 7.5 years old, and when I think back to things I can remember from my childhood, it's only from the age of 4. I wish for everything in the world that Ludwig will be able to remember his amazing big brother – but when Ludwig is 4, Rudy will be almost 11.
Now, I'm not particularly religious, but a few times in my life I've said a prayer, hoping that my wish would be fulfilled, so here we go.
“Dear God.
Send youthfulness and health Rudy's way. May he live a fantastic, long and happy dog life, leaving his paw print deep in Ludwig's heart.
Amen.”
Bloggers of the week
This blog post is written by Mie Eriksson, who is the lucky owner of a 7-year-old Old English Bulldog named Rudy. They are active together on Instagram with the profile @ The.Erikssons