#carrie is truly the best thing to have ever happened to finley | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

elvesofnoldor · 5 years

Text

kinda went off the rail yesterday and made a dragon age elf oc called Micah, who is based on gwindor and I plan this elf’s story into finley lavellan’s story arc in inquisition and now i decided that after my lavellan and dorian breaks up one year post-trespasser in this fanfic arc i planned for them, they aren’t gonna get back together by the end of the fic. instead, my lavellan is gonna keep taking a break from this relationship and im gonna leave it open like that. like, im not sure if i wanna ship my lavellan with this Micah (whom i actually really love right now), but lavellan x dorian is making less and less sense the more i think about it. And honestly, i dont think any sort of development dorian can have would change anything substantially.

i always have a rough time writing lavellan x dorian, cause the fact that dorian is tevinter, the fact that he shares kinship with slavers and slave owners is just always fucking ridiculous on its own. And given that lavellan is an elf in dragon age universe and there is this history of tevinters enslaving his ancestors and enacting literal and cultural genocide against his people, i always have a hard time justifying lavellan falling in love with dorian and im pretty sure other ppl has that problem too. Also, even though dorian is the head of his house now, we still dont know if he dismisses the goddamn slaves his parents owned, so there is also this bullshit. Then there is dorian “i almost definitely slept with elven sex slaves in the elven slums--who are either socially marginalized people forced into sex work or victims of sex trafficking” pavus talking about how slavery isn’t that bad in tevinter, and then turn around and wax poetic about how same-gender relationships aren’t meant to be about love in tevinter wah wah wah. Anybody who read the codex entry on tevinter culture in da:i knows that same-gender relationships are only frowned upon in tevinter imperium when it disrupts the cis-heterosexual political marriages between noble mage houses, same-gender sex and relationships are in fact ENCOURAGED in tevinter when it happens between slave owners and their slaves. so yeah, i said dorian has never been a fucking victim before, well, this is why. sexuality and class privilege/oppression are intertwined in real world and in fictional universes that mirrored the real world and believe or not, being the top of social hierarchy means dorian got the better end of the bargain. he said, oh, “anything between two men, it’s about pleasure”. yeah, specifically a slaver owner’s pleasure in violating and further dehumanizing a person lol!!! but sure dorian you are so fucking oppressed. im just. i have been wary before, of dorian. because of this slavery thing, and i never really talked abt why. and im just. i am even more wary now. and i still like dorian i guess, but, lmao. i just can’t make lavellan and dorian some sort of great love story, cause it really ain’t one. lavellan fell in love with dorian cause i insisted on having romance interests in every single one of my dragon age playthroughs--especially when it’s a canon one, but honestly he really shouldn’t have. in my fic, they broke up cause finley lavellan knew dorian used to whore around in tevinter’s elven slums/alienages, and someone lied to lavellan and said that dorian is still doing that with lavellan living at his estate, and even though lavellan knew abt the truth later, he still felt gross about sharing a bed with someone who slept with potential victims of sex trafficking, so, they are taking a break for now. it’s just bad ok, lavellan is also in the right, ok. fuck knows whats gonna happen in da4, i doubt it’d change anything--and that’s speaking on the pretence that dorian will even be involved in da4. i have this headcanon abt lavellan crafting a pair of rings for him and dorian in his forge as their engagement rings, i will retain that headcanon about the engagement rings, but the ring might not be for dorian. anyways this is elf oc is based on gwindor, and gwindor’s story is that he was an elven lord (presumably a noldor elf) of hidden kingdom of nagathrond, and he was a valiant and fierce warrior who literally charged inside The Devil Himself (morgoth)’s stronghold with his company after his little brother was brutally executed (god. poor gelmlir) in front of the elven host, unfortunately for him, everybody in his company is killed and he alone was captured and enslaved and forced to work in morgoth’s mine for 14 years. apparently during the 14 years, he was “mutilated”, his hair turned grey during the process, and the experience “sapped his strength” (i think it’s like, spiritual strength, cause it seems elves in tolkien universe draws strength and power of all kinds from their fea aka their spirit). he eventually escaped and he lost his hand in the process, and almost died from losing the goddamn hand, but then he got rescued by another elf. BUT this elf (beleg) got accidentally stabbed to death by his disaster of a human best friend soon after. And gwindor, who’s already dealing with a truck load of trauma himself, was kind enough to comfort and and guide this disaster human dude (who went in shock cause he can’t accept what he did with his own damn hands) and brought him to nagthrond aka his home. but when gwindor needed love and support the most from his loved ones, they all stop listening to him and he lost his previous influence on his people and nobody is there to help him through his trauma, and he ended up feeling like he’s unfit to be loved, which is bullshit. eventually this disaster human dude’s dumbass advice got him and everybody he loved killed. And i was like it’s pretty bullshit that this obviously traumatized character is ostracized from his community for being traumatized, instead of getting the love and support he deserves and i said thats bullshit because in this house traumatized people get to have live happily ever after. so my desire to make gwindor happy inspires the creation of this elf oc. now dragon age elves can’t really be lords or ladies or prince or princess, but the keeper and the keeper’s children are usually descendants of the elven nobilities of the dales, so, that should be close enough. Also i want more dalish mage characters anyways. This elf oc is a dalish mage, his name is Micah and he’s the First of his clan, as matter of fact. I wouldn’t say he’s exactly like merrill, but he does have merrill’s hair colour (dark raven hair but his hair is long), merrill’s eyes (more hazel than just green, but yeah) and merrill’s skin tone (light/pale). he’s also the more studio type, like merrill, and has a more bubbly personality than either of my lavellans. This dalish mage used to love the fade, and he loved the ancient songs he witnessed in the fade the most. Micah also has a beautiful voice and he’s very good at singing and he always carries a little lute with him to accompany his tunes. When he’s not nose deep in tomes about spells and magical theories and ancient texts, he’s out singing in the woods with his lute--he only performs in front of his family or his closest childhood friends since he’s not a people person. While finley lavellan has this appearance of gentleness, he can be quite ruthless and cold. And lavellan is more of a natural leader type of person. Micah, on the other hand, is truly a soft and gentle soul and is really not the kind to truly be a leader of any kind.

so what happened is that, Micah is from a clan that’s always travelling around ferelden. they settled around denerium when the fifth blight broke out (that was events of da:o), but specifically he went to the denerium alienage to trade some goods with the shop keepers at least two weeks prior to the warden’s arrival at the alienage. However, he noticed the presences of the tevinters, become worried for the alienage’s safety since he suspects these are slavers, and he’s locked in the quarantine inside because of the spread of the plague. shianni found him trying to warn the sick alienage residents and shared her concern, but at the time shianni is just suspicious and not openly oppose to the tevinters’ presences. now in da:o, im pretty sure if you are an elf warden at least, you can feign sickness and get “admitted” in, but then you’d get stripped of your belongings and had to fight 14 tevinter enemies with literally no weapon so im pretty sure you weren’t supposed to do that (i did that cause i was a dumbass). so what happens is that Micah tried doing that, he ended up fighting a dozen and more soldiers with no weapon or any sort and was quickly subdued. And he was shipped away with the rest of alienage residents before the warden ever got to confront the tevinter slavers unfortunately. he just turned 20. Then after his disappearance, shianni becomes more openly oppose to the tevinters’ presences at the alienage since she’s more convinced that something fishy is going on. so...a tevinter magister had him....for 10 years. that guy is a blood mage and he’s also like, basically danarius. so like, a demon. Not gonna go into detail about what happened because i dont like to talk too much about actual events that caused the traumas, i just wanna talk about the recovery and dealing with the trauma. but, basically, micah revealed right away that he is a mage, hoping the status of being a mage’d get him released in tevinter but that didn’t happen and the magister kept using his blood to fuel his spells, since his blood is potent with magic. later, the magister also experimented on him with semi-refined lyrium to make his blood even more potent but the experimentation failed and permanently blinded Micah and turned his hair white and he received a long scar from the left eye that goes straight down to his lips and continues down the right half of his torso. Basically, instead of losing a hand like gwindor, Micah lost his sight. And apparently, in canon, king maric got captured by this tevinter blood mage magister dude and alistair had to go and save him or whatever but king maric was hooked to this machine and trapped in this dream-state in the fade so that the blood mage can use his blood and life force to fuel spells. so after Micah is blinded and disfigured and deemed not as “useful” as he is before, what happened to king maric sort of happened to him, but he didn’t spend long enough time hook to the machine so he isn’t gonna die once he’s unhooked from the machine. for a while, Micah doesn’t even know he was trapped in a dream, and when he realizes he’s trapped in the fade, he couldn’t get out and back into his body. Events of inquisition start to happen, this tevinter magister is obviously a venatori, and he went south after the inquisition started to fight the venatori everywhere, probably as reinforcement. he brought Micah with him. And i think my lavellan either confronted this blood mage at hissing wastes (maybe it’s the moutaintop camp? maybe it’s after you cleared out the venatori at hissing waste and he came as reinforcement?). not to digress but i’d love to fight a blood mage in inquisition but that was not meant to be, so it’s happening in this oc fanfic scenario. Inquisitor finley lavellan had a very hard time trying to get to this guy, and know he’s a quite a powerful mage, and he is forced to retreat with his companions and inquisiton soldiers to the camp. This time lavellan decided to sneak in while his party member created a distraction outside, and once inside the camp, he discovered poor micah hooked to a machine--presumably the source of the magister’s power. pegging the machine as something that traps the elf in the fade, lavellan connects himself to the machine and went to find micah in the fade. With lavellan’s help, micah is able to break away from the eternal dream and wake up. his body is obviously frail from spending a few years immobile, so lavellan tried to sneak out with micah in his arms but they were confronted by the magister who brought numerous archers and ambushed them at the lobby (inside some mountain at hissing waste), lavellan opened one or two rifts to suck in the archers, and petrified the magister with earth magic enhanced by the anchor’s connection to the fade (the magister is immobile and his flesh is slowly hardening from the earth magic but he’s alive and acutely and painfully aware of what’s happening to his body). Micah is the one who got the tear the magister from limb to limb with his own magic and explode him into chunks of meat, avenging the abuse that’s done to him. and finley brought micah with him to skyhold and there he rests and recovers. finley, inquisition mages (not dorian though, him being tevinter mage and a mediocre healer and all, it’s more like, vivenne and solas actually) all help to nurture him back to health. he become healthy again, even though he is still blind and his hair remains the same grey white colour and the scar that disfigured his face is unremovable. Micah unfortunately becomes afraid of the fade and hates it when he dreams, sometime he’d wake up terrified, not knowing if he wakes up from a dream or if he just drops into one. It was with finley’s help that he become more aware of what’s dream and what’s reality. while Micah’s at skyhold, micah and finley becomes good friends as finley constantly visits him and even brings him a lute after knowing micah loves to play and sings. they become close enough that micah is comfortable singing to finley. micah didn’t get involved with inquisition business while he’s recovering, however, he did discover a way to “see” with the tap of his feet and sounds bouncing off object, kinda like how toph (btw i love toph) “see” with passive earth bending. i like to think micah always favours earth magic and telekinesis and rarely uses other elemental magic. Micah ends up combining his telekinesis skills with a form of weaponizing sounds (it’s sound bending lmao) and develops something very close to the force mage specialization in da 2. aka pushing people off with force of sound, manipulating gravity. And Micah uses sound to “see”, basically. And singing evolves from a hobby to necessity, since humming/singing or playing an instrument allows him to “see”, so that he’s not trapped in an eternal darkness. with finley’s help, micah finds his way back to his clan still wandering around ferelden and they tearfully welcomed his return after presuming him dead for years. That was like, right after the events of inquisition main game concludes. Then three years later, micah crosses finley again in tevinter out of all places. turns out that micah has seen the dread wolf/solas in the fade and he was offered to join him but micah is loyal to finley and did not answer. More importantly, ever since micah is back, he hate it that everybody pities him. even though his clan loves him still, they treat him like a broken fragile thing who can’t take care of himself. And micah, is able to walk around and goes about his daily business as anybody who has their sights, is sick of people pitying him. The fact that he is no longer the First as he is seen incapable of becoming the keeper angers him (and micah is almost never angry), so he willingly left the clan and started his own journey to find out more about the dread wolf and that journey allows him to cross path with finley again. when micah met finley again, finley has already break up with dorian and now lived in the cottage he built somewhere in the woods at the outskirt of some city. There, they both devised the plan to venture out to ruins of Arlathan as companions to find out the truth about the blight and solas’ plan/stopping solas.

#yolanda talks #finley lavellan

0 notes

picturesinlove · 7 years

Text

London Film Festival 2017 or: the real world sucks just watch films for 2 weeks

I feel like I’ve spent my entire student loan seeing things at the London Film Festival, which ran over the last few weeks.

Was worth it.

#1: MANIFESTO, directed by Julian Rosefeldt, 90 mins

- Originally a critically acclaimed multi-screen video installation in which Cate Blanchett plays 13 different characters, ranging from a school teacher to a homeless man, performing artist’s manifestos in 13 different scenarios. Part of the financing deal was Rosefeldt had to cut a 90 minute, linear version of the piece for a cinematic setting. Provides some super interesting results.

- Clearly a translation, but an interesting one. Making the viewer watch it beginning to end highlights the flaws in that translation from installation to cinematic setting (can get too much to digest sometimes), but when it works, it *really* works.

- More than anything, made me think about the cinema as a space- question the realms of it and what we’re putting on a big screen.

- CATE FUCKING BLANCHETT!!!! i am convinced no one could have pulled this off like she did. She’s running on adrenaline and pure bravery. She makes interesting choices at every twist and turn. A masterclass.

- You HAVE to be fully, super awake and willing to give this your full attention from the start. It’s slow and beautiful and wonderful... but it is slow.

- Genre hops from scenario to scenario perfectly... from Clio Banard-esque social realism to Rachel Maclean-like cartoonish sci-fi.

- Some things Julian Rosefeldt and Cate Blanchett said in the talk afterwards that seemed interesting (lots of paraphrasing): - The white cube is a prison... talking to people who already agree with you... Cinema has a bigger audience with more coincidental audience members- Cate Blanchett fans from the new Thor film mayyyy see this... - Ask ‘would anyone be interested in seeing this?’, NOT ‘will anyone like it?’ - ‘If I could say what everything means, I should stop doing art.’ - ‘Your brain attends to things differently when watched linearly’ - ‘Art’s role isn’t educative- it’s provocative.’

4/5.

Opens November 24th.

#2: BATTLE OF THE SEXES, directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valarie Faris, 121 mins

- True story of 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

- Rousing good fun. A real crowd pleaser. I saw the Gala screening at the Odeon in Leicester Square... the perfect way to watch- with lots of people, all feeling the Hollywood-ised, over-dramatised, over-sentimental beats together... and super enjoying it.

- It’s less subtle than MOTHER! (2017) about what it’s saying, but has a shining, naive optimism to it that you just kind of have to smile at.

- Emma Stone and Steve Carrell as King and Riggs hold all the moving pieces together. They add weight to potentially weightless, throw-away moments.

- All supporting performances great too- Sarah Silverman the MVP. Andrea Riseborough continues to be a chameleon, effortlessly embodying everything about who she’s playing, and it doesn’t even look like she’s trying. And hey! it’s super nice to Martha MacIsaac back on screen with Emma Stone! Their first time together on screen since Superbad (2007).

- The romance between Billie Jean King and Riseborough’s character Marilyn Barnett is easily the most engaging aspect of the film. The only time it leaves Hollywood feel-good territory. Something so magical watching them drive the sun-kissed California roads together listening to ‘Rocket Man’.

3.5/5.

Opens November 24th.

#3: OUR TIME WILL COME, directed by Ann Hui, 130 mins

- 1940s Japanese occupied Hong Kong. Fang Lan, a young primary school teacher, gets involved in the resistance movement and rises to become a legendary figure in the fight for freedom.

- STAKES. Really, really gets how to set up stakes for the characters. It’s a film about all the small things, the little fights in a war that will eventually add up to victory. Not assassinating all the leaders of the opposing army, just stealing a map that’s been put in a bin in an enemy outpost, hoping perhaps it helps. It’s a section of a larger painting. EVERYTHING feels dangerous. Every character is in danger at every moment, and is always punished for making the smallest mistake. Gives the sense that the oppressive State is ALWAYS watching. It demands you never become de-sensitised to the violence which leads to that immediate sense of danger.

- Had a restrained cheapness to it which I actually quite liked. Every now and then you get some goofy looking VFXs and some badly dubbed ADR, but the restraint keeps everything feeling grounded and human.

- Runs at it’s own pace/abides by it’s own structure, which may be too slow/anti-climactic for some, but I liked it for the most part. Playing by it’s own rules and truly being what it wanted to be... which sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t.

- The moments it steps out of the main story and does a docu-drama thing... just why? Came across so half-baked. Similar to the 3 time scales in Nolan’s Dunkirk (2017), there was never really a moment of release, an ‘oh! that’s a really interesting decision to do that!’ moment. Just left me kind of baffled to why?

- Genuine moments of magic that I wouldn’t dream of spoiling. Seriously some of the most creative, inspired scenes I’ve ever seen.

- Some guy (wearing a BFI lanyard??) sitting a few seats away kept repeating phrases from the film outloud in a strange voice? Why would you do this??

3.5/5.

UK release date unknown, probably some time in 2018.

#4: LAST FLAG FLYING, directed by Richard Linklater, 124 mins

- 2003. A Vietnam veteran recruits his two oldest buddies, who he served with, to accompany him on a journey no one should ever have to take.

- Richard Linklater continues to prove he can effortless hop between genres like no one else, but the film is still packed full with ideas he’s played with before.

- Performances are uniformly and predictably excellent. Bryan Cranston’s Sal is like the crazy friend of your parents who’d show up every few years in a beaten up old car and give you a pack of smokes for your birthday. Laurence Fishburne says ‘praise Jesus’ every 2 minutes and it’s amazing. Steve Carrell has a quiet dignity to him that’s really special.

- Linklater knows exactly what he’s doing with his camera (water is wet), but it kills me to say it felt visually bland like his films never have.

- Features the best ‘characters uncontrollably laughing’ scene since The Intouchables (2011).

4/5.

Opens 3rd November.

#5: THOROUGHBREDS, directed by Cory Finley, 90 minutes

- Two rich-kids from small town Connecticut hatch a plan together.

- Ugh, just.... what’s the point? It’s not boring, but every frame just had me thinking ‘why is this happening?’ So disappointingly transparent. I could see the director sitting planning the movements and cuts. Painfully ‘first-feature’ like. Should have been a rich, twisted delight, but was just so vapid and empty.

- Olivia Cooke is one of my favourite rising actresses. Has one of my favourite performances ever as Rachel in Me and Earl and The Dying Girl (2015), and dammit I cry every time I watch her in it. In this... she does a good job with what she’s given. Anya Taylor-Joy is fun too.

- Badly costumed?? So rarely actively think that.

- Music was fun but as empty and ultimately weightless as the rest of the film. Felt like an afterthought to spice things up.

- Anton Yelchin’s character was the only person in the whole film I cared about. Brings a greyness to such a black and white film. What a fucking loss to the world man.

2/5.

Opens 9th March, 2018.

#6: CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, directed by Luca Guadagnino, 130 minutes

- Somewhere in Northern Italy, Summer 1983, Elio’s life changes.

- Sun-drenched Europe, the smell of warmth and twirling cigarette smoke, deep blue sky- pure, breakfast with a glass of apricot juice and an espresso, the sound of bike spokes spinning lazily.

I wish I could live with these people.

‘Later.’

4.5/5.

Opens 27th October.

#7: THE SHAPE OF WATER, directed by Guillermo del Toro, 119 minutes

- 1962, Cold War America. A mute cleaner at a government research facility, Elisa, strikes up an unlikely relationship.

- Del Toro just *knows* what he’s doing. It’s all so effortlessly confident. So rich and fulfilled. Such commitment to everything.

- The first half is fantastical and brilliant. The second.... loses something. Still has moments of genius, but too much plot. Fizzles out in a disappointing way.

- Reminded me in a lot of ways of Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver (2017). Both are clearly projects the directors have wanted to make for a while, both have amazing first acts then don’t quite know what do with themselves. However, Shape has pure heart that carries it through any rough patches. It feels like it’s actually about something, not just an exercise in style for the director.

3.8/5.

Opens 16th February, 2018.

#8: LUCKY, directed by John Carroll Lynch, 88 minutes

- The swan song of Harry Dean Stanton. A 90-year old atheist’s life as he wanders his desert town, drinking, smoking and speaking to old friends.

- Pure magic all the way through. Plays at exactly the speed and tone it wants to play at.

- One of the most engaging ‘but nothing happens!!’ films I’ve ever seen.

- Everyone hits perfectly. David Lynch appears playing a character that has a pet tortoise called President Roosevelt for fuck sake.

- Bleak, but finds immense joy in that bleakness. Whenever I feel like I’m about to face the void- I will remember the smile of Harry Dean Stanton.

- 3.5/5.

Opens January 2018.

#9: BAD GENIUS, directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya, 130 minutes

- Thai Heist-Thriller about students cheating their exams.

- WHAT A FUCKING RIDE!! More stakes in this than most ‘end of the world’ superhero movies.

- The filmmaking is so good it makes you forget plausibility is sometimes being pushed. Amazing set-pieces. Expertly choreographed.

- Whimsical, but painful and genuinely emotional when it needs to be.

- Every character is so rich and textured in their own way. So fully realised.

- Why do the last 2 minutes of this film exist??

- 2 years time, there will almost certainly be an American remake of this... and it’ll suck so hard.

- SEE THIS FILM. SEE THIS FILM. SEE THIS FILM. SEE THIS FILM.

4/5.

Opens some time in 2018.

#10: THE FLORIDA PROJECT, directed by Sean Baker, 115 minutes

- In the shadow of Disney World, 6 year-old Moonee and her friends spend the summer playing around the Motels they live in.

- Pastel bright colours. Every person has survived a storm. Explore the wasteland of failed corporate America. Become a child again.

- Baker continues to masterfully blend fiction with reality, wrapping one in the other.

- Doesn’t ask you to like the characters. Doesn’t need to. One of the very best films of the year.

4.5/5.

Opens 10th November.

#11: INGRID GOES WEST, directed by Matt Spicer, 98 minutes

- Ingrid moves to California to become Instagram famous.

- An enjoyable, fun Saturday night film.

- Elisabeth Olsen as ‘photographer’ Taylor Sloane is note perfect. Could so easily have slept-walked through it, but didn’t. Her relationship with brother Nicky is so, so good. Idea of this Instagram famous rich girl with her crazy, pill-junkie, roid-monkey brother who she knows is terrible but loves him and is sort of as vapid as he is- just knows how to hide it better. And man, he is SO evil. Haven’t hated a character as much as I hated him in a while.

- Plaza holds it together. Her and the film trust you to realise how mentally ill she is without reminding us too much.

- 1st half is superbly played... loses it somewhere in the middle of the 2nd act but picks up again at the end.

- Music was terrible?! Suggested some weird criss-cross in tone of the film.

- I GET IT! THE INTERNET IS BAD!

3.5/5.

Opens 17th November.

#12: You Were Never Really Here, directed by Lynne Ramsey, 85 minutes

- Gulf War veteran Joe is known for the brutality he inflicts on captors of the children he’s rescuing.

- Deeply troubled. Beautiful. Precise. Scatter-brained. Focused. A violin strung too tightly, then played by a madman. How can something so stripped down and raw feel so symphonic and wholesome? I feel like I’ve been repeatedly smashed in the head with a hammer... but enjoyed it.

- Jaoquin Phoenix. Lynne Ramsey. Johnny Greenwood.

- There are things in this that will play on loop in my head for the rest of my life.

4.5/5.

Opens in early 2018.

#13: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, directed by Martin McDonagh, 115 minutes

- A mother takes desperate steps to pressure local law enforcement to find her daughter’s killer.

- Perfectly woven and layered characters. I fucking hate the phrase ‘the character arc’, but if I were teaching a class in it- I’d show this film.

- A film about relationships, and every relationship between every character or creature or inanimate object is perfect.

- McDonagh loves theatrical sensibilities. Nobody does grand, rich set-pieces quite like him... makes highly stylised situations feel real in the world he sets up.

- I could have watched hours more of these characters interacting.

4/5.

Opens 12th January 2018.

STRAY THOUGHTS:

- Felt spoilt in the audiences I had the pleasure of watching these films with. Always respectful.

- Every time Clare Stewart (head of festival) came on stage to present a film, I just couldn’t help but smile. Bumped into her after a screening and told her my student loan situation. I don’t think she knew what to say.

- DON’T WATCH THE TRAILERS OF ANY OF THESE FILMS. THEY SPOIL SO MANY OF THEM.

- I am consistently shocked by how enamoured I am with celebrities. Some weird conditioning in my brain. Am glad I didn’t queue up to get a picture with anyone. Saying that, this screenshot from a random interview I saw online where I’m juuuust to the left of Emma Stone will live on my wall forever.

ughhhhhh i’m a loser ughhhhh

2 notes · View notes

racingtoaredlight · 7 years

Text

The official RTARL 2017 college football preview issue, vol. 10: ACC

youtube

Lead Belly was the perfect choice for these posts. If all 50 or so of you have gained any appreciation then this hasn’t been in vain. I don’t exactly remember why I made this the song for the ACC. I might have read about a future series between Miami and Alabama right before I made this irrevocable decision? Maybe I think the ACC is gunning for that #1 spot? I’m not sure.

If you missed the previous entries in this series go here: preview of previews, CUSA, Sun Belt, FBS Independents, MAC, MWC, AAC, Big XII, B1G, Pac 12.

Last year’s best conference in America was actually slightly worse than the SEC overall but Clemson won the national title so the ACC gets to claim bragging rights for the entire conference. It’s only fair.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

ATLANTIC DIVISION

FLORIDA STATE

National Championship contenders again, FSU probably has only one real weakness. Fortunately for the 3 or 4 teams they play that might actually beat them that weakness is offensive line. When your schedule includes three of the top ten defensive lines in the country that could be a real problem. Realistically 10-2 is the floor for this team but that’s assuming Derwin James plays like he did before he got hurt and that Deondre Francois is actually good.

LOUISVILLE

This is a little crazy for me to put them over Clemson but I’m going with it. Lamar Jackson was the best player in the country last year and he wasn’t really a finished product. Another year of improvements could be really scary. They lost a bunch of guys from last year but most of those guys sort of stopped trying after the FSU blowout. This could be my worst prediction out of this whole series of posts.

CLEMSON

Deshaun Watson and Mike Williams are gone, along with a bunch of other guys that you will see playing in the NFL and forget why you recognize their names but when you have something like 10 potential first round picks in your defensive line rotation how far can you really fall?

NORTH CAROLINA STATE

After the top 3 things fall off fast in the Atlantic and NC State just sort of seems like their better than the others but it isn’t by much. Matt Dayes is gone but Ryan Finley is going to be another Wolfpack QB that gets drafted on day 2 and then hangs around the NFL forever as something of a punchline.

BOSTON COLLEGE

This team, as per usual, sucks.

WAKE FOREST

This team, as per usual, sucks.

SYRACUSE

College football announcer love Dino Babers but this team, as per usual, sucks.

COASTAL DIVISION

MIAMI

You know, other than QB, this is a pretty solid college football team. Malik Rosier is probably a nice kid who can do a lot of good things on the football field. Unfortunately none of the things he does well is throw the football. We all kind of assume N’Kosi Perry will take over some time in the first half of the season but the FSU game is in the third week so that’s already a lost cause. Mark Walton should see a ton of carries but there are a lot of great pass catchers on this team who will go wanting with Rosier on the field. The defense is solid all over with a great line, which is truly a testament to Craig Kuligowski who turned Missouri of all places into an NFL factory and is doing the same at Miami. The linebackers lack depth but the three freshman starters from last year all looked good. The defensive backs are talented but inexperienced. Really, everything but QB is above average right now for The U.

VIRGINIA TECH

Justin Fuente turned Virginia Tech around more quickly than anybody expected and then all of his RS sophomores and juniors that were supposed to be this year’s stars all left. He’s shown that he can put together an offense from scraps before so maybe it doesn’t matter and VPISU is on the way to another 10-win season that makes me want to throw my TV into the ocean as they beat Miami out for another division title.

PITTSBURGH

All prognosticating is guesswork but the remainder of this post is what we in the biz call ‘uneducated guesswork.’ There is basically no real baseline for projections on any of the other teams in the conference. Pitt seems like the safest bet to become bowl eligible based on past seasons but it’s not like I know anything about any of their players other than Qadree Ollison. He, at the very least, is good.

GEORGIA TECH

I’m a sucker for everything Paul Johnson but I’ll never trust his team again. Unless he goes on a spending spree and starts bringing in a few of the 5-star running backs that somehow grow on trees for UGA but never go to Georgia Tech. Athens is a nice place, I’m told, but Atlanta is a place where people choose to live in droves for every reason other than playing college football.

DUKE

I like it when Duke is bad. David Cutcliffe is the perfect head coach for Duke because I fucking hate him and he’s already peaked. Can they crawl back to bowl eligibility? Sure they can but when the conference went crazy with coaching hires in 2016 it probably buried Duke as a budding conference contender. Thank god.

NORTH CAROLINA

You don’t just replace Mitchell Trubisky! I’m half joking, even though he looks a lot more competent playing preseason ball for the NFL Cubs than I ever expected, but UNC lost everything from last year’s team. Larry Fedora is a good coach but I think it’s OK for the Tar Heels to have one down season. Do not tell Larry Fedora I said that because he will rip out my arms.

VIRGINIA

Would youbelieve that UVA has two good linebackers and a star freshman running back? You probably wouldn’t if you happen upon a game this season but those two linebackers are going to get drafted pretty early next year.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

CHAMPION: Miami (theoretically FSU can go 12-0 and still lose the ACC CG)

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Christian Wilkins, DL, Clemson (yeah, yeah, I chose Dexter Lawrence and Derwin James as RTARLsman contenders but I’m hedging and I just kind of forgot Wilkins when I was putting that together)

WATCHABILITY ADVICE: The ACC is the best mix of NFL-level talent and diverse offensive schemes of any conference in the country. The spending spree at head coach the last few years has yielded some big names at the big name programs and the flow of talent has actually increased from what it was when the ACC was just FSU and whoever else. I'm biased but the ACC consistently entertains me more than any other conference in the nation.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

#leadbelly #huddie ledbetter #rtarl college football preview 2017 #acc #conference of the year #alabama bound #mark walton #lamar jackson #christian wilkins #deondre francois #derwin james #dexter lawrence #football #college football

0 notes

northshoregadgets · 7 years

Text

Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby

Snuggled. Spoiled. Doted upon. Loved within an inch of her life. Our dog, Finley, is truly our baby. She’s been my constant companion and the apple of my husband’s eye for the past two years. But we’re about to welcome a newborn human into our home and have heard that babies and dogs can be a tricky combination.

We’ve been bracing ourselves for the transition over the past seven months, but quickly realized that crossing our fingers and hoping for the best wouldn’t be enough. Taking a proactive approach, we registered for a “bringing a baby home” class with Jeris and Eve Pugh, owners of The Martial Arfs, to learn all about introducing a new family member when a furry, four-legged one has gotten used to being the center of attention.

Our first child, Finley. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

We soon discovered that once an infant enters the picture, everything changes. And that can be especially stressful for the family pet. An animal you might otherwise trust — much like our sweet, sensitive Finley — can become anxious or aggressive and act out in fear. In fact, many dogs you wouldn’t normally consider very threatening — from a Papillon to a Lab — have all appeared in police reports for fatally wounding children.

The thought of our cherished Vizsla attacking our new baby was upsetting of course, but also eye-opening. That’s the kind of worst-case scenario most people prefer not to think about, but there are lessons to be learned from such incidents. Here are our 20 takeaways about mixing babies and dogs:

1. Bring your dog to the vet

Schedule a visit to the vet for before the baby arrives. Veterinarian examining dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

Jeris and Eve suggest requesting a full exam with bloodwork to make sure your dog isn’t experiencing any undiagnosed health problems. Managing both a newborn and a dog with a serious health issue can be especially challenging and time consuming, so it’s better to know what you’re dealing with ahead of time. Even though Finley seems relatively healthy, we’ll still get her checked about a month before the baby is due.

2. Desensitize your dog to new sights, sounds and smells

Turn on the infant swing, put up baby gates around the house and go for walks with the stroller. Play baby sounds like crying and cooing. Use baby lotion on your skin. Start carrying around a baby doll. Slowly introduce new stimuli before the baby arrives. Gradually making changes in advance will help manage your dog’s stress levels.

3. Keep all baby and dog toys separate

Better yet, teach your dog the “leave it” command. Do this well ahead of time so you’re not trying to train your pup when you have a newborn around. Finley is fairly good at leaving items alone but has a hard time giving something up once it’s in her possession — something we need to work on.

Dog toys and baby toys are often hard to tell apart, especially for the little ones. Chihuahua puppy with toy. Photography by Shutterstock.

4. Let babies and dogs mix beforehand

Try to recruit nieces, nephews and children around the neighborhood for short-and-sweet visits. We’ve been walking Finley through the park and near playgrounds where kids are running around and making noise.

5. Reduce activity levels

Inevitably, your dog’s physical and mental needs are not going to be met as readily as they were pre-baby. So we’ve tested out how Finley fares with reduced activity before the baby comes. Some days she’s fine, others she’s visibly frustrated. We’re getting her accustomed to less attention and activity overall.

6. Establish a baby-free zone for your dog

This can be a crate, a corner of the house or an entire room if there’s space. For us, this is the basement where Finley is free to roam and hang out with her toys and treasures sans crying baby.

Finley relaxes in her crate. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

7. Practice closing your dog out of certain rooms

You may need to keep your dog out of the baby’s room, your bedroom, or any other area where your little one is sleeping, playing or eating. Getting Finley used to closed doors isn’t easy. She always wants to be part of the action, but practice makes perfect.

And now, let’s talk about making the introduction.

8. Exhaust your pooch first

When you first come home, your dog should be mentally and physically exhausted so their energy level is nice and low. Hire a dog walker or ask a close friend or relative to exercise your pooch an hour before you’re due to arrive home. For us, Finley will likely have spent a day or two at doggy daycare prior to our return home — more than enough to exhaust her.

Finley will get plenty of playtime before we bring the baby home. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

9. Don’t rush things

Many new parents are in a hurry to get the dog and baby together as one big happy family. But the introduction should be slow and gradual. Your dog can see the baby more and more often, but they shouldn’t necessarily interact on a regular basis until boundaries are set and everyone is comfortable with how things are going.

10. Invite a sniff between the dog and baby

Once your dog seems at ease with the newest family members, try offering the baby’s feet for a little sniff. Keep interactions brief and positive with plenty of treats.

11. Always know where your dog is in the house

Be aware that your dog may be able to get into the baby’s crib. Closely monitor your pup in the nursery to make sure curiosity doesn’t take over. I have no doubt that Finley would jump into the baby’s crib given the chance, which is why she will never be left alone with the baby or in the nursery unsupervised.

Finley might think the baby’s bed looks more comfy. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

12. Your dog still needs some attention

Find out whether your dog benefits from 15 minutes of your intense focus or a little play throughout the day. As expected, dogs with more energy (looking at you, Finley) will present larger challenges, and you might want to consider a dog walker or daycare for some help. The same goes for smart dogs and attention seekers. Puzzles and games help to occupy a needy dog.

13. Don’t scold or punish

If your dog exhibits unwanted behavior, don’t yell at her and create bad associations between the baby and punishment. Instead, ignore the bad behavior, which is what we already do with our pup.

14. Do not give in to attention-seeking behavior

If your dog barks to be petted, ignore her. Remember not to scold or punish; simply ignore any efforts to get your attention.

15. Make eye-contact happen between babies and dogs (and other guests!)

It’s important that your dog practice a lot of eye contact with people because babies and toddlers are at the pet’s eye-level. Anyone who visits our home will be asked to make eye contact with Finley first.

Your dog and baby will make a lot of eye contact when they’re at the same level. Baby and dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

16. Plan a safe feeding space for your baby

If you always cuddled with Fido on the couch, don’t use that same spot to feed your newborn. We plan on using a glider in the nursery for most of our newborn’s feedings. We also learned to feed Finley during one of the feeding times to create positive associations.

17. Keep faces apart

Your dog may love licking your newborn’s sweet, milk-dribbled face. But it’s safer not to let the dog and baby faces get too close. There could be too much excitement, the baby could laugh or scream; there are too many unknowns.

18. Recognize your dog’s anxiety cues

A concerned dog has his ears back, looks away and licks his lips. If your dog exhibit these signs, bring him to a safe space away from the baby.

If your dog looks anxious around the baby, let them seek refuge in their safe space. Dog with baby. Photography by Shutterstock.

And lastly, don’t forget:

19. One at a time

Don’t ask the same person to watch babies and dogs at the same time. It’s too much at once.

20. Dogs can sense our anxiety

Don’t be afraid of the new situation, but take the proper precautions.

What do you think about dogs and babies? Have you ever brought home a new baby when you already had a dog? How did it go? Tell us your tips and experiences in the comments.

Read more about babies and dogs on Dogster.com:

5 Signs Your Dog Is Not Ready for a Baby

3 Things to Do Before Introducing Your Dog to a Baby

Would You Ever Give Up Your Dog Because of Your Baby?

Do You Ever Worry About Your Dog Being Around a Baby?

What NOT to Do with Your Baby Around Dogs – Yours or Others

About the author: Whitney C. Harris is a New York-based freelance writer for websites including StrollerTraffic, Birchbox and WhattoExpect.com. A former book and magazine editor, she enjoys running (with Finley), watching movies (also with Finley), and cooking meatless meals (usually with Finley watching close by).

The post Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby appeared first on Dogster.

from Dogster http://ift.tt/1HsJhbR via http://www.dogster.com

#Pets

0 notes

buynewsoul · 7 years

Text

Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby

Our first child, Finley. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

1. Bring your dog to the vet

Schedule a visit to the vet for before the baby arrives. Veterinarian examining dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

2. Desensitize your dog to new sights, sounds and smells

3. Keep all baby and dog toys separate

Dog toys and baby toys are often hard to tell apart, especially for the little ones. Chihuahua puppy with toy. Photography by Shutterstock.

4. Let babies and dogs mix beforehand

5. Reduce activity levels

6. Establish a baby-free zone for your dog

This can be a crate, a corner of the house or an entire room if there’s space. For us, this is the basement where Finley is free to roam and hang out with her toys and treasures sans crying baby.

Finley relaxes in her crate. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

7. Practice closing your dog out of certain rooms

And now, let’s talk about making the introduction.

8. Exhaust your pooch first

Finley will get plenty of playtime before we bring the baby home. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

9. Don’t rush things

10. Invite a sniff between the dog and baby

Once your dog seems at ease with the newest family members, try offering the baby’s feet for a little sniff. Keep interactions brief and positive with plenty of treats.

11. Always know where your dog is in the house

Finley might think the baby’s bed looks more comfy. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

12. Your dog still needs some attention

13. Don’t scold or punish

If your dog exhibits unwanted behavior, don’t yell at her and create bad associations between the baby and punishment. Instead, ignore the bad behavior, which is what we already do with our pup.

14. Do not give in to attention-seeking behavior

If your dog barks to be petted, ignore her. Remember not to scold or punish; simply ignore any efforts to get your attention.

15. Make eye-contact happen between babies and dogs (and other guests!)

Your dog and baby will make a lot of eye contact when they’re at the same level. Baby and dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

16. Plan a safe feeding space for your baby

17. Keep faces apart

18. Recognize your dog’s anxiety cues

A concerned dog has his ears back, looks away and licks his lips. If your dog exhibit these signs, bring him to a safe space away from the baby.

If your dog looks anxious around the baby, let them seek refuge in their safe space. Dog with baby. Photography by Shutterstock.

And lastly, don’t forget:

19. One at a time

Don’t ask the same person to watch babies and dogs at the same time. It’s too much at once.

20. Dogs can sense our anxiety

Don’t be afraid of the new situation, but take the proper precautions.

What do you think about dogs and babies? Have you ever brought home a new baby when you already had a dog? How did it go? Tell us your tips and experiences in the comments.

Read more about babies and dogs on Dogster.com:

5 Signs Your Dog Is Not Ready for a Baby

3 Things to Do Before Introducing Your Dog to a Baby

Would You Ever Give Up Your Dog Because of Your Baby?

Do You Ever Worry About Your Dog Being Around a Baby?

What NOT to Do with Your Baby Around Dogs – Yours or Others

The post Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby appeared first on Dogster.

0 notes

daddyslittlejuliet · 7 years

Text

Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby

Our first child, Finley. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

1. Bring your dog to the vet

Schedule a visit to the vet for before the baby arrives. Veterinarian examining dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

2. Desensitize your dog to new sights, sounds and smells

3. Keep all baby and dog toys separate

Dog toys and baby toys are often hard to tell apart, especially for the little ones. Chihuahua puppy with toy. Photography by Shutterstock.

4. Let babies and dogs mix beforehand

5. Reduce activity levels

6. Establish a baby-free zone for your dog

This can be a crate, a corner of the house or an entire room if there’s space. For us, this is the basement where Finley is free to roam and hang out with her toys and treasures sans crying baby.

Finley relaxes in her crate. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

7. Practice closing your dog out of certain rooms

And now, let’s talk about making the introduction.

8. Exhaust your pooch first

Finley will get plenty of playtime before we bring the baby home. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

9. Don’t rush things

10. Invite a sniff between the dog and baby

Once your dog seems at ease with the newest family members, try offering the baby’s feet for a little sniff. Keep interactions brief and positive with plenty of treats.

11. Always know where your dog is in the house

Finley might think the baby’s bed looks more comfy. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

12. Your dog still needs some attention

13. Don’t scold or punish

If your dog exhibits unwanted behavior, don’t yell at her and create bad associations between the baby and punishment. Instead, ignore the bad behavior, which is what we already do with our pup.

14. Do not give in to attention-seeking behavior

If your dog barks to be petted, ignore her. Remember not to scold or punish; simply ignore any efforts to get your attention.

15. Make eye-contact happen between babies and dogs (and other guests!)

Your dog and baby will make a lot of eye contact when they’re at the same level. Baby and dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

16. Plan a safe feeding space for your baby

17. Keep faces apart

18. Recognize your dog’s anxiety cues

A concerned dog has his ears back, looks away and licks his lips. If your dog exhibit these signs, bring him to a safe space away from the baby.

If your dog looks anxious around the baby, let them seek refuge in their safe space. Dog with baby. Photography by Shutterstock.

And lastly, don’t forget:

19. One at a time

Don’t ask the same person to watch babies and dogs at the same time. It’s too much at once.

20. Dogs can sense our anxiety

Don’t be afraid of the new situation, but take the proper precautions.

What do you think about dogs and babies? Have you ever brought home a new baby when you already had a dog? How did it go? Tell us your tips and experiences in the comments.

Read more about babies and dogs on Dogster.com:

5 Signs Your Dog Is Not Ready for a Baby

3 Things to Do Before Introducing Your Dog to a Baby

Would You Ever Give Up Your Dog Because of Your Baby?

Do You Ever Worry About Your Dog Being Around a Baby?

What NOT to Do with Your Baby Around Dogs – Yours or Others

The post Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby appeared first on Dogster.

0 notes

jeffreyrwelch · 7 years

Text

Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby

Our first child, Finley. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

1. Bring your dog to the vet

Schedule a visit to the vet for before the baby arrives. Veterinarian examining dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

2. Desensitize your dog to new sights, sounds and smells

3. Keep all baby and dog toys separate

Dog toys and baby toys are often hard to tell apart, especially for the little ones. Chihuahua puppy with toy. Photography by Shutterstock.

4. Let babies and dogs mix beforehand

5. Reduce activity levels

6. Establish a baby-free zone for your dog

This can be a crate, a corner of the house or an entire room if there’s space. For us, this is the basement where Finley is free to roam and hang out with her toys and treasures sans crying baby.

Finley relaxes in her crate. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

7. Practice closing your dog out of certain rooms

And now, let’s talk about making the introduction.

8. Exhaust your pooch first

Finley will get plenty of playtime before we bring the baby home. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

9. Don’t rush things

10. Invite a sniff between the dog and baby

Once your dog seems at ease with the newest family members, try offering the baby’s feet for a little sniff. Keep interactions brief and positive with plenty of treats.

11. Always know where your dog is in the house

Finley might think the baby’s bed looks more comfy. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

12. Your dog still needs some attention

13. Don’t scold or punish

If your dog exhibits unwanted behavior, don’t yell at her and create bad associations between the baby and punishment. Instead, ignore the bad behavior, which is what we already do with our pup.

14. Do not give in to attention-seeking behavior

If your dog barks to be petted, ignore her. Remember not to scold or punish; simply ignore any efforts to get your attention.

15. Make eye-contact happen between babies and dogs (and other guests!)

Your dog and baby will make a lot of eye contact when they’re at the same level. Baby and dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

16. Plan a safe feeding space for your baby

17. Keep faces apart

18. Recognize your dog’s anxiety cues

A concerned dog has his ears back, looks away and licks his lips. If your dog exhibit these signs, bring him to a safe space away from the baby.

If your dog looks anxious around the baby, let them seek refuge in their safe space. Dog with baby. Photography by Shutterstock.

And lastly, don’t forget:

19. One at a time

Don’t ask the same person to watch babies and dogs at the same time. It’s too much at once.

20. Dogs can sense our anxiety

Don’t be afraid of the new situation, but take the proper precautions.

What do you think about dogs and babies? Have you ever brought home a new baby when you already had a dog? How did it go? Tell us your tips and experiences in the comments.

Read more about babies and dogs on Dogster.com:

5 Signs Your Dog Is Not Ready for a Baby

3 Things to Do Before Introducing Your Dog to a Baby

Would You Ever Give Up Your Dog Because of Your Baby?

Do You Ever Worry About Your Dog Being Around a Baby?

What NOT to Do with Your Baby Around Dogs – Yours or Others

The post Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby appeared first on Dogster.

0 notes

stiles-wtf · 7 years

Text

Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby

Our first child, Finley. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

1. Bring your dog to the vet

Schedule a visit to the vet for before the baby arrives. Veterinarian examining dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

2. Desensitize your dog to new sights, sounds and smells

3. Keep all baby and dog toys separate

Dog toys and baby toys are often hard to tell apart, especially for the little ones. Chihuahua puppy with toy. Photography by Shutterstock.

4. Let babies and dogs mix beforehand

5. Reduce activity levels

6. Establish a baby-free zone for your dog

This can be a crate, a corner of the house or an entire room if there’s space. For us, this is the basement where Finley is free to roam and hang out with her toys and treasures sans crying baby.

Finley relaxes in her crate. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

7. Practice closing your dog out of certain rooms

And now, let’s talk about making the introduction.

8. Exhaust your pooch first

Finley will get plenty of playtime before we bring the baby home. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

9. Don’t rush things

10. Invite a sniff between the dog and baby

Once your dog seems at ease with the newest family members, try offering the baby’s feet for a little sniff. Keep interactions brief and positive with plenty of treats.

11. Always know where your dog is in the house

Finley might think the baby’s bed looks more comfy. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

12. Your dog still needs some attention

13. Don’t scold or punish

If your dog exhibits unwanted behavior, don’t yell at her and create bad associations between the baby and punishment. Instead, ignore the bad behavior, which is what we already do with our pup.

14. Do not give in to attention-seeking behavior

If your dog barks to be petted, ignore her. Remember not to scold or punish; simply ignore any efforts to get your attention.

15. Make eye-contact happen between babies and dogs (and other guests!)

Your dog and baby will make a lot of eye contact when they’re at the same level. Baby and dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

16. Plan a safe feeding space for your baby

17. Keep faces apart

18. Recognize your dog’s anxiety cues

A concerned dog has his ears back, looks away and licks his lips. If your dog exhibit these signs, bring him to a safe space away from the baby.

If your dog looks anxious around the baby, let them seek refuge in their safe space. Dog with baby. Photography by Shutterstock.

And lastly, don’t forget:

19. One at a time

Don’t ask the same person to watch babies and dogs at the same time. It’s too much at once.

20. Dogs can sense our anxiety

Don’t be afraid of the new situation, but take the proper precautions.

What do you think about dogs and babies? Have you ever brought home a new baby when you already had a dog? How did it go? Tell us your tips and experiences in the comments.

Read more about babies and dogs on Dogster.com:

5 Signs Your Dog Is Not Ready for a Baby

3 Things to Do Before Introducing Your Dog to a Baby

Would You Ever Give Up Your Dog Because of Your Baby?

Do You Ever Worry About Your Dog Being Around a Baby?

What NOT to Do with Your Baby Around Dogs – Yours or Others

The post Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby appeared first on Dogster.

0 notes

grublypetcare · 7 years

Text

Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby

Our first child, Finley. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

1. Bring your dog to the vet

Schedule a visit to the vet for before the baby arrives. Veterinarian examining dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

2. Desensitize your dog to new sights, sounds and smells

3. Keep all baby and dog toys separate

Dog toys and baby toys are often hard to tell apart, especially for the little ones. Chihuahua puppy with toy. Photography by Shutterstock.

4. Let babies and dogs mix beforehand

5. Reduce activity levels

6. Establish a baby-free zone for your dog

This can be a crate, a corner of the house or an entire room if there’s space. For us, this is the basement where Finley is free to roam and hang out with her toys and treasures sans crying baby.

Finley relaxes in her crate. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

7. Practice closing your dog out of certain rooms

And now, let’s talk about making the introduction.

8. Exhaust your pooch first

Finley will get plenty of playtime before we bring the baby home. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

9. Don’t rush things

10. Invite a sniff between the dog and baby

Once your dog seems at ease with the newest family members, try offering the baby’s feet for a little sniff. Keep interactions brief and positive with plenty of treats.

11. Always know where your dog is in the house

Finley might think the baby’s bed looks more comfy. Photography by Whitney C. Harris.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind:

12. Your dog still needs some attention

13. Don’t scold or punish

If your dog exhibits unwanted behavior, don’t yell at her and create bad associations between the baby and punishment. Instead, ignore the bad behavior, which is what we already do with our pup.

14. Do not give in to attention-seeking behavior

If your dog barks to be petted, ignore her. Remember not to scold or punish; simply ignore any efforts to get your attention.

15. Make eye-contact happen between babies and dogs (and other guests!)

Your dog and baby will make a lot of eye contact when they’re at the same level. Baby and dog. Photography by Shutterstock.

16. Plan a safe feeding space for your baby

17. Keep faces apart

18. Recognize your dog’s anxiety cues

A concerned dog has his ears back, looks away and licks his lips. If your dog exhibit these signs, bring him to a safe space away from the baby.

If your dog looks anxious around the baby, let them seek refuge in their safe space. Dog with baby. Photography by Shutterstock.

And lastly, don’t forget:

19. One at a time

Don’t ask the same person to watch babies and dogs at the same time. It’s too much at once.

20. Dogs can sense our anxiety

Don’t be afraid of the new situation, but take the proper precautions.

What do you think about dogs and babies? Have you ever brought home a new baby when you already had a dog? How did it go? Tell us your tips and experiences in the comments.

Read more about babies and dogs on Dogster.com:

5 Signs Your Dog Is Not Ready for a Baby

3 Things to Do Before Introducing Your Dog to a Baby

Would You Ever Give Up Your Dog Because of Your Baby?

Do You Ever Worry About Your Dog Being Around a Baby?

What NOT to Do with Your Baby Around Dogs – Yours or Others

The post Babies and Dogs — 20 Tips for Introducing Your Dog to Your Newborn Baby appeared first on Dogster.

0 notes