Daughter slumber party / protecting my yorkies

[Bentleys Momma]

My 8-yr old daughter is having her birthday slumber party tonight and I want to ensure my furbabies are completely safe. We will keep them separated as much as possible but it is going to be confusing for them since they are used to having free run of our home. So, I thinking of putting a sign on the front door that says something like "Dogs in training, please ignore them" and telling the girls the one main rule for tonight that they cannot break is to not pet the dogs and to ignore them if they come up to them. Seriously, the closer we get to kick off time, I am getting anxious. I really want to tell the girls this as they enter my home in front of their parents. I am sure someone will think I am a freak and may change their minds about letting their daughter stay over. I probably am a freak about my dogs but y'all understand so if you have any other ideas or suggestions, I am all ears!

Thanks everyone.

Peggy, Monkey & Maddie

[boopster]

You are not a freak. I would definitely separate the dogs from the little girls. I was the most obedient child there was, but if you told me not to play with a cute little dog I would not have been able to resist. Multiply that by the number of girls you are hosting and you have a recipe for disaster.

[zekie's mom]

I think I would either put them in a ex-pen or shut them up in your bedroom. Better for them to be uncomfortable for a night rather than risking their getting hurt.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by zekie's mom

I think I would either put them in a ex-pen or shut them up in your bedroom. Better for them to be uncomfortable for a night rather than risking their getting hurt.

I agree. Don't depend on a bunch of excited eight year old girls to ignore your Yorkies. Just keep them separated for the night so there are no accidents.

I still remember the tragic accident a friend of mine had with her Yorkie puppy years ago. Her daughter was in second or third grade at the time and had a friend over. The friend was holding the puppy while she was standing up and it started to wiggle. She dropped the puppy and it broke it's back. It had to be put to sleep.

[Darlin Beauxs]

I still remember the tragic accident a friend of mine had with her Yorkie puppy years ago. Her daughter was in second or third grade at the time and had a friend over. The friend was holding the puppy while she was standing up and it started to wiggle. She dropped the puppy and it broke it's back. It had to be put to sleep.[/QUOTE]

OMG how horrible is that!

I can sympathize with the OP. When Baxter and Cooper were puppies, all the neighbor & children in our family wanted to play with them. I had a couple of rules:

1)If they wanted to play with them,or cuddle them, they had to sit on the floor, meaning BUTT on the Floor. IDKW, but little kids like to sit on their knees, and I was scared they would lose balance and fall over

2) If I wasn't in the room, I picked the puppy up and put it in his kennel.

I think you are going to have too much going on to keep an eye on everyone!

Your furkids and other peoples kids are a touchy equation. I once had a friend get up and leave my house, her son & Cooper was playing fetch with the chuck it! After he succeeded in slinging 3 of our new balls over the fence, he started waving the wand around Cooper, while Cooper was cowering and trying to run away from him. I took it away, but he went right back to it. I had about enough, my nerves were on edge. I snatched the chuck it wand & told him if he hit my dog I would break it on his butt! She has not been back since, and I DO NOT CARE. My Dogs are my responsibility!

I think this is the reason why Cooper does not like kids. He barks and snarls the whole time they are in the house, just shaking with fear. He is the smallest of my 3, so he is the one who gets the most attention. We put him in his kennel when we have company now, for his security. I would be heart broken if he nipped a child, but I would know why he did it.

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by Darlin Beauxs

I can sympathize with the OP. When Baxter and Cooper were puppies, all the neighbor & children in our family wanted to play with them. I had a couple of rules:

1)If they wanted to play with them,or cuddle them, they had to sit on the floor, meaning BUTT on the Floor. IDKW, but little kids like to sit on their knees, and I was scared they would lose balance and fall over

2) If I wasn't in the room, I picked the puppy up and put it in his kennel.

I think you are going to have too much going on to keep an eye on everyone!

My friend did have rules about picking up the puppy. The dad was a vet. Anyone who has kids knows how easily rules are forgotten when they are with friends, though.

It only takes an instant for a Yorkie to be injured. They'll be much safer locked away from the kids.

I have to do that when my grandchildren visit. They are very good with pets, but 5 & 2 year olds are just too busy and fast. I either pen Lady off, or put her in her playpen or stroller. My granddaughter loves to push her around the house in her stroller!

[Darlin Beauxs]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

My friend did have rules about picking up the puppy. The dad was a vet. Anyone who has kids knows how easily rules are forgotten when they are with friends, though.

It only takes an instant for a Yorkie to be injured. They'll be much safer locked away from the kids.

I have to do that when my grandchildren visit. They are very good with pets, but 5 & 2 year olds are just too busy and fast. I either pen Lady off, or put her in her playpen or stroller. My granddaughter loves to push her around the house in her stroller!

awwww....I bet Lady loves the attention, too! I have to get a stroller for Darcy, we don't let her walk far due to her heart, but she loves being outside, maybe more than the boys do!

I always feel bad when I have to drop her off after one lap around the neighborhood...she looks like she is hurt, but her lazy brother Baxter usually prefers to stay with her!

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by Darlin Beauxs

awwww....I bet Lady loves the attention, too! I have to get a stroller for Darcy, we don't let her walk far due to her heart, but she loves being outside, maybe more than the boys do!

I always feel bad when I have to drop her off after one lap around the neighborhood...she looks like she is hurt, but her lazy brother Baxter usually prefers to stay with her!

Darcy will love a stroller!

At almost 15 and diabetic, Lady can't have vaccinations anymore, including rabies. (She nearly died from her last rabies booster) Her immune system is very weak from the diabetes so she is prone to infection. We had to give up the neighborhood walks a few years ago.

She loves her stroller! I honestly think she prefers to ride than walk! I got mine at Just Strollers and it was the best $99 I ever spent!

[sherile47]

How timely is this post! My 9 yr old granddaughter, who lives with me, is having a sleepover tonight with 2 other girls. I have been thinking about my dogs safety also. I don't worry so much about Isabel, she will leave or go under the bed, she keeps to herself. It's Mosey I'm worried about. He is so sweet, he is irresistible, but he only has 3 legs, so he's not the steadiest. So, I guess all 3 of us will stay in my bedroom tonight and let her Dad take charge of the sleepover. They, girls and dogs, are just too little to be around each other.

[Darlin Beauxs]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

Darcy will love a stroller!

At almost 15 and diabetic, Lady can't have vaccinations anymore, including rabies. (She nearly died from her last rabies booster) Her immune system is very weak from the diabetes so she is prone to infection. We had to give up the neighborhood walks a few years ago.

She loves her stroller! I honestly think she prefers to ride than walk! I got mine at Just Strollers and it was the best $99 I ever spent!

Thank you, I will have to check them out! She loves riding in the buggy at Home Depot!

Darcy and Lady have a few things in common...they are both pretty little old ladies that love bows & both have health issues!

My husband rescued Darcy about 2.5 years ago, before we could even start calling around and trying to find her home, I noticed she was panting too excessively. I took her to our vet, who said she had congestive heart failure, she takes Lasik, and Proin for her incontinence 2x per day.

He estimated she was between 10-12 then, which would make her between 12-14 now. He only gives her the rabies, and says it is more for my legal protection than for her health. The vaccinations are hard on them! The vet also said as time goes on he may not be able to give her the rabies shot. I walk her on the paved roads only, and the only grass she walks on is in our own back yard.

Only one person ever answered our ads & notes left around town regarding a little dog found on hwy 594...it was not her dog. We never said "Yorkie" because we were too scared that people would pretend she was theirs. Our vet thinks she was dumped, I prefer to think she wandered off & got lost & we found her, and her Momma and Daddy assumed she wandered off to die.

My hubby says he had too much invested in her (his heart) day one, he couldn't imagine giving her up!

[Kdgd14]

I agree with many other people on this. I would keep them confined to an area like your bedroom where the girls will not be going. I would rather that, than a child somehow hurting them. You can always tell the girls to go outside or something and you can give them a quick run around the house before they come in, and then put them right back into your bedroom. Another thing I would consider is telling the girls to go in the basement (if you have one) or another large area in the house and tell them that you are cleaning the floors (I know, I know, kind of dumb to be cleaning the floors at a party, but they won't know) and that they can't come upstairs until you are finished. That way your babies can still enjoy their freedom without getting hurt.

[trin7]

We had my daughter's 9 birthday party in August and I decided that I would just crate the dogs while the kids were doing their dancing, pinata, etc. I think this was the safest for my pups and we kept the kids so busy they didn't even realize they weren't around. If it were only one or two I'm sure you could keep an eye on them but if more it's really not worth the risk.

[jmdt]

It's only one night. I definatly would keep them away from the kids.

I put my guys in my bedroom with the tv on so they don't hear the kids and they are safe.

That is the most important thing. Keep the babies safe.!!!

[Bentleys Momma]

Thanks everyone. We did completely separate the dogs from the girls. Maddie scratched at the bedroom door until I finally was able to go in and be with them after the party part was over and it was just the slumber part left. It was completely uneventful and for that I am most grateful.

BTW, I did put a stop sign on my front door which said "Dogs in training; please ask before petting us". I have to tell you that it was the best response from our first party arrivers as well as the last bunch to leave this morning when the dogs were finally out in our hands. My babies listen to sit and stay really well but it is hard when people are at the door. Turns out, with the sign, I did not have one person address the dog personally but said their "oh my goodness are they cute" while looking at me. Since it wasn't them reach down or looking at them saying "aren't you cute", they both just sat there as quiet as can be. so there you have it... "You can teach old humans new tricks" LOL.

Peggy, Monkey & Maddie