Jennifer Mearns

SIDS: Everything a New Mom Needs to Know published on Swaddles N’ Bottles What I became a new mom I did a lot, and I mean a LOT, of research on SIDS. It seemed so unfair that, as a mother or father, you could do everything right and yet your baby could still die unexpectedly and unexplained. I didn’t allow blankets except sleep sacks, always put them on their back, worried a lot when they started to flip over to their belly. It seemed that keeping an infant alive was fraught with peril around every corner. SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, affects infants less than twelve months and there are certain risk factors that have been identified. Things that can increase the risk of SIDS are: brain defects, low birth weight, respiratory infection, age, sex, race, family history and secondhand smoke. Male infants, premature infants, and non-Caucasian infants (for reasons we don’t understand) are at a slightly higher risk. Certain habits or aspects of the mother can also increase an infant’s risk of SIDS including young mothers (below 20), smokers, drug and alcohol users, and those who have inadequate prenatal care. The SIDS rate in the US remains high when compared to other developed countries though over all ethnic groups, the SIDS rate has dropped in the United States since 1994. This brings us to the important question: When can I stop worrying about SIDS? The textbook answer is at twelve months. At twelve months most infants are developed enough and strong enough, sitting, standing, sometimes walking and SIDS becomes less of a worry. Studies say that SIDS affects most infants between two and four months of age. When I was doing my research, I found that the risk lowered after four months and then lowered even further after six months. After six months most infants are strong enough to push up and roll over. In my reading, I found that once an infant can roll him or herself over, you no longer have to worry about sleeping on their stomach. While you may never feel completely indifferent to SIDS until the kid is in college, there are certain things you can do to help prevent SIDS. Always place them on their back to sleep. As I mentioned earlier, once they can roll themselves over you don’t need to go in and turn them back (never wake a sleeping baby, we all know how dangerous that is). Keep the crib empty of blankets, pillows and stuffed toys. Use only a sheet on a firm mattress and if worried about cold, use a sleep sack. Don’t overheat your baby, keep him in your room as long as possible and breastfeed, again if possible. Use a pacifier. Immunize your baby. There is no evidence that immunizations can increase the risk of SIDS and some evidence indicates that they can decrease risk. With each baby, I worried a little less about SIDS. My first baby didn’t have anything in his crib until he was a year old. The second and third are allowed a small teething/activity toy. Some of the advice above I followed and some was not possible. I didn’t breastfeed, my babies wouldn’t take a pacifier and they didn’t stay in our room until six months. You can drive yourself crazy with worry and follow every piece of advice to the letter and still, it could happen. There is not enough known to ensure that all babies are safe from SIDS. You do what you can. Excuse me while I go check on my five-month-old! Beaglier Dog To be honest, I had never heard of the Beaglier, a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Beagle, but now I wonder how I’d gone so long without knowing about these adorable dogs! First bred in Australia in the 1990’s, the Beaglier was cross-bred to produce a dog with a less active scent drive than the Beagle. The even-tempered Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was an obvious choice. While the Beaglier finds most of its popularity in Australia, it can also be found throughout Europe and North America As the Beaglier is a “designer” dog breed, there is some controversy surrounding them and designed mixed breeds in general, especially first generation. What is the Big Deal with Designer Dogs? Purebred purists insist that the pure breeds they advocate for are bred selectively for specific attributes and allow certain breed specific genetic ailments to be selected against. It makes the resultant puppies more predictable in their appearance, nature and health. While this can be true if the breeder is reputable and takes care to screen all of their dogs, some breeders are not as careful and allow these genetic issues to proliferate. Additionally, problems are more prevalent when the gene pool is smaller as it tends to be with purebred dogs. Advocates for cross-bred dogs, or designer dogs, will point to the wider gene pool and say that the hybrid dogs have less inbreeding and less of the weaknesses prevalent in pure breeds. In this case, Beagles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have different inherent issues, allowing the resultant puppies to be less afflicted by breed specific genetic ailments. The purebred purists will say that this is untrue, however the group of researchers at The Institute of Canine Biology have evidence to the contrary. It is true, however, that the mix-breed pups will have less predictable physical and temperamental traits. This is especially true of first generation hybrids where the parent dogs are a single breed. For more information, check out this article from The Labrador Site. Where Did the Beaglier Come From? Published on The Happy Puppy Site A cross between the Beagle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the Beaglier has a mix of attributes of both of these special dogs. Let’s look at the parent breeds: The Beagle, a member of the Hound Group, and ranked 5 of 194 according to The American Kennel Club, is a sweet-natured, adorable and loyal dog. Beagles are known for their active scent drive and make great hunting dogs. They have two sizes, under 13 inches and between 13 and 15 inches, ranging in weight from under 20 pounds to between 20 and 30 pounds. Beagles can be found in lemon and white, tri-color, and red and white. They are generally happy and friendly, loving their family members unconditionally. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is regal, befitting of its royal history, but not above being silly and playing in the yard with their human companions. They are toy spaniels, combining the size and affability of the toy group with the athleticism of the spaniels. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ranges in size from 12 to 13 inches and 13 to 18 pounds. This breed’s trademark big brown eyes and slightly short nose make the dog resemble a puppy its entire life. They are good with families and adapt well to their owner’s lifestyle. The Beaglier was cross-bred in Australia in the 1990’s in order temper the scent drive of a Beagle. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was chosen for its even temper and friendliness. Thus, the Beaglier was born. What Do Beagliers Look Like? Beagliers can have physical traits of either the Beagle or the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, or a mixture of both. They can be found red and white, lemon and white, tri-color and sometimes even all black. Their coat is short to medium and can have the coarseness of a Beagle or the silkiness of a Cavalier. Because of their coat length, trimming the Beaglier is unnecessary. Only bathe the breed when the coat is dirty or every three to four months. Brush the coat regularly to remove dead hair and keep it shiny. Beagliers can range in size from 12 to 16 inches and weigh anywhere from 10 to 25 pounds. How Do Beagliers Act? Will They Make a Good Family Dog? Beagliers are sweet-natured dogs who love their humans. The are well-suited for families, especially with slightly older kids who won’t be rough with them. They do not bark incessantly, choosing only to do so when they are alarmed, making them decent watchdogs but also good apartment dwellers. The Beaglier is an energetic dog and will require a lot of exercise, at least an hour a day, including but not limited to leash walks and romps in fenced in areas. One needs to be sure that their Beaglier cannot escape because, as the hunting drive is still prevalent in the breed, they might run away, chasing some scent or another. Be sure to offer your Beaglier an assortment of toys to chew-that is, unless you want your furniture, shoes and other personal items to be destroyed! The Beaglier might possess some of the Beagle’s more stubborn traits, making training more difficult, but being paired with the Cavalier’s eagerness to please will make the process a little smoother. Socialization is important for these small dogs. Training should be firm and consistent. What are the Health Issues Associated with the Beaglier? As with humans, dogs have the capability of inheriting genetic issues from either parent, so it is good to take a look at the problems associated with each parent breed. Beagles as a breed are prone to hip dysplasia and responsible breeders will screen the parent dogs for this issue. Beagles may be plagued by epilepsy which can usually be controlled with medication. They can sometimes develop degenerative disk disease as they are a chondrodystrophic breed. Beagles have long, floppy ears which do not allow the ear to properly dry out or allow moist air to be trapped causing ear infections. They also have a tendency to develop glaucoma or corneal dystrophy. The most common cause of death for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is mitral valve disease which can lead to heart failure. Many will be afflicted with this disorder. Other health issues associated with the Cavalier Spaniel are luxating patella, a knee condition, eye issues like cataracts and retinal dysplasia and hip dysplasia. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel also may suffer from Syringomyelia, a brain and spine disease that can be incredibly painful. Caused by a malformation of the back of the skull, Syringomyelia causes the lower part of the brain to be herniated through the bottom of the skull and into the spinal cord. If you want more information about Syringomyelia, you can find it here. Knowing what the health issues are for the parent dogs can help predict future issues in the beagle cavalier mix. The issues that can be found in both Beagles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are the ones that might be more apt to show up in the Beaglier but any of them could crop up in the offspring. What Should I Look for When Choosing a Breeder? There are basic things that all breeders of any dog should do. They should make sure the puppies have been checked by a veterinarian. They should get the puppies vaccinated against Canine Distemper, Canine Hepatitis and Parvovirus. The final thing that all breeders should do is get the puppies dewormed. Most puppies have intestinal worms and signs to look for are a distended belly and a dull coat. Breeders should deworm puppies at two weeks and every two weeks following that. Reputable Beaglier breeders will offer a health guarantee for your puppy when you bring him home. This is to protect you and your puppy but you must follow the instructions included with the guarantee. The best breeders will actually screen their parent dogs for some of the inheritable genetic diseases discussed above in the health section. They want the best for their dogs and they are proud of their pups. The Beaglier is an adorable, sweet family dog. They are loyal and loving and will provide your family with endless entertainment. Anyone looking to add a Beaglier to their family will do well to conduct their research about the breed and the parent breeds that make them up. Make sure that your lifestyle will allow a Beaglier puppy to fit in with your family before deciding to bring one home. Research breeders and make sure the one you choose is reputable. If you decide that your family and lifestyle are well suited for a Beaglier, you will not regret bringing this adorable pup home. References: The American Kennel Club The Kennel Club UK The Institute of Canine Biology Mattinson, P, Purebred vs Mutt: Common Objections to Mixed Breed Dogs, 2018 Arman K A new direction for Kennel Club Regulations and Breed Standards . Canadian Vet J 2007 Beneful Dog Food written for content site Beneful dog food is a brand of Purina, a company that has provided quality dog food for over eighty years. With a team of nutrition researchers and quality assurance managers, Beneful dog food is a brand you can trust. The following is only a few of the varieties that make Beneful great. Beneful dog food is available in many wholesome and nutritious varieties. One type is their chopped blends. The chopped blends come in a can with chunks of real food the dog-lover will recognize. With ingredients like real beef, tomatoes, carrots and wild rice dog owners can feel confident that their dog is receiving only the best. The chopped blends are also available with chicken, turkey, salmon and lamb, plus a wide variety of carbohydrates and vegetables. Another excellent variety of canned Beneful dog food is the medleys. The medleys include real meat, vegetables and grains with a liberal sauce that makes them the perfect mix-ins for your favorite variety of Beneful dry dog food. The medleys come in Tuscan style with beef, carrots, rice and spinach, Romana style with chicken, carrots, pasta and spinach, and Mediterranean style with lamb, tomatoes, brown rice, and spinach. Beneful stews are yet another way a dog can enjoy his nutritious Beneful dog food. Available in a resealable tub, these stews contain large chunks of meat and nutritious grains. The stews come in beef and chicken, also containing peas, carrots, rice and barley. One can't forget what made Beneful great to begin with: Beneful dry food originals. Made with farm raised meat blended with whole grains and vegetables into a crunchy nugget that is good for a dog's teeth. The dry dog food is available in beef, chicken and salmon. Many dogs have allergies to rice or chicken, which is a component in many dog foods. With the myriad of choices of meats and grain, chances are you'll find a Beneful dog food that will suit your dog. Regardless of your dog's individual needs, Beneful dog food's many varieties are made with the most wholesome ingredients and will satisfy any dog.