5 Tips On Introducing the Dog to a New Baby

Bringing home a new baby is an exciting time. Parents spend months preparing the home for the baby and have everything set out. While parents are excited to bring home this baby it may be a confusing time for the family dog.

Most couples treat their dog as a baby and give it lots of love and attention. The dog may wonder why the little thing that cries is getting all of the attention. It is important to develop a plan to introduce the human baby to the fur baby.

1. Start Planning During Pregnancy

It is not wise to wait until the baby arrives to surprise the dog. A dog should be enrolled in obedience class so it can lead to jumping and even licking. Make sure the nails of the dog are trimmed and that the dog is up to date on their vaccinations.

2. Use Safety Gates

If the pet is not crate trained safety gates should be put up in the area where the baby will be able to crawl around. This will tell the pet the area is off-limits.

3. Getting Used to The Baby

Before the real baby comes the pet parents should use a doll to represent a baby and get the pet used to see it. The parent should walk around and hold the doll. This will show the dog that they are not the only ones in need of attention and they need to share it with the baby.

4. The Meeting

When introducing the baby to the dog it is important to be happy and relaxed. Greet the dog normally but do not force it to see the baby. Allow the dog to sniff the baby’s feet so they can become familiar with the scent.

5. Supervise

It is very important to supervise the dog at all times around the baby. Even if the dog listens well supervision is still important. As the baby begins to grow and develop it is important to teach them to be gentle with the pet and treat the dog with respect.

Source: Times Of India, Fetch, The Conversation