Kylie Ora LobellYou’re bringing your new baby home soon. While you’re incredibly excited, you’re also worried about how your dog is going to react once the baby arrives. You’re wondering how to get your dog used to a new baby. Is he going to welcome this new family member, or is he going to be upset about the situation?
If this is your first child, you may be especially afraid that he’s going to be aggressive around your new addition.
Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to get your pooch prepared so that the transition goes as smoothly as possible. Here’s where to start.
Plan for Your Pup’s Care
When you bring your new addition home, your pup may feel like his life has been totally disrupted. You might not be able to feed him at the same time as always or be so tired that you forget to feed him sometimes altogether.
That’s why it’s critical not only for the emotional wellbeing of your pup but also his physical health to plan long before your due date.
You could get an automatic feeder to ensure he still gets fed, even though you have a new routine, or ask someone else in your family to feed your dog on a schedule.
To make sure that your dog gets enough exercise, you could hire a dog walker to take him out. When you don’t have anything else to do, you can plan to cuddle your dog as part of his daily routine as well so your dog feels loved.
Introduce Your Dog to Children, From a Distance
Since you aren’t sure yet how your dog is going to react to your new baby, you can gradually get him used to children, but from a distance.
Walk him to the park and see how he reacts when you pass by a playground. You can also ask your friends who are parents if you can take a long walk with your dog alongside their stroller.
Some dogs get very sensitive around kids and start barking because they may be scared, while others are totally calm. It all depends on your dog’s temperament.
Use Scents to Help
When it comes to how to introduce dogs to your new arrival, you can use your dog’s keen sense of smell in your favor.
Before you come home from the hospital, ask your partner or another family to take an outfit your baby has already worn or a baby blanket they’ve slept in and have your dog sniff it. That way, your dog will get used to the baby’s scent.
This is better than having him get too close to your baby and sniff them. Instead, you’re reintroducing the smell, which will already be familiar to him at this point.
Make the Nursery Off-Limits
Your dog may be used to roaming all around the house and in and out of every room. But you might be cautious about him interacting with your new baby, especially if he’s never been around children before. You could make the baby’s room off-limits.
To ensure the nursery and baby toys are really off-limits for your dog, use positive reinforcement dog training to teach him the down-stay or sit-stay command when you’re going into the nursery. You can accomplish this by giving him treats and praise whenever he sits instead of going into the baby’s room.
Additionally, you can keep your dog away from the nursery by closing the door or installing a baby gate if the door is open.
Incorporate Plenty of Playtime Into His Day
When you have a newborn, you’ll be spending a lot of time at home, and probably a lot of time on the couch. Whenever you have a few minutes to spare, you can play fetch with your pup from wherever you’re sitting.
Getting in as much playtime as possible will make it easier for your dog to adjust to the new baby, new smells, and new sounds that come with it since he’ll be getting his energy out in a healthy way.
At this time, you may not want to use squeaky toys just in case your baby is a light sleeper. Instead, you could try a dental toy, like Outward Hound’s Dogwood Wood Alternative Dog Chew Toy. This toy will encourage positive chewing and be especially helpful if you have a young, teething pup. It’s made from a blend of natural wood fiber and safer synthetic materials that are designed to mimic the texture and taste of real BBQ and wood flavor your pup will enjoy.
Give Your Dog Some Space
If your dog is anxious because of the new addition, then make sure he has a space to go to that will make him feel better.
Get him a crate as well as a comfortable dog bed he can retreat to if he’s feeling overwhelmed, or he just wants a place to crash. Try a calming dog bed that has a raised rim to cultivate a sense of security, as well as vegan faux shag fur, which is reminiscent of a mother’s fur coat.
Get a Professional Dog Trainer
If you’re having trouble training your dog to like your new baby, then you can hire an animal behaviorist or a professional dog trainer. They will teach your dog positive association to try to get him used to your baby.
A trainer or behaviorist will also know how to read your dog’s body language and teach you how to do the same so you know if he’s scared or becoming aggressive. By learning your dog’s behavior, you will have a better chance of preventing problems before they occur.
Teach Highchair Etiquette
Before you know it, your baby will be old enough to start using the highchair. Pet owners will have an easier time training their dogs not to beg for food from their babies if they train them properly.
If your baby is throwing food on the floor for your dogs, then teach your pups the “leave it” command to get them to leave the food there. Reward them with a treat until they learn how to leave it without needing the reward, too.
Making the Transition Easier
When you bring home your new baby, it may be hard for your pup. Your dog loves you so much – and you love your dog – but you might not be able to give him as much attention anymore.
By taking these steps, you can make sure that you’re disrupting his life as little as possible and showing him that you can still love him as well. Your pup might even grow to love that baby as much as he loves you!
