Article by Elizabeth Hines
How To Safely Introduce Your Dog To Your Newborn
Dogs are important family members to their dog owners. When you become pregnant with your child, it is easy to stress about how your beloved pet will react to your new baby. Will they get along? Will you have to rehome your dog? These are common worries all dog lovers face. With a little training and some patience, introducing your dog to your new baby can go smoothly and leave everyone happy.
Don’t wait until the baby is born to think about it.
‘Planning ahead is the key to having the introduction run smoothly’ says Jim Sanchez, a pet blogger at Academ advisor and Writing Populist. Getting a head start on preparing your dog for the routine changes that a new baby will bring is important. Waiting to the last minute to plan will make matters much worse. It’s best to start before the baby is born and get your dog used to the new routine.
Training your dog.
If your dog has some unwanted behaviours, like jumping up when greeting you at the door, or snatching toys out of your hands, then you will want to get that behaviour under control before a new baby arrives. Get them signed up for an obedience class and learn to lead your dog, so that you will be safer throughout your pregnancy and your little one will be safe, too!
Acclimatise your dog to babies from a distance.
A lot of new parents assume that their fur baby will love children and have no issues with having a new baby around. This is a dangerous mindset to have, largely because babies are loud and unpredictable, which can be terrifying for your dog. While you are pregnant try and expose your dog to babies from a safe distance and see how they react. Take them near crying or shrieking babies. Have your mom friend stroll by with their child in a pram. If the dog reacts well maybe walk side-by-side, so your dog can get used to it. Don’t ignore any signs of aggression or fear. Those behaviours can be tell-tale signs that your dog will not be safe around your child.
Establish boundaries with your dog.
You must be in control of your dog's behaviour. It’s important to decide on how and when your dog can interact with your newborn. ‘Teaching them the back command is a good easy way to establish personal space with your dog’ says Richard Torres, a psychology writer at Write my essay and Student Writing Services. This command can help keep them at bay when introducing your newborn.
Establish boundaries around the nursery is also recommended. Start with the nursery being off-limits and slowly over time introduce the dog into the space where the baby will be. Do this before the baby arrives and remember you control how long the dog gets to stay in there.
When you bring the baby home, control the introduction.
First, have your partner bring home an item that has the baby’s scent on it and let them sniff it from a distance. Make sure that you are presenting it as this item belongs to you and you are granting your dog permission to smell it. Before introducing the dog to the new baby, take him or her for a long walk and tire them out so they are in a calm state. Invite the dog into the house and allow them to sniff the baby but from a distance. Don’t bring the baby too close on the first meeting. Slowly let the dog get closer over time.
Always supervise interactions between your dog and your baby.
This isn’t just about keeping your baby safe, it’s also about keeping your dog safe from your growing tot. This way your dog will never be put in a position where it must defend itself from being hurt by your baby and your baby will learn to treat your dog with respect.
These tips and tricks will make introducing your baby to your dog a simple and easy process. Both your dog and your baby are important, and both need to have your care and love in their lives.
Elizabeth Hines is a digital marketer and content writer at Top Canadian Writers and Study demic. In her articles, she writes about the latest tech, marketing trends, innovations, and strategies. An avid writer, she writes for other online magazines and blogs, including Boomessays.
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