What To Expect When Expecting (Spot's Version)

 

When you’re expecting a non-furry member to join your family, it might be hard for your dog to understand this new addition to the pack. A change in the household hierarchy might be hard on your pup, so it’s necessary to prepare your pup for when a new baby arrives. Healthy Spot employee, Danielle Rahh, recently went through baby preparedness training and has these tips to make the transition easy for you and your pup.

Get Your Dog Accustomed to Crying Sounds

Your pup might not be used to sudden crying and fussing in the middle of the night (or during the day/early in the morning right before bed). Playing baby crying sounds, which can be found on YouTube, will help your dog to adjust to the new baby and it’s crying.

Create Boundaries For Baby Only Areas

Let your pup get used to seeing the baby’s space and items before bringing the baby home. Start setting boundaries so your pup knows not to go into the baby’s room or get too close to the baby basket prior to birth.

Secure Those Diapers

Loose diapers, while being a threat to your carpet, might also be seen as a point of curiosity for your dog. It’s important that you place dirty diapers in a secure container, as your pup may want to investigate and make a mess all over your house.

Let Your Pup Get A Good Sniff

Start by letting your dog smell some of the baby’s belongings while you told hold the item. Make sure they respect the item and don’t show aggression towards it. Once they show they understand that the baby scented items require their respect you can start letting the dog around the baby.

Don’t Forget The Dog

When a new baby enters the household, your dog will get less attention than they’re accustomed to. You also might forget some routine habits you had established with your pup which might cause them to act out. Remember to still give your dog attention and exercise to avoid letting that built up energy become destructive.

Separate Toys

Baby and dog toys look similar but dog (and babies) won’t know the difference. Keep them separate and don’t let them play with each other’s toys.

Becoming Best Friends Takes Time

Don’t force a relationship between your baby and your pup. Help foster a mutual respect between the two and a friendly relationship will follow. If your pup shows signs of not wanting to be with the baby, that’s perfectly normal. Just allow your pup to go about their business. When your baby and dog are together, keep a watchful eye so that your baby doesn’t accidentally tug or pull on an ear or tail. Don’t let your pup get overprotective of mom or jealous of the baby’s attention by setting boundaries early and remembering to give your pup attention daily.