How to Prepare your Dog for a Newborn Baby
Are you worried about your furry family member’s behavior when the newborn arrives? If yes, how would you prepare your four-legged friend to change their routine and unusual sights, sounds, and smells that the newborn will bring?
This article will help you learn about introducing dog to newborn baby.
Critical considerations about dog behavior
1. It can be hard for your dog to cope with a newborn
When a newborn arrives it might bring about unexpected changes and experiences in your companion’s lifestyle. A newborn in your family means your pet gets less attention than usual. And they may be left alone for longer periods of time than before.
With newborns, the new things like unusual sounds, and potentially many visitors, can be hard for your dog to cope with the newborn baby.
2. Proper dog training
If your baby is not expected for a few days, prepare your dog to adjust to the changes they will encounter. Polish your dog commands like sit, settle, down, drop it, good dog and leave it to sharpen their mind when you are caring for the baby and unable to give them full attention, such as when feeding or bathing the baby.
If your pet is an expert in these behaviors, they will feel more confident and comfortable around the baby.
3. Move your dog's sleeping spot
Place your dog’s bed in the new location one month before the newborn arrival. It will help them to adjust to a new place.
4. allow your dog to wander through the baby's room
Keep in mind that when your pet and baby have the same room together, let your dog examine the newborn furniture and note everything for the baby’s use.
5. change exerccise routine
If your furry companion has an exercise and playing routine, change the pattern to learn flexibility.
6. big reveal
When the baby is born, send home an article of cloth or blanket that carries your and baby scent, so that your dog gets used to the smell of newborn and allow them to sniff the cloths as much as they want and use command “Good dog.”
7. give some treats
When a newborn arrives home from the hospital, let the dog greet, smell, and sniff him, speak calmly and cheerfully, and give your dog some treats. It will help change your furry fellow behavior that this new addition is only a good thing.
Obviously, do not allow your companion to play with the baby as he is not a toy.
8. good quality recording
It’s crucial to help your dog meet with young children and babies often. Where access to children is not possible and then uses good quality recordings of children playing and babies crying.
Final thoughts
Introducing your dog to the newborn in a positive way will change your dog’s behavior towards the baby. Guide your dog with different kinds of helpful behaviors to assist them to fit into their new life as your newborn grows which will be an excellent way to build the bond between your dog and newborn baby.
