Contributed by Angie Lewis, President of Alaska Animal Advocates
Many dogs do not know what a baby is and don’t know how to interact with one. Even if your dog likes children, he may not understand that this infant is just a smaller child. The key to a successful introduction of your new baby with your dog depends upon the amount of preparation you have done to make this a successful transition for your family. The sooner you prepare your dog, the more success you will have. A very important rule to remember is that you should NEVER leave your dog and baby alone together.
Start to gradually decrease the amount of attention you give to your dog each day, but provide longer periods of play, rather than short bursts of attention. Begin to make schedule changes before you bring your newborn home. Give your dog time to adapt to these changes.
Enrolling your dog in a basic obedience training is a wise move. Make sure that your dog has a grasp of the basic behaviors such as sit, lay down and stay. This will help you maintain control over your dog, when the moment of introduction arrives. Have your dog perform these tasks while you are holding a baby doll.
Playing recordings of baby sounds is a good idea – start with quiet sounds and increase in volume only if your dog remains calm. You could also use a realistic baby doll to give your dog some experience with infants. Offer treats when your dog is calm. Once your baby is born and is still in the hospital, allow your dog to smell some items that your baby wore in the hospital.
After baby arrives at home, make sure there are enough adults around to help with introductions. One person to handle the baby and another to handle the dog. Allow your dog to smell and greet all the members of the household, before bringing baby inside. If you have more than one dog, introduce one dog at a time. Using a head halter, such as a Gentle Leader, gives more control to the person handling the dog. Allow your dog to see the baby from a distance of approximately 20 feet or so. Each day gradually decrease this distance.
Raising a baby along with a dog can be a wonderful experience for everyone. Taking the time to prepare your dog beforehand is well worth the time and effort.
