Are you expecting a new baby soon? That is so exciting, but it can be a journey to continue to live your best life with your dog. This change affects all members of the household.This is key to bringing babies home successfully and safely bringing them home. This post is to help prepare your dog for the baby,
Start preparing for the new Baby Early
Establish a feeding schedule and move their bowls to a safe spot. Your dog gets 20-30 minutes to eat then their food bowl goes up. If they are crate trained I would recommend feeding them inside the crate, pen, behind a gate, or in a safe room if not crated. The new baby will not have access to this room. This will help prepare Your Dog for the Baby.
Slowly introduce baby equipment. This includes strollers, high chairs, toys, tummy time toys and mats, cribs, and more.
Teach Your Dog Basic Training Cues
Place
Spend equal time with Dog and New baby and together
Nothing in your schedule should really change when it comes to your dog when your baby arrives. Make sure you spend equal time together this will avoid the dog associating the baby with no attention for them. Whereas if you play and train your dog with the baby around they will associate good things with the baby
Other Helpful Tips for Baby and Dogs
Understand your dog’s body language and give space and respect to those feelings as the household changes
Desensitize to sounds (baby crying, screaming, laughing)
Play videos from your phone, bring safely around friends’ kids, or even bring to a local children’s park and stay a distance away and defend them with rewarding calm behavior.
Set boundaries
This includes Baby’s room, dog-safe space (crate, pen, or room), couch restriction. These are ultimately your choice and responsibility to determine prior to the kid coming home.
Dog Walkers, Trainers, and Daycares are all great resources to use if you cannot exercise your dog properly. Check out our Resource page for Dog Walkers and Daycares we recommend.
