When You Have a Newborn, Here\’s How to Introduce a Puppy to Your Family

Bringing a fresh baby home is an enjoyable moment for the whole family. However, if one of the family members is a dog, it may be very overwhelming and sometimes frightening for them. Not only is the infant young and unfamiliar, but you\’re now spending even more time with the kid and less time with the dog.

Overall, it\’s a variety to deal with all at once. So, here are a few pointers and ideas about when you have a dog as well as a baby at home.

 

Before The Infant Comes, Prepare The Puppy

It\’s fair to assume that if anyone unexpectedly took home a new kid, you\’d be shocked. And that should be the same for your dog. However, you have nine months to train your cat.

So, here are a few things you should do to prepare your puppy for the baby.

• Have An Appointment With The Veterinarian

Visit your veterinarian in the months leading up to the due date to ensure that your dog is well and that all of his vaccines are up to date.

• Set Up Obedience Lessons.

Consider hiring a teacher or enrolling in discipline training to address problematic behavior before the baby comes. Even if your puppy\’s breed is known for being \”popular with kids,\” they will still respond negatively based on prior training and temperament.

• Alter The Puppy\’s Schedule Steadily

Predictability and rhythm are essential to dogs, and a newborn disrupts both. But, rather than putting off any adjustments to the puppy\’s routine and tasks, do so now. Here are a few ideas:

• Take shorter hikes.
• Get someone else walks the dog in case anything occurs until the baby comes.
• Take rides with the dog and the stroller.
• Consider going to bed sooner.
• If your dog lives in your apartment, consider getting him a different bed.
• Food bowls can be kept from the floors.
• Gentle play with the dog will promote gentle play until the infant comes.

You should also create modifications to the house in addition to certain lifestyle improvements. Your dog would be well balanced when the infant is born this way.

• Set Up The Crib, Car Seat, Change Table, Diapers, Furniture, and Gadgets For The Infant.

“Let the dog nose around the baby\’s space and check at her things,” says Janis Driscoll, Ph.D., an animal behaviorist at Animal Behaviour Associates. Your pet would be less interested in her possessions by the time the infant arrives.”

Create a resting place for your dog and teach him to use it. When you decide to be alone with the boy, the dog will go to his special place.

 

Choose A Place In The House Where He Would Not Be Bothered

When the infant arrives, help the dog.

Everyone in the house, including the dog, goes through a significant transition period after the baby is born. Here are several ways to help him get through the adjustment time.

• Take Ownership Of Your Baby\’s Smell

According to Cesar Milan, a dog trainer, when you carry the baby around, bring something with the baby\’s smell, such as a onesie, scarf, or cap.

Enable the dog to sniff it from a safe distance at first. According to Milan, this communicates that this object is yours and that you are allowing the dog to smell it. By doing so, you\’re telling your dog, \”This latest thing belongs to me, and you must obey my guidelines while it\’s around.\”

It is the first and most important phase in instilling a love for the new kid.

 

What Is The Best Way To Introduce The Infant and The Puppy?

This unique presentation can be made in two respects. What you prefer is determined by your comfort level as well as the attitude of your puppy.

• One-on-one Time For Your Dog

If your dog is home when you return with the boy, have your husband hold it. You\’ll be able to welcome your dog one-on-one this way. This is significant because your dog misses you and always needs your affection and care.

• Next, go on a relaxing stroll.

Milan recommends taking the puppy on a lengthy stroll before you get the baby home. This way, when you get home, he would be more relaxed and submissive.

You should get the kid home whilst the dog is out for a stroll. If you\’ve already exposed the dog to the infant fragrance, he\’ll recognize it and find it more comfortable to smell the newborn.

Milan emphasizes the importance of being calm and relaxed throughout this first presentation. He also advises against encouraging the puppy to get too near to the boy. Bear a discreet gap between the infant and the dog instead.

You should eventually encourage them to get closer to each other in the coming days and weeks.

 

How To Avoid Leaping

A puppy who is nervous and curious can leap at the boy, but there are three approaches to prevent this from occurring.

• Until the kid is born, create a no-begging policy. It is important to tell the dog not to beg, according to Jonathan Klein, the operator of a dog training and boarding facility in Los Angeles. This will make him from jumping up at the boy.
• Maintain strict discipline. “If the dog tends to get up, tell no firmly,” advises animal behaviorist Robert DeFranco of the Animal Behaviour Society. You prevent this action by providing less constructive reinforcement.
• Offer your dog fewer chances to misbehave. So, if he becomes agitated when company comes by, hold him in a different space before they depart.

 

Managing Dog Envy

Your puppy may not be a newborn, but he always needs and desires your attention and affection. So, it\’s common for him to be jealous when he sees you lavishing affection on the newborn. However, here are few tips to support your puppy\’s needs.

• If your dog does not wish to play with the boy, do not push him or her to do so.
• Request that a friend or family member shower your pet with devotion and attention.
• If your puppy acts out by peeing on baby items or in the home, keep in mind that your pet is not doing it to be \”evil.\” Instead, DeFranco emphasizes that \”animals interact through the chemicals they contain in their bodies, specifically urine or feces.\” Marking territory is a means for a pet to show himself.” So, though you can not recognize this behavior, you should also want to think through what caused it and what action you might do to prevent it from occurring again.
• The dog can never stay on the sofa with you when you are breastfeeding or eating your son. Being taller than the baby will instill resentment in a dog. You may, though, encourage him to sit by you so that he feels included. Furthermore, you should offer him a reward to promote good behavior and make him associate eating with a happy experience.
• Incorporate the puppy into your experiences with the boy. Enable your puppy to sniff when you\’re changing and feeding your son. You should even communicate with your dog and help him more at ease.

 

What You Should Do To Keep Your Infant And Dog Healthy and Comfortable

Finally, here are few crucial things to keep in mind while you have a baby and a dog in the same home. These are important steps to follow at first, but as your baby and puppy get more acquainted, you will feel that they are no longer appropriate.

• Separate your dog\’s toys from your baby\’s toys. Hold baby toys up high if possible. Discipline the dog and redirect him to one of his games whenever he interacts with a baby doll. As he plays with his games, remember to compliment him.
• Instead of telling \”No\” any time the dog does anything you don\’t want, attempt to divert his focus to something he does.
• Never leave your child unattended with the puppy. Babies, unknowingly, will imitate prey behavior with their adorable little noises and movements, which can trigger play violence in your dog. Worse, it may trigger aggressive behavior including growling and nipping. If you see this sort of action, tell the dog no and ban him from the space for up to 30 seconds. If your dog plays well, make sure to reward him with constructive reinforcement.
• Pacing and unusual eye contact can be avoided. All of these habits indicate that the dog is not at ease with the infant.
• Close doors and install gates to provide healthy spaces for your son. This way, the kid will sleep or play without being bothered by the puppy.
• Keep the dog cool by spraying ADAPTIL Happy Home on the Spot Spray on the baby\’s pants. It\’s a pheromone-containing agent that helps hold puppies cool. Another nice choice is ThunderEase Calming Spray for Dogs.

When you have a baby and a dog in the same home, you have a whole family to look for. And these suggestions make you, your daughter, and your puppy feel healthy, comfortable, and cherished.