So you’re expecting your bundle of joy sometime soon… and you’re wondering how your first baby — the dog! — is going to handle it? And how you should handle it?
Enter 5 Dogs & a Baby, an online resource that provides training about this very thing! You can check out how to prepare your dog for baby’s arrival, how to best introduce them, and more.
If you have a dog and a baby at home, share your wisdom — what worked for you?
Love,
Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma
One huge help for us was getting the house set up about a month before my guess date. That way our dog got used to the furniture being moved around, etc. Also you can try getting a baby doll and placing it in the infant seat, etc. so the dog learns that she shouldn’t mess with whats in the seat. Another tip is to bring home a blanket with the baby’s smell on it before bringing baby home (if you’re not birthing at home) that way the dog is familiar with the scent. Our new baby and our furry baby are getting along great!
All great ideas. Thanks, Cecily!
I agree with Cecily, definitely have the house set up for the baby in advance, so the dog(s) get used to having all those things around. Our dog just kind of knew something was happening both times, they are so smart. We try to keep our dog happy with his daily walks and lots of attention too once the baby is here, I think that helps.Our dog loves our kids and always has been so good around them from day one.
I also agree…dogs are so smart and our black lab just “knew” something was going on. We had the nursery set up in advance of my guess date and oftentimes, if we couldn’t find her anywhere in the house, we’d find her laying in front of the crib in baby’s room. My husband did stop home from the hospital with a blanket that smelled of baby, and I think that helped. Also, I tried to include Sasha (dog) in taking care of the baby almost immediately. She’d come with me into the nursery for diaper changes, she’d sit by us on the couch while nursing, accompany us on our walks, etc. “Sasha” was our daughter’s first word…yes, even before mama or dada! She is 20 months old now and they are best friends!!
Baby has not yet arrived, but we’ve been leaving random baby things on the floor so that Durango can learn the difference between dog toys and baby toys. He’s done pretty well already in not walking on the play mat and turning away from dropped baby socks, hats, etc. when told to back away. I think one key is a good command that tells the dog, “This is not yours. Step back.” D knows “uh-uh,” but I have to be careful not to use “uh-uh” with my husband when he’s driving.