Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Preparing your dog for a baby
• Part 2 of 4: Preparing Your Dog's Senses
• Part 3 of 4: Introducing Your Child
• Part 4 of 4: Encourage a good dog-child relationship

The chances that your dog will be overjoyed at having a baby in your home are slim. Dogs are very attached to their owners, and the child can be viewed as a threat. To be sure that the dog will accept the child, try to introduce the child to the dog gradually. Start at step 1 below for more detailed instructions.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Preparing your dog for a baby

1. 1 Start cooking on time. Pregnancy lasts 9 months, giving you plenty of time to get your dog ready for the baby. Start thinking about how to prepare your dog for a baby as soon as you realize that you are pregnant. This gives you plenty of time to get your dog ready for the new routine.
2. 2 Make sure your dog understands basic commands. Check that the dog understands such basic commands as "Fu!", "Sit!", "Stand!", "Quiet!" Therefore, you should spend time training your dog while you still have it.
   • If you don't have the time or energy to do this on your own, send your dog to a professional trainer. It may be expensive, but if your dog learns to obey, it will be worth it.
3. 3 Gradually reduce the amount of attention you give your dog. Prepare your dog for a baby by gradually giving it less and less attention every day.
   • You don't need to completely ignore her, you just need to teach her that you will no longer be right there at her first call, and sometimes the dog will have to wait his turn.
4. 4 Give your dog some privacy. Give your dog a place in the house that will only be hers, such as a corner in the kitchen. It should be somewhere out of the way, but it will make the dog feel like he is still a part of the action.
   • Put her bedding there, along with her toys and food bowls. Train her to go back to her place when asked, and reward her with something tasty when she does what is asked of her.
5. 5 Set clear boundaries in your home. If you don't want your dog to enter a specific room (for example, a nursery), teach him that this is a prohibited area. Don't let her come in.
   • If you do allow her to enter, have her sniff a few things, and then tell her to leave. She will understand very soon that she cannot go there.
   • A good alternative is to put a fence in the nursery door. This way, your dog can see what's going on inside without entering the room.

Part 2 of 4: Preparing Your Dog's Senses

1. 1 Introduce the baby's scent to the dog. Before the baby arrives in your home, let the dog get used to the baby's smell. Ask someone to bring an article of the baby's clothing or blanket into your home that the baby was wrapped in so the dog can sniff it.
   • This will prepare the dog for the new baby scent so that when the baby arrives in the house, the scent will be familiar to the dog.
   • Dogs are very sensitive to odors and unfamiliar odors can be considered a threat. Thus, training your dog to baby's scent beforehand is a very smart decision.
2. 2 Record the baby's sounds and play them to the dog. The sounds that the baby makes (crying, gurgling, etc.) can make the dog nervous if it has not heard them before.
   • As such, it can be helpful to tape the baby sounds in the hospital and have someone play them on to your dog before bringing the baby into the home. Then the appearance of a real child in the house will not be a big shock for her.
   • Alternatively, if you don't have time to record your child's sounds, you can find a video of a child on Youtube and turn it on for your dog.
3. 3 Train your behavior on the doll. Try to get hold of a doll that looks like a child and makes the same sounds. Allow your dog to sniff the doll and train him to walk away when you change, bathe, or feed her. This will give her the opportunity to understand what kind of behavior you expect from her when you have a real child. Remember to reward her good behavior.
   • Do not let the doll roll around where it will be easy for the dog to grab or chew on. Treat the doll like a real child so that the dog learns to respect him and knows that it is not a toy.
4. 4 Let your dog get used to new forms of physical contact. Gently touch the dog in the places that the child is likely to grab when he grows up - tail, paws, mouth, ears, inner surface of the ears.
   • Do this at least 5 times a day for a few minutes. It is better when your dog is doing what he loves, such as eating or playing, so that he learns to associate such touch with something pleasant.
5. 5 Consult with a specialist how the dog can be surrounded by children. If your dog has never encountered children before, take him for a walk to the local playground (by keeping him on a tight leash). If she is aggressive and noisy around children, you will know for sure that you should take further action.
   • In such a situation, it is best to consult with a dog training specialist. They will work with your dog's negative behavior and guide you through the process of introducing your baby to your dog safely and successfully.
   • If your dog cannot learn to behave obediently and safely with children, you will have to take tougher measures, such as keeping your dog on a leash outside or even getting rid of it. From this point of view, your child's safety is more important.

Part 3 of 4: Introducing Your Child

1. 1 Get the support of an assistant. Just before bringing your baby home from the hospital, ask a friend to take the dog for a long, exhausting walk.
   • This will allow her to release excessive energy and make her calmer and quieter when you bring your baby.
   • Ask a friend to give the dog a good drive.
2. 2 Bring your baby home when the dog is not there. It is best to bring the baby when the dog is out for a walk. This will allow you to get comfortable and plan out the acquaintance before it happens.
   • When the dog returns home, talk to him in a calm tone - do not introduce them to the child right away. Although the dog already knows the baby's scent, it will still be overwhelmed by the presence of the new person.
3. 3 Let the dog say hello to mom first. Most likely, she did not see her for several days while she was in the hospital, so she will be glad to meet you and will want to jump on her to say hello.
   • It can be dangerous if the mom is holding the baby, so it’s best to let the mom and the dog spend some time together before introducing the baby to the dog.
4. 4 Introduce the baby carefully. Sit quietly, hold the child, and let someone else hold the dog. Talk to the dog while someone else walks around the child. Her leash should be short but loose and she shouldn't feel tight.
   • Allow the dog to sniff the baby's feet, but don't let it get too close. Praise her if she accepted the baby calmly.
5. 5 Don't punish your dog for bad behavior. If the dog barks at the child and is nervous, do not scold or punish him. Throw her something tasty, a few steps further, and then try again to introduce her to her. This is important because the dog will then associate the presence of the child with the treat.
   • Tell her how to behave - instead of expecting the dog to sniff the baby and be quiet, let her know what you expect her to do. When she sniffs the baby a little, give her the command to sit or stand. Praise and reward her for good behavior.

Part 4 of 4: Encourage a good dog-child relationship

1. 1 Pay attention to your dog when the baby is awake. While you will mainly pay attention to the dog when the baby is asleep, you should also do it when the baby is awake.
   • When you feed your baby, feed the dog at the same time, talk to the dog when you carry the baby, and go for a walk with the dog and baby.
   • Thus, the dog will not view the child as a threat.
2. 2 Ignore the dog when the baby is sleeping. When your baby is sleeping, give your dog as little attention as possible. Respond to her primary needs, such as walking or feeding, but refrain from playing or talking to her. This way, the dog will look forward to the baby's awakening.
3. 3 Maintain your dog's routine as much as possible. Dogs are undemanding - they just need to be walked and fed on a regular schedule. Do not change the dog's routine because of the child, otherwise the dog may become aggressive towards him.
4. 4 Let the dog get used to the sound of the baby crying. Many dogs can get nervous from baby crying, so it is important that she gets used to it. If you notice her nervousness, feed her when the baby is crying. In this way, the dog will associate the baby's crying with something pleasant.
5. 5 Teach your dog not to touch you when you are busy with your child. If your dog always gets in the way when you are busy with your child, train him to walk away on command.
   • Tell her to stand when showing food, then throw the food a few steps away from you and command to take the food.
   • Do this several times, tossing the food further and further and using hand gestures to drive it away. When the dog goes to eat, praise him so that he knows that he is doing the right thing.