Bringing a baby into the family is an exciting time full of new adventures and changes—not just for you but for your furry friend, too! Helping your dog adjust to life with a tiny human doesn’t have to be stressful. With a bit of preparation and plenty of love, you can create a smooth transition that helps everyone feel safe. Let’s dive right in!
Preparing your Pup for their Human Sibling
The most essential work to be done when introducing a dog and a baby is often completed leading up to bringing your new family member home. To make the transition a breeze, complete a few simple steps beforehand. While setting up your nursery, allow your pooch to familiarize themself with the room. This will help avoid territorial behaviors and conflicts later. Just make sure to clean the room well before bringing a newborn inside.
You should also consider allowing your dog to get comfortable around all children. Socialization can also help point out if your dog has any behavioral issues. Training is 100% necessary to keep you, your family, and your furry friend safe when you bring your child home.
If you’ve got a dog who loves to cuddle, now would also be an excellent time to find an alternative way to bond. There’s a good chance that you’ll need to hold your newborn often during the first few months. Break the habit of unwanted snuggle attacks before your baby is welcomed home to avoid injury.
Finally, you’ll want to take your dog to the vet. This guarantees that your furbaby is up to date on all vaccinations and medications before your newborn comes home. This could prevent several issues, but most importantly, it will keep your family safe and one less thing causing you stress.
Introducing your Furbaby to your Baby-baby
The first interaction between your dog and your baby is hazardous but significant. Keep this moment short and contained, and remember that the two now live together and will have plenty of other opportunities to cuddle later.
If our dog remains calm, the two may interact, perhaps with some sniffing or pets from you or your partner while the other is holding your baby. Your dog should not be allowed to do more than a few sniffs to ensure everyone’s safety. Fido should also be kept on a leash during this interaction. With all the excitement, this leash can help with a quick removal if necessary.
If your dog continues to behave well, you can offer them treats to positively reinforce this behavior for future success.
Adjusting to a New Normal with your Canine and Baby
After these initial interactions, you’ll want to continue small supervised “playdates” until your pet is fully adjusted to their new sibling. You should watch both, even after your baby is out of the infant/newborn stage.
When your baby gets older, you can spend more time with your furbaby. This is an enormous adjustment for everyone involved, so have extra patience with your fluffy puppy and give them all the extra love you can.
A great way to bond as a family is to go on walks. Pack up the stroller and grab a sturdy leash. This classic, dog-friendly activity is an excellent way for you all to spend time together while getting exercise. Small, family-friendly activities like this will grow the bond between your dog and baby.
Adding a baby to the family is a big change, but it’s also an amazing opportunity to build new bonds and create beautiful memories. With patience, care, and a bit of time, your pup and baby can become the best of friends. So take things one step at a time, and enjoy watching your family grow—both paws and tiny toes included!