Dog’s best friend can be baby’s best friend too. When special steps are taken a lifelong friendship can be formed between pet and child.
When adding a new baby to the family, people often forget that the impact on the family dog can be just as hard to understand as to a new sibling. This can be especially hard when it is the first child added and the dog had so far received all love and affection from its owner.
There are a few things that you need to remember when introducing dog to baby. One being a dog will always be a dog no matter how much a part of the family they are; there are moments in which any dog can become aggressive. Another is if you show the baby attention and the dog no attention at all, the dog will resent the baby. Last, dogs have an amazing sense of smell, if you bring home a blanket from the hospital or dirty diaper prior to babies arrival, it will help transition this new persons scent into the home. There is no need for the dog to smell or lick the newborn upon arrival. Buy the family pet some fun new toys, bring baby home, and enjoy the new life together
Never trust a dog alone with a baby or small child. Though a dog can be very placid one moment the next they may become very agitated by excessive crying or when a small child pesters them. Remember if the dog is loose a close eye needs to be kept on the relationship. If your dog is crate trained, you actually one step ahead of most. Dogs that are crate trained can easily find comfort and quiet time from the baby by being crated up.
One of the best pieces of advice to give, is when baby first comes, do not forget about the beloved pet. A great way to show your family dog that the baby is in no way going to intrude on your relationship with you is to give a few simple reminders. With big dogs this trick may be harder. Try sitting down with baby and petting you dog softly. It is important to not let the dog’s space intrude upon the baby’s space. When you lay baby down, do not give your dog lots of extra attention. Some experts believe this will show your dog that the baby is actually intruding upon its quality time.
Dogs and babies can live harmoniously, but there are steps that need to be taken to creating the perfect relationship. If you are looking for a family dog, look for kids friendly breeds.
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