Babies are precious little beings in every house. The process starts with love life, courting, spending time together in the name of love, and eventually getting married. But as soon as people marry, the second biggest thing they look for is a companion; dogs are the best pets that give warmth to the house.
As the days go by, couples grow emotions, love the dog, and in the most likely case, they become their first baby. It is until the sound of pregnancy tickles that couple remembers there is a life besides having the dog as the best buddy. The thought of a new friend, the joy of the little bundle of joy, is uncountable. And as the saying goes, “Having a baby is like falling in love again, both with your husband and child” – Tina Brown, the feeling and the thought of this new creature revives love again.
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But remember there was the first baby, The Dog! How do you help it accommodate the new visitor in the house? It is important to note that this could be the first time your dog is experiencing the presence of a young baby, and as such, the adjustment should be handled with care.
To make things easier, train your mind that it is not whether the dog will be ready to accept the baby, but being able to adjust to the new change of guard is the most critical thing. And since the mother-to-be has plenty of time before the baby’s homecoming, keep training the it on the best way to handle and live with the baby.
Below are some elaborative pointers that will help you to introduce a reactive dog to the baby.
Before the Baby’s Arrival
Early Training
Dogs have their behaviors, and because they have lived without a baby’s interference, you need to train them as soon as you realize that you are expecting the baby. For instance, work on the obedience skills, and if any gaps you feel need to be addressed, ensure this is done earliest possible. Also, note that it is not easy to train a dog a new skill and, as such, change your behavior towards it. For instance, if a dog was used to welcoming you home by jumping, its time to change this by;
- Training the dog to remain calm alongside his bed.
- Put a chain on the dog to train him to maintain its four feet on the ground when you enter. Appreciate it if he succeeds in keeping the feet down.
- When visitors are entering the house, keep the dog busy by giving it some duty, for instance, moving a rag from one place to another.
- When alone with the dog, teach him to sit as you offer him a quiet massage instead of moving around you.
This kind of training needs consistency. Should you feel that it is an overwhelming task, there are professional dog trainers who can as well offer you support in changing the old behaviors.
Introduce Baby’s Smell in Advance.
Because of the new baby products, the baby will smell different from the usual household smell. And in most cases, the dog recognizes its master through the scent. It may find or react with a new smell if not used to it.
To counter this, there are a number of activities you need to put in place before the baby’s arrival.
- Buy the sweet-smelling products in advance and expose them to the dog so they can be used to the smell. For instance, pour some products such as baby powder in a seat where you normally cuddle him and let him smell as you rest together. Practice this for a couple of weeks and allow the fresh fragrance of the baby smell to become the new smell of your room.
- Allow it to sniff the smell as much as possible till you are sure it s now a familiar smell in the house.
- When the baby is about to arrive, let a friend pay a visit with a toy wrapped in a blanket that smells the baby products you are using. Ensure the dog sniffs it and sees its reaction. If he sniffs with a positive response, reward him in the best way possible. For instance, offer a cuddling session while ensuring the toy and the blanket are within reach where he can still sniff.
Doing this will add more attachment to the idea of a new house member, whose scent is already known.
Repeat this until you find that the dog is now used to the smell while expecting the baby’s homecoming welcome.
Adjust the Dog to the Baby’s Crying and Wails.
Sometimes, babies can be annoying, especially with the crying and making new sounds that are completely new to the dog. This can be a nuisance even to the calmest dog and may lead to discomfort if the real baby bumps up into the house.
Therefore, it is important to sensitize the dog early enough before the expected arrival date of the baby. For instance;
- Search for online baby noises and play with them when relaxing with the dog. This can range from the baby crying to the strange noises that come along with the new baby. Turn the volume to an accommodative level, and keep adjusting the volume until it gets used to the new noise.
- Even when the dog gets annoyed, try to calm it down but persist in playing the sounds till it gets used.
- Try playing these sounds during the dog’s normal schedule, for example, during eating time, when relaxing on the floor, or even when sleeping. Manage the volume of the sound depending on the dog’s reaction. But at the same time, you can play some cool music in between to prove that the baby’s cries can stop for a while and then repeat.
Ensure that the dog does not get overwhelmed by the sound, which could cause restlessness.
Continue doing this until you see it and appreciate the new house sound change. This can be seen when the dog cools down, moves its ears with ease, and moves its head or tail with ease.
Practice this until the baby arrives.
Upon the Baby’s Arrival
When all is done, the baby is already born in the hospital, and it’s time to go home. Here are several things to do to ensure the Dog appreciates the member of the family
Allow a Family Member to take the Dog for a Long Walk
This is done to ensure that the dog has consumed all the energy and its s ready to accept any instructions. Once off, let one member of the family fill the house with the new baby fragrance of the products so that the environment remains in a sober baby state.
As the dog returns, ensure a professional helper accompanies it. Allow it to enter the house and meet the people already waiting for you and the baby. Ensure the family members create a friendly environment for the dog and offer it something to quench the thirst after a long walk. But take note: Ensure the dog is leashed in case of a change of behavior before letting the baby in the house.
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If it behaves in a friendly and relaxed way, have your friend walk out to meet the baby and yourself. Be confident that all is well. The first thing the dog will sense is the familiar smell; in most cases, he will welcome you home in a relaxed manner.
When you sense its warm welcome home, greet him calmly and introduce the baby too. However, ensure he is not too close to the baby to protect against unforeseen eventualities.
Bonding Time
When you are relaxed, allow the dog to sniff at the baby’s blanket so that it gets used to the new norm. Slowly but surely, let him sniff near the feet’s covering. This is where bonding will start. But DO NOT at any time leave the baby alone at this age. Always have a helper with the dog leashed until it gets used to the new environment. Always reward him when there is an attempt at success. For instance, give him his favorite food after sniffing the baby or gift him with his favorite toy.
By doing this, it will learn that the baby comes with the good things and will keep loving to be near her to be given new things.
This trend should continue until the baby is around 8 months.
However, create time for separation. Do not be the lover of the underfoot dog where it cannot move an inch away from you, but train yourself to tell it is time to leave. For instance, there are familiar words such as;
- Use words like “Move” or “Go away” in a calm manner.
- Tose your foot to mean moving away.
- Ensure it moves to its resting place so you can handle the baby independently and spend time bonding.
Teaching the Baby of the New Friend.
When the baby is strong enough, it’s time to train her to live with the family pet in the house. For instance, let her not pull the dog’s tail; This alone is enough to agitate the dog to become an enemy.
The thing is, as the baby grows, she will become more active. Mobile, noisier, all these could be a nuisance to the dog. But to counter that, if, for instance, the baby throws her playing toy, send the dog to pick it up and place it in a basin to be cleaned later. By doing this, the dog will feel he is still a family member and feels appreciated.
It will have a sense of appreciating the baby and would even love to see the toys being thrown.
Is there a chance that The Dog can Respond in a Negative Way?
Yes, indeed, the dog can respond aggressively. The baby is innocent and does not understand that dogs’ items should be interfered with. And this is possibly one of the reasons for aggressiveness. At this point, the dog can turn out to be a dangerous animal in the house. If you sense such an experience, have it moved away from the baby’s presence and call a certified trainer. Give it time for retraining until it gets to its real self.
This will contain the situation and prevent the baby from a possible bite when the dog is defending itself.
How to Correct The Dog by Yourself
It may feel absurd when your friendly dog turns otherwise, and sometimes you may think that punishing him is the solution.
But this won’t work. As soon as you re-introduce the training sessions, be a participant in the sessions too. Let it know that you still love him and have space in your family.
As you observe the dog’s sudden behavioral change, learn to live with him with new tricks. For instance, you can start gifting him in another way, such as bringing toys that are friendly to both the baby and the dog.
Buy a stroller, put a big toy there, and let it learn to walk with the dog. Continue building a friendly character until the dog reciprocates positively. Remember that even when it is away from the baby, he is still a family member. Keep a distance between him and the baby, but ensure there are continued glances and meetings so that the idea of the baby in the house is not forgotten.
With a qualified dog trainer, this negative behavior should not take long and will return to itself and love again.
Final Thoughts
As you re-introduce the dog to bonding with the baby, keep alert; we know that parents often spend nights awake tending the baby, and sometimes sleep may take over.
It is advisable that whenever the dog is around, ensure there is someone beside you who can offer support when you are not in a position to do so.
Parenting is a daunting task, and in this case, being a parent of a baby and a puppy. As time goes by, you will learn how to handle issues but, most importantly, remain alert as the baby grows. She will eventually outgrow the stage, and her carefree attitude will return. But for now, watch out and make the necessary adjustment as you watch the baby grow from one stage to another.
References:
Living with Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind by Colleen Pelar at https://colleenpelar.com/livingwithkidsanddogs/
Family Paws Parent Education at http://www.familypaws.com/