How I prepare my dog for my baby’s arrival?

If these days you have the question: How I prepare my dog for my baby’s arrival? Here we are going to provide you with the information you need to face this situation.

The arrival of a baby is a unique and new event for all members of the family, including pets. New smells, sounds and objects will appear at home and generate important changes in the day to day. For that reason, it is important to follow an adaptation process; during the months before birth, as in those after the arrival of the baby.

Gradually change your dog’s routine

You have to be aware that the arrival of your baby will generate significant changes in the current routine of your dog. For this reason, it is important that you start introducing these changes months before your little one is born. Don’t make sudden changes, because it will generate stress in your dog.

Analyze your day to day with the animal; and now think about what it will be like when the baby is at home. Make a schedule and gradually introduce new routines. It’s not about completely eliminating the activities you do with your pet. Rather, you should gradually alter those activities and combine them with the time you will devote to your child.

That your dog learns to be more independent.

You must accustom your dog to a certain level of independence, introducing activities that do not require your participation or that are carried out far from you. For example, you can teach your dog to be alone in his bed, without needing you to be in the same room. Use interactive toys and leave him playing in another room.

If you consider that the physical activity of your furry friend will be drastically reduced; it would be convenient that you consider hiring a dog walker. Mainly, in the early days

It is very likely that there are some behaviors of your dog that you want to change. Now is the perfect time for you to adapt to the new rules. For example, you want to ban your pet from climbing on the couch.

Find a good bed and give it every time you lie there. Remember that it is always better to reinforce behaviors in a positive way. Look for quality information, ask for advice from canine educators, and you can even enroll your dog in courses to educate him through prizes and / or rewards

Learn to live with the baby.

How I prepare my dog for my baby’s arrival. If your dog has not received any training; it is the time when you learn the basic commands that every dog should know; such as sitting, lying down, standing still, walking beside you, or coming to your calling. In this way, coexistence with the rest of the family will be easier.

It is also convenient for the dog to learn to greet without jumping, play without biting, release the objects he has in his mouth and differentiate between his toys and those of the baby. Also, if on certain occasions, your dog shows aggressive behavior, such as showing teeth, growling or trying to bite; you should contact a veterinarian or animal behavior specialist as soon as possible to resolve the problem, before the baby’s arrival.
Never use baby toys to play with the dog.

The world of children

Your dog may have had contact with children and babies as a puppy and is already used to their smell or sounds. But, if this is not so, your pet can really be surprised with many of the stimuli related to the baby. For that reason, we suggest you continue with the following steps.

Acoustic stimuli:

You can find a recording of a child’s cry and put it at low volume while playing with the dog or handing him bits of a tasty meal. When you get used to the sound, you can turn up the volume.

Visual stimuli:

Introduce new objects related to the baby as soon as possible, such as the stroller, crib or pen. And let the dog explore them calmly and progressively. Above all, pay attention to objects that move or make noises, such as the carousel you will put on top of the baby’s crib.

Olfactory stimuli:

You can start using baby care products, this way your dog will get used to some new smells. Even once your little one is born, you can bring your used clothes from the hospital and let the dog smell it. while awards are given to him. This way your dog will make a positive association with the baby’s smell.

We hope that these tips have helped you clear the doubt of How I prepare my dog for my baby’s arrival?