How to Help Dogs Get Used to a New Baby

Bringing home a new baby is a wonderful, exciting event for a couple or a family. Although the occasion is one of life's most joyous, a baby certainly has a way of turning an entire household upside down. Older children in the house will have some adjusting to do, as will mom and dad. Then there's the family dog. Dogs love and rely on attention and familiar routines, and a new baby will most certainly divert attention and upset the familiar. Here are some steps you can take to make adjusting easier for your dog.

Things You'll Need

  • Leash
  • Dog treats
  • Baby blanket
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Instructions

  1. Before Your Baby Arrives

    • 1

      Brush up on and reinforce any previously learned obedience commands several weeks before the baby arrives. It will make it much easier to have control over your dog during those days and weeks of adjustment once the baby comes home.

    • 2

      Work on curbing any mouthing behaviors your dog may have before the baby arrives. You certainly do not want your dog to "love nip" your baby.

    • 3

      Expose your dog to as many babies and toddlers as possible during the weeks leading up to the birth. Keep your dog on a leash at all times. Offer treats, pet your dog and give other positive reinforcements if the dog is calm and well behaved. If your dog acts fearful, roughhouses or is otherwise inappropriate, calmly lead it away without emotion and try again later. Do not punish your dog, yell at it or give positive attention if it acts inappropriately or it will draw conclusions that will lessen the likelihood that it will act in an appropriate manner around babies the next time.

    • 4

      Desensitize your dog to behaviors a baby or toddler will likely engage in, such as grabbing its fur, poking its tummy, pulling its tail and hugging its neck. If your dog is not accustomed to these behaviors it may feel threatened and react. Pet your dog and give it positive attention at the same time you are poking and pulling it. Reward your dog with a treat if it stays calm.

    • 5

      Put your hand in your dog's food bowl and drop a treat into the bowl while it is eating. Do this often so your dog will begin to associate something good happening when people are close to it or putting their hands in its bowl while it is eating. It is very important that your dog not view your baby as a threat to its food.

    After Your Baby is Born

    • 6

      Put a small blanket or burp cloth in your baby's bassinet at the hospital. Once the blanket has the baby's scent, and before the baby is released to come home, present the blanket to your dog, petting it and giving it a treat while it calmly takes in the baby's scent. Make sure your dog is sitting, remains calm and does not try to engage in thrashing or playing tug of war with the blanket. This will help your dog associate getting a treat, sitting and being calm with the baby.

    • 7

      Put a leash on your dog the first few times it interacts with your baby. Hold your baby carefully in your lap and have another family member bring the dog to the baby. Let your dog see and smell the baby. Reward it with an extra-special treat if it remains calm. If it attempts to nuzzle or paw at the baby, or has otherwise inappropriate behavior, calmly and without emotion lead it away and try again later. Do not punish, yell, or give positive reinforcement if your dog is behaving badly.

    • 8

      Allow your dog to accompany you around the house during your day-to-day routine with the baby, as long as your dog is behaving calmly. For example, let the dog sit at the foot of the highchair as you feed the baby, or lie on the bathroom rug as you bathe the baby. Do not exclude your dog from your day-to-day routine, but be sure to never leave your dog alone with the baby.

    • 9

      Play with your dog and give it plenty of attention throughout the day.