Helpful Tips For Introducing Your Greatest Loves: Your Dog and New Baby!

Bringing home baby and introducing it to its furry sibling — the dog!

For many people, a dog is a gateway to a child — you learn about caring for another living thing and that it requires. Whether it’s getting up early at the crack of dawn to let it out or paying for a life-saving vet service, they teach you exactly what unconditional love is all about.

And then comes the baby. Then what?! How do you know you’ll all be one happy family?

At The Vet Set, not only do we care for your furry best friend at our Carroll Gardens vet clinic, but we’re here to help guide you in all things animals that you may not think about every day — like a new baby! Learn the best tips for making the best introduction.

Coming Home With a New Baby (And Your Dog)

Throughout your pregnancy, you’ve had a supportive paw from your dog, and deep down, you may think that they’re attuned to exactly what you’re going through (they probably were)! But at some point, that baby has to pop, and they’re left with a new creature.

When you bring this alien baby home, to your dog it looks like a human and smells like a human, but it moves and cries like something foreign! To make all the commotion worse, it’s now taking up all the time and attention that was once given to long walks in the park and frisbee!

The good news is, most dogs are adaptable and will fill right in as the new big furry brother or sister, but it can take a minute. You may see bouts of jealousy or your dog distancing itself in the beginning.

With the right steps, the first few weeks of your baby’s homecoming can be golden for everyone, and they’ll be on their way to creating a lasting bond.

Pre-Baby Dog Training

Before the new addition arrives, this is the time to button everything up, and although your dog is relatively a good dog, there are a few things you may want to impart.

Ensure that your dog is obedient and can sit, stay, and lie down when asked. It’s also vital that your dog does not jump and responds to a solid recall — if they need a refresher, pre-baby dog obedience classes are recommended.

What else can you do to prepare your pup for their new sibling?

Don’t do much out of the ordinary.

Many dog parents will want to spoil and delight their beloved dog before the baby comes as a way of giving them a little extra attention before the big arrival day.

But, what happens when all the love and attention suddenly cease? Your dog may become confused. The best advice: Just go on living your daily life. Some pet experts even suggest gradually lessening the amount of attention you give your dog two to three weeks before the baby arrives to better acclimate them.

Change the routine up a bit.

Since there will likely be big changes for your dog when the baby comes, you may want to make steady changes before the baby comes. This can be important to do ahead of time so your dog doesn’t associate the changes with the baby.

Walk your dog at a different time or bring out the stroller and walk it and your dog around the house (or the neighborhood if you can bear being the lady with a dog and empty stroller)!

Create a safe space for your dog.

At the end of the day, a new baby may be quite overwhelming for your dog, so help them out by creating a safe space where they can go and lay to escape it all.

You may even want to teach them to go to that area when you need them away from the baby by rewarding them with praise and treats. You could also provide their favorite toys and high-reward objects that they love.

Play baby sounds.

Let’s be honest, baby sounds are like nothing a dog has ever heard around the house! Play baby sounds and noises to better season them to the odd sounds they’ll soon be hearing. The more time your dog has to adjust, the better.

Familiarize your dog with the smells of a new baby.

There are many smells that come with a new baby — the powders and the lotions, it’s all new to your dog. Let your dog sniff the products you may be using. You may even want to let them investigate the nursery, learning all the new smells and things it holds!

The Initial Introduction of Your Dog and New Baby

What does the initial interaction of your new baby and your dog look like? Below are a couple of suggestions.

Greet Your Dog Solo

When you’re home from the hospital, greet your dog first without the baby, so they can be excited and get out their energy of your arrival. This also prevents them from jumping on or near the baby that could create an unsafe situation.

Once you’ve greeted your dog you can bring in the new addition.

Allow for Curiosity

Before letting your dog and baby meet, let them get curious and adapt to the new smells. Of course they’re probably excited to see the baby, but let them sniff blankets and carriers before the first, official introduction.

The Meet and Greet

Depending on your comfort level and how your dog has been reacting to the recent addition, you can make the initial introduction a couple of hours or a couple of days later — this part will probably be the most natural. They may snuggle up to you and the baby and feel like everything is right, but if your dog is more lively, you can always have your partner or friend put them on the leash for the meet and greet so you can better control their actions.

It’s always a good idea to give your dog praise when they sniff and interact with the baby. It’s important to always let things come naturally and let your dog come to the baby — never force interaction or try and show your dog the baby, this could lead to aggressive behavior and even bites.

New Noises and Sounds

A new baby makes a range of new sounds, and they’re not always pleasant and can even be surprising. A screaming or kicking baby can be confusing to your dog, so make sure you always keep your baby elevated and that you’re the physical buffer between your baby and the dog in the early days.

Give Praise and Attention

Your baby will likely be with you around the clock, so it’s important if your dog is around that you try and include them as much as possible. Give them praise and attention in the presence of the baby so they pick up that good things happen when the baby is or isn’t around.

The Baby’s Toys

Avoid punishing or yelling at your dog for picking up a baby blanket or playing with one of their toys, the more this happens, the more they associate a bad interaction with the smell of the baby.

Instead, replace the baby’s toy with one of their toys.

Growing Up Together

The early stages of your baby and your dog bonding has a learning curve — it’s them feeling each other out. In time, it’ll be old news and they’ll be the best of friends! As your little gets older and begins crawling and walking, it’s important to teach them boundaries regarding you and your dog — early on make sure you are around to watch and ensure that they don’t pull tails or ears too roughly, because even your dog has limits!

Listen for growling or signs that your dog is getting upset and diffuse the situation.

As your child enters their toddler years, teach them dog safety — how to approach and interact with all dogs safely.

At the end of the day, the new baby will be an adjustment for everyone — and how everyone gets along and interacts looks different with every dog. If you need to use dog gates or keep them crated in the first days and weeks, that’s okay, there are no hard or fast rules!

Bringing home baby can be nerve-wracking — for everyone — but will a little planning and a little prep work, introducing your dog to your new baby will go off without a hitch!