Dogs and Babies

What's cuter than a dog and a baby?

A SAFE dog and baby

Disclaimer: Dog-child cases are not my personal expertise, so the tips below are pretty general. If you have dogs and kids, I HIGHLY recommend working with a Family Paws Parent Educator!

BEFORE THE BABY ARRIVES:

- Desensitize & counter-condition baby things; sounds (screaming, crying), sights (stroller, crib), actions (walking around with/feeding/rocking the baby)

- Start to adjust your daily routine to what you expect it to be once the baby comes home. Is your dog still going to be allowed on the couch? Are they used to being separated from you while you're home? You'll want to work on these things before you have to do it with the addition of a newborn!

- Brush up on obedience skills, especially ones you will be using a lot once the baby is here. "Stay", "place", and "leave it" are a few that come to mind! You may also want to teach a "backup" or other space-increasing behavior.

AFTER THE BABY ARRIVES:

- Go slow and don't force interaction! Include the dog in a safe manner (i.e. this video). Never allow the dog and baby to be unsupervised together - it only takes a second for accidents to happen!

- Keep up on obedience skills. Remember that since the environment has changed (hello, there is a tiny human in the house) you will likely have to go back a step in your training. Make it easy for your dog to be successful and use those rewards!

- Use management to ensure success. If you can't be actively supervising, your dog should be in a safe and secure place away from the baby. Use crates, baby gates, etc.

- Ensure your dog's needs are still being met. Consider hiring a dog walker or looking into daycare. If their needs are met, they will be much less likely to engage in undesirable behaviors!

Remember, every dog is different, so be patient and adapt to your dog's needs. 🐶👶 And reach out to Family Paws if you want to learn from some AMAZING professionals!