6 Ways to get Your Dog Ready for Your Baby
There are many things to take into consideration when you decide to have a baby and a dog at the same time. To get a house ready for your little one to come into the world is already daunting but adding a pet can make things a little more tricky but not too difficult. That is why Pet MD has an article talking about the 6 steps to get your dog ready for your baby.
Everything changes when you bring your new baby home and the dog will feel the change in the upheaval around the house. With the changes in giving more care to your baby will greatly confuse your dog and here are some ways to deal with that.
- Practice dog obedience training. When it comes close to the babies due date you should polish up on obedience training for your dog. If you do not have any training with your dog you should start, so you can have your dog under control when the baby arrives. You should just stick to the basics, sit, stay and lay down. Some times a wait is better and less formal than stay. This will mean to the dog that you need to hold on for a minute.
- Buy the right dog supplies. Having the right stuff for your baby is important but it just as necessary to have the right equipment for your dog. It is better to have a 4 to 6 foot long leash instead of the retractable leash. This is so you can tether your dog to a heavy piece of furniture when stay is needing alot of help. Baby gates may be beneficial for your dog to separate the baby from the dog at times. The last thing is have treat and rubber toys for your dog. This can be your doges babysitter when you do not have the time to tend to your pet.
- Start Stroller training. Consider doing some stroller training with your dog. Some dogs are frightened by the size and movement of the stroller. What you can do is bring the stroller out, let him sniff it and you can place some treats near or on the stroller. This will increase the dogs trust with the equipment. You can give your dog a walk with the stroller if need be. If the dog is still afraid of the stroller start back to the beginning until the dog gets use to it.
- Begin New Baby Schedule. We do not know what the schedule will be like before the baby is born but we can mimic it for the dog. This will help the dog get use to the new routine and adjust easier when the baby is here. This can be difficult cause we do not all have the discipline to get up in such odd time in the morning.
- Praise Proper behavior around the Baby. Your dog will be very curious of the new member of the house. It is important to watch the two interact and praise your dog on the good behavior traits. This could be that the dog moves back when needed and sits up correctly. These traits are praisable. Make sure your dog and cats both have preventable flee and tick treatment up to date. You do not want the baby getting flees or ticks.
- Early Preparation is Key. Kids that grow up with dogs form special bonds with their best canine friend, and even though the initial adjustment to living with a baby and a dog can be challenging, taking the appropriate steps right from the beginning can make the process a lot less stressful.
These are the basics in knowing what to do for your pet when it comes to children. Your dog will be just like having an older sibling where they may get jealous of the newborn at times. This is normal and we just have to be caring for our pets and our children alike. The reason is as your pet grows with your child your child will have a very strong bond with the pet as they grow together. This is what Pet4CPR is here to help teach in our Pet Care course. Check us out.