Tips & Training
How to Prepare Your Dog for a Baby (a Dog Lover’s Guide)
The ultimate list of DO's and DON'Ts in how to prepare your dog for a baby - keeping your newborn, you and your dog happy and healthy.
Copy: Serena Faber Nelson
Photography: Canva Image Library
Pet lifestyle expert Serena Faber-Nelson is the founder of Pretty Fluffy. A contributor to Everyday with Rachael Ray, Modern Dog Magazine, Cesars Way and more; her modern, stylized take on DIY dog treats has seen her recipes viewed millions of times over.
Serena is the author of the go-to dog mom bible, Dog Mama, and the popular dog treat recipe book, Healthy Homemade Dog Treats.
Google ‘How to Prepare Your Dog for a Baby’ and you’ll get an infinite number of responses.
Now that I’m the home stretch of my own pregnancy I’ve been researching like nothing else to prepare myself, and Soda for the changes that lie ahead.
Trouble is, a lot of these so-called ‘guides’ are written by baby and ‘mommy’ sites which have all the focus on the newborn and pretty much treat the dog like a troublesome piece of furniture. Seriously. When I first found out I was pregnant I couldn’t believe some of the awful, misguided information that was out there. I even read one guide that said to teach your dog to expect to miss a meal every so often!
Well that’s not going to happen on my watch. Here at Pretty Fluffy we believe dogs are an important and integral part of the family – valued and loved just as much as every other member. Therefore this guide not only comes from months of research and expert fact checking, it also comes from the heart.
If you are expecting, and want a happy and healthy environment for your new baby, your family AND your pooch, here are our top tips to help you out…
P.S And be sure to also check out our post Dogs & Kids: Top 5 Skills to Teach Your Dog When Around Children.
Exercise
The number one thing you can do to keep your dog happy, healthy and calm during the arrival of your new baby? A daily walk.
You can buy your dog every dog treat, toy and fancy collar under the sun, but without a daily outlet to release their energy and get outside even the best dogs become depressed and destructive.
While looking after a newborn AND taking your dog for a walk seems like mission impossible, with a little bit of planning it can be done. As soon as you find out you’re expecting follow this guide:
DO start to vary the times of walks and outings. That way while your dog still gets their daily walk, they don’t get into a routine of expecting at a certain time of day. Because really, if you’ve been up with a baby all night, is Fido’s 6am walk time going to sound that appealing?
DO start to vary who goes on walks and outings. Don’t leave the dog walking up to one family member. Your pup needs to learn to be comfortable being taken out by a number of people. That way when one of you is occupied, the other one can step in and go for the walk. (We started doing this and my husband affectionately calls them ‘Daddy/Daughter’ walks!)
DO consider enrolling your dog in doggie daycare or enlisting a local dog walker to help out if it all seems too much. Knowing your dog is enjoying him time away from the house will do you both good.
DON’T wing it. Make a plan of how you are going to keep up your dog’s regular activity and stick to it. This is a non negotiable. A well exercised dog is a happy dog.
Training
If up until this point, your household has had a laissez-faire attitude to rules – it’s time to make a change.
Once you find out you’re pregnant there’s no better time to teach or reinforce your dog’s basic training and understanding of house rules. By you clearly making it known that you’re the pack leader, your dog will feel secure in their place in the pack when the baby comes.
DO ensure your dog understands basic commands such as sit, drop and stay. Enlist a dog trainer’s help if necessary, as these commands will be invaluable when you’re introducing fur-child number one to human child number two. When training, always use positive reinforcement methods such as treats and praise. This will not only get the best results, but it will strengthen the bond between you and your pup.
DO clearly define any ‘off-limit’ zones in the house prior to the baby’s arrival. If the nursery is to be a no-go zone, get your dog used to this months before your due date. That way your dog will not associate being excluded with the presence of the baby.
DON’T introduce new rules when you bring the baby home. Like the ‘off-limit’ zones, work on these new boundaries during your pregnancy. If your dog will no longer be allowed on the furniture, or discouraged from jumping up, teach them these new rules prior to the baby’s arrival.
Prepare them for new things
With a new baby, your dog is going to be bombarded with a whole truckload of new smells, sounds and experiences. By introducing these to your dog in a gradual way, you can help prevent an all out assault on their sense when the baby first comes home.
DO get your dog used to the sounds a new baby will make. A great resource for this is the book and audio CD, Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant – I HIGHLY recommend this book for any dog owner having a child. Through the exercises in this book you get to see how your dog reacts to all sorts of baby sounds. (For the record, Soda couldn’t care less about the baby sounds on the CD – where as my husband and I wanted to turn off the horrendous crying noise after a minute!!) Read our full review of the book here.
DO let them sniff some of the baby’s things. When you’re in hospital, send home a blanket or wrap that has your baby’s scent on it. Get your dog to sit calmly and then allow them to sniff the item. This allows them to get used to the new smell, while also associating their calm behaviour with the scent.
DON’T bombard them with baby gadgets in one go. In the lead up to birth, allow you dog to see the new baby gear up close and personal. Wheel the stroller around, fill up the baby bath, turn the baby swing on…whatever you are planning on using when the baby comes home, get your dog used to it beforehand. The last thing you want is your dog chasing the stroller wheels on baby’s first outing!
Promote a safe and calm space
During pregnancy and the lead up to birth, things can get very stressful very quickly. It’s a whole new adventure for all of you.
By promoting a safe and calm space within the home, you will ensure not only your dog remains happy and healthy, but the whole family does.
DO provide a safe, warm space for your dog to curl up in away from the baby. Knowing they have this space to themselves will offer them a retreat if needed.
DON’T decide now is the time to move your indoors dog to being an outdoors dog. Your dog is a pack animal and banishing them outdoors to make room for a new baby will make them feel alone and confused.
DON’T raise your voice at your dog when stressed. Your dog will pick up on your stress levels and internalise your stress. If you’re frustrated or upset, leave the room and take a few deep breaths. Rely on your dog’s training and positive reinforcement in a calm manner and you’ll encourage calm behaviour in your dog.
At the Birth
You never know when a baby is going to decide to turn up! But the last thing you want is the whole family rushing off in the middle of the night and no-one returning for days leaving pooch all alone.
DO have a plan. Before you pack your hospital bag, plan who is going to care for your dog while you are in hospital having the baby. Make sure they know all the requirements for caring for your dog, including emergency contacts.
DON’T enlist the help of a stranger. Ensure whoever is going to look after your dog comes over and gets to know your dog prior to caring for them. Make sure they are comfortable on walks and with feeding. That way your dog will welcome them with open arms when they come at the time of the birth.
DO greet your dog as normal when you return home – don’t have your focus all on the new baby. Your dog has missed you while you’ve been away and by returning home just like it’s a regular day will keep things as normal and calm as possible.
Plan Alone Time
For a lot of dogs, they came first. Many were on the scene long before any partners or children came along.
While your time is now limited, it’s important to carve out alone time with your dog on a regular basis to keep the bond between the two of you strong.
DO spend quality one-on-one time with your dog every day. This is not only for their benefit, but yours too. Some time out together – even just a short cup of tea in the sun or a game of fetch – will recharge you both, promoting a happy healthy family for everyone.
PRETTY FLUFFY RECOMMENDS:
Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant: An Essential Guide for Dog Owners Who Are Expecting a Baby by Dr Lewis Kirkham.
If you’re an expecting parent who would love to see your dog and your baby share a loving family bond, this book is a must-read. Packed with helpful tips and behavioural expertise, this step-by-step guide also includes downloadable ‘baby sounds’ soundtracks to familiarise your dog with every day baby noises such as crying, toys, giggling, splashing and more.
Get it HERE.
How to Prepare Your Dog for a Baby: What are your tips for preparing your dog for a new family member (two legged or four legged!)?
Pretty Fluffy is the ultimate lifestyle destination for dog lovers. Discover the best designer dog brands and emerging small pet businesses, the latest dog accessories, healthy dog treat recipes, dog training tips and more. Thank you for being part of our dog-loving community!
Copy: Serena Faber Nelson
Photography: Canva Image Library
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Awesome post! Definitely bookmarking this one for the future!
Thanks Mary!
By far the best ‘prepare your dog for baby’ post. I completely agree with everything. It is so important to make sure your dog still feels like an integral part of the family. I keep hearing that when I have kids, everything with my dogs will change. I won’t treat them the same way. I have a really hard time believing that. They will always be furry children to us and they deserve to live the best life possible 🙂
Thankyou so much!
It really disappointed me to read so much misinformation and bad advice out there which is what inspired this post.
Of course with any major life change there are adjustments, but I’m yet to read an article that suggests giving away your toddler when your new baby arrives, or making them sleep outside! 🙂
Change isn’t always easy, but by being prepared and considering all family members (fluffy and not so fluffy!) you are setting yourself up much better in the long run.
Fantastic blog post – thank you! When I was pregnant with my first child, Sara I used the book you mention called Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant: An essential guide for dog owners who are expecting a baby. It was really helpful and came with a baby sounds and toy noises. Max (my fur child!) took some time to get used to the sounds but the book helped on how to do it. It gave me advice on what changes will occur and how to prepare my Max for them. It also talked about the causes for aggression and why it might occur and how to avoid it. It is written by a vet behaviorist too so it cover health issues as well. Definitely recommend it!
Yes – we loved it too! Can’t recommend it enough 🙂
That’s the first thing my dad and his wife did whenever my two younger sisters were born they put our senior golden retriever outside because my step mom didn’t want fur all over the house and for the dog to knock over the babies. I grew up with Ace inside before my step mom lived there and he was the most gentle dog around me and highly tolerant. I will definitely keep this guide in mind whenever I have kids because I will not be doing it the way my parents did. Thanks!
Growing up, our dogs also lived outside (from day one) – I think it’s a generational thing. The more we can come to understand more about what dogs need, and how they need to be part of the family more dogs have come inside. My parent’s dog now even sleeps on the bed – talk about a 180! 🙂
So glad this guide will be of help! x
So I have to chuckle over the comment about the one guide that said to teach your dog to expect to miss a meal every so often – well my two dogs never had to miss a meal, but there were plenty times where they had to wait (an hour or two) to be fed. Example: finally got baby to nap (on me) and it just so happened that it occurred around dogs dinner time – and there was no way I was going to get up and wake the baby to feed the dogs.
Walking was another thing we struggled with for a few weeks after birth. My husband didn’t have any maternity time off, and he worked very long hours, plug we didn’t have family around – so I was home alone with my baby and there were times when I struggled with finding an opportunity to take a shower or even brush my teeth. Walking my dogs was the last thing on my mind. Plus my body needed to recover, and I was so sleep deprived, which made the thought of walking my dogs very unappealing.
Anyways, here we are seven months later, and we are all find – dogs and baby.
-Elizabeth (former blogger at My Life in Blog Years)
I think waiting a bit for dinner is completely fine – but not so much missing meals entirely 🙂
Life changes so much that having a support network to assist with things really makes such a difference.
This is the best “preparing dog for baby” post I’ve seen! One post I saw suggested ignoring your dog for long stretches of time to get him used to sharing your attention… 🙁
We are set to welcome our little guy in the next couple of weeks so we have done several things you mentioned already. Surprisingly our dog seems to have already learned which toys are his & which are off limits, I’m so happy about that!
Thanks for the great post, your nursery is gorgeous. Love that you designed it with baby & Soda in mind. 🙂
Thanks Jenna!
It’s crazy what some of the so-called ‘tips’ recommend out there. It’s a big life change for sure, but a happy, well cared for dog makes for a happy family.
Sounds like you are doing so well already! Wishing you all the best with the arrival of your little one! xx
Thank you, thank you, thank you. We’re planning to start trying for kids this spring, and have two dogs, so naturally I’ve been obsessively researching the best ways to prepare them for a baby. It’s disgusting how many ‘guides’ out there treat animals like throwaways, and how many new moms say things like “well, the cats ran out the door when I got home from the hospital, and I said ‘screw it, I’ve got more important things now.'” It so nice to see someone else who has no intention of letting their pets be neglected just because they’re got a new baby to love.
A pleasure Kim! I can happily say that all the prep pays off and I have two happy girls (one fur, one not furry!) who both are loved and cared for – making for a very happy and harmonious household. All the best to you! xx
I’m not planning on having a baby for at least a year but this was very helpful. I think we’ll need to get one of our dogs to calm down now so we have plenty of time to train him.
our dog loves destroying stuffed animals and any other toy he can get his hands on. So we were sure this was going to be a huge battle. We bought a bunch of second hand stuffed toys soon as we were pregnant and have been keeping them in a basket at his level. When he takes one out we tell him no and put it back. At first it was daily….. Now it’s maybe once a month and he doesn’t destroy them like he normally does. I kind of think it’s the mischievous beagle in him just testing me. 🙂
Fingers crossed it stays this way as we are due and of course there will be times there will be toys lost but I’m sure that this will help. 🙂
We also plan on having a dog bed in the baby room as he loves to be near me all the time. That way if I’m feeding or whatever he can be comfy too !
What an awesome article! Thank you for sharing such practical tips for families that love their dogs (like us!) You are helping many to have an easy transition… I can’t wait for my furkids to meet our new kid!
Thank you so much. I have been researching for months, stressing and staying up at night thinking of how to make sure my fur babies still feel my unconditional love for them. I know it’s an adjustment, but I love your tips for all that prep. I have full confidence it will pay off! I am so glad someone out there shares my feelings toward expanding family that includes pups! P.S. daily walks is an absolute must–>even if you don’t have a baby. Just plan for it, it take 30-45 min of your day. It’s a stress reliever for everyone!
Thank you so much for this post. My husband and I have two dogs who are our babies and are trying to get pregnant and bringing home a new baby is something that stresses me with them. So many great tips that we will find helpful when we finally get pregnant.
Awwww, this is a great article. Our first little girl is due in April, and we have two goldendoodles that have been our #1 little girls for eight years. We’re definitely a little worried about how they’re going to react without all of the attention they’re used to having every single day, but you’ve posted some really great information I’ll be using! The audio CD sounds like a great idea, but I’m afraid the baby crying is going to give me nightmares. (The crying is okay as long as it’s YOUR child, right?) 😉
By far the best resource for expectant families with dogs is Family Paws Dogs & Storks program. I’ve been a Family Paws Parent Educator since 2005. For more information, visit familypaws.com.
I really appreciate your post. I’m due in August and I want to do my best to prepare my two pits. They are the sweetest, most loyal and well-behaved dogs ever. I can’t imagine having any issues with them, but I’m not taking any chances either. I feel these tips will really help.
What upset me was when a couple of people asked, “So what will you do with the dogs?” Maybe they don’t mean any harm by it, but what I hear is something like, “it’ll probably be too much and you’ll have to get rid of them.” Or, “they’re going to turn vicious and eat the baby.” I don’t know. What I do know if I make every effort to help ease them into this transition, they’ll be perfect companions and protectors for our baby as well.
So awesome and thankful I found this on pinterist! I have been searching and searching all over for something like this and you have gave me a lot of wonderful tips. Thank you so much! I’m currently 24 weeks along with my first child, and my pup turns a year old February 16th this year, so I’ll definitely have my hands full this May, but with your tips I’m sure it’ll be a smooth transition. 🙂 I’ve already been letting my Jakers sniff all of the new baby clothes and other lil things that will smell like her soon, I’ve been switching his walk times to random, and have been having him be around actual babies for practice; mainly just to see how he does. He loves them! (Thank god) He’s even very patient with them and has surprised me a few times when he would just sit there and let the lil ones tug on his eyeballs and fur and face, which i figured would make him react in some sort of way but it’s like he knows they’re lil beings that don’t know any better! 🙂 I’m just so excited to follow more of your tips so thank you for actually being a fellow dog lover!
Thank you so much for this lovely post. IMy dog is an important part of my family and I’m
Concerned about how she will react to our newborn. This gave me good ideas I’ll be implementing.
Thank you for this post … it is the ONE article I have read that really makes you feel its not out of your grasps to make baby and dog work together in harmony.
Our dog is big, and he has shown aggression towards other children in the past, and now, pregnant with our first child, it scares me to think I won’t do the right thing, and that he will be a threat to our new future member of house. This has given me hope that we may not be lost in being able to build a relationship with dog and baby. With many trainer consults, I felt like it was a lost cause, but you have renewed my faith!!! I’ve written down all the points in my baby book, and cannot wait to start a better daily routine with our pet!
Thank you so much!!!
I have sent this to my daughter who is expecting and has a lovely bichon fries very loving
Hi,
I loved this article and love your site!
I’m wondering if you might have more info for dogs who have a known issue with kids? My Artie is a rescue dog and a happy outgoing unique dog but he gets these possessed eyes around kids and instantly want to jump at them with his mouth open (never bitting) but scares kids and me!!! I’m pregnant and very worried about how to get him over this… I’m not sure if he was traumatized when younger or on the streets but he definitely seems to feel like he needs to dominate children from babies to 10yrs old. I’m hoping we can work more on the pack leadership, training, and even bring a fake baby around to get him use to it but I’m super worried. If you have come across anything in your research let me know?
Thanks so much!
Gen & Artie
Hi Gen,
I would definitely recommend the book mentioned in the article, but also look to finding a local animal behaviourist that has the same outlook as you and will be able to work with you to make sure you’re comfortable with your set up at home for when your baby arrives.
Just so you can have the peace of mind that you can feel calm and ready when you are caring for both of them.
While books and articles are very helpful there is nothing like a person visiting in real life to help (especially when it comes to baby related things as all dogs and babies are different). But do make sure the expert you choose has the same outlook as you so you will work well together.
Wishing you all the very best with your new family x
I really like and enjoy read your article.
Especially when you refer to the dog like a part of the family.
I appreciate your contribution.
Thanks
Awesome article. I’ve had my chow mix for 8yrs, she’s the love of my life. My husband and I are planning for our first child…. the only problem is my dog hates kids. Hopefully this will help ease the adjustment when the time comes
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I’ve read so many articles that basically state to kick your pooch out and not let them near the baby. This was such a refreshing read! You have some great tips!
Thank you so much for this! Agreed that I hate those blogs full of dog/new baby advice like “ignore your dog now so they get used to it”, um no! Our dog is still a part of our family and I want her to feel included as such!
This is so fantastic!! We got our two pups after finding out we wouldn’t be able to have kids and have raised them as children (much to the chagrin of family).
Now that my medical outlook has changed and we will hopefully be expecting another 2 years or so down the road (I know it seems crazy to be researching this kind of stuff now but the impossible just became possible so I intend to revel in every SECOND of the next few years!!), this is just perfect. It’s awesome not only for the great advice but also to know we’re not completely alone in our intentions to keep our four-legged kids just as much part of the family as ever! They kept me going emotionally and will always be children of my heart <3
This was so great! Like you said in the beginning of the article, I have been reading tons of articles about introducing dog and baby. Reading many of the articles I thought they either seemed to think I could do the impossible or it would put the dogs happiness as the least important thing which made me sad because at least with our dog, Molly, she has brought us so much happiness and made our life so much better that it would be sad to be simply so unfair and uncaring. I received a lot of comfort when reading this to find out that I have actually done a very good job preparing for the big change that will happen any day!
THANK YOU! This is by far the best and most informative post on this topic I’ve ever read. I am due in 5 months and want to make the transition as easy as possible on our dog. Our 3 year old lab has pretty much the centre of our lives since the day we brought him home. Once the baby arrives, we fully intend to keep things that way, only our new baby will be joining, not replacing, our first baby. I’ve gotten many comments about what were “going to do” with the dog now that we’re expecting.. It’s very frustrating and honestly downright hurtful to hear comments that some people make like our dog was some form of temporary entertainment before having a baby. Anyway this got long but I appreciate the article and it’s so refreshing reading about this from the view of like-minded dog lovers. H
My parents had two black labs when I was born, and my dad made it a point to bring home baby items from the hospital for the dogs to sniff. Once I was brought home, they put a blanket on the floor and laid me on it, and then allowed the dogs to come to me (with supervision, of course) and “check me out”. I think the dogs really appreciated this, because we couldn’t get them to leave me alone after that!
This is a really, really great post. I would only add one suggestion. If you know you’re going to start trying to conceive begin with training then. This not only gives you plenty of additional time to work on key skills, but it’s one less thing you have to deal with while you’re suffering from morning sickness and other stressors. My husband and I started training our dog with advanced skills in January even though we didn’t start trying to conceive until May. Our trainer recommended we do this after seeing some of her pregnant clients struggle to keep with consistent training. I’m not yet pregnant, but my Bailey is already close to mastering door manners. That extra time that is just dedicated to training her has been invaluable.
And the info you’ve provided is wonderful. This is everything our trainer went over with us and even recommended the same book. Thank you so much for taking the time to really put in the research with clearly some very well respected sources.
I happened upon your article by accident and having had my baby 2 months ago, I read it more out of interest than need. I love your attitude and feel exactly the same. I have 2 dogs who mean everything to me. I have friends whose dogs were priority #1 until their child arrived and then the poor dogs all of a sudden lost their place with no idea as to why. My dogs are adorable with my new daughter. They lick her and cannot be close enough to her. I encourage this behavior and have our pediatrician’s blessing. Did you know, the more animal interaction at a young age, the less likelihood a child will develop seasonal allergies around the age of 5yo? Probably not surprising to us animal lovers! My birth announcement included pictures of my dogs lying with my little girl!! My feelings towards my dogs have not changed one bit since giving birth. We are one happy family! So nice to communicate with like minded people!! Good luck to everyone out there!!
this is wonderful! You’re absolutely right, so many people write off pets once a baby is in the picture. I really don’t want that to happen, so this information is so practical & helpful. Thank you for thinking of us pet people with such care.
Thank you so very much for this post!!! I have avoided reading other posts or blogs about babies and puppies because I knew they were likely going to be cruel to the dogs. I’ve had my fur babies for a very long time. I actually thought that I didn’t want children for the longest time and I have struggled with things changing. I’ve already made my husband promise that he’ll call me out if I’m not taking enough time with my puppies. It breaks my heart to think that people can give their puppies away after a baby comes. I could never do that. So, once again thank you for this amazing post!!
I just want to say… thank you so much for writing this, and for everyone who wrote comments here. My dog has been one of the main focal points of my life since we got her 3 years ago. I love her to pieces. Luckily she was around children and babies a lot as a puppy, and is already very well trained. The unwanted senior dog we’re taking-in from SO’s family in a few weeks, on the other hand, is very uncomfortable with kids (she was mistreated by one as a pup, and then yelled at every time she would bark at one because she was scared… nothing some patience and peanut butter won’t fix, though!).
When I found out I was pregnant, one of my biggest concerns was ‘how am I going to find time for all of them?’. The worst part is a lot of people look at you like you’re crazy and say “It’s just a dog, get rid of it!”. I don’t think people realize how hurtful those comments can be. To me she’s just as much a family member as the rest of us, and she is just as important as the rest of us. I want her, and the rest of our pets, to feel included and valued. We will be moving to Vancouver Island before baby is born, and I am super excited because the dogs will have 3/4 acres of fenced yard to run around, which is more than enough space for fetch and clicker games if I can’t manage a walk sometimes.
It sucks that there are so few resources out there for dog-lovers who are adding a baby to the family. Most people seem to think that kicking puppy to the curb is the only thing to do.
This was fantastic! I’m pregnant with baby #1 and desperately trying to cram as much information in as possible to help our 3 heelers adapt as best they can!!! All indoors dogs, in our little unit LOL We’ll get there!!
I just learned that I was pregnant 3 days ago, I am still in shock we were trying but never expected to be that fast.
I know at the beginning is all these mixed emotions but what worries me the MOST yes more than giving birth is my 5 year old Chihuahua, he has been my baby ever since he was 9 weeks old,and I always referred him as my kid, no questions, we have been through a lot together, he is super spoiled, he is one of those Chihuahuas that go everywhere with me (even on the plane) and has more clothes than me. He is not the most social he yaps at strangers, but once you get to him he is OK and might even like you and ask him to pick him up.
I have few friends that might think I’m crazy when I mention how worried I am and I hate when they answer it is just a dog or he will become your second priority, etc…It just brakes my heart thinking of that. I love that dog more than anything in this world so I’m terrified on what will happened when the baby arrives.
I have all this questions in my mind that literally are causing me anxiety, what if he dies of depression? what if he won’t bond with the baby at all? Am I a drama queen? or is it normal to feel like this? HELP!!!!! anyone with a Chihuahua out there?
I really appreciate this post! I’ve read other ones that said “get your dog used to being ignored…” and such. This was super helpful. We aren’t expecting our little one to come until September, but that gives us time to prepare our Sheila for baby Rose. 🙂 thanks so much!
I am SO happy that I came across a blog with advice from someone who also considers their dogs to be their first babies. Thank you for this!! 🙂
I have to say this is a very informative blog, dogs too crave a little care like everyone in the family. Giving them a little friendly treat to prepare for the forthcoming changes is one of the best things you can do.
People always talk about how to get another kid to be prepared for new born, but never mention about dog. You truly love your dog enough to be so considerate. Thanks for the reminder and I’m so going to share your tips with my friends!
Coming from experience, I too tried to prepare my dog for my newborn. The training that you mentioned resonates with what I did.
What a relief to find this post. We just found out we are precgnant, and have 2 dogs and 2 cats (I know). I saw a Pinterest post about introducing dog to baby last night that said “The truth is you just won’t love them as much. They kind-of become more of an annoyance”. I was like this can’t be the solution… You are the best!
Absolutely spot on. Preparing our dog for a newborn baby into the family is important.
You hit the nail on the head!
This has got to be the most informative, greatest article on the subject! Dogs have feelings, too, and if we don’t take time to take that into consideration the poor dogs are going to be extremely overwhelmed and that’s when they might lash out. Their preparation is key!
Was directed here by my friend. I think it is awesome, as we are preparing for a new arrival soon. =)
This post is really a breath of fresh air. I have read lots of sad stories that they’re giving up their pets for adoption when they’re having a baby. I hope those who are considering to do the same ill get to read your article.
The transition would not be an easy one. Following the tips in this article would help a great deal. Awesome write up, very captivating and definitely written from heart.
Thank you for this very well detailed post, had a great read.
This is an awesome post! I’m so glad that there are other people who feel like I do. My animals are just as important to me as our future kids will be. Me and my husband are planning on starting our family this year, so I am doing some research. I think preparing the animals are an important step! Thank you so much for this!
This is fantastic. I spoke to my vet and she was great too, but apart from that I’ve mostly had people telling us to get rid of our dogs (no way in hell), or to make them outside dogs now (no way in hell). I’m only 21 weeks, but we’ve already adjusted some stuff, such as not letting them sleep on the bed anymore (they have nice beds next to our bed), plus varying their walking times, and re-enforcing their training(our boxer girl has stopped jumping up, which we have been working on for ages). I think I’ll buy the book you suggested too.
Sharing with my husband. This is way more positive than anything else I’ve read and brought up ideas I didn’t even think of (like who will be with our dog while we’re at the hospital! all the usual babysitters will be with us!) Thank you so much for writing this. This makes me feel so much more comfortable to stand up to those who say we’ll have to get rid of Baby No. One once the baby arrives!