What a wonderful thing it is to have a new baby coming home but having a dog can raise questions on what to do with a dog and a new baby. A lot of people give their dogs away to shelters because they are afraid that having a new baby will cause the dog to get jealous and the baby will be harmed. But there are things that can be done to reduce the chance of a problem. Many families are having success in introducing their dog to the new member of the family.
Having your dog introduced to the new baby is a process and it takes some time and a lot of care to make sure things go well when the baby comes home to meet his canine family member.
Having your dog prepared for the baby s arrival in advance is a good way to avoid problems when the little one comes home from the hospital. Your dog is used to being the center of attention in your family but now with the baby coming home things have changed a bit for you. There still will be some jealousy between the two. He(the dog) used to be the center of attention but by taking some precautions like a few extra minutes of time with the dog and treats and the treats will help a lot in this type of training.
You should take the dog to the vet a few months before the new arrival. You want him checked out for any thing that could cause a problem for the baby. Also, if the dog has not been spayed or neutered now is the time to do this.
If you have friends that have babies have them come over to your home and let the dog get use to smelling babies. Keep an eye on any dog and baby interaction to make sure things are going well. Watch how your dog interacts with any little ones.
You know how nice little babies smell. Dogs like to smell things so take the baby items you have and let the dog smell them. Put baby powder, lotion on your hand and let them sniff it. So that your dog will remember it. Bring your dog into the changing room and sniff around there to get accustomed to the new surroundings and new items and smells. Also bring home any clothing you have of the baby before the baby comes home so the dog can smell that too. So when the baby comes home the smell won t be so new to him.
Play baby music around the house. There are CD s out there that have the sound of babies on it. But one precaution is not to allow your dog to sleep on the babies furnishings or play with the babies toys. If you do the dog may think that it is his and not the babies items.
So make it a happy and joyful experience for you and your dog and the new baby.
Author Resource:
Mr. Baker loves to write on various dog and pet topics If you want to learn more about Dog Training? If so, download your new free e-course "Secrets to Dog Training 6 Day Dog Behavior and Training Course" here: http://www.squidoo.com/FamilyDogAndTheNewBaby Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Baker
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