How to Introduce Your New Baby to Your Dog

Introducing your new baby to your dog is almost like bringing a baby home to a sibling ' if handled incorrectly, it can cause rivalry and hurt feelings. Take a few simple precautions, though, and your dog and your baby should eventually become the best of friends.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Electric Dog Clippers
• Dog Treats

1. If you need to change house rules, change them before the baby arrives. Otherwise, your dog may associate the baby's arrival with her sudden banishment from the couch.
2. Consider a series of obedience classes before the baby arrives, especially if your dog doesn't know the basic commands: sit, come, stay.
3. Have your dog thoroughly checked out by a veterinarian before your baby comes home. This will give you time to deal with parasites or other problems that could pose a family health risk.
4. Let your dog get used to the sights, smells and sounds of a baby in advance. Let her sniff baby blankets and lotions, and get her used to the sounds of rattles and other baby toys.
5. Before bringing your baby home from the hospital, send home a blanket or gown that the baby has been wrapped in. This will get your dog used to the baby's scent.
6. Let Dad or someone else carry the baby inside at the first homecoming, so that Mom is free to greet the dog with open arms. That way the dog will be less jealous of her attentions to the baby.
7. Praise your dog when you're near the baby so she will think of the child as a positive influence on her life'she gets praised more when the baby is around.
8. Reassure your dog, each time your baby cries, that this is a normal sound, and train her not to bark when she hears it. Use positive reinforcement as much as possible'a treat or a hug for doing the right thing.
9. Spend one-on-one time with your dog while the baby is napping, or during walk time (your baby can ride along in a sling or front-pack).
10. Be patient'it may take some time before your dog is really comfortable around your baby.

Tips & Warnings

• Teach your dog to heed a 'Quiet!' or 'Hush!' command if she tends to bark when someone comes to the door. This will mean she can still do her job of guarding the house, but you can quiet her quickly if your baby is sleeping.
• Keep your dog's nails trimmed (see related eHow 'Trim Your Dog's Nails'). Train her not to jump on people if this has been a problem.
• Never leave your dog alone with your baby, no matter how well-trained and friendly the dog may be. Even the best-behaved dog can become frustrated with a baby's cries, and will act instinctively rather than rationally in some situations.