Bringing home a new baby is exciting, but you may feel a little nervous if you have a furry baby at home. Remember, preparing your pet for the new arrival is as important as babyproofing the rest of your home. But with this guide to introducing your furry baby to your new baby, you’ll know what to do!
Prepare Your Pet Early
When your first baby is your four-legged furry companion, preparing it to meet your bundle of joy is only fair. Feeling nervous about this is natural. You may worry that your dog will feel jealous of the new arrival, or the two may not hit it off. Start preparing your dog before you give birth. Many do this by:
- Playing recordings of various baby sounds.
- Introducing their pet to baby smells and products.
- Enrolling their dog in obedience school.
And as you introduce new stimuli to your dog, reward them for positive behavior. This allows your dog to understand the upcoming life changes gradually. And it increases the likelihood that the two will hit it off.
Think of Activities To Do With Both
Once your baby arrives, don’t exclude your dog from activities you once did together. Thinking of ways to include both may seem difficult after the arrival, so set aside time to do so while you prepare. Anytime you’re going on a walk with your baby, let your pup tag along. All the Babies has a great article with other great ideas on how to stay active with your baby!
Make Introductions Simple
Keep the first introduction simple. Your dog may not know what a baby is, and your baby doesn’t know what your dog is. Some dog parents have their partner or another relative bring the pup the baby’s blanket or clothing from the hospital. This allows your dog to get used to the baby’s scent, so there are no surprises when you come home.
When the time comes to bring your baby home, take a seat and allow your dog to sniff your baby, but make sure your pooch doesn’t get too close. You risk scaring both by allowing the two to get too close or in one another’s personal space.
Keep Your Dog Comfortable
All the lifestyle changes may stress out your dog. After all, your pooch doesn’t understand the meaning of a new arrival quite as you do. As a result, your pet may feel upset or not understand why things have changed. By following this guide to introducing your furry baby to your new baby and planning, you lessen that risk.
Find ways to continue bonding with your dog, even if it’s a short game of fetch or cuddling up while the baby naps. With all this taken care of, your furry companion can happily cope with the expansion of the pack!
