Content
- Before the baby arrives, prepare your dog
- Educate your dog to trust him more
- prepare a positive association
- A calm and positive presentation
- And then...
Know how introduce the baby to the dog correctly is very important for anyone who is going to be a mother or father, because despite knowing your pet's personality well, we know they can be a little unpredictable. Especially if there's something new in between.
All family members will undergo changes when the baby arrives, we talk about schedules, routines or perceptions and just as it can affect the people who live in the house, all the animals in the house will also feel this, including your dog.
At the outset, if you have managed to educate your puppy and have confidence in him, you can be calm.But still, read this PeritoAnimal article in which we'll give you some tips on how to introduce the baby to your dog correctly.
Before the baby arrives, prepare your dog
To avoid unforeseen events, it is very important that you have everything under control in advance. For this, we need to prepare our puppy before the dog-baby presentation takes place.
The essential thing is to focus on two pillars: education or discipline and the correct association. The first will give us the safety of our dog when know that you obey us and responds to our orders under any circumstances, while the second will teach the dog everything that is good in the baby's arrival. But we can't change the dog's chip overnight, so it's important to do everything in advance. Learn more about these two pillars below.
Educate your dog to trust him more
It may be that your dog has acquired bad habits or not, it all depends on each case, although the normal thing is that all puppies have some behaviors to improve, although they are often not particularly problematic. Sometimes the dog does a little what he wants.
If your puppy is one that behaves very well, it will be enough to work out the obedience orders daily. It will make you comfortable knowing that your puppy hears what you say and follows your directions. However, if your dog has a serious behavior problem or believes he will not be able to control the situation well, it is essential consult a dog educator. At first no parent leaves their newborn baby without proper supervision, but anything can happen. Therefore, it is essential to be prepared.
What will help prevent this unpredictability? The fact that you have offered an education, even a basic one, to your dog. Don't forget that the use of punishment or physical force is completely prohibited. You must educate your puppy with positive reinforcement if you want him to have a positive attitude towards the baby and anyone else.
prepare a positive association
Just as we try to associate car rides or seeing veterinarians with positive things, so with the little baby we should associate your presence with pleasant factors for your dog. So, before the baby arrives, prepare the house with your things: clothes, creams, lotions, diapers... In addition, you should follow these tips that will help you understand the new situation:
- Whenever you enter the baby's room, allow you to smell, the fact of smelling helps you to relax and helps you to know and relate stimuli, is a positive attitude. I rewarded him whenever I do it with snacks or with kind words.
- practice dressage orders in the baby's room to relate this place to obedience and positive reinforcement. Never punish him or make him leave the place with bad words.
- Don't have an altered attitude, try to convey tranquility to your dog at all times, especially in the baby's room. Your character will totally influence your puppy, keep that in mind.
A calm and positive presentation
In the first few days it is completely understandable not to allow direct contact between the dog and the baby, however it is very important make him participate in the situation be allowing you to follow and observe at all times.
He must make sure there is no hostility related to the baby, so don't scold him at any time. Ask your partner to help you whenever necessary but always using positive reinforcement.
Must present the baby and the dog at a time of tranquility and total calm. Try that there are no other stimuli in between, just the baby, the dog and your smile. In the beginning it will be ideal let him smell your little feet a little, never anything too direct. Ask your partner to accompany you at all times to make the moment even more special.
Just think that the dog may not have seen other babies and doesn't know what this little animal is. However, it is common for puppies to understand and sympathize. If you give your puppy confidence and security, he will understand and respect the newcomer.
Little by little, you will observe how your dog reacts and to what extent you can allow them to get close to each other. And if you suspect that your dog may be jealous of your baby, you should consult an ethologist or dog educator as soon as possible.
And then...
Always try to improve the relationship as explained to you, with positive reinforcement, joy and appropriate medication of the boundaries you must place between them. You are the person who knows both family members best, that's why little by little you will discover how to act and work with them.
Now he has a big job ahead of him, continuing to enjoy a happy family.
