Content
- someone new has arrived
- before the baby arrives
- Despite this, he remains jealous
- Things to be aware of
When we adopt and bring home a dog, it's like having a child, we want to give it all the love and attention possible to grow up healthy and happy. All these years our energy is practically directed towards the dog.
But what happens when a new family member arrives? A baby? What happens is that everything can change in a matter of days and if we don't handle it correctly, it can lead to the relationship with our pet as well as your relationship with this new baby to become a little complicated.
If you are a mother and you are going through this situation, in this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain to you what to do if your dog is jealous of the baby, giving you tips so that there is harmony between your puppy and baby and with the whole family.
someone new has arrived
Imagine that you are a dog and that all your mom and dad's love is for you. But suddenly a beautiful and loving but demanding and screaming baby comes home to grab all the family's attention. Your world falls apart.
Faced with this new dynamic, dogs may feel jealous for feel out of place within the new family life, and being such sensitive creatures, they perceive as if there is no longer a place for them in the heart of the family. In addition to jealousy, they may be resentful, afraid, depressed and there may be physical manifestations such as certain adverse reactions to the baby.
The truth is, it's not the baby's or the dog's fault. And often it's not the parents either, this is an automatic and unconscious dynamic that occurs in the family nucleus but it is important to detect in time to avoid the disconnection between the puppy and the baby. The most important thing is to give everyone their time and space, involve the dog in the new family dynamic and try to make the whole process as natural as possible.
before the baby arrives
Most dogs accept the arrival of a new baby in the house, even if the dog has been very dear before. However, there are some who tend to have a worse character or difficulties in adapting and who might not take the situation so lightly. In order not to exceed the limits of jealousy and inappropriate behavior, it is better to prevent and prepare your puppy for the baby's arrival.
First, you must know canine psychology and understand that dogs are territorial animals, so not only is the house their territory, but you are too. So it's normal for your puppy to feel a little jealous of your baby because he felt left out within his own territory. Their routines will change (something they don't like very much) as you won't be able to sleep in certain places or enjoy their full attention, and as puppies are also very intelligent animals, you'll detect that it's due to the presence of this new "son".
Must prepare the ground before changing routine.:
- Dogs get stressed with changes. If you are thinking of moving the furniture around or renovating some space, do it before the baby arrives, this way the dog will get used to it little by little and will not relate it to the baby.
- Don't completely isolate your pet from the baby's room, let him smell and see new things. By the time the baby arrives, the dog will not be so eager and curious to smell a new familiar space.
- spend time with other kids being with your dog, be fair and divide your attention equally. It's important for the dog to see that it's totally okay to share it with other people. Also see how you react to chaos like this and correct any negative behavior in time.
Despite this, he remains jealous
In most cases puppies continue to have jealous attitudes because they increasingly feel far from their heart. Solid change will be based on a few issues such as the following:
- The first thing to do is analyze what behaviors the dog is having with the baby and see if they could become aggressive. If they get bigger, consult a canine behavior specialist or ethologist.
- review your behavior. Try to spend more quality time with him, pamper him, respect (as much as possible) his space, his dynamics and his time. Don't ignore him while you're with the baby. It is normal for everything to change, however, try to make the changes not so sudden. Above all, remember that your dog is still part of the family.
- toys are the key. Baby toys should be separate from your pet's toys. If your dog tries to pick up a toy that isn't yours, take it out and direct your attention to a toy that is his. If your puppy plays naturally with his toys, reward him. The same happens if the baby is the one looking for the dog's toy. Think about having two children now.
Things to be aware of
- Rub some coconut oil or almonds on your dog's toys and soft toys, he will associate the smell with your stuff.
- Let the dog sniff and see the baby. Remember it is important not to isolate your puppy from the baby.
- Keep your puppy healthy and clean, this will give you more confidence when your baby is near him.
- Never aggressively scold or push your puppy away when he approaches the baby in a curious way.
- It is preferable that you never leave them alone, however good they get along at some point, both the dog and the baby can be unpredictable.
- Take time each day to be alone with your dog.
- Do fun activities with the dog and baby at the same time. Promote interaction and affection between them.
