How to Introduce Your Newborn to the Family Pet?

When I was pregnant with my youngest, I was worried about how our dog would react to the new baby.  Our dog was used to getting a ton of attention from us and I was worried that she would get jealous of the time that it takes to care for a newborn.  Most dogs adapt to the changes and welcome the baby into the pack.  While other dogs, take longer to adapt to the change.

After you baby is born, take an item that the baby has worn such as a baby hat, a blanket, or onesie home and allow your pet to sniff it.  This allows your pet to get familiar with your babies scent, so that they become familiar with it.  We used this technique when my son was born.  Our dog didn’t care and wasn’t really interested in sniffing it.

When I came home from the hospital and we laid the baby in his crib, I remember our dog jumping up on our bed and standing on her hind legs trying to figure out what was in the crib.  It was so cute.  She ran back and forth trying to figure it out.  She didn’t show any signs of jealousy but I was still worried that as my son got older that she would try to growl and bite at him.

For the most part, she just ignores my son but sometimes she comes over to check him out.  We showed my son how to pet her gently and when she started growling at him, we sternly told her “NO” and to be quite.  We wanted to get her accustomed to him touching her so that when he was older, and tried to pet her on his own we wouldn’t have to worry about her harming him.

My son is 16 months old  now and for the most part they stay out of each other’s way.  We haven’t had any major issues with her so far, but we keep an eye on them when they are together.  It is important to teach your child how to gently pet the dog and not to hurt the dog.

If your dog has insecurity issues and doesn’t accept your child into the pack, you should seek help from your veterinarian or a professional dog trainer.