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.Disclosure: This post is for informational purposes only. Please consult a professional if you have issues with your pet adjusting to a new baby.
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.