The Best Ways to Introduce a Newborn to a Dog

 

One of life's most monumental events may be the birth of a kid. This is a watershed moment in your life, a turning point that will be hard to top. Any parent who has been there can attest to the fact that it is both an extraordinary and labour-intensive experience.

If you want to make it through your first year as a parent unscathed, preparation is crucial. In other words, everything needs to be in its correct place for things to work as they should. One thing you should pay close attention to? When introducing your newborn to your furry family member, you should exercise caution.

Even though babies and dogs don't usually get along, everyone can benefit from a smoother transition if the right conditions are in place. In order for this major transition to go well for both you and your puppy, what steps must you take? Continue reading.

Instruction in the Fundamentals

If you want to make sure your dog knows the basics before your new baby gets home from the hospital, practise obedience training with him or her. If your dog isn't already well-versed in basic obedience commands, you should probably start teaching them to them well in advance of the due date.

1. It is crucial that you attempt to complete this additional duty before your baby is home because you will not have the opportunity to accomplish it thereafter.

2. Going to a specific place is the most useful command you can give your dog. One easy approach to make room anytime you need it is to train your dog to go back to its bed when called.

3. A house with a dog and a newborn is a surefire recipe for mayhem. Some of this may be alleviated if you can teach your dog to go to a specific location and wait for you to give the signal.

4. The words "leave it" and "drop it" should also be clearly defined for them. You can't blame your dog for occasionally snatching up baby toys because they're so similar to dog toys. You should simply request its return promptly so that you may disinfect it without delay.

The extent to which your dog knows these commands depends on how well you've trained them. Still, it's better to take your time restating things and making sure everyone gets them.

You should make sure they're firmly attached before the kid is born.

Make Optimal Connections

Animals like dogs have a remarkable ability to mentally connect seemingly unrelated concepts. It can be challenging to dispel the associations that they form with specific things, scents, etc.

Because of this, it's important to prepare your dog in advance to associate baby items with a peaceful setting rather than a stressful one.

An old trick? Before you even have the baby, bring home a few baby necessities from the hospital. Babies can form a favourable association with things that smell like them, such as blankets, toys, and cribs.

Give your dog a chance to sniff each object before showering him with affection and praise. Do the same with any other household objects that will hold special meaning for the new little one. Subconsciously teaching your dog that the smell of your newborn makes him feel good is possible in this way.

It is not uncommon for dogs to become distressed by a baby's piercing cries. In the weeks before the baby is due, you might find it helpful to play a recording of a baby crying at a reduced volume as you go about your house. The dog will eventually become accustomed to the noise.

A lot of people use this method to acclimatise their dogs to loud noises like fireworks.

Preparedness like this can make life much easier once a real crying baby is in the house, even though you may not like hearing the sound of crying any more than the dog.