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  1. #1
    Puppy JenDeHoet's Avatar
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    Calling moms: Introducing a baby to the home tips

    Hello all, we’re 1 month away from our first child joining our home. We have 2 dogs; Charger is 7 1/2 years old. Very laidback old man prefers to sleep more than anything. Than we have Chubbs who is 1 year and very much in his toddler/puppy stage (I have a post in puppy training on his wood chewing habit he’s in right now). What tips tricks do you have as far as the addition of a baby to the home with your pups?? A few things we’re doing now are.
    -getting all the baby stuff out so the dogs are used to it in the house.
    -after birth; plan on bringing babies hat home first so they can smell
    We know this will be a hard adjustment all around. Chubbs will still need a lot of mental/physical exercise and I’m unsure how that will fit into me having to care for a newborn as this is a first time for me. Moms out there who’ve already gone through this please throw out there things that worked well for you!! TIA!

  2. #2
    Senior Dog
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    May 2014
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    We had two dogs (ages 4 and 1) at the time our oldest daughter was born (will be 18 years ago on the 21st). We did what you are planning - had the baby stuff out and accessible, and brought home a baby blanket early (I had a c-section so stayed a couple days) so the dogs could smell it. They really didn’t have any problems adjusting to be honest, although I’m sure it helped that I quickly got proficient at managing 2 leashes while pushing a stroller. The bonus with that is the exercise and mental stimulation of a walk helps the dog to calm down and the fresh air tends to relax the baby as well! We did the best we could to keep them to their regular routines and they were fine. Mulder (our 1 year old male at the time) absolutely LOVED our daughter - when we would put her on a blanket for tummy time he would lay right next to her. Scully (4 year old female) was less interested ... that is until she was old enough to drop food off of the high chair.

    Good luck with everything!
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

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  3. #3
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    May 2014
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    Our daughter did pretty much the same thing, brought home a baby blanket for the dog to sniff (she pointedly ignored it) and had baby equipment out for the dog to get accustomed to ahead of time. Their dog had been exposed to the sound of their friends' babies crying and wasn't interested in that either. She was 8 years old though. Lark was about 2 years old and Chase was about 8 years old when grand #1 came along and had not been prepared for being around a baby. Chase was pretty chill and would lie down beside the baby. Lark was more suspicious, she mostly kept her distance. With the second baby, Lark would lie beside the baby's blanket if she was on the floor also.

    If your younger dog isn't good walking on a lead, now's the time to practice. If you already have a stroller, walk the dog while pushing the stroller. I have watched the grandbabies and had to walk the dogs as well. I usually walk just one dog at a time, though. I found it easier to walk the dog while carrying the baby in one of those Ergobaby carriers. That way I wasn't trying to handle the dog and the stroller with separate hands. If you have a fenced yard, you can throw a ball or try to get Chubbs outside, if even just for 15 minutes of running around while the baby is snoozing. Just don't lock yourself out of the house! Practicing some tricks or obedience with him inside can also help tire him out.

    Even though our dogs seem fine with the babies, as well as with the now 3 year old, they are pretty much always supervised. Babies don't know any better than to make weird noises or hit or kick the dog's nose if they go in for a sniff. The 3 year old, in an excess of excitement or love, may dig her fingers into the dog's fur or try to hold the dog's face and peer into her eyes. Little kids have to learn to behave around the dog just like the dog needs to learn how to exist around the kids/babies. I'd just say to never forget they are dogs and keep an eye on things (without making yourself crazy).

  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to smartrock For This Useful Post:

    Annette47 (08-07-2018), Beth C (08-06-2018)

 



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