Having a Baby? Prepare Your Dog

When you're having a baby, you need to ensure that your dog is prepared for the experience. Many dogs need preparation in order to ensure that the baby and dog can live safely together in one household. If you're a dog owner who is going to be having a baby in the coming year, here's what you need to do to prepare your dog for the transition.

Some dog behaviors can be problematic for small babies. Excitable dogs can nip or scratch without meaning to, while other dogs may be noisy and disrupt nap time. Taking your dog to obedience training before your baby is born can help you get rid of some of these behaviors. If your dog is well-meaning but wild, or perhaps loud and boisterous, start your dog on obedience lessons many months before the baby is born.

If your dog is already an adult with well-established behaviors, they may need training that is different from puppy training. Take your dog to a special class for fully-grown animals, or ask around about private lessons with a trainer. Talk to the trainer about your dog's behavior before the lessons begin. Focus on lessons that will:

• Control barking
• Prevent jumping
• Nip aggression in the bud

If you're pregnant when lessons start, tell the trainer when your due date is. This will help your dog's trainer decide how often you need to go to classes in order to meet your training deadline.

Some dogs can find changes around the house to be upsetting. You don't want your dog to associate these changes exclusively with your baby, so start introducing baby things early, before the baby is born. Buy baby furniture, clothes, and toys as soon as possible. Set up the nursery early on in your pregnancy. Begin using scented products like baby oil, baby powder, and other creams.

Some pet parents will start carrying around a practice baby doll, swaddled in blankets. The idea is that the dog will become used to seeing the parent carry around a child before the baby is actually born. This may be especially important if you're worried about your dog harboring jealousies about the baby. The more used to the baby that your dog becomes before the baby arrives, the less you'll need to worry when the birth finally happens.

You'll probably spend a little less time one-on-one with your dog after the baby is born, or you may shift some of your dog-related responsibilities over to the other parent to make baby care easier. Make these changes in advance of the baby's birth, and make them gradually, so your dog finds the shift easier to handle.

When the time comes to actually have the baby, you and your partner may be gone from the house for a few days. Make care arrangements for your dog to ensure that your pet will be properly looked after while you're away.

If you're planning to have your dog stay at a kennel, take your dog to the kennel in advance to ensure that your dog is familiar with the environment when the time comes to stay there. If your dog will be staying at home with a relative or in the house of a friend, familiarize your dog with that person in advance.

The last thing you want to do is worry about your dog's health shortly after the baby is born. Your dog should be seeing the vet for checkups annually or as often as recommended by the vet. Make the appointment with the veterinarian for a time before your baby's due date to ensure that your dog will be caught up on health-related procedures when the baby arrives.

Discuss pest preventatives for your dog while you're at the veterinarian’s office. Pest preventatives can stop your dog from getting fleas. This helps protect your baby, your house, and your dog.

Make caring for your dog as easy as possible in the days after the baby is born. Stock up on dog food, dog toys, and other dog-related products so that your dog won't feel neglected and you won't have to go to the store for dog things. If those products are needed to care for your dog while you're at the hospital, leave them out somewhere that is easy for your dog sitter to access.

If you're a dog owner who is soon to have a baby, now is the time to schedule your appointment with the veterinarian. At South Seattle Veterinary Hospital, we're happy to answer your questions about dog care relating to a new baby. Contact us today for more information.