Before Baby Meets Dog
A comprehensive guide to help your furry family member adjust to your growing family. Create a peaceful, safe environment for everyone.
Refresh Basic Obedience
Strong foundation commands are essential for managing your dog around a new baby.
- Practice "sit," "stay," and "leave it" commands
- Work on impulse control exercises
- Reinforce calm behavior with positive rewards
- Ensure commands work even with distractions
Get on the Same Page
Partners need to coordinate their approach to ensure consistency for your dog.
- Discuss house rules and boundaries
- Plan walking and feeding schedules
- Decide on visitor protocols
- Establish emergency procedures
Prepare Your Space
Set up your home environment to promote calm interactions.
- Create safe spaces for your dog
- Install baby gates where needed
- Organize feeding areas separately
- Remove potential hazards
Introduce New Sounds
Help your dog get comfortable with baby sounds before arrival.
- Play baby sound recordings at low volume
- Gradually increase volume over time
- Reward calm behavior during sounds
- Practice during different times of day
Scent Introduction
Let your dog become familiar with baby scents in a positive way.
- Bring home baby blankets from hospital
- Use baby lotions and powders around the house
- Allow supervised sniffing with rewards
- Keep first interactions calm and positive
Gradual Routine Changes
Start adjusting your dog's routine before baby arrives.
- Modify walking schedules gradually
- Reduce attention-seeking behaviors
- Practice shorter, more frequent interactions
- Establish independent play time
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