Parenting Tips When The Dog Meets The Baby

Excited about the arrival of your newborn? Well, you should be. We bet that you are much more excited to make your pet and the baby bond as well, right?

Well, according to experts, a couple should prepare the pet for the arrival of their newborn. If you have already introduced your pet to your baby bump, the four-legged member of the family will be aware of the new arrival.

Also Read: Preparing Your Home For A Dog

On the other hand, it is better and safer for the couple to also make the dog understand about the presence of the newborn, much before you bring the little one into your home.

As a parent and the owner, you need to claim your baby's scent. Bring an item of the baby that contains his or her scent. It could be a burp cloth, or it could also be a piece of the baby's clothing.

This little exercise should be done a week before you bring the baby home from the hospital. During this exercise, the couple has to set clear boundaries to the pet.

Also Read: Are Your Children Scared Of Pets?

Challenge the dog to sniff from a distance while you are holding the item, and in this way, the pet will become aware of the new arrival.

So, here are some more parenting tips on how to handle the situation when the dog meets the baby for the first time, take a look:

Get The Pet To Sniff:

Before you bring the baby home from the hospital, make your dog aware of the child. Allow the dog to sniff the baby's burp cloth or any clothing that belongs to the child. Practice this exercise for a week and then bring the little one home.

Establish The Boundaries:

As a parent and owner, you need to establish boundaries in the house. For the first few weeks, don't allow the dog to get too close to the baby. When you have a pet at home, make sure that your eyes are constantly on the pet and baby. This will avoid any mishaps or an accident.

Teach The Baby:

As the baby grows up, teach your little one a few things about the dog. Teach the baby not to tease the pet and not to yank at it's tail. Also, advice your crawling baby not to put his or her fingers in the mouth of the dog too.

Never Ignore The Pet:

When you bring the baby home from the hospital, it is only normal that half your attention will be on the newborn. But, when you have a pet at home, you should divide the attention to the pet as well. Ignoring the pet will only make the four-legged member of the family to get aggressive and violent, and this can be harmful to the baby.

Forget The Breed:

No matter what, never ever forget the breed of the dog you own. Even if the dog is harmless and seems to be relaxed and friendly, don't trust it too well, especially when you have a newborn at home. Keep your eyes glued on to the pet whenever it is around the baby.

Your Child Comes First:

You should not be 100 per cent confident with a baby interacting with a pet at home. No matter what, your baby's safety comes first.

Invest In A Pram:

Invest in a pram, it is one of the best ways to keep your newborn safe when you have a pet at home. Also, when you leave your baby to take rest in the pram, you'll have the spare time to pamper your pet and give it all the attention that it wants.