When we found out we were expecting our first child, my mind quickly went to my first two children--my dogs. How would they react to a baby? Would they learn to love him? Would he learn to love them? Many questions swirled around in my head about how to introduce this tiny human baby to my four-legged babies.
- First, we set up the nursery, let the dogs smell everything, and spent time with them in that room.
Daisy is our 9 year old English bulldog. She prefers the status of "only child." Darla is our 8 year old Siberian husky. She's our social butterfly. She wants everyone to be her friend.
Having been in the animal medical field for 16 years, I knew a little something about introducing pets and children. We also read every article that we could find on the subject so that we could design a plan that would work for us. Not all situations are the same, but these general "dos and don'ts" got us through the first year without incident.
Things that we did:
- First, we set up the nursery, let the dogs smell everything, and spent time with them in that room.
- After Wyatt was born, my husband brought home clothing/blankets that the baby wore in the hospital so that the dogs could smell him and get used to his scent.
- When we came home, we kept the dogs on leash (at first at a distance, then gradually closer) where they could see, hear, and smell Wyatt.
- We tried our best to keep the exact same routine that we had prior to having a baby (this was the hardest part), including one-on-one time with each dog.
- We set aside "time out" times for both the dogs and Wyatt. That way, everyone was able to have a little quiet, stress free time.
("Time out" for the girls consisted of a small amount of time in kennel w/ special, high value treat; the baby's "time out" consisted of time in his play pen [not a kennel!].)
- We set aside "time out" times for both the dogs and Wyatt. That way, everyone was able to have a little quiet, stress free time.
("Time out" for the girls consisted of a small amount of time in kennel w/ special, high value treat; the baby's "time out" consisted of time in his play pen [not a kennel!].)
Wyatt is now ten months old, and so far, all is well. The girls are always near him when he is playing, napping, and (of course) when he is eating. It took a few walks to get the girls acclimated to walking alongside his stroller, but they are pros now.
Things that we avoided:
- Giving treats/chew toys when the baby was crawling nearby.
- Allowing the baby to mess with and potentially startle the dogs when they were sleeping.
- Feeding the baby meals or snacks on the floor (or any place where the girls had the potential to steal food or get jealous).
As Wyatt grows and learns, we find ourselves having to adjust our plan. Keep this in mind, and also know that there is no "one" way of doing an introduction. Do your research, and use your instincts. As always, be sure to call your veterinarian for advice. There are also animal behaviorists who can help with introduction if needed.
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