Start preparing your dogs NOW for the baby

pixy_stix

(In case you haven't yet.)

It's really important that you start baby proofing your dogs now.  Not later, not just before the baby arrives, not "oh we'll just bring blankets home from the hospital for them to smell,"  but NOW.  This also goes for cats.  The more you work with them now, the less problems you'll have later on.

Yes, ALL dogs need a little refresher course right now.  Even if you think your dog is good with children because your friends/brothers/sisters/neighbors come over with their baby, they'll react different when the baby is yours and in your house constantly.

Some good links to help you start the process:

1. Babies and Beasts Blog - What one mother did to baby proof her dogs.  Incredibly thorough. 
2. Humane Society of the US
3. NILIF - Nothing in Life is Free - Positive way to assert dominance (and ultimately peace) in your household. (Concrete ways to implement can be found here.)

If you have *any* behavior that you're worried about that you don't feel confident handling on your own, contact a behaviorist (not a trainer) immediately.

kategw

Agree 100%

annam829

i think the most important thing is...YOU need to know your dog

and...a dog is still an animal...i'm not talking newborn stage but my 2 year old TORTURES my poor dog...i don't ever leave them alone...and i also give the dog a chance to get out of the way if she wants to be alone.

mexicolombiana

I've been trying to "work" with my cat, but she's just crazy.  She loves to sit on new things when we bring them home and I'm guessing when we get the crib and more baby things, we'll have to work with her to stay off those items.

I'm also hopeful that a screaming baby will deter her from being around the baby for a while.  We will also be getting a net for the crib and I read someone post the other day that they had a screen door installed in the nursery and I might have to try that as well. 

Generally speaking, she's very easily spooked and runs away from children so hopefully she will just stay away. 

I'm not really afraid she will harm the baby, but I don't want her fur everywhere and I'm pretty allergic to her so I keep the house pretty clean anyway, but I'm afraid the baby will develop allergies too.  Hopefully the baby will become accustomed to the allergens in her fur and her saliva like I eventually did.  We'll see how it goes!

sarasek

thanks for this! I have 3 dogs (two can get rowdy) so I'm a little nervous. I'd never give up my dogs so I am definitely looking to get them under control and used to having a newborn around shortly.

Sara

cutie420311

um, Aye, Aye Captain?

 

baybcakes007

Agreed! Great informative post!

doxgirl

The two books recommended on the Babies & Beast blogs are both very good.  One of my dogs has become very overprotective of me since getting pregnant.  We've got an appointment with a behaviorist this week to get help working with him and have started really enforcing NILIF.

CrysBo79

Yeah thanks for this, I am sure it will be a change to my Nellie's everything!