How did doggie adjust to baby?

GAGirlyGirl · April 2010

The post below made me think about how our new addition is going to impact our pooch. I've read several articles about preparing them for the change. How did things go in your house? Any tips to make it an easier transition?

mingaling2 · April 2010

Ours did remarkably well. We were worried about the spoiled one in particular, but they keep their distance and know she's above them in the pack hierarchy. And interestingly enough, she totally ignores them. Hardly bothered by barking at all.

To prepare, we mostly made sure they got used to having baby stuff around the house, smell of baby things, etc. We also boarded them for several days in the beginning when we just got home so they would come into the home with her already here.

yellowtulips80 · April 2010

Ours also took it very well. Before Lily was born I sat down with her and told her that I was having a baby and that it was now her job to protect the baby. It seems silly but she seems to have gotten that. We also had a family member bring blankets from the hospital to the house for the dog and cat to smell before Lily and I were released to go home. So that they could smell the baby and get the idea what was going on. When we brought her home we showed her the baby and let her look. She seemed cool with it. Our dog is very chill about things to begin with. So I didn't think she would really freak out anyway.

tracigator · April 2010

Our zoo did just fine. In fact, our oldest dog (we have 3) was the one who we thought would ignore Benjamin and she turned out to be the most maternal with both boys. Our other two ignored Benjamin in the beginning and now play with him since he can play back and for some reason, are loving all over Noah. Thank goodness, Noah is fine with it!

What we did that helped bunches...DH brought home the little shirts and hats from the hospital when he came home to shower, etc. to let the dogs get used to his scent. He put them on our bed and they rolled all over them and sniffed them to their hearts content. It really helped big time for them to get used to the scent before each boy came home.

apriljensmith · April 2010

I did nothing, but I have a lazy ole black lab. She loved napping in the nursery. I think she knew something was up but she handled it well.?

to-be-lam · April 2010

We brought home a hat for ours to sniff, and also brought DD home before the dog came home. He was great. When she cried he would go over to her bassinet and then walk to us, and back to her - kind of like he wanted to let us know she was crying, LOL. As she got older he really just steered clear of her until we started introducing table foods - then he was her shadow.

OctoberGal2007 · April 2010

Our pooch was only 9 months old when DD was born. Since I was dealing with a puppy we did some private one on one training and I also download an MP3 of a crying baby. I played the crying baby soundtrack 30 min a day and progressively made it louder and louder over about a 2 week period just before I was due. This worked like a charm! When I came home with a colicy screaming baby all the crying and screaming never phased my puppy!

Our pooch is non-aggressive and she adores DD. She likes to give DD kiss so I just have to watch out for that.

kbowman78 · April 2010

So/so. We have a very spoiled Pug and had her for 7 years before DS came. She is very jealous. She is always RIGHT under my nose when I'm playing with Cason; she even sits in the room while I feed him sometimes. She gets close to him, smells him and has licked him a few times, but she is antsy about letting him touch her. We are trying to make sure she is not scared of him, because we feel like if she is scared, she might snap at him.

We did all the same tricks people mentioned above. Before he came, we let her smell all of the baby stuff so she would get used to new smells, too

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