# Preparing the dog for new baby



## apriljean80 (Aug 23, 2010)

I've been doing some thinking on this as I'm sure baby will be here before I know it. (not due till May 17th, but so far this pregnancy has flown by, I go in two weeks for my glucola test and rhogam shot!) For those that have been there and done this do you have any suggestions for preparing the DOG? 

I've got lots of ways to help my daughters prepare for baby sister, but not so much for Biscuit. I appreciate any advice and ideas in advance!


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

First re-acquaint your dog with limitation and separation. Start restricting access to the nursery area, occassionally close your dog in a different room or crate, and put him in a down.

Teach the step-over. If your dog is in a down, you should be able to walk right over him without him leaping up under your feet. You're going to have your hands full, literally, so this behavior helps.

Teach the no-zone. Take a baby blanket and your dog it cannot CANNOT ever EVER step on it. This improves safety of tummy-time later, but is not a excuse for not supervising.

Teach food and bottle refusal. Teach a strong leave it with a bottle nipple - dogs love to chew them. Your baby is soon going to be toddling around and towing crackers or sippy!

I teach "toddler-proofing". Let's face it, toddlers trip, fall and make mistakes. We need to condition the dog to these things so it doesn't literally rip your child's face off. Gradually condition your dog to accept hair pulling, tail pulling, ear pulling, eye poking (don't hurt your dog, lol). Things falling on it, toes pinched and pulled, sudden movements, sudden startle awakening. Imagine your dog is sweetly sleeping and your toddler falls on your dog. What will happen? If you have a good dog or good training, nothing. If you're not prepared and not lucky to have a good dog, you might have a near-miss or an injury.

Other than that, keep dog and baby separate. No need to stick baby's face under dog's nose. Dogs have great noses, they can smell baby from a few feet away. Sticking your baby next to your dog is not going to cause them to bond, but it is dangerous. Right now it's time to grow up safely. They will bond (hard and fast) when they can safely interact.

The statistics on dog attacks on children are startling. If you have ever been attacked by a dog, you know how ridiculously fast it happens. You can't just watch them and call it supervision. If your dog is in the same space as your infant, your hand needs to be on the dog or on the leash. SMALL dogs have KILLED babies. Friendly, enthusiastic dogs can do nearly equal damage without biting.


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## apriljean80 (Aug 23, 2010)

tortiose, thank you for your post! Lots of important reminders and suggestions.

Biscuit is about 31/2 now and I have a 4 year old as well as a 7 yerar old so he is rather used to them by now. He isn't allowed in the room where the baby will be now so that part won't be difficult and kids and dog aren't allowed unsupervised play now(my oldest was bitten by a large dog when we were riding bikes once and ever since I've been extra vigilant with our own dogs). No bottles to worry about here(nursed both my other girls and plan to nurse again) but I do remember him loving diapers when he was a pup(disgusting) So I've already been thinking about what kind of trash/diaper bin to consider, must be spoo proof! 

I do think the leave it will be a good thing to work with him on now even though there won't be anything he can swipe from baby for a while as he is a opportunitic counter surfer/food swiper! 

Also LOVE the blanket off limits training. Will be starting that right away. We are big on tummy time and floor play and against walkers and excersaucers(comes with the territory being a Parents As Teachers educator) Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!

Thanks again!


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## tortoise (Feb 5, 2012)

:laugh:

I completely forgot about diapers. I did a lot of cloth diapering so I didn't deal with it too much. I did have a bad diaper-digesting dog. I finally trained her to throw "full" diapers in the garbage for me. Very handy. It put an abrupt end to the diaper eating but I still have no idea why.

Sounds like you are well prepared! I hope your little one's birth is uneventful. ((hug))

P.S. I totally agree about exersaucers, swings, creepers, etc. I had my little guy in a sling most of the time, so it never occurred to me to address what to dog with a dog while a child is in a .... container? Babies + swings + dogs = deadly. Way too many fatalities where the movement of a automatic swing put a dog into prey/hunt drive and it attacked the child!!


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## apriljean80 (Aug 23, 2010)

I had a friend that did the cloth diaper thing too, I just don't think I would ever stay on top of the laundry that way. I'm not on top of it now with just four people in the family! I have also heard of instances of dogs attacking baby in a swing/seat(horrifying). All of these things are good for me to remember and think about ahead of time. 

I'm trying not to worry now as I just got an email from our school nurse that fifths disease is making the rounds. I'm waiting on a call back from my OB and trying not to look it up online and scare myself! So here I am on Poodleforum!

Thanks again for your well thought out post and suggestions.


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