Preparing Your Dog for a New Baby in the House
A new baby in the house can be one of the coolest changes of a lifetime — for people, that is. Dogs, on the other hand, can get the short end of the stick, so to speak. Less attention, less interaction, and less exercise often result in puppies acting out from restlessness or a lack of structure. To ensure that your dog doesn’t feel left out, start planning for the new arrival:
As early as possible, socialize your dog with small children. Put some cereal in a cup, and shake and treat until your pup associates the sound with a reward. Then invite over some friends who have children and ask the kids to shake and treat. Stay calm while they visit, but keep your dog on a leash if you’re uneasy.
Take your dog to a playground. Keep her on a 6-foot lead, and if a parent and a child approach together, ask the child to give your dog a treat.
If your puppy shows any signs of aggression, call a professional. Your reaction can make the problem worse. Petting or soothing reinforces the behavior, and disciplining makes your dog feel more threatened.
Establish an exercise schedule that will be realistic with your new responsibilities. Mornings may be rough, so help your dog look forward to afternoon romps instead.
Walk through your daily routine with a stuffed doll. Allow your puppy to sniff it regularly. When changing your baby (both the doll and the real thing), practice the directions “Wait” and “Stay.” When putting your baby down for a nap, guide your dog to her station while saying “Settle down.” When nursing your baby, give your dog a special chew and place her mat or bed near your feet.
Watch your words. Phrases like “What a good girl” must be changed to “What a great dog!” If the phrases you use for baby and dog are too similar, your pup will get confused.
Set new furniture rules. Dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the furniture near a new infant. If you wait to spring this rule on your pup after the baby’s home, the puppy may feel confused or anxious, so lay down the law now. Keep a short leash on your dog's buckle collar, and if she hops up, quickly tug the lead handle and say “No.”
If you must have your dog on the furniture, give her the luxury on command only. Tell her “Up” and pat the cushion when you want her there. Use “No” with a leash correction if she comes up uninvited.
Get your puppy used to one hour of the cold shoulder every day. You can break it up into two 30-minute or three 20-minute segments, but get your puppy accustomed to life without your doting. If your puppy can get your attention wherever and whenever she wants it, she’ll be upset when you’re focused on the baby.
Stop all confrontational games, such as tug of war and wrestling, and eliminate all in-home chasing matches. Play games outside, and teach your dog calm household manners.
Consider your child’s toys and how they may compare to your puppy’s favorites. Give your puppy a couple of objects to chew on or play with, return them to your puppy’s bedding when displaced, and use a calm approach to discourage her from going after the child’s toys.
Grab and tug on your puppy as you treat and praise her. Babies and small children like to grab and pull, and your dog may be startled if the baby’s tug is the first one she experiences. So tug on her coat, pull her tail, and hug her tight.
Ask the nurse if you can bring home some sheets or blankets from the nursery. Have someone place these items in your dog's play station or crate and around the area where you plan to nurse. Praise your puppy for sniffing them but discourage chewing or tearing. (Keep your dog on-leash, if necessary.)
Brush up on obedience lessons while Mom’s in the hospital. Dogs love structure and the attention showered on them during training sessions. The brush-up will be a good base for the weeks ahead when life gets more unpredictable and stressful.
Hire a dog walker if the house is empty. Isolation is stressful.
Plan baby’s homecoming. Keep your puppy on-leash and let her welcome the baby, too. Correct the jumping and wait until she’s calm to connect.
If your puppy’s too boisterous, give her leash a quick tug and say “No.” Spread some butter on your hand and say “Kisses.”
The butter trick also works as you establish a bond between your baby and your puppy. Dab some butter on your baby’s hand and say “Kisses.”
Credit: Illustration by Barbara Frake
Spread butter on the baby’s hand to teach your puppy to give kisses.
If your dog growls at the baby, call in a professional to assess the situation.
Dogs Glossary
A-B-C assessment
Checking a dog’s airway, breathing, and circulation.
Dogs Glossary
animal shelter
1. An animal control agency run by local government to protect people from animals, take in strays, and manage animal issues and problems within the community. 2. A privately run shelter managed by individuals who want to protect, advocate for, and find homes for animals.
Dogs Glossary
BARF diet
A method of feeding dogs as closely as possible what they would eat in the wild: raw flesh and bones, along with vegetable matter from the stomachs of their prey. The acronym stands for either Bones and Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.
Dogs Glossary
blow out
A twice-yearly shedding of a dog’s undercoat.
Dogs Glossary
blue slip
An application to register a purebred puppy.
Dogs Glossary
breeder
A person who raises, sells, and often shows dogs of a specific breed. Reputable breeders screen parent dogs in an effort to produce healthy dogs that conform to breed standards.
Dogs Glossary
castrate
The removal of a male dog’s testicles to render him infertile.
Dogs Glossary
clicker
A small hand-held device that makes a sharp cracking sound when pressed. Paired with a food reward, an effective dog-training tool.
Dogs Glossary
cohesive bandage
A stretchy wrap that clings to itself used to cover and secure gauze bandages without tape.
Dogs Glossary
come into season
The advent of a female dog’s term of fertility.
Dogs Glossary
dead ring
The stationary ring on a training collar that pulls on the collar, not the dog’s neck.
Dogs Glossary
double coat
Two layers of fur — a top coat of stiff guard hairs and an undercoat that serves as insulation.
Dogs Glossary
dropped ears
The term for hanging or drooping dog ears.
Dogs Glossary
Elizabethan collar
A wide, cone-shaped plastic or cardboard collar that prevents a dog from being able to scratch her head. Used to prevent further injury or hasten healing.
Dogs Glossary
euthanize; put to sleep
To kill an animal to relieve suffering.
Dogs Glossary
fall
Hair that extends over a dog’s eyes.
Dogs Glossary
feathering
Long hair that runs from armpit to paw on the backs of a dog’s legs.
Dogs Glossary
free-feeding
Keeping a constant supply of dog food available so that the dog can decide when and how much to eat. It works best in single-dog households where there’s no competition for food.
Dogs Glossary
heartworms
Parasites that live in dogs’ hearts and cause heart failure. They’re transferred through mosquito bites.
Dogs Glossary
heat
The period when a female dog is fertile.
Dogs Glossary
heel
A command and position in which a dog walks at your left side staying with you as you change direction or pace.
Dogs Glossary
hip dysplasia
A painful malformation of a dog’s hip socket. Some breeds are genetically predisposed to the condition.
Dogs Glossary
hot spot
A localized area of skin infection. It’s usually round, red, and warm to the touch.
Dogs Glossary
live ring
The floating ring of a training collar. Attach a leash to this ring for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
neuter
A general term to describe either spaying or castrating a dog to render it infertile. Neutering and castrating are often used interchangeably.
Dogs Glossary
pantaloons
The tufts of hair on the backs of a long-haired dogs legs that make him look like he’s wearing bloomers.
Dogs Glossary
pedigree
A diagram of a dog’s ancestors for three or more generations that lists the registered names of the dogs and the titles they earned.
Dogs Glossary
pinch collar
A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
praise
A verbal reward for a dog , such as an enthusiastic “good dog!”
Dogs Glossary
prong collar
A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
pulse
Normal dog pulse is between 70 and 120 beats per minute. The pulse of a puppy ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute.
Dogs Glossary
puppy mill
A place that supplies puppies to pet stores, usually without screening for possible genetic defects or properly socializing the puppies.
Dogs Glossary
registration certificate
The paper certifying a dog’s registration with an accredited organization.
Dogs Glossary
registration slip
An application to register a purebred puppy.
Dogs Glossary
release word
A word that lets a dog know that she is free to move.
Dogs Glossary
rescue group
A network of animal lovers who rescue and find new homes for their favorite breeds or animals.
Dogs Glossary
reward
To give a dog a treat for a correct response while he’s still in the desired position.
Dogs Glossary
ruff
The long, thick fur around a dog’s chest, shoulders, and neck.
Dogs Glossary
separation anxiety
A condition in which your dog becomes anxious and stressed when you leave him.
Dogs Glossary
shed
A twice-yearly process of casting off the undercoat in a double-coated dog.
Dogs Glossary
single coat
A single layer of hairs that comprises a dog’s fur.
Dogs Glossary
spay
To remove of both the uterus and the ovaries of a dog to render her infertile.
Dogs Glossary
stripping
Plucking the dead hairs from a dog’s coat.
Dogs Glossary
titer tests
Tests that check a dog’s immunity levels to determine exactly which vaccinations are needed.
Dogs Glossary
top coat
The top layer of a double-coated dog composed of stiff guard hairs that tend to be naturally water-repellant. The top coat protects the dog’s skin and undercoat.
Dogs Glossary
training collar
A collar that enables you to guide your dog and to check her as necessary — a brief, sharp tug tightens the collar around the dog’s neck.
Dogs Glossary
treat cup
A plastic container filled with small treats or dog food. Shake it and give treats from it as a reward as you train a dog.
Dogs Glossary
undercoat
Fleecy or downy fur shorter than the top layer of a double-coated dog. The undercoat serves as insulation.
