BABY!?!

The other night I was so stunned by what I held in my hand that I couldn't even verbalize my thoughts. So I just carried it in to my husband and handed it to him. As he excepted the little white stick from me he kinda started to grin, "I guess this is positive then?" I just nodded. So now seems like a good time for me to give a little chat about bringing home a new baby. Often we forget to consider how our well established pets will feel about the new family members. I mean kids and dogs just go together right? Look at Timmy and Lassie, Jack form Little House on the Prairie, or Nanna in Peter Pan. Sadly dogs are not born knowing how to treat kids and just like us not every dog likes every kid or even any kids. That does not mean that your current loyal companion can not learn to live happily with a new baby; with a little initiative on your part you can have a family that includes both baby and dog. Remember it is NEVER TOO SOON to start helping your dog adjust to the idea of kids, even if kids are still 5 years away or only a possibility on the distant horizon. You might ask yourself why it's so important that you do the work ahead of time to prepare your dog. Well here is why; according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention nearly 800,000 people need medical attention for dog bites every year and over half those are children. Also one of the most common reasons dogs are surrendered to the already over crowded and under funded shelters is that the owners are afraid the dog will not be safe with the new baby or they will not have enough time for the dog anymore. With a little preparation you should be able to create a safe family pet and learn to incorporate the dog into the new routine.

Some changes you can make right away to help your dog transition are eliminating any bad habits. Some of these things might have been ok before but now with a baby on the way they need to go. Jumping up must be eliminated; an over enthusiastic jump from an otherwise friendly dog can cause a lot of harm for a pregnant woman or small child. Teach a better alternative such as approaching and sitting. Any attention getting behavior such as mouthing and pawing will need to stop. Start working on good bite inhibition now, even if your dog seldom ever offers to mouth things. The dog that likes to lick will need to curb his impulses unless you want your baby's tonsils cleaned routinely. Next, no more drinking out of the toilet; aside from this being unsanitary for your dog, an open toilet can be hazardous to a toddler as well.

Another thing is figuring out what your schedule is going to be like after the baby comes, how the dog will fit into that, and start instituting it now. This includes figuring out when your dog will get exercise and attention. If you don't already regularly exercise your dog it is in your and his/her best interest to start now! If your dog is a leash puller this needs to end now. It can be very dangerous trying to walk a pulling dog while pregnant or pushing a stroller with a dog with no leash manners.

Feeding should be done routinely if it is not already. There are many reasons you should do this. For your child's safety this will prevent them from getting into your dogs food and trying it or making a mess of it. Also your child will not be getting snapped at because you did not know Fido was eating right then and your baby was 'helping'. Start desensitizing your dog, if you have not already, to being handled while eating. (Because you have done this does not mean you can or ever should leave a dog that is eating alone with a child!) If your dog has any trouble with this enlist the help of a knowledgeable trainer right away!

Another good thing to do is start bringing home the baby stuff. Let the dog see, hear, and smell all the strange toys, products, and other new stuff without the added stress of the baby there. Teaching a solid 'leave it' command will be really helpful now. Just imagine the first time your dog tries to steal your two year old's new toy... screaming baby, dog racing away with his prize, and you yelling at the dog while trying to sooth the kid. If you can procure some items that have real baby smells on them (used blankest, burp rags, etc.) bring them home to the dog. Let him sniff and examine but do not let him have the items as toys. Start playing baby noise sound tracks. Not sure where to get a track: local pet stores will likely have desensitization sound tracks with this, iTunes sells single tracks of baby sounds, or have a friend record their babies' noises.

This list could go on and on. I have tried to include what are some basics that apply to every household adding a baby. As I have said with the appropriate foundation, most dogs can adjust to a new family member. That said there are some dogs (but far fewer than what are surrendered) that are not and never will be happy and safe in a family home. When in doubt about your dog or if you encounter any troubling behavior, even if it seems minor, seek out a trainer now. Do not wait until you have a full blown problem on your hands. Feel free to ask a trainer about their knowledge with kids as well as dogs. This does not mean the trainer needs to have had children of their own to have knowledge and experience that will benefit you, but as any family with children can tell you, their lifestyle is a bit different from a family without them. Think a head and take the time it takes so you can be on your way to a happy family with kids and dogs together!