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Preparing Your Pet for Your New Baby

Preparing Your Pet for Your New Baby

A baby is going to join your household. What an exciting time this is for you. Have you considered this from your dog’s point of view? His life is going to be disrupted, too, and he is not looking at videos, researching the internet, reading about new babies, or talking to his friends about what is going to happen.  Let’s discuss a few things you need to be working on now.

  1. Basic Obedience. Review with your pup basic things like sit, down, and stay. Walking nicely on a leash is great, working on walking nicely on a leash next to a stroller, even better. This allows you, baby, and pup to get out of the house and enjoy some time together. If your pup doesn’t know any of this, consider a basic obedience class now! You may think you are busy now, but you are about to reach a whole new level of not having any spare time.  
  2. Kennel or crate train your pup. This will allow you to have your pup separated from the baby when you are not around to supervise. Another alternative is to teach him to be comfortable behind a closed door or behind a baby gate. When a pet won’t be admitted to the baby’s room a baby gate allows him to see and hear what’s going on, which makes feel included. Call us for more information.
  3. Get your dog out of your bed. While you should not have your baby sleeping with you, there will be times when you may be feeding the baby or just cuddling in your bed. Better not to have a jealous pup there, too. A comfortable dog bed on the floor next to you will be very helpful. Make sure that your pet is up to date on all vaccinations, intestinal parasite, and flea preventatives. There are certain intestinal parasites that can infect your baby and flea bites on your baby will not make anyone happy.
  4. Other great resources are Familypaws.com and Tell Your Dog You Are Pregnant by Kirkham. 
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