Preparing your dog for your new baby
When you have a pet dog that has had all your attention it can be strange for your pet to adjust to being second in line to a new arrival in the house. In rare cases your dog could consider your baby a rival for your affection without the suitable introduction.
You can help your dog by purchasing a CD which sends out the sound of a baby crying and taking advice on how to relax your canine friend before the event. The result is a more relaxed dog when he or she hears your baby crying.
Everyone makes a fuss of a baby and your dog will be curious. Often, a dog is told off for being curious and he will feel left out so avoid this.
Some like to purchase a toy doll and wrap it up in a blanket. Once your dog has seen this strange parcel wrapped up in a blanket his curiosity will be satisfied.
When baby arrives, let your dog smell the new baby smells which will intrigue his strong sense of smell. Introduce him to the smell of the likes of baby talcum powder, nappies and baby shampoo.
Shake some of the baby’s noisier toys or play the cot musical mobiles and such like, to let your dog realise there are going to be changes in the household and new toys are not just for him to play with.
Last but most importantly introduce him to your new baby gently, make a fuss of your dog and do not forget to make sure he still gets his walk – even if someone else has to do it for a while.
