Dogs and babies: tips for a match made in doggy heaven

Bringing a new (human) baby into the world is one of the most rewarding and life changing things you’ll ever do, and easing the transition for your pup isn’t exactly a walk in the park! As a well-seasoned pet parent, you’ll know that the lives of our furry friends are rich in smells and sounds, and welcoming a new baby into the family means a whole host of new whiffs to sniff and noises to get their heads around. Plus, the busy life of any parent means our (fur) babies often get less attention, and have to get used to a complete change of routine. So don’t be hard on yourself - there’s no one-size fits all - every dog, baby, family and home set-up is different, so no amount of preparation can truly guarantee a smooth transition.

Sounds daunting, we know, and that’s why we’re here with tips on how to introduce your dog to a baby, as well as advice on preparing before your new bubs arrives to help make the relationship between the dogs and babies in your household a harmonious one. 

And remember, when you need a break, know that we’ve got a whole community of loving, in-home pet sitters ready to give your pup the TLC they need while you’re away.

Dogs and babies: tips for preparing your pup 

1. Get your pup trained-up beforehand
2. Make sure your pup is well socialized
3. Establish your new routine early on
4. Get your pup used to entertaining themselves
5. Avoid over-compensating before the baby comes
6. New rules? Get them established now
7. Use positive reinforcement for your pup’s new spot
8. Spend time with other babies
9. Familiarize your pup with new equipment
10. Practice with a doll
11. Prepare your pup for your baby’s movements

Get your pup trained-up beforehand

Dogs and babies can live harmoniously together under the same roof, but before learning how to introduce your dog to a baby, we’d advise you to start by making sure your pooch is trained in all the right areas. Before your bring home your new baby, it’s important to train your pup on key commands such as sit, down, stay, wait, leave it, drop it and settle - these will all be invaluable when your baby comes. And it’s widely agreed that a positive reinforcement-based approach is the best way to condition your pooch, using training treats, toys and praise when they respond as you’d like.

Make sure your pup is well-socialized

A good relationship between the dogs and babies in your household starts long before your baby arrives. So, before exploring how to introduce your dog to a baby, start by getting your pup used to other children. Socializing your pooch long before your baby arrives (preferably right from puppyhood) is one of the best ways to make sure they aren’t scared or intimidated by the new (and very small) person in your arms. Children are often noisy, making jerky and unexpected movements which can be off-putting for dogs, so if you can, be sure to get your pup used to babies, toddlers and children long before your (human) baby arrives.

Establish your new routine early on

Both dogs and newborns are happiest when they’ve got a routine to rely on - eating, sleeping, and for our pups, walkies and play time too, all play a huge part in their wellbeing. The arrival of a baby can completely shake-up your schedule, so establishing a routine that looks something like your post-baby one can really help to prepare your dog for any changes. And if predicting your new routine sounds daunting, instead carve things into your week for your pup that you know won’t change when your baby’s born - think feeding times, play time and walkies.

Get your pup used to entertaining themselves

It’s inevitable that with a household filled with dogs and babies, you’re going to have fewer disposable minutes in the day to dedicate to your favorite furry family member. With your attention zapped by your new baby, it’s important to find ways to stimulate your pup and keep them happy while your head is turned. One great way to do this is to invest in puzzle toys for dogs - they’re almost effortless to put together and can provide hours of entertainment and mental stimulation.

Avoid over-compensating before the baby comes

It can be tempting to shower your pup with quality time, excessive attention and walkies before your baby comes. While it feels totally natural to give your pup all the TLC they (quite clearly) adore, resist the temptation. Why? Well it’ll mean extra disappointment for your pooch when your baby comes, and more difficult behavior to deal with in the long run. Instead, establish the routine, get your pup used to entertaining themselves a bit more, and set yourself up for success.

New rules? Get them established now

While during your time as a pet parent you might have allowed your pup in all rooms of the house, jumping up onto your sofa and maybe even getting into your bed, some behaviors just aren’t as helpful when your household is a mix of dogs and babies. So, if you don’t want your pooch jumping up or going into out-of-bounds areas of your home, teach and establish these new rules long before your baby comes.

Use positive reinforcement for your pup’s new spot

Every parent and household is different, so some will prefer pups to stay out of the nursery, while others would like a safe spot for dogs to sit so that they still feel included in the fun. If you’re in the latter camp, have a bed in your baby’s room and give your pup a treat every time they sit (and stay) while you’re in your nursing chair, walking around the room or reaching into the cot. If your nursery is off-limits to your pup, train them to sit at or outside of the door, treating them when ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ commands are responded to - you might even place a bed outside of the room so that your pup feels calm and content being outside.

Spend time with other babies

When preparing for your house of dogs and babies and learning how to introduce your dog to your baby, one of the best things you can do is to spend time with other newborns or very young children before your baby arrives. And if you’re wondering how to prepare your dog for a baby, make ‘baby sounds’ your regular playlist choice so that they can get used to the new, unfamiliar noises they’ll soon be surrounded by.

Familiarize your pup with new equipment

A new baby means a whole lot of new stuff, so avoid overwhelming your pup by getting out the new equipment (think toys, chairs, bouncers), piece by piece before they arrive. Allow for a sniff and positively reinforce your pup’s behavior with treats or toys when they leave the equipment alone. Do this months before your due date to allow for as little change to your home as possible (a new human child is enough of a transition!).

Practice with a doll

One way to get used to how you’ll introduce your dog to your baby is to invest in a life-like doll to practice with long before bringing your baby home. It can be daunting when your dog meets your baby for the first time, so getting them used to a doll is a great place to start. Enforce positive behavior with lots of treats when you hold, lift and walk around with your baby - even practicing with any equipment you plan on using. Just make sure your pup doesn’t see the doll as a toy - respond with a sharp ‘no’ if they bite the doll, and immediately distract them with another command (like ‘leave it’ or ‘sit’) and reward for the good behavior.

Prepare your pup for your baby’s movements

People say that dogs prepare you for babies, but it’s super important to prepare your pup for your child’s movements before your baby comes home! So to minimize surprise between the dogs and babies in your household, get your pup used to the sorts of sensations they’ll experience when your baby comes home. Having a human crawl towards them will be totally novel, so, do exactly that to get your pooch used to seeing you at eye level. Plus, while your child is young, they’re likely to poke your pup rather than stroke them in the way they like. So, do exactly that as well (gently of course) to get your pooch used to the sensation. Dogs learn by experience, so teaching your dog that your baby’s movements aren’t a threat is a great way to create a harmonious relationship.

Tips for introducing dogs to babies and keeping it harmonious 

1. Keep calm when introducing your dog to your baby
2. Praise, praise, and some more praise
3. Friendly nose bumps
4. Let your pup eat alone
5. Continue socializing your pup
6. Teach your child appropriate behavior 
7. Get advice from a behaviorist

Keep calm when introducing your dog to your baby 

First impressions count, and introducing your baby to your dog is one of the most important first impressions you’ll make. On your way home from the hospital, have any other family members greet your dog as usual - arriving home and making a fuss. Then, getting your pup on a leash (and rewarding with treats for good behavior), greet them while holding your baby with a relaxed attitude and a soft tone of voice. Remember, your pup will pick up on any nervous energy, so stay relaxed so that they don’t see your baby as a cause for concern. While introducing your baby to your dog, make sure your pup is given commands and rewards with (LOTS of) treats for the great work. If your pup seems a little overwhelmed, distract them with a puzzle toy.

Praise, praise, and some more praise

After the first meet, it’s important to stay consistent with treating your pup to rewards when they’ve responded as you’d like them to (i.e. to commands, and being gentle with the baby). This will help train your dog to associate your baby with treats, and they’re sure to grow to love them, just as much as their favorite biscuits!Dogs and newborns are a nerve-wracking combination - granted - so stay calm and encourage good manners around your baby by bringing treats into the mix every time.

Friendly nose bumps

Dogs and newborns aren’t exactly a match made in doggy heaven, and your pup might even be nervous around the new screaming, pooping, joyful bundle! So one way to get your pup comfortable with the new human in their life is to teach them how to nose-bump you, and then your child. This will allow your dog to get just enough contact with your baby’s feet for a short period of time - enough for a quick dog sniff. So to introduce your dog to a new baby with this method (granted after some time considering how your pup feels around the baby), teach your pooch to bump your hand with their nose on cue, positively reinforcing the behavior. You can then do this with your baby’s foot, giving your furry family member heaps of verbal praise when they come into contact.

Let your pup eat alone

Your pup’s dinner time is nothing short of sacred to them! Even the friendliest of pups can get pretty miffed-off if their minutes spent munching are disrupted. So, be sure to keep your baby (or anyone else for that matter) away from your pooch during meal times - this will help to make sure that your dog onlyassociates your new bubs with positive vibes. Disruptions around meal time can not only annoy your dog (and associate your child with those feelings), but in some situations they can also become dangerous, with dogs turning to aggressive behavior due to their territorial instincts when it comes to food. So, when learning how to introduce a baby to your dog, keep meal times totally off limits.

Continue socializing your pup

Keep your pup socialized around other children with a mix of ages, positively reinforcing good behavior throughout. You might have got your pup used to a baby, but they’ll soon be a toddler and then a small child, so it’s important to keep them mixing with children of all ages before and after your baby comes.

Teach your child appropriate behavior 

While you’ll need to train your dog to behave around your baby, another way to keep the relationship harmonious is to teach your child how to treat your pup - once they’re old enough. Teach your child when to let them be (i.e. during meal times, when they’re sleeping and going to the toilet), and how to touch your pooch in a way that they’re comfortable with (i.e. gently and avoiding areas that miff them off!).

Get advice from a behaviorist

There is a chance that your dog will be jealous of your baby, so if any negative behavior  crops up, get advice from a professional dog trainer. Dogs and newborns are a mix that take a lot of work, so the sooner these responses are nipped in the bud, the better.

Still leash training your pup?

Leash training is a vital part of your pup’s journey, so make it a simpler one with our tips on how to train a dog to walk on a leash.