Dogs and Babies

When there is a dog living in the house, it's very important to introduce the dog to the new baby in a very careful way. During the last weeks of pregnancy, show less attention to the dog than normal. If you are the type of people that have always let the dog sleep in your room, this would be a good moment to stop doing it. Don't wait to start doing all of this when the baby is finally in the house. Changing all of the things you normally do with your dog will probably be difficult for everyone but as soon as the dog has gotten to know the baby you will be able to go back to your normal routine. This way the dog will associate the baby coming into the house as something positive and he will enjoy having the baby around. If your dog is naturally very dominating, you should take him to see a behavior specialist starting from the moment you find out there is a pregnant mother in the house, doing this will ensure the dog is completely trained for when the baby arrives. If you haven't been able to completely tame and train your dominating dog, you will have to find the dog a new home. Make sure to never leave a dog alone with a newborn baby, not even for a split second. Make sure also you completely avoid the dog feeling any jealously towards the baby by giving the dog treats and snacks while you are feeding or changing the baby. Whenever you have visitors come over, ask them to play with the dog and distract and entertain the dog while you take care of the baby. You might also want to leave the baby in someone else's care during certain times of the day so you can dedicate some time to being with the dog even if it's just a few minutes out of the day.

Questions and answers
Q: I'm going to be having a baby soon and I was thinking about getting a puppy so we can all go out on walks together etc. Do you think it's a good idea?
A: No. The new baby will require all of your attention and it will be virtually impossible for you to take care of and train your puppy the correct way. It's also not suggested because puppies are very rowdy and they like playing roughly and it could hurt the baby. The best suggestion is for you to wait until you child grows a little, and then get him or her puppy.