New Babies and Dogs
Adjust your dog's schedule to the schedule he will be following when the baby comes home. If he goes out at 7 am now, but will be going out at 5 am when the baby comes home his schedule should change before the arrival. All aspects of his eventual scheduling changes should be adjusted well in advance. Your dog should be used to the baby’s belongings. Changes to the baby’s room such as painting and new furnishings should be brought in sooner and not later. Try to have household scents in the room. With a new paint job and new furnishings the room can have a lesser “pack” feel to it. A well used blanket or favored recliner can bring draw this back. Try to send time in the room in the weeks to come to future this. Start bringing the baby’s scent home after childbirth. Soiled cloths and blankets should be brought home as soon as possible and before the baby’s arrival in the house. However you must prevent situations where you will have to correct your dog over these articles. If you don’t want him too close to these things, then keep them out of reach. You don’t want him to connect bad things with the new baby! Reduce the attention your dog normally gets a week or more before your new babies arrival. Reduce the attention far lower then he will receive after the baby comes home so he won’t feel he is competing for attention with the baby. |