Bringing baby home is an exciting and happy occassion, but if you have a dog it can also be a stressful and anxious time for some new parents and for the unprepared dog. When a new mom or dad is holding their precious little bundle, suddenly in front of them all they see is teeth where they used to see their furry, brown, loveable Fido.
With preparation it need not be stressful and frightening. Fido can learn to be happy with baby and baby can be safe with Fido. The Dogs and Storks program is a tremendous way to help new parents prepare for living safely with baby and Fido. The main thing though is being pro-active. Don’t leave the training and education until the last minute or after the baby is born (though certainly we can help after baby is born, but it will just be a busier time), start preparing as soon as you find out you are pregnant.
Some of the key things to work on are getting a solid sit and down with your dog, especially at a distance, as well as practicing loose leash walking and add in the stroller as well to practice with.
Start getting your dog used to you carrying a baby by carrying a baby sized doll, especially up against your shoulder, this way Fido will learn that sometimes you are carrying something which when carried in a certain way can sometimes look like you have two heads!
Also invest in a DVD or download audio files from the internet of baby sounds that you can start out playing softly in the background and slowly playing the audio louder, making sure the fun times, such as play with you or good treats or perhaps a food dispensing toys stuffed with your dog’s favourite foods come with those baby sounds. In this way you are desensitizing your dog to the sounds and also if you add play and good treats when the audio is playing you are also making a good association with those sounds for your dog.
Supervising is paramount, your baby should never, ever be left unsupervised with your dog for any reason and remember to make absolutely sure that the baby’s bedroom door is closed when the baby is in there. Dogs can make a mistake and most of the time that is exactly what the event is that involves a dog and a baby, just a mistake borne out of possibly excitement, fear, anxiety or stress but nonetheless still damaging, don’t take that risk, don’t place your wonderful family dog in the position of making a mistake.
Have a plan, what will Fido be doing when you are changing the baby, feeding the baby, when you want to take a shower? The educated and supervised use of a tether at a safe distance while Fido is engaged in a yummy food filled Kong can make for a happy, stress free, safe feeding time for mom and baby that includes Fido.
Getting your dog used to his crate, so that it becomes a happy, safe place for him is another great strategy so that you can use the crate at times when you can’t supervise. A word of caution here though, the dog should not be crated for long periods of time just to get him out of the way. He still needs to be a part of the family and still needs mental stimulation and physical exercise.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help with your dog, just ensure that everyone knows your rules surrounding the dog so they can be consistent and make sure that they are on the same page with respect to humane training. It is even more important for a dog to be treated humanely and with positive training when the animal will be living with children.
You can also engage the services of a dog walker or doggie daycare for some additional assistance in exercising and supervising your dog, but again, use caution with what type of methods are being used with respect to your dog and make sure you get references. We can recommend some excellent daycares and dog walkers if you would like to look into either of these services.
We can help you set up your home, manage and train your dog and be prepared so that you, your new baby and your dog can live happily and safely.
Contact krose@shaw.ca to set up your Dogs’s and Storks private session or group seminar today.

