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By mikem@thecolumbiastar.com | on May 12, 2022

The arrival of a baby brings about changes in routines and the environment. Before bringing a baby home, countercondition your dog to the strange, noisy new equipment by pairing the movement and sounds of the equipment with treats.

Preparing your dog to be comfortable with the arrival of your new baby may just be the most important training you will ever do. You love your dog dearly, and of course, you want your baby to be safe. Too often we hear news stories about tragic incidents in which babies (or toddlers) are bitten, sometimes severely, by the family dog.

My awareness for the need of this training increased dramatically when my daughter was expecting my grandchild. At one of her baby showers, a young woman told the tragic and scary story of a distant family member who left their infant in a swing alone with the family dog. They don’t know exactly what happened, but the dog severely bit the infant in the head. The infant survived but had to have reconstructive surgery.

Preparing your dog for the arrival of a baby should begin long before you may even be thinking about having a child. As soon as possible when you get your dog, enroll him in a reward-based obedience class. A dog that has foundation skills such as Sit, Down, Stay, Leave It, and Coming When Called will be a better family member, and you will be better able to manage having a dog and baby in the same house. If you have noticed any unwanted or difficult behaviors in your dog, address those now. If your dog avoids children or has growled at a child in the past, consult a qualified reward-based trainer now.

Samantha Verburg’s dog, Carrie, and son, Devin, are close companions, but their interact ions are closely supervised by Samantha.

Once you learn you are expecting, begin immediately to prepare your dog for the new arrival. There will be many changes in your life soon. There will be changes in your schedule, lots of new noises, and new equipment in the house. Soon your dog will have to share your attention with this new, tiny stranger.

To help your dog get used to sharing you with the baby, purchase a life-size doll. When you are carrying and caring for a baby, you perform many chores one-handed. Your body language will change because you may be sitting and moving differently.

Dogs are extremely sensitive to changes in our body posture. Carry the doll around just like you will be doing when you have a baby. Practice sitting down and getting up while holding the doll. Practice preparing food in the kitchen and practice putting the doll in a bassinet or crib. If you don’t want to purchase a doll, you can practice by holding a rolled-up towel and holding it as if it were a baby.

Lia Fricke, a reward-based trainer in Georgia, uses gating to manage interactions between Baby Arlo and her dog.

You can also purchase a CD with baby sounds or find an online source with baby sounds. Play the CD and help your dog become more comfortable with the new noises by associating those odd sounds with something good. Play the sound of a baby crying and toss treats to your dog during the strange new noises.

Will your dog still perform obedience cues for you if you are sitting down, and only able to move one arm (because you are holding the baby in the other arm)? Practice this while holding the baby doll. Ask your dog to Down and Stay. If your dog can do this, it will enable you to feed or hold your baby without having to worry about your dog jumping up on you or pestering you while you are busy.

If your dog has shown signs of being uncomfortable around or aggressive towards children, seek help from a qualified reward-based trainer now. Above, this dog’s body is stiff and ears are back. It is being forced to interact with a baby when it is clearly uncomfortable. This is a situation in which a reward- based trainer should be contacted for help.

A solidly trained Leave It cue will come in handy if you drop the baby’s pacifier or special toy and you don’t want your dog to pick it up for you!

Before the baby arrives, set up the equipment you will be using. It is especially important to get your dog used to equipment that moves, like a swing, or makes noises. Moving swings can excite dogs that tend to chase moving items, and this could be dangerous. If your dog is frightened of the movement or noise, reassure him and provide lots of tasty treats as the equipment is moving or making noise. You can also put some drops of the baby oil or lotion that you will be using on the equipment (and on you). If your dog reacts aggressively or extremely fearfully to the equipment, get assistance from a qualified trainer.

Incorporate management tools such as baby gates, leashes, and tethers to keep your dog out of the middle of a baby-tending activity or to provide needed distance if your dog does not have a reliable Sit-Stay or Down-Stay. Keep the door to the nursery closed or blocked with a baby gate.

Family Paws’ Dogs and Storks program and website (www.familypaws.com) is an excellent resource for expectant and current parents

Lastly and most importantly, no matter how sweet your dog is, NEVER leave your dog alone with the baby.

These training and desensitization procedures will help provide a smoother transition for you and your dog during this very special time.

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