Family & Multi-Pet

Introducing Your Dog Your New Baby

Dogs often find babies puzzling due to their unique sounds, movements, and smells. Introduce your dog to your new baby in the right way to foster a loving and lasting relationship between them.

Bringing Baby Home

First impressions are crucial. Ensure your dog has positive experiences with your baby right from the start. When arriving home from the hospital, let others greet your dog first to expend excitement. After the initial greetings, leash your dog and have treats ready for rewarding calm behavior. Calmly enter with the baby, using a soft and cheerful tone to speak to your dog, keeping interactions positive and rewarding.

First Meeting

Arrange the first meeting in a quiet room. With your baby in your arms, let a helper bring in your leashed dog. Invite your dog to approach using a calm and happy voice. Allow your dog to sniff the baby gently, rewarding this behavior with praise and treats to reinforce positive interactions.

Building Positive Associations

Encourage positive associations with your baby by giving your dog attention and treats when the baby is active. Teach your dog to link your baby's presence with enjoyable experiences like petting and play. This approach will help your dog eagerly anticipate the baby being awake.

Teaching Helpful Skills

Go Away Command

To manage your dog's movements around the baby, teach them a "Go Away" command. Say the cue and toss a treat a few feet away. Gradually require more steps before rewarding your dog as they master the skill, teaching them to move away when needed.

Quiet Time Training

Encourage your dog to settle quietly while you're attending to the baby by rewarding down-stay behavior on a designated spot. Provide a comfortable mat or dog bed, and use treats or a chew toy to keep your dog occupied during these times.

Based on ASPCA Virtual Pet Behaviorist content, adapted for the Data Driven Dogs training framework.