How did you introduce your newborn to your family dog?

Me and my Girlfriend are expecting a newborn baby boy on August 13, 2009. I was jus wanting some peoples input on how they prepared there dog for the arrival of the baby.... training and all that. I have 2 dogs a 1 year old West Highland White Terrier and a 6 Month old Yorkshire Terrier. Both are very well trained and well behaved dogs and Absolutely love people and love when kids are around so they can play with.How did you introduce your newborn to your family dog?
We didn't do anything with my cats. We had our baby at home. The most they ever did was sniff her. They're kind of indifferent and one of them has an attitude but they don't really bother the baby.How did you introduce your newborn to your family dog?
I have a 1 year old Pomeranian, and we just let her sniff our son when we brought him home. she actually doesn't like to be around the baby which is suprising because she loves everyone and has the most friendly and out going personality. it's not hard when you have small dogs. my dog weighs less than my son did when we brought him home, so she wasn't any real threat at all. good luck.



you want to include the dogs when you bring baby home, let them sniff and lick baby, show the dogs that baby is not there to hurt them, and try to spend time together with baby and dogs so that the dogs don't feel like they are left out and feel threatened by the baby.
I read somewhere that you should bring in a baby doll and slowly introduce that to the dogs so that they learn to be gentle around it. Then, when you bring your baby home, the transition should be easy.



Good luck!
We had a boxer when we brought my son home from the hospital and she was protective over the baby. It was great. When we brought him home we just let her sniff him and see that we were holding him and petting her at the same time so she didn't feel left out. We didn't get frustrated with her or put her outside, we included her in a lot, even if we were just cooking, we'd call her into the kitchen so she could just be there...not upstairs on her dog pad feeling left out.
We(ok hubby) took the hat home from the hospital and left the dog sniff and get use to that; 2 days later when the baby came home, we left the dog sniff her and get use to her. Then we pulled out a small toy and acted like baby gave it too the dog...all was and still is fine!



Dog is a chihuahua and is very protective of her.
i didn't.
We got a CD called Preparing Fido. It has all the sounds a baby makes to get the dogs used to hearing screaming, crying, etc.



We also made sure to start making them get down off the couch, bed, etc and listen to us. They need to know you are the boss. And my husband brought home a blanket for them to sniff a day before baby came home.



As long as your dogs listen to you and aren't jealous, you should be fine. Our dogs have done very well with the baby and now lick him at every opportunity!

I still will not trust them to be in a room alone with him though! You just never know.
my midwife has asked me to bring an old blanket (one that is clean of course but one that i dont mind loosing) then when my baby is born she will wrap the baby in the blanket so that her smell is tranfered onto the blanket. then when my husband comes home to freshen up he gives the dogs the blanket to lie with, they will get used to her smell so that when she comes home they know her (because dogs get to know someone by smelling them) and then after a few days i will let them smell her directly.
I have a 2 year old Bichon-Pomeranian. When I was still in the hospital I had my family take a blanket that the baby had been laid in when she was first born home and put in the dog's cage. That way it got her used to the baby's scent. When we brought the baby home for the first time I held the baby and my Dad held the dog and just let her gently sniff the baby's head. She has been fine ever since. The only problem we have is that our dog is very jumpy and she sometimes doesn't realize if Jenna is sleeping on the couch and will jump on or near her. But other than that she is like her little protector and will lay next to her crib, etc.

Good Luck