Some pet owners go the extra mile and begin carrying a swaddled doll for a few months before the baby comes. Reward your dog when they ignore the doll or learn to sit if something (or someone) is in your arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Though your fur baby was once unquestionably the most important member of your household, human babies have a way of rolling in and shaking up even the most established family routine. That leisurely morning stroll, coffee in hand, with ample time to stop and chat up the neighbors or let your dog hunt for squirrels, is replaced by a quick slide into shoes, a rat\u2019s nest of hair pulled high, and commanding bellows for your furry friend to, \u201churry up!! Go potty!! Geez, how long do you have to SNIFF already?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can imagine how unsettling it would be to lose your throne and place on the bed to a smelly, screaming, unpredictable little one that wasn\u2019t in the picture yesterday. Getting your dog prepared for the arrival of a new baby involves slowly acclimating them to all the changes that will take place in the home as well as teaching them some basic skills to keep every family member safe and serene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Long before you come from the hospital, your pup may sense some impending shifts in their schedule. Morning sickness, sleeplessness, an ever-expanding belly, and new chemical smells alert them to changes in your body and routines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now is the time to enroll in obedience classes if you haven\u2019t already done so. Knowing how to sit, stay, greet guests without jumping, come when called, \u201cleave it\u201d when a toy is dropped, and go to their \u201cplace\u201d or bed are all skills that will help them interact with the new baby and give you peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Establish a safe zone for your pet, whether it be in a crate or behind a laundry room door, where they can retreat from the commotion and only good things (like that fancy chew bone) are offered. We all need a space to relax and decompress from time to time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since change can be stressful and losing their place as top dog may lead to jealousy, start familiarizing you pup to items related to the baby\u2019s arrival and new schedules as early as the second trimester. Things to get your dog familiar with life with baby are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some pet owners go the extra mile and begin carrying a swaddled doll for a few months before the baby comes. Reward your dog when they ignore the doll or learn to sit if something (or someone) is in your arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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