Books & Articles
Dog Behavior Article
Brief Tip: Introducing Baby to Dog
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Situation: You Have a Dog and You Are Going to Have a Baby
The ideal situation is for the parents-to-be to have a dog who has not been bred for guarding, herding or fighting. It is important they had socialized it with children in a fun and rewarding manner. Also, they should have fully integrated the dog into the "pack" (existing family members) so it feels it has a secure place in the home.
Children should NOT:
- Pet a dog around the face or head.
- Play tug of war.
- Tease.
- Bother the dog while it is eating.
- Bother the dog while it's chewing on a bone.
- Bother the dog while it's sleeping.
- Bother the dog while it's receiving medical treatment (Cleaning of the ears and clipping of the nails). This is unnecessarily provocative and may lead to an aggressive response from the dog.
BEFORE you bring the baby home, (weeks before), begin to engage in the same care-taking behaviors, with their accompanying smells, you will be doing once the baby has arrived. For example:
- Using a doll, feed, dress, diaper and rock the doll.
- Get the dog used to the smell of baby powder, diapers and ointment.
- Put the dog through obedience commands with treats as you do this.
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