New Baby In The Family

Q: We're expecting a baby in a couple months! However, until now, our 4-year old English Bulldog has been our only "baby". He's a great dog, and he's been really good with other kids he's met in the past. But he's also very much bonded to me and protective of his toys. Any tips on what we can do to ensure a smooth introduction and transition?

A: Heather Patz of Good Dog Training responds: Congratulations on your pending new addition! This should be a time in your life of joy and happiness – without additional stress coming from the new relationship you will have with your lovely old dog. As long as you are prepared to do some work before AND after the 'big day', the transition should be flawless.


Introducing a baby into a well established home should always be done with careful consideration and preparation.


Firstly, you want to address your dog's resource guarding tendency. If your dog is 'protective' of his toys, you will want to seek out professional help to properly deal with that issue, before he starts to be protective of your child's toys. Dogs will have a hard time distinguishing between human and dog toys if not shown properly.


A dog who is protective of toys are also often food protective – so please ensure that proper testing is done with your dog to prevent any of that behaviour when your child is a toddler and walking around!


Secondly, before you bring a baby into the mix, it is important that you establish a proper relationship with your dog. You say that you currently consider your dog your "baby", you may consider re-evaluating both of your roles!


It is important for your dog to consider you a leader in your household – you will find through obedience training and appropriate daily interaction that he will give you more respect and actually end up feeling more comfortable himself. Your dog should learn to listen well to every human in the house, including your child as he/she grows, but this must start with you!


Lastly, after you have put in some ground work for establishing a better relationship with your dog and addressing some of your dogs problematic behaviors currently – it is important to do a few more things before bringing baby home.


Make sure you set up all of the 'baby stuff' (crib, change table, toys, etc) well before the arrival day, so your dog has a chance to get used to the change of scenery. Give your dog lots of love, attention and treats around the new objects.


When baby is born, it is a good idea to have someone bring a blanket home from the hospital for your dog to smell.


When you arrive home with the new addition, introduce him/her to your dog in a calm, collected and positive fashion. Let your dog smell baby and praise him.


Don't forget to continue your obedience training with the dog around the baby! Stopping your training when the baby comes home is not a good idea – try to incorporate dog training into your daily life so it does not require you to have to put too much time aside for this activity.


Also, do not forget to dish out love to your furry child as well as your new one. You do not want to create jealousy by forgetting to give attention to your dog when the baby comes into the room.


There are numerous articles you can find on the internet with other great tips for introducing your baby to your dog. Good luck!