How to introduce your dog to a newborn baby safely and smoothly?

With proper supervision and enough energy, a new dog can certainly be a welcome addition to a family with a baby. However, this decision varies widely from family to family since a new dog will require a lot of training, attention, exercise, and supervision. There is never a guarantee that it is safe having a dog around a baby. Dogs and babies or children should never be left alone together without direct adult supervision. That said, many dogs and babies live together safely and successfully. Babies and young children must be taught not to pull on dogs’ fur or tails, take toys or bones from them, or interfere with their food or treats. This could result in pain or resource guarding, which can lead to aggression in even the most tolerant of dogs. If you are rescuing an adult dog, be sure that the dog’s temperament has been evaluated around babies and children. Should you choose to adopt a puppy, be aware that the puppy will have more energy and a bit less awareness than an adult dog and could accidentally jump on a baby or cause accidental injuries. Essentially, this is not a straightforward decision and you must consider your entire family dynamic and ability to factor in this additional responsibility.

Congratulations on your new baby! This transition often causes more stress to parents than it does to pets. When your daughter is born, have someone take one of her baby hats or blankets home from the hospital so that Copley can smell them and become accustomed to her scent. Once she comes home, obviously supervise all interaction between Copley and your daughter. Try to keep Copley's routine as normal as possible and provide him with extra attention and walks whenever you can. Issues tend to arise more when a dog is bored or receiving significantly less attention and exercise. Congratulations!

I'd recommend starting with this free download that focuses on behavior: https://www.dogstardaily.com/storefront/after-you-get-your-puppy You also need to take Athena in for a vet visit ASAP for a general check up and determination of when she needs her next vaccines. Ask them to talk to you about socialization and check out this link: https://www.longmonthumane.org/sites/default/files/media/attachments/Puppy_handoutfinal.pdf The biggest rule, in my opinion is to never ever ever ever never leave the two alone together and separate them if you aren't actively watching. Athena is going to be a big girl soon, and if your son does something that scares her (because he's a baby and will do that as he gets bigger/more mobile), she may react with a bite, and because she's big it will be a serious bit. All dogs will bite in the right circumstance. This rule also allows you to teach your son appropriate behavior with dogs, because you'll catch every time he's too rough and be able to redirect him. I know first hand how hard this rule is, and you will eventually relax it (because we're all human), but know that you're putting your son in some risk whenever you do, so many sure you're really confident. Boys ~4-7 years old are the most likely to be bit by dogs, and it's usually in the face - they just do stupid things and dogs react normally, and it doesn't end well. Finally, be familiar with normal dog body language ( https://positively.com/dog-training/understanding-dogs/canine-body-language/ ) so you know when Athena is uncomfortable and can remove her or your son from the situation. Have so much fun with them! They will be a cute pair :)

I would get Bentley in with a professional behavioral expert immediately, and do not introduce her to your newborn baby at all. I'm very concerned that she has already lunged at your 4 month old niece, and that is an aggressive behavior that could have extremely serious and even fatal consequences. The safety of your baby is paramount, and I would not allow Bentley anywhere near your newborn because she already has a history of lunging at babies. You need professional help managing this behavior, and it may be honestly that rehoming her is best. I know that this would be extremely hard, but you can't have an aggressive dog around a baby. Have her seen by a professional behavioral expert first to discuss training if you want to keep Bentley, but until they feel it's safe, keep her completely separate from the baby. It may seem like I'm overreacting, but I know of cases where this has gone fatally wrong. The last thing I would ever want is for that to happen to someone else, so I will always advice extreme caution. Speak to your vet first thing Monday about a referral to a professional behavioral expert. I hope this helps!

Great question! Introducing them should be done slowly. When you first bring Mousewhisker (I love his name!) home, I would keep them in rooms separated by a door. This way, they can get used to the smells and sounds of each other without contact. Make sure your cat has a litter box, food, and water in their room. You can also place a blanket with the dogs's smell in the cat's room, and a blanket with the cat's smell in the dogs's room. I would also consider get a Feliway for your cat and a DAP for your dogs. These are pheromone diffusers that help with anxiety and should also help ease the transition. Once all the pets seem relaxed with the current situation, swap rooms placing the cat in the dogs's room and vice versa. You can do this switch several times over the course of the introductions. Once they are all comfortable with the smells of each other, it's time for them to meet face to face. I would introduce the dogs on a leash to the cat while he is in a cat carrier or on the other side of a baby gate. Reward the puppy for being calm and quiet near the cat. Once they seem comfortable with each other, the baby gate can be taken away. Make sure your cat has a cat tree where he can escape from the dogs as needed, and don't allow the dogs to chase the cat. I hope this helps!

Cute dogs! The best advice is to take it slow - allow them to first see each other through some kind of barrier but not necessarily be able to contact each other. A baby gate in a door is perfect. If there are any signs that Kyle is overwhelmed or the puppy is overwhelmed in the beginning they should be separate. It would be best to feed them in separate areas for awhile. This link has some other good tips: https://www.spcai.org/get-involved/learn/animal-advice/introducing-new-dog-your-household-pack/

It is very, very important that you stop treating Zeus like a baby RIGHT NOW, so he does not associate any change in your behavior towards him with your new daughter. It is not a good idea to treat him like a baby anyway, as he is not a baby. He is a dog. If he is accustomed to a certain amount of attention from you, he is going to expect it to continue once the baby is here, so you need to get him used to less attention from you right away. Remember that your baby will take up a lot of your time, and he can become resentful and start to act out . As soon as you bring the baby home, sit on a chair with her, cover her with a light blanket, and have someone bring her slowly towards you. Praise him if he is good along the way, and give him a sharp "NO!" if he starts to act aggresive. If he makes it to your chair, give him a treat and praise and "introduce" her to him. He will not understand your words, but he will get from your tone of voice that this is a good thing. If he is calm, you can start to remove the blanket from her feet and let her sniff and lick them. Be sure to keep praising and treating. Gradually lift more of the blanket from her upward as long as he behaves. Continue to praise and treat. Let him lick any part of her except her face, and give her a baath immediately after the exercise. Should he start to misbehave, simply have the other person remove him from the site. Do not scold, or he will make a negative association with the baby, and you holding her. Try again later. This may take several attempts, but if they are introduced in the right way, you may find that he becomes her greatest friend and protector. As she grows, watch for signs of possessiveness when other family members or friends are around. Good luck with this!