What advice do I need for raising a puppy with a baby safely?

It would be a very simailar introduction process yes. I have two young children and two dogs as well and the best advice I have is slow and steady. As much as you trust and live your dogs also, do not leave them in the room unattended with the baby. The most difficult time will actually be once your baby is mobile. Please post another question then and I will guide you through the issues of that time. Make sure your dogs don't feel pushed out when baby arrives. Offer them chews and toys in the same room as you while you feed the new baby. Take them for walks while you push the stroller. Make them feel secure and included as mcuha s you can. I find this book very useful; https://books.google.com/books/about/Living_with_Kids_and_Dogs_Without_Losing.html?id=TvizDEJ8yYUC

Good question. Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and at that age, everything is a toy! The most important thing is to not leave Athena unsupervised with *anything* she might chew on that she's not supposed to, as you have to be able to respond to her in the moment. Anytime she grabs hold of something she's not supposed to play with, either gently remove that item from her mouth and redirect her to play with one of her allowed toys, or if necessary give her a stern and sharp "No!" while you take away the object - and then direct her to a toy she can play with. She's going to be exploring and experimenting with her surroundings, so it's going to take time and consistency to help her learn what's on limits and what's off limits. Again, it's very important that she never be left unsupervised with items that are supposed to be off-limits. If she's alone and decides to chew up the rug, and has a wonderful time doing so, it will be that much harder to train her after the fact that she shouldn't have done that (very fun!) activity. Not to mention the risks of ingesting that foreign material - you don't want to end up with an emergency vet visit! Hope this helps. Feel free to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss training in more detail.

I'm so sorry Athena is scared but glad you are trying to work with her. Sometimes puppies have just never been socialized well or she may have had a bad experience. Start by try to figure out what About your boyfriend scares the puppy. Is he a much bigger guy, is he generally loud, deeper voice? Some of those things he can't change but some he could. Have him sit on the floor to be in her level. Let him feed her and give her treats. Right now have all of her interactions with him be positive. Some dogs may always be submissive to certain people. But give it time and lots of positive interactions. Having them take a puppy training class together may also help. Here are a couple of article that give you more ideas. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1811 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1751 https://drsophiayin.com/resources/dog_behavior/#fear%20period

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.

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!

Oh goodness. This is a big question. You may want to consider a visit with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist. As a veterinarian and a mom I can tell you that is pretty easy to keep them separated the first year of baby’s life, but as they become more mobile the next several years are hard. If you have a dog who as a low bite inhibition, meaning he has already proven he will bite, then the likelihood that he will bite a child is high. Other options are to keep them separated 100% of the time (near impossible in my experience), or to keep a basket muzzle on him any time he has access to the children. I also encourage you to consider the size of the dog - and how powerful and destructive a bite will be to a small child. I have been in your shoes and it is a very hard decision to make. I have also been the mom of the child who was bitten. I encourage you to always put your child’s safety above all else. If you want to discuss this further I would be happy to consult with you. Take care.

It can be easy to get caught up in the new puppy cuteness, while forgetting that your job as a new pet owner is to raise your little bundle of fluff into a well-mannered, properly socialized and trained adult dog. Good for you for being ahead of the game! The first thing to remember is to set boundaries now by only allowing your puppy to do things now that you also want them to do as an adult. For example, if you don’t want to have your dog on the couch as an adult, don’t allow them on the couch as a puppy. Teaching basic leash skills and focusing on crate training will also be important to start from the very beginning. The key to having a well-adjusted dog is to socialize them from an early age. Once finishing your puppy’s vaccine series, be sure to expose them to a variety of different people, other dogs, noises and environments. Puppy classes can be a useful arena for socialization as well as learning basic training commands. Puppies also require frequent visits to the veterinarian, particularly in the first four months of life, for physical exams, weight checks and vaccinations. During these visits, your veterinarian will be able to discuss the best preventative medications for your puppy, as well as the benefits of spaying and neutering, and proper nutrition.