The wild hormones, the sleepless nights, the aching private bits, the scream of a new born baby… nothing can really prepare you for becoming a first-time parent. Bringing your baby home is daunting on its own, let alone throwing a dog in the mix. Getting educated ahead of time is key to success when living with a dog and bringing a new baby home. And there really is so much that can be done prior to help reduce stress for everyone.

How to prepare families with dogs for life with baby

The Blanket. 

There is a big misconception that getting your dog to smell a blanket from your baby whilst you are in hospital, is EVERYTHING when it comes to preparation for your dog. Let your dog sniff the blanket and they are prepared for your baby to come home. How your dog responds to the blanket – is how your dog will be when you bring baby home. But this is NOT the case. Unfortunately, I’m sorry to say, it’s just not as simple as that. Believe it or not, your dog has already smelt so many different changes on you in the lead up to the arrival of your baby, your changes in hormones, possibly your milk production and the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.

Think about this, when you have new visitors in your house, do you ask each of them to send something prior to coming so you can prepare you dog? Of course not! We don’t want to make a big deal about them, nor do we want to make a big deal about the baby coming home. In saying that, bringing the blanket home is tangible and people like to do it. I’m not going to lie, I did it. BUT, I didn’t make a big deal about it, and that is the important part. If this is something you would like to do, don’t make a big fuss about it, we want our dogs to be calm around the baby. Make it short and sweet. Let them sniff and if they are calm, give them a little treat and move on. There is SO much more that we can do to help our dogs than just a blanket…

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Getting Your Family Ready For Life With Dog and Baby

Preparing to become a new parent is daunting and exciting all at the same time. There is so much you can do to help your dog before the baby arrives. Set yourself and your dog up for success and get started now.

Getting Your Family Ready For Life With Dog and Baby

Mel xox

Disclaimer: Cooper and Kids will not be liable for anything that happens to you, your dog or children by following the advice and tips in this article. If you have real concerns or worries about your dog and/or safety of your children, please seek out a professional to come and assess the situation asap.