Months before baby arrives...
1.Make sure your dog knows “stay”, “come”, “place”, “leave it” and “drop it”.
2.Make sure he LOVES his crate.
3.Teach your that he is only allowed on furniture and laps if he is invited.
4.Restrict his access to the baby's room, and any other room he will be restricted from when the baby comes.
5.Start desensitizing your dog to baby noises, squeak toys, rattles, etc. Play lots of movies with crying babies in them as background noise. Or consider Baby Sounds for Pets
Weeks before baby arrives...
1.If someone will be helping out with the baby, make sure your dog gets to meet and spend some time with him or her now.
2.If your dog will be going to doggie daycare or a kennel when the baby comes, have him go for a few trial days now to get used to it.
3.As new baby items arrive in the house, leave them where where your dog can inspect them on his own time for a few days before putting them away (just watch to make sure he doesn't pee on or chew on them). Set up any new furniture as far ahead as possible.
4.Begin taking the stroller along on your dog's walks so everyone gets used to the vehicle before you have to wrestle with the leash & stroller & baby.
5.Practice “leave it” with rattles, squeaky toys, bottles of formula, and dirty diapers if you can get ahold of some.
Days before baby arrives...
1.Begin ignoring your dog now so that when the baby comes it will seem like he's getting more attention instead of less.
Once baby arrives...
1.If the baby will be in the hospital for a few days, have dad bring home a diaper or burp rag so your dog can get a whiff.
2.When baby comes home, act like everything is normal, but the person carrying the baby should drop some treats on the floor periodically.
3.Let your dog inspect the baby and tell him how good he is. Don't hide the baby from him and make it mysterious.
4.Do not leave your dog and the baby in the same room unsupervised until the baby is about 10.
5.Take your dog and the baby on walks together every day.
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