Welcoming a new baby is a thrilling experience often shared with cherished canine companions. However, households with multiple dogs face unique hurdles as they adjust to their expanding family. Careful planning is essential to balance the needs of both human and furry family members.
While most dog-only households have a single dog, a significant 13% of these homes share their lives with two or more dogs. This growing trend highlights the importance of understanding the dynamics of multi-dog families and the specific adjustments needed when welcoming a newborn.
In this article, we delve into the intricacies of managing a household with both a growing family and multiple dogs.
Preparing Your Dogs for the New Arrival
Newstalk reported that dogs don’t inherently recognize babies as humans. Instead, babies’ squeaky noises and milk or diaper-like scents can attract a dog’s curiosity. This heightened interest is a natural response to unfamiliar and intriguing stimuli. Therefore, preparing your dogs for the arrival of a new baby is a crucial step in ensuring a smooth transition.
Begin acclimating your dogs to their new normal well in advance of the baby’s arrival. This involves gradually modifying their daily routine, such as mealtimes, walks, and playtime, to accommodate your changing schedule. Providing a designated quiet space where your dogs can escape the hustle and bustle will offer them a much-needed sanctuary.
Help your dogs adjust to the new baby by gradually introducing them to baby-related items like cribs and strollers. Let them explore these unfamiliar objects in a calm environment. Also, expose them to the sounds and scents of a baby through recordings or baby products to familiarize them with the upcoming changes.
What are the signs that my dogs are not adjusting well to the changes?
It’s crucial to watch for changes in your dogs’ behavior, as these can indicate they’re struggling with the new family member. Common signs include excessive barking, destructive behavior, changes in appetite, isolation, aggression towards the baby or pets, and accidents. Identifying these problems early on is vital to resolving them quickly.
Creating a Safe Environment for Both Baby and Dogs
Ensuring a safe environment for both your baby and dogs is paramount. Start by establishing boundaries with baby gates to create separate spaces for your dogs and baby. This prevents unsupervised interactions and allows your pets to have a safe retreat. Supervised introductions are key. It always monitors interactions to ensure positive experiences.
Keep baby items, such as toys and pacifiers, out of reach to avoid accidental ingestion by curious dogs.
The ASPCA emphasizes that teaching your dog essential skills can ease the transition with a new baby. Skills like “sit,” “stay,” “leave it,” and “drop it” help manage your dog’s behavior around the baby’s belongings. Also, training your dog to greet politely and relax in a crate ensures safety and reduces stress during this period.
Managing Pet Hygiene and Cleanliness
A clean and healthy living space is essential for both your baby and your dogs to thrive. Regular grooming and bathing will help reduce allergens and keep your pets well-groomed. It’s also essential to establish a strict cleaning routine, focusing on frequently touched surfaces and areas where your pets spend time.
Establishing a regular cleaning schedule is essential. It includes frequently washing pet bedding, vacuuming to remove pet hair and dander, and sanitizing areas where your dogs spend the most time.
Also, regular grooming, such as bathing and brushing your dogs, helps minimize shedding and keeps their coats clean. Incorporating pet waste services and sanitization can significantly ease this task, ensuring a cleaner and healthier home. These services efficiently handle waste disposal, reducing the risk of germs and odors that can be harmful to pets and newborns.
Scoop Soldiers recommends sanitizing after poop removal to eliminate harmful pathogens like E. coli, salmonella, and giardia. These bacteria, viruses, and microbes are unpleasant and can be harmful to humans and pets alike. Proper sanitization prevents these pathogens from gaining a foothold and causing issues.
Balancing Attention Between Dogs and the Newborn
It’s essential to share your attention equally between your baby and your dogs to maintain a happy household. To prevent your furry friends from feeling neglected, dedicate specific time to them each day. Simple activities like walks, playtime, and cuddling can help them feel loved and secure.
Encourage a harmonious relationship between your dogs and baby by involving your pets in daily routines. Include your dogs during feeding times or take them on stroller walks to help them feel connected to the new baby. This gradual integration fosters a positive bond between humans and animals.
What activities can I do with my dogs that also involve my baby?
Incorporate your dogs into family activities to strengthen your bond. Enjoy leisurely stroller walks with your dogs by your side or have supervised playtime in the yard. Even simple activities like reading to your baby in the presence of your dogs can foster a sense of togetherness for everyone involved.
Health Considerations for Expecting Parents
Health considerations are vital for expecting parents with multiple dogs. Healthline reported that dogs positively impact owners’ psychosocial and physical health, with snuggling providing excellent stress relief, as shown by long-standing research. However, it’s important to be aware that dogs can transmit various viral, fungal, bacterial, and parasitic illnesses to humans.
Potential illnesses include brucellosis, campylobacteriosis, leptospirosis, rabies, ringworm, and salmonella.
Regular veterinary check-ups ensure your pets are up-to-date on vaccinations and free of parasites that could pose a risk to you and your baby. Maintaining good hygiene is essential. This includes frequent handwashing after interacting with pets and regular cleaning of pet areas to prevent the spread of germs.
Pregnant women should avoid direct contact with pet waste to minimize exposure to harmful bacteria and parasites.
Preparing for the Transition Period
Preparing for the transition period when bringing a new baby into a home with multiple dogs involves strategic planning and gradual adjustments. Begin by acclimating your dogs to the upcoming changes several months before the baby’s arrival. Introduce baby-related sounds, scents, and items slowly to reduce anxiety and curiosity.
Establish a consistent routine that accommodates both the baby’s needs and your dog’s regular activities. This helps your pets adjust to the new family dynamics without feeling neglected. Engage in positive reinforcement training to reinforce good behavior around the baby.
Should I change my dogs’ feeding and walking routines before the baby arrives?
Anticipating the changes that come with a newborn, it’s beneficial to adjust your dogs’ feeding and walking schedules beforehand. Gradually aligning their routine with your expected post-baby schedule can ease the transition for your pets and the family.
Ensuring Harmony Between Dogs and the Newborn
Welcoming a baby into a home with multiple dogs requires careful planning and thoughtful adjustments. Preparing your dogs, ensuring safety, managing hygiene, balancing attention, and considering health fosters harmony. With these strategies, your family can enjoy a loving, balanced relationship between your dogs and your new baby, ensuring everyone’s well-being and happiness.
