AVMA Offers Safety Tips on Introducing Your Dog to the New Baby
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Oct 07, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Mommy, daddy and puppy make three … then along comes baby. Dogs may be affected by the arrival of a new baby, so the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA.) offers some valuable advice to new parents. http://www.avma.org
Dr. Bonnie Beaver, an AVMA past president and a professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, advises introducing a baby to the family dog with care. Before the baby arrives, a dog needs to adjust to not being the baby in the family anymore.
“Begin training the dog to observe a schedule — treats at a certain time of day, walks at a certain time of day,” she explains. “When mom gets home with the baby, her attention will be elsewhere, so the dog won’t get attention on demand anymore.”
It’s also a good idea to see if your dog likes children, by setting up a meeting with somebody else’s children. Keep the dog on a leash. If the dog is scared or aggressive, consult your veterinarian and use great caution.
When the baby comes home, include your pet. Let the dog greet the new mom, who has been missed while she was at the hospital, and then sniff the baby as well. Keep the dog on a leash or just use a used baby blanket.
Once the baby is home, doggie and junior shouldn’t live separate lives. Don’t ban the dog from the baby’s room, but never leave them together unsupervised.
“The two need to interact, but safely,” Dr. Beaver explains. “For example, when bathing your baby, give the dog a treat, so the dog learns that good things happen when he’s around the baby.
“When a baby cries, it can be extremely disturbing and upsetting to the dog. If the dog is pacing, the dog is saying, ‘make it be quiet.’ It’s not saying, ‘I’m concerned about the baby,’” Dr. Beaver says. “The dog is in distress, and if you ignore the upsetting situation, the screeching, the dog might act on its own to stop the noise.”
Dr. Beaver advises vigilance when the child starts crawling and walking. Once mobile, the child could corner the pet, and the pet could nip. Baby gates can be useful in keeping both the dog and the baby safe.
SOURCE American Veterinary Medical Association
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