Pregnant With First Baby

[barbi]

I am pregnant with our first baby and wanted to know if anyone knows how I get my two GSD's prepared for the new arrival? They are still pups themselves, Xena is 18mths and Boss is 14mths. By the time the baby arrives Xena will have turned 2 and Boss will be about 20mths.

I dont want them getting jealous of the baby and i want them to accept the new baby as a part of our family.

Is there anything we could do with the lead up to the baby arriving? and even when we first bring the baby home? eg when it cries etc?

[Dogs4Fun]

Think about any changes that will be made to the dogs routine and make them now.

ie will access to parts of the house (baby's romm etc) be restricted or prevented.

- can they wait quietly while you go through a door (you don't want them barging though while you are carrying a baby)?

- what will you do at meal times - dogs inside or outside, on a mat or free to roam, allowed to pick up dropped food or not?

- are dogs reactive to sudden noises, movement - may need to desensitise them with some childrens toys

- will dogs sleep in the same place they do now?

- eat in the same place they do now?

- will they back away from something you ask them to leave (I found this VERY handy)

We brought home some baby clothes from the hospital before the baby came home, and the dogs were allow to smell these in a quiet manner. The dogs were then introduced to the baby slowly - dogs outside when we came home, them introduced one at a time in pack order.

Make the baby a good thing, not something that takes you away from the dogs. My dogs learnt to love breast-feeding time as they were allowed to cuddle up to my feet as I fed.

[barbi]

Their some great tips, Thank you

[Staff'n'Toller]

This is the very best document I have found on introducing babies and existing dogs.

Let me know if you have trouble downloading it.

Newbaby___dog_protocol_Dr_Karen_Overall.pdf

[macka]

Not much to add but I know you can get CDs that play baby noises and use these to desensitize the dogs to baby crying etc. - might be worth looking into! Good luck and congrats

[barbi]

This is the very best document I have found on introducing babies and existing dogs.

Let me know if you have trouble downloading it.

That was a really good document, I've already printed it off and will stick it on the fridge this arvo. Thanks.

Not much to add but I know you can get CDs that play baby noises and use these to desensitize the dogs to baby crying etc. - might be worth looking into! Good luck and congrats

I will look into those cd's. Think there a great idea as my two have never heard baby sounds before.

Thank you, we sure do have some exciting times ahead of us

[Silvawilow]

About 6mths before our daughter was born I started getting the stroller out (with doll strapped in it) and wheeling it round the yard and teaching the dogs not to rush up or jump on in. Once we had that down I then moved on to walking them with in round the street.

[Rysup]

I baby gated my guys into certain parts of the house, and they were only allowed near the baby when they were calm, relaxed and of course under supervision. But I found they had no trouble adjusting. We did do the baby gate thing before baby was born, so they had heaps of time to get used to it.