Pets are an integral part of many families, so when a new baby arrives they often struggle to adjust.
Help ease their transition by familiarizing them with common baby smells like lotions and ointments as well as noises like crying and gurgling babies. This should make for a smoother journey for everyone involved!
1. Prepare Your Dog in Advance
Though you cannot prepare your dog for every aspect of being an expecting parent, there are a few steps that you can take to reduce stress and anxiety in their lives.
Make sure that you alter your dog’s routine at least a month in advance so they have plenty of time to become acquainted with all the strange new sights, sounds and smells associated with having a newborn baby in the household.
Start to familiarize your dog with any scent-emitting products you’ll use when caring for a new baby, such as talcum powder and soaps, which may have strong, unfamiliar aromas that could disturb their sense of smell if introduced too late.
Your dog should become acquainted with sounds associated with baby-crying sounds and noises as part of its preparations for the arrival of a baby. Play recordings of infant noises at low volume for short periods each day; gradually increase it.
Once your dog has adjusted to the baby’s sound, you should teach him or her where they can go for quiet or comfort. This could include anything from a bed in one corner of your room to an indoor kennel – even just a small dog condo (crate).
Your can help your dog adapt to changes by understanding his/her body language. If they express anxiety by urinating in or on baby items such as clothes or toys, this may be a signal they’re trying to convey their distress and anxieties about life with a newborn baby. Reassure your pup that their behavior does not indicate jealousy or aggression before restricting access to the room until he or she has adjusted.
2. Let Your Dog Smell the Baby
Arriving home to a newborn can be exciting for both you and your dog, but for some pets it can be overwhelming and they may become anxious or even aggressive in response.
One way to ease their transition is letting your dog get acquainted with your new arrival before she comes home. Ask friends or relatives with babies to bring blankets or articles of clothing scented with baby’s scent so your pet can adjust quickly.
Your dog should associate the scent of the baby with something positive and make their transition easier. Or you can give a treat whenever you play audio clips of crying or squealing from babies so they’ll associate these sounds with something pleasant and calming.
Before your baby arrives, having someone come into your house and walk your dog is also recommended in order to release excess energy and assist them with calming down and relaxing. This will also help them settle in after being around an unpredictable baby for so long!
Before your new baby arrives home, set up all of his or her equipment such as cots and cribs as well as safety gates and pushchairs early so your dog can become acquainted with them before birth – this will reduce anxiety or aggression later on when introduced for the first time on day of delivery.
Some dogs may urinate in your baby’s room or on her clothing and toys, which isn’t normal behavior and could be an indicator of anxiety. To stop this behavior from occurring again, try marking their territory with special markers or training them to avoid these areas altogether.
3. Let Your Cat Smell the Baby
As your pet adjusts to a new baby entering your household, they will experience several changes that impact them directly, such as changes to their daily routines and an altered atmosphere within your home due to new additions such as infants.
Before the baby arrives, allow your cat time to become familiar with all the new changes so they will feel more at ease when you bring the newborn home.
One of the easiest and most effective ways for your cat to meet a newborn baby is letting him/her smell them, this will allow your feline to recognize that this child is their friend rather than an unknown threat.
Cats possess an extremely powerful sense of smell that can detect things up to one mile away, so it is wise to let your cat inspect both you and the new items in the nursery at least once before bringing your newborn home.
Your cat may need some assistance associating the scent of your baby with positive experiences. One strategy could be giving them access to an item from the hospital that contains their baby’s scent prior to its arrival; your cat might enjoy sniffing this.
Once your baby arrives home, reward your cat with treats and playtime around them – keeping the interactions brief and positive so they can build positive associations between themselves and the newcomer.
Once your cat has established positive associations with your newborn baby, consider bringing him or her into his or her room together with you to help adjust to its presence and safeguard them from being scratched or bit by the infant. This may keep both parties safe.
4. Keep Your Dog on a Leash
the sights, sounds and scents associated with a new baby may be upsetting for dogs. According to the ASPCA, they may find its sounds and noises upsetting too – such as crying babies and their gurgling noises can be frightening for them.
There are steps you can take to help your pet adjust to a new baby, including gradually altering its routine in advance. According to the ASPCA, doing this may help ease transition pains for everyone involved.
Adjust his feeding schedule, bed placement and sleep pattern accordingly. Prepare his food bowl and water bowl to be in their new locations when baby arrives; and get him acquainted with any crates or ex-pens he might use by placing him there with tasty treats prior to baby’s arrival.
Before your baby arrives, familiarize your dog with common baby noises like sneezes and cooing by playing recordings at low volumes throughout the day – this will help them associate these sounds with positive associations such as treats or attention.
Make sure your dog remains on a leash when meeting and greeting a newborn baby, allowing him to sniff him as part of the introduction process. If they become overexcited, have someone else hold onto its leash so it can be detached quickly so he or she can back away slowly from any overzealous greetings from him or her.
Once you follow these tips, your dog should quickly adjust to a new baby. While some dogs may initially show fear or oversensitivity toward the infant, if your pet shows any sign of anxiety or reacts poorly in general it would be wise to consult a professional trainer immediately.
5. Let Your Cat Smell the Baby
Cats may not always make ideal companions for babies; however, with preparation and early introductions made prior to bringing your new born home from hospital. With this plan in place, the transition should go more smoothly when the time comes.
Your goal should be to allow your cat to explore the newcomer without interfering with their natural curiosity – this way they’ll quickly recognize them as part of their group and welcome them with open arms! Use positive reinforcement such as canned food or treats during these introductions so your pet knows this area is safe and welcoming.
Once your cat is comfortable with the scent of the baby, you can slowly introduce them together in a more informal setting – for instance by placing him or her in a quiet room where they can explore and greet it on their own terms.
Idealy, this should be accomplished using a harness so your cat is guided while providing some control of interaction between yourself and them. However, if none are available, give them something with your baby’s scent on it and let them sniff at it at their own pace.
Step two should be completed several weeks in advance of your baby’s arrival to allow your cat time to bond with its new family member before becoming too stressful. Wearing baby powder or lotion may help your cat associate these scents with its arrival and help create an association between those scents and its arrival.