Baby on the way? Dogs in the house? Help your dogs adjust BEFORE baby gets here. I know it’s so easy to get caught up in pre-baby decorating, baby showers, and, of course, adjusting to the idea of being responsible for another human. This is recommended to do each time before bringing home a newbie. Here’s your go-to guide on how to prepare your dogs for the culture shock they’ll receive in 9ish months.
1.Set Up the Crib and Show It Off
As soon as you have the crib/pack n play/whatever you’re using, SET. IT. UP. Put the sleeping apparatus wherever you’ll be using it the most. If it’s something that moves wherever you do (e.g. moving from couch to bedroom throughout the day/night), assemble that and put it in the other main area you’ll spend most of your waking hours.
What does this do? It establishes a no-fly zone for your pup. Walk your dog over and show them what it is and how it works (some make noise or have lights or vibrate, so showing them how it works wont’ be a surprise for them later).
2.The Diaper and the Stuffed Animal
Yes, it’s exactly how it sounds. Take a stuffed animal (or baby doll or whatever you have) and put a diaper on it. Put that creature in the crib. Bonus, if you have more than one place for baby, put stuffed animals in diapers in all those places (bouncer, sling, playmat, etc..). Diapers may be a new smell and look for dogs too, so getting these out before will take away the surprise of one more new smell.
What does this do? Again, this is establishing places where pup is not allowed due to a tiny human occupying that space. Be sure to follow up with dog consistently if they break the rules. Healthy boundaries. We all need them.
3.Use Baby’s Name
Even if you haven’t decided a name, just use the word “baby”. Dogs are smart and will soon be able to figure out the connection. Talk to pup about baby and point out those spots in the house baby is likely to be. If you plan to wear baby at all and have a dog who is so excited they jump up and give you a hug, put that sling on with diaper-wearing stuffed animal and practice.
What does this do? It’s all part of the preparation. If your dog is able to follow simple commands then it will surely be able to understand baby and the name you choose.
4.Create a Safe Zone
Now that baby’s stuff is all over the place your dog may be in sensory overload (and you may feel that way too). This is a good time to create a space just for pup. What worked for us was picking a space in our bedroom and a space in our main living area. We picked up some large, soft dog beds and blankets and showed the dogs with excitement. Same rules apply as with the baby zones. No kids allowed in the dog area.
What does this do? This gives the dog a secluded space in case it feels overwhelmed or just needs some rest without a kid in its face (can I get an amen!). If baby needs a space, pup needs a space. Heck, you need a space too. No shame in your space being the back of your closest with a secret stash of chocolate.
All of this to say. This is what worked for our family. We’ve brought three babies home and we did these prep steps each time. If we make any tweaks when we acquire more kids, we’ll keep y’all posted! We’d love to hear from you if you have any additional prep tips that you’d like to share!
