Preparing for a new born or other young child
Are you adopting? Make sure to see if the child has been exposed to the kinds of animals you have. Of course, allergies can be managed, but it’s good to know ahead of time! Talk to the child before s/he meets the pet about appropriate behavior around animals. Also warn them that the pet may be shy at first but hopefully they will be friends in the long run.
It’s important to get a dog or cat use to the noises of children- laughing, running and especially crying. Many dog trainers offer baby readiness classes, but cats benefit from getting use to these noises, too. Recordings are available of these noises, and be sure to play them at different volume levels to prepare the animals for the noises in real life. You can also try keeping a child’s TV station on for long amounts of time. Depending on how your pet reacts to friends and family, ask people to come over with their babies and/or children to get them use to the different size, energy, etc. of children. Take your dog (or cat, if they are lucky enough to go out on the leash) to the park to observe children playing.
If your dog is a jumper, you should start preparing him or her to curb that behavior. In addition to talking to a dog trainer, you can start occasionally walking around the house, cradling a baby doll while positively rewarding the dog for calm behavior. A baby doll that cries is prefect, but any doll can mimic things a normal baby would do- sitting in chairs, laying on the floor, being pushed in a stroller, being rocked or sung to, etc. Additionally, you may want to try to get them to differentiate between their toys and the new arrival’s toys. Other things that may help: getting your dog to calmly stay until you tell him or her to come unto your lap and getting your animal use to nail trims, if they aren’t yet.
You should also start identifying behaviors that are OK now, but may become a problem once a child is brought into the picture. Start consulting with your vet or a trainer/behaviorist for tips. Additionally, your critter may become jealous of the attention directed at the new child, so you’ll want to include the animal in play with the new addition, and/or schedule special playtime with the pet.
Especially with dogs, it is important to consider their quirks and plan accordingly. How would your dog react to little fingers playing in their food or water? You’ll most likely want to move such things to a spot where the new arrival won’t be able to bother them. How would you cat react to being grabbed while in the litterbox? It’s very important that cats only have positive experiences in litterboxes, so move those where the cats can have some peace.
Since cats- and sometimes dogs- can be weary of change, it’s important to get them use to the sights and smells of the newcomers. Set up baby/child equipment and accessories as soon as possible so the items aren’t as unexpected when in use. Maybe bathe them with the shampoo the new arrival will be using (make sure it’s safe for animals!), sprinkle a little powder on their beds/favorite spots, or use the products yourself. Rock in the rocker, put on mechanical swings and other electronic toys/equipment so they get use to the sounds and movements. Walk your dog with a stroller/carriage/baby wrap so you can both get use to managing with them.
Consider what the new sleeping arrangements may mean for your critters- will the baby be sleeping with you? Get the cat or dog use to sleeping at the bottom or side of the bed. Will there be a crib, bed, changing table or nursery/bedroom? Decide whether the animals will be allowed in/on them or not, and train accordingly. The basic idea is to have the changes be old news by the time the baby or child is brought home.
If you give birth away from home or have access to the soon-to-be adopted child, have someone bring home a clothing item the new addition wore or blanket that s/he laid on and let the animals smell/be near it so they get use to the smell before they are brought home.
New Arrival!
If adopting or returning from a hospital, your pet may be eager to greet you and receive your attention. Come in first and have someone else take the baby into another room while you give your pet a warm, but calm, welcome. If the child is old enough to walk, remind them to be calm and come in after you. Keep some treats handy so you can distract your pet.
After the initial greeting, you can bring your pet with you to sit next to the child; reward your pet with treats for appropriate behavior. Remember, you want your pet to associate the new arrival with positive experiences. To prevent anxiety or injury, never force your pet to get near the child, and always supervise any interaction.
Life will no doubt be hectic, caring for your new addition but try to maintain regular routines as much as possible to help your pet adjust. And be sure to spend one-on-one quality time with your pet each day— it may help relax you, too.
Place treat jars around the house, so that when you engage in activities such as changing diapers, feeding the baby, playing with children, etc., you can offer your dog or cat a treat so he will associate the new comer with pleasant experiences.
Always monitor the baby or child when s/he is around the pet. Never leave them alone together.
Continue to play with the pets to not only run off their energy, but make sure they feel loved. Cats and dogs especially can feel as if they have to compete for attention if they don’t get enough. Play with them alone as often as possible so they still feel part of the family.
Lastly, store soiled diapers/clothes/bedspreads where the critters can’t get to them.
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