A short article giving four quick and useful tips on how to ensure a transition in the home between the dogs and a new baby goes smoothly.

There are many questions that arise when a baby is expected – and one of them may be about the dogs. Will they accept Baby? Is it healthy to have them around? How do you ensure sure that no jealousy occurs with the dog because of the baby?

Without knowing the answers to these questions, many people consider finding new homes for their dogs when in fact this is not really necessary. There are actually only a few basic things you need to do to ensure that there won´t be any problem between the dog and the baby. You should only be majorly concerned if your dog is highly aggressive or unsocialized.

It´s an interesting fact that dogs are inclined to be quite aware of the baby during pregnancy. Pregnancy is also a good time to train your dog if he / she likes to jump. More than that, your dog might require some training all round, and this is the best time to do it. You will also likely find that dog training will bring with it many other advantages, especially when Baby starts crawling and walking around the house, or wants to play with the dog when they get older.

So, here are some great tips for helping your dog get used to the new arrival:

1. Baby´s room

You should set up Baby´s room along with the crib, the playpen and the toys long before Baby arrives. Allow the dog into the room, and let them sniff around and get used to this new room with its new smells. Let the dog sniff the toys, the crib, and everything in the room. This way they will be less curious of the room when the baby arrives. It might also be a good idea to play baby crying sounds, so the dog can get familiar with the new sounds that are going to be in the house. Getting a mesh cover for the crib is also a good idea, especially for a bouncy or jumping dog (or even cats.) Let them know, in no uncertain terms, that the crib is off limits. This is not a new comfy sleeping bed for them! When possible, keep the nursery off limits (keep the door closed even when Baby is not around) so that the dog won´t associate a closed door with the baby (and therefore get curious.)

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