In the previous part related to this post, we learned about some tips and tricks for accustoming your dog to the idea of adding a new member to the family. Dogs and babies get along, but you might need to intervene initially to ensure that you bridge the right kind of relationship with mutual respect.
Here are some more tips to ensure that your dog gets along with your baby and vice versa without any hassle.
Do not leave the baby alone with your dog:
Irrespective of how friendly your dog is, it is not advised to leave your dog alone with the baby. There have been instances where dogs have tried to move babies using their mouths. Even the size of a playful dog can be too much for your baby to handle.
It is wise not to allow your dog and baby to have a face to face contact. Dogs tend to communicate or show affection by licking and might end up transferring pathogens. This is why we recommend pet parents to not leave their baby on the ground when the pooch is around.
Exercise your dog daily: a dog which is not exercised regularly can be really energetic and playful. This is something that you do not want, especially with the baby around. Ensure that you exercise your dog daily. At least engage with him in fetching, if you cannot take him out for a walk.
Accustoming dog with new touch sensations:
Babies can be curious and will try to play and touch your dog in different ways. A dog which is not used to being poked or touched in the rump or pulled by the ear might find it difficult to digest and can respond differently. It is important that you accustom your dog to the new touch sensations.
Touch or poke train your dog using different treats. This will help you to instill an idea that wonderful things can happen from such pokes or touches.
Teaching the child to respect the pooch:
It is not all about teaching the dog about behaving properly around a child. As a responsible parent, you need to understand that the relationship between your child and dog should be mutual.
Show your child on how to pet and take care of a dog. Explain to him that pinching, kicking or even trying to surprise him by jumping on him is not a good idea.
If you plan to engage your dog with an obedience trainer, it would better to choose a trainer who will allow your child to participate together with the dog. This is will be really helpful in instilling a sense of mutual respect.
Training a dog to accept a baby can be a challenging task, but it is not that hard considering the number of dog parents who have achieved this. It can be a struggle in the beginning, but, will get easier with time.