Your Pet and A New Baby
An exciting time for you, but a confusing time for your pet. We look at how to prepare and support your animal(s).
Things to do in the months leading up to the baby’s arrival
DOGS
Do not leave this preparation until the new baby arrives, as it is important that your dog associates the new baby with as few disruptions and changes to its routine as possible.
Make sure that your dog has a basic understanding of good behaviour. Brush up on its training so that it will lie quietly for short periods, so that it won’t jump up, can walk on the lead without pulling and come when called. This will make both your lives much easier.
If your dog has any behaviour problems, make sure that these are solved before your baby arrives. Ask your vet to refer you to a good local animal behaviourist.
Make sure that your dog is healthy and is up to date with its worming tablets and vaccinations.
If your dog is an ‘only’ pet, it is quite likely that it is used to having your full attention whenever it wants it. As there will be times when you’ll be busy with the new baby, get your dog used to being alone in a safe area with its bed and a tasty chew item for short periods of time every day.
If you are planning to keep your dog out of certain rooms or areas of the house after the baby arrives, then start doing this as soon as possible. Ideally, it should not be allowed in the baby’s bedroom.
Teach your dog to walk gently next to the pram.
Bring new items of furniture such as playpens, carry cots and highchairs into the house, so that your dog can get used to them.
Try to teach your dog the difference between its toys and those that will belong to the baby.
Try to get a tape recording or a prepared CD of baby noises and play it in areas that the baby is going to be most often, so that your dog can get used to these ‘strange’ sounds. A baby’s high pitched cry can be alarming to a dog, so make it an everyday sound before the real thing arrives.
For example, click below for information about the Sounds Soothing CD available from Amazon:
Develop a routine that you intend to follow when the new baby arrives and stick to it, to help your dog cope with the changes in the home.
If the expectant mother is the one who has previously done most of the interacting, dog walking and feeding of the dog, it’ll help the dog adjust to having less time and attention from her in the future if the partner starts taking over most of these duties before the baby is born.
CATS
Make sure that your cat is in good health, take it for a check up at the vet. It would be a good idea to have the cat neutered if this has not been already done.
You should wear gloves and an apron at all times when handling your cat’s litter tray. Please read our article about Toxoplasmosis, as it is crucial that you understand the facts about this illness and do not get scared, wrongly, by the myths.
Introduce your cat to any equipment, clothing etc that you buy for the baby, let you cat investigate it but do not let it climb or make a bed out of anything. The cat needs to be shown that these are off limits.
Put the nursery (or your room if you intend to keep the cot in there initially) out of bounds. This is very important particularly if your cat has previously been allowed everywhere.
Subtly reduce the amount of lap time your cat gets, so that it will be used to this by the time the baby arrives.
Discuss any concerns that you have about your pet and the coming baby with your midwife and vet.
When the baby has arrived
DOGS
Try not to make a big deal with your dog about the arrival of the new baby. Teach it how to approach the baby properly and gently. Allow the dog to make safe initial investigations and approaches in its own time.
Help your dog to see the baby as a nice thing to be around. Give your dog treats and lots of praise when it behaves well around the baby.
Do not place the baby on the floor with your dog and never hit or shout at it for approaching the baby in the wrong way. Gently, show the dog what you wish it to do and reward it when it gets it right.
Make sure that your dog has enough exercise and things to do – a bored dog with too much energy can get up to all sorts of mischief while you are busy with your new baby.
If you have any worries about your dog’s behaviour after the baby has arrived, consult your vet as soon as possible, who will refer you to a good local animal behaviourist.
Other advice we have heard from dog owners who have had babies.
One thing you might find hard to practice – but your dog will find this odd is the fact that you may get up a various times during the night when the baby is very small. Again teach your dog that there is nothing to be concerned about and to be calm when this happens.
Many people have recommended that it would be a good idea to bring one of your baby’s used baby-grows or vests home from hospital for your dog to smell it and get used to the scent. The dog should not be allowed to play with the garment.
Before the baby is born add the odd dog-treat to the dog’s bowl while it is eating so that the dog learns not to be too protective of its bowl. Dogs by nature are naturally defensive of the area where they eat – they cannot help this, it is an instinctive throwback to the species when they were in a pack in the wild. Do not stress the dog by doing this, always observe its mood.
Some people have said that in their experience carrying a doll around prior to the baby’s birth, holding and talking to it in the presence of the dog to get it used to not being exclusively the centre of attention.
Another person said that she deliberately missed the odd walk prior to the arrival of the baby, because, although animals like routine, the fact is that when a new baby arrives even the most regimented of households can be thrown into disorganization.
CATS
Introduce your baby to the cat. Do not panic if the cat sniffs the baby, but on the other hand do not read too deeply into it if the cat ignores the baby’s arrival.
Use a cot or pram net to deter the cat from using the baby’s bed as its bed
MAKE SURE your baby’s sleeping room is inaccessible to the cat (including open windows).
Keep all feeding utensils out of the cat’s reach and prepare baby and cat meals separately.
Keep your cat treated for fleas and worms and keep its litter tray emptied and clear away uneaten food (particularly as your baby starts to crawl!).
Remember, NEVER leave a baby alone with any dog or cat – no matter how trustworthy you think they are.
Article by: The Pet Owners Association largely reproduced from the Dogs Trust fact sheet ‘A New Baby and the Family Dog’ with the kind permission of Dogs Trust and with information from the Cats Protection Leaflet ‘Cats and Children’
Founded in 1891, Dogs Trust (formerly the National Canine Defence League) is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK. Our mission is to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.
Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity. They now help more than 230,000 cats and kittens every year through a network of over 250 volunteer-run branches, 29 adoption centres and the homing centre.
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