new baby

Question
we are expecting in june what can ido to prepare my doberman rottie mix female of 11 years she has been an only child till now she is great with other peoples kids and babies

Answer
Well, perhaps the most important thing to remember is to not neglect her when the new baby arrives. Try to spend as much time with her then as you do now, or, if you think you won't be able to, gradually start decreasing that amount now, so that it won't come as a complete shock to her in June. She shouldn't have a problem with the new baby if she gets along fine with other peoples' but the number one rule when it comes to kids and dogs is to NEVER leave them alone in a room or outside together. No matter what the breed of dog, children and dogs should always be supervised. This is as much for the dog's safety as it is for the child. I'm sure you know that children can sometimes hurt or otherwise annoy a dog without meaning to, or understanding the dog's subtle signs that it wants the child to go away and/or stop bothering it. For this reason, an adult needs to always be watching them so that they can recognize the signals from the dog that he's had enough, and be able to explain to the child that "when the dog does 'this,' it means he doesn't want to play anymore, so you should respect that and leave him alone." Or to discipline the child for pulling the dog's ears or tail, or whatever else children can do that is not nice to the dog. When kids and dogs are left alone, that is when dog bites occur, and since no one was watching, and the child didn't know to recognize the signs from the dog that it wanted the child to stop whatever it was the child was doing, the dog is always blamed and is often euthanized, even though he may have given every warning he could think of before actually biting, and even though it was most likely provoked by the child.

I say all this just to make sure you understand the importance of supervision; not to scare you, and most certainly not to say that you *would* allow your dog to bite anyone.


There is a lot of good information on the net about introducing dogs to new babies, but here are a few basic suggestions for you:

Don't make the baby's room off limits to the dog, or she may actually become fearful of the new baby and his/her room. It sounds silly, but it does happen. Instead, as you are decorating, before the arrival of the baby, allow her to investigate and become familiar with all the new sights and smells that might be associated with the baby. Sometimes it's even recommended that you put a little bit of baby lotion or powder on the dog's bed, so that the dog gets used to those kind of smells and accepts them.

Another thing you might want to consider, if you are worried that she may scratch the new baby with her nails, is to purchase some Soft Claws nail caps. They work WONDERFULLY to keep the dog from scratching people, wood floors, etc. and the dog never even knows he's wearing them. I used them on my dog when we did therapy visits to the nursing hom, to help give her some added traction on the slippery floors, and to keep her from accidentally scratching someone when she put her paws up on the bed or their lap. I use them on my cats' nails as well. Here's the website: http://www.softclaws.net/


When you first bring the baby home, don't make a big fuss over the dog or baby. Try to act as 'normally' as possible. Don't force the dog to sniff the baby; let her approach as she is comfortable. Praise her and tell her what a good girl she is when she does show positive interest in the baby. If she growls, appears fearful, or shows anything other than positive interest, I would recommend consulting a trainer in your area that can work one-on-one with you and her. I don't forsee that happening, but just in case it does, you'll know what to do.


Here are a few websites on introducing dogs and babies for you to check out:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4579_introduce-new-baby.html
http://netpets.org/dogs/reference/info/baby.html
http://www.webbabyshower.com/content/pregnancy/dog-leadership.php
http://www.webbabyshower.com/content/pregnancy/carry-a-doll.php
http://www.sfspca.org/behavior/dog_library/diapers_and_dogs.pdf


Let me know if there's anything else I can help you with!

Kristen