Most dogs adjust to the infant within a few days, while others may take several weeks.
Put a dog bed in an out-of-the-way spot in the baby's room, and keep a container of dog treats in the room. Every once in a while, leave a few treats on your dog's bed when she's not looking. Later on, she can discover them on her own. She'll learn to love her new spot in the baby's room!
The baby's cries or movements could make some dogs anxious. However, unwanted behaviors are likely a reaction to ALL the changes and the new reality (which includes the baby!) and the interruption of the dynamic with you, not because they are 'jealous' of the baby.
If she is doing things like growling, snarling or even snapping, she's giving signals. She's telling you that she isn't comfortable. You have to listen and never punish her for her behaviour. Seek professional help – a veterinarian, applied behaviourist or reward-based trainer experienced with dog aggression.
Settling into Life with Baby
Your time is without a doubt now divided between your fur-baby and its new “sibling.” Some dogs will naturally adapt to this change, but some may become destructive as a way to get attention, while others may become overly protective of their new human.
Dogs are extremely loyal members of the family and just like humans they can experience a variety of different emotions - including jealousy. This can especially be the case when someone new becomes a member of the family, such as a newborn baby and seems to get all the attention and affection.
Remember, NEVER LEAVE YOUR BABY AND DOG TOGETHER UNSUPERVISED, even if you trust your dog. As your child grows up you will have to continue to supervise interactions with your dog since many attacks occur against children that do not realise that they are irritating or threatening animals.
Most "normal" (non-rescue, non-abused) gently introduced dogs can and do sense that babies are harmless. They may be jealous, so introduce them gently, preferably on neither the dog nor the baby's home territory. That does not mean that the dog will leave the baby alone.
A simple test you can try is to remove the child from the situation and then see if the dog comes back to the child for more attention. This will tell you if the dog was enjoying the interaction (comes back for more), or just tolerating it (stays away, or leaves the scene).
Dogs tend to like routine as they feel confident knowing what to expect and when. Unless they're thoroughly prepared for the changes that new babies can bring, they might feel very unsettled. A new baby in the family could mean your dog receives less attention or shorter walks than they're used to.
A newborn brings a whole range of new smells and sounds into your home, and perhaps the most worrying is crying. Remember, your dog picks up on energy, and the energy that your baby is giving off while crying is anything but calm and assertive. Your dog may become distressed, too, whimpering, whining, and barking.
So, even though it may look cute, a dog licking a baby's face should not be allowed. In fact, I don't recommend it even for healthy adults. If your dog likes to give the adults in the family “kisses,” let them lick your hand and then immediately wash your hand thoroughly afterward.
The best and safest option of all is to move dog out of bed room into its own safe place: for dogs that do well with separation, I recommend moving them far away from your room so they can get a good night sleep when you have a newborn.
Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.
Whether you're a pet parent or a pet sitter, it's not a very good idea to treat your dog like a baby. But it is a good idea to treat our furry friends like you would a 5-year-old child. That means teaching them boundaries, manners, and discipline.
Dogs Are Aware Of Their Size
They are often more gentle, curious, and protective of infants. While dogs likely don't know a baby is a baby they are aware that babies are small, fragile, vulnerable and helpless. In fact, many dogs will be found mothering babies in the same way dogs would mother puppies.
Dogs are brilliant; they understand that babies are defenseless family members and not just a tiny human. They strongly feel the urge to protect and be gentle with babies for various reasons our experts have observed.
A little more surprising is that the dogs liked hearing their favorite words and the baby talk voice together best of all. Especially puppies! So the next time you feel a little silly talking to your favorite four-legged family member like they're a baby, be proud instead. It's science.
Dogs, just like humans, are prone to jealousy, and if your dog was an only pet or is used to an overwhelming amount of affection, losing the center of attention to a baby may lead to hurt feelings or confusion. Another reason a baby may lead to dog depression is the introduction of an erratic sleep schedule.
Canine behavior experts have also stated that dogs pick up on the energy around them and that the energy of a crying baby causes the dog to feel upset. Some of this upset may stem from the fact that your dog isn't used to hearing a baby cry, and he or she simply doesn't know what to make of it.
Neither human nor dog responded much to the sound of a baby babbling or the radio static. But the sound of the baby crying caused a dramatic rise in cortisol levels in both species. It's a reaction that lead author Ted Ruffman to describe it as low-level empathy.
The vast majority of dogs readily accept infants after an initial period of adjustment and curiosity. However, there are rare but highly publicized incidents involving serious injury of an infant by the family dog.
Research has shown that dogs perceive and respond to newborns in a different way than they do to adults. They have an innate ability to sense when a newborn is vulnerable, which triggers their protective instincts.