Ensuring a Safe Baby & Dog Bonding
>> Mar 30, 2015
Owning
a dog is a big responsibility, but it will become even more demanding once you
introduce your newborn baby to the house. However, if you establish clear rules
and what is allowed and what is a no-no then it will be easy to establish a good baby and dog relationship that will be on the basis of trust. It will take
some time and a great amount of patience to train your dog to be obedient and
to accept the newcomer, but if handled well then you can look forward to a fun
and enjoyable childhood of your child.
How a
dog behaves
Although
dogs are fun little creatures, they are in dire need of someone to lead them,
and you, as their owner must learn how to behave like a pack leader. In order
to be a good pet owner, it is important
to understand just how dogs behave. When you manage to be in charge, and when
you teach your dog to obey the house rules, only then can you really trust your
little buddy to be safe toward your new baby, otherwise, there might be
complications you will have to take care of.
Part
of the family
Bringing
a baby into the household means that the family is getting bigger, but you
should make your dog understand that they are being part of the same family
and that they need to look out for their new sibling. There should be no
rivalry between your love, your dog and your baby are going to be equal
members, and your pet needs to feel that they are not going to be neglected nor
forgotten; ensure to make your dog feel part of the family.
Prepare
your dog
As an
owner you are responsible for your dog’s behavior, but it is also your duty to
prepare your pet for the world; and in order to prepare a dog for a new baby,
there are certain procedures you must take. First of all, teach your dog to
respect space and to obey the one who is in charge, also, make sure to
introduce the scent of your baby to your dog gradually so that they can get
accustomed to someone new coming to the home. This way you will ensure that
they will not consider the baby a threat.
Bad
habits
Unfortunately
though, dogs can develop bad habits which are hard to quit, but with enough
patience and with enough time, it is possible to make them stop doing it. It is
especially annoying and difficult if the stop dogs jumping on people, but
it will be necessary, as your baby might be knocked over and could get injured.
Your dog might not even know what is going on, which is why it is essential
that you train your buddy in time so that you can avoid such situations in the
future.
Dog
safety
It is
also essential that you keep your dog healthy and free of all kinds of
parasites, which is why it is vital to have pills for flea removal at home
at all times; you can never know when it might happen, and it is always better
to be prepared. Furthermore, the good side of a dog and baby bond is that it
will increase your baby’s immunity immensely, but only if the dog is healthy
and controlled regularly. Make also sure that you clean your pet whenever they
come back from the outside, as they might be dragging dirt and bacteria into
the house.
The
joys of owning a pet
There
are many reasons for people to own pets, and one of the main reasons is that
they are great until you get a child, but you should not get rid of your pet
just because of a newcomer. Once you train your dog to behave nicely and to
obey the rules, as well as to accept the baby as part of the family, you will
have a great big family. Be careful to keep your pet healthy and to visit the
vet regularly so that you can avoid any risky interaction between your dog and
the baby that could cause problems.