And Baby Makes Three: Preparing Fido for the New Baby
Fido is the apple of your eye, the king of the hill, the center of the universe in your home.
Until your family of three discovers it’s soon to be a family of four.
· Buy a tape or CD of a baby crying and play it while offering the dog a treat.
· Buy an inexpensive baby doll and treat it like a real baby for 15 minutes a day. Gradually increase the time you spend with the ‘baby’ until Fido becomes accustomed to your change in priorities.
· Make sure Fido has lots of new toys and treats when the big day arrives. Try not to board him; the transition will be easier if he can stay at home with visits from a pet sitter or friend.
· Take a blanket the baby has used and bring it home for Fido to smell. That way he will be accustomed to the new smells and they won’t seem foreign to him.
· When you bring the baby home allow Fido to sniff her thoroughly. When the baby goes to bed make a fuss over Fido to let him know he’s still an important part of your life! Put extra time aside just to play with him. These first few days will make a big difference in the way your dog feels about the baby.
If you have any questions please contact me privately at 856-349-2508 or simply reply to this post. There is never a fee for phone or email consultations. You can also email me at [email protected]. I will be happy to help you.
Next week’s topic will be entitled: Training Your Dog Using Positive Reinforcement. As always, Cleary’s notebook encourages dialogue so your comments are welcome!
Wado, udohiyu, (thank you very much, in the Cherokee language)
Dawn Watson
Brother of the Wolf, LLC
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