Getting Dogs Ready For Baby
Photos in this post by Samantha Jay | Le Papillion
“No, Rosie!”
“Not now, Rosie!”
“Rosie, come on!”
These are definitely frequently-used phrases nowadays in this house with a newborn. Rosie is our 2 1/2 year old lovebug golden retriever, who is curious and playful and LOVES to lick Baby G’s head, giving her enormous cowlicks! G doesn’t seem to mind, but as new parents we want to be overly careful about how close Rosie gets to baby.
Truth be told, we got Rosie (our three year old golden retriever) keeping in mind that her breed is a great family dog. We raised Rosie with so much love and affection, we were concerned that she might be jealous or attention-deprived once baby came into the mix! But Rosie has been a true champ, offering only love (and lots of licks) to our newborn. I can’t speak for any other dog but my own here, but it is important to really “know” your pet and keep your baby supervised at all times. Even the most good-natured dog may nip at a baby, or get too rowdy.
Not to brag, but Rosie is an absolute angel of a dog, but even still we knew that having a baby would undoubtedly change the dynamic in our house. Before we had the baby, so many people (friends, family, you name it) would say to us, “Just wait! Rosie won’t be top dog anymore!” or things along those lines. Pre-baby, we knew that we wanted Rosie to still feel just as special and loved and appreciated. She really is the best dog I know (#biased) and deserves to be treated as such! So, how did we actually balance the dog-mom and baby-mama love? It’s a matter of being intentional and keeping one’s patience. Here are some ways that we made sure to keep Rosie feeling included and more loved than ever.
Schedule Walks and Play Time
This is important! Rosie needs exercise and play time, just like babies need sleep time and cuddle time and mommy time. S has been an all-star in making sure that he walks Rosie and sticks to her usual route. Consistency matters and I think Rosie senses it, too. When the weather is bad, we double our efforts to get in some movement/exercise by playing her favorite game: fetch! Indoors, of course. I have been dying to get outside lately for walks, and family walks with Rosie have been a great way for everyone to feel better and bond.
ATTENTION AND POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
When we are ooh-ing and aah-ing over baby with our high-pitched voices, Rosie trots on over because she is used to us talking to her like that! So, instead of shunting her to the side, we make sure to give Rosie lots of simultaneous pets and kisses. This affection and attention really is important, because it makes her feel included and part of the pack. In turn, Rosie is bonding with baby and not competing for attention.
Supervision near the baby is of utmost importance. Rosie is a gentle soul, and I do really trust her - but from the get-go I have made sure that Rosie knows what is acceptable behavior, and what is not. Early on, Rosie bumped rather rambunctiously into the baby’s bassinet, and we made sure she knew that was a big no-no. Rosie is naturally curious, and now unmistakably protective, about the baby. If Rosie is near the baby, we make sure that we are too.
I am not sure if this is a coincidence, but Rosie has vomited her breakfast twice within the time G was born. Rosie has never really done this, and I wonder if it’s stress-related? While it’s gross, and I want to yell (especially when its on the carpet), we make sure not to scold Rosie or make her feel ashamed. When she has vomited these two instances, she is so obviously embarrassed and guilty. Hopefully the positive reinforcement and acceptance makes her feel a little less stressed, and reminded that she is still a good girl.
STICK TO ROUTINES
Rosie is a creature of habit! And unfortunately, her routine was thrown out the window for a few days while we transitioned into parenthood. I felt like I was hit by a truck, S was sleep deprived, and through it all Rosie was as loyal as ever, by our side. Once we set ourselves into a semblance of a routine, we shifted Rosie’s already-existing routine to fit better with our own. Not much really changed, in retrospect, and we maintained her feeding and bathroom schedule, too. It was super important in keeping ourselves on track, too.
Now, on the other hand, our sleep schedules have been totally turned upside down. Instead of changing it for Rosie, we have adapted our shift-sleeping during these newborn months so that Rosie gets 50% of mom time, and 50% dad time. That is 100% of the cuddles, which is what she’s used to! 🥰
Knowing when to say “NO” is also VERY important. Sometimes Rosie gets a little rowdy (I call it “the crazies”) and if baby is nearby, we shut it down immediately. Seriously, she gets overly excited at the dumbest things - like successfully climbing the stairs or having a good poop outside. Rosie struggles with sometimes getting over-excited when guests come over too, so we really try our best to discourage her from jumping or getting in people’s faces. So, we continually try to reinforce good behavior with praise, but sometimes a stern “NO” works in certain situations.
We love our Rosie so so much, and even from the beginning of our pregnancy journey we wanted her to feel included and just as loved as ever. These tips aren’t rocket science, but they are exactly what worked for us in making sure that she continues to feel like an integral part of our family!
Ciao! Xo