By nature children and dogs are a tricky combination! But with the right handling, dogs can have a wonderful relationship with children. Providing the dog has not had any bad experiences around children, and with the right training and management put in place, there is no reason why a family dog cannot be best friends with the children.
Training should start as soon as mum knows she is pregnant. This gives plenty of time to work through a training programme. Also because mum will be finding it hard to move around in the last few weeks of pregnancy, it makes perfect sense to get going as soon as possible. It is never too early to begin preparation for baby training and it can certainly be too late, making the transition so much harder for the dog and family. The aim is to have the dog feeling really comfortable about the baby when it arrives and for good planning and management strategies to be in place in advance.
Initially, I like to make sure the basics of dog training are covered, a good recall, walking nicely on the lead, the dog can be left alone and we have good, basic general manners and obedience.Once that is covered, I will look at beginning to prepare the dog for the changes that are about to come to do with the baby. This will include the sight and sound of a newborn baby in the home, and getting the dog used to mum and dad carrying the baby and giving the baby lots of attention. For this I will use a toy doll which is great for doing safe assessments, and then progress into adding in baby crying sounds, pairing the doll with the crying.Babies are loud! We need to make sure the dog is prepared for this and also understands it has a safe place to go to when it is feeling overwhelmed. There will be a big increase in visitors. Is the dog ok with this, or do we need to work on any aggression or anxiety around strangers in the home? Is there any guarding of either parent?
The dog will need to learn to accept getting less attention, have a really good, solid “settle” and a reliable “drop” and “leave”, because there will be a plethora of new toys and baby equipment in the home. Can the dog walk nicely next to the pram?
With all the new equipment coming into the home I like to work on each piece of equipment separately. The buggy, the pram, the cot, the toys etc, and make sure that the dog is comfortable around these, doesn’t jump on them and can easily settle on a mat when asked.
Manners around food and feeding times in general are really important, because mum will need to breastfeed and eventually feed baby food, and food will fall on the floor. As the child grows older, it is much safer to have a dog that settles out of the way, and not hanging around the feeding area. Occasionally dogs can guard food items, this topic is important and must not be overlooked.
The routine will change dramatically, so getting the dog used to altered feeding and walkies times, and having an established relationship with a trusted dog walker is vital. There will certainly be days that the parents are unable to walk the dog, but we must continue to meet the dog’s needs so that the dog is not bored or frustrated and feeling resentment towards the baby.
During the first 6 months the baby will not be moving much and this is arguably the easiest time. As the baby becomes more mobile, this can present new challenges for the dog. Baby will be making eye contact, reaching and grabbing, throwing things, starting to crawl, becoming curious. This stage needs to be managed carefully and this is where stair gates and playpens can come in really handy. The baby should be monitored around the dog at all times. It goes without saying that we should never leave a dog and a child under the age of 13 unattended, no matter how patient or well-mannered that dog is.
As the baby starts walking and enters the toddler stage, this is another challenging period and I recommend another session to make sure that the correct management is put in place to keep the dog and baby safe. The more mobile the child becomes, the more risks are presented. Children are very curious of dogs and want to touch them but this can be very uncomfortable for the dog and can easily lead to a bite, so ensuring that the parents fully understand how to handle dog and child interactions is critical. All dogs will have a limit to their tolerance, but no dog should have to tolerate any interaction, these interactions should be positive and fun for dog and child.
This image shows a safe and positive interaction between a child and the family dogs.
If you are pregnant or planning a baby, it really does pay to have some professional guidance throughout the pregnancy and beyond. A little knowledge goes a very long way.
Kids Around Dogs is an organisation of trained and qualified members who specialise in this area of dog behaviour. For more information or to find a professional in your area, have a look at https://kidsarounddogs.co.uk/
Patricia McGrady is owner and founder of Be More Dog Essex. She is certified with the CIDBT, a Kids Around Dogs professional, and a certified full member of the Canine and Feline Behaviour Association
