Our pup Charlie has made a few appearances in some past posts. He’s our 4-year-old beagle/foxhound/Jack Russell/something/something mix (the jury is still out on his background). We adopted him 3 years ago and he quickly became the love of our lives.
Charlie has been known to sleep in our bed (under the covers, of course), grumble when we get up early and ruin his morning snooze fests, steal all of our socks, and race up and down the stairs like a maniac. In other words, he definitely rules the roost! Or, at least he did before Baby H arrived!
There was no way we could truly prepare Charlie for Baby H’s arrival. Throughout my pregnancy I felt he knew something was different. He cuddled closer to me than usual, and generally seemed a little more protective when he was with me.
We knew that prepping Charlie for a new baby was important – it was going to be a big change in our household. The Humane Society’s web site has some tips for helping your pet adjust, including:
- Address any pet training or behavioral problems
- Accustom your pet to baby related-noises
- Talk to your pet about the baby
- Bring home the baby’s scent after baby is born – on a blanket or a hat that the baby has worn
- After meeting the baby, let your pet sit with you and the baby
- Keep your regular routines as much as possible and give your pet attention
Before Baby H arrived, we did our best to get Charlie prepared. He spent time with me in the nursery as I got things ready, and I made sure to say the baby’s name a lot. At the beginning of my pregnancy we started using a new harness called The Gentle Leader because Charlie is terrible about pulling me all over the place when we walk. The harness helped him walk better with me while I was big and pregnant, and helps now when we’re out walking with Baby H.
Now that our lives have been turned upside down with a newborn, Charlie has done great! We forgot to send something ahead with my parents with Baby H’s scent on it, so when we brought the baby home it was Charlie’s very first interaction with anything baby-related. Charlie was very excited with his first sniffs, but now understands he needs to be gentle. He gives her lots of little kisses and sticks close to her when she is crying. Whenever I breastfeed, I make sure that Charlie is invited with us – he will usually sit on the bed and sleep next to me. When I get the opportunity to take a nap, Charlie cuddles up right by me (in the space my big belly used to occupy!), which gives us great quality time together.
I’m so glad that we’ve had such a smooth transition – I don’t think it could get any cuter than Charlie and Baby H together!
What have you done (or will you do) to help your pet adjust to having a baby in the house?
Preparing Pets for Babies part 5 of 9
1. Babies and Pets by Mrs. Bee2. Fur Babies and Real Babies by mrs. tictactoe
3. Doggie House Rules by Mrs. Sketchbook
4. Making Blue Dog Family-Friendly by Mrs. Blue
5. Preparing the Pup by Mrs. Hopscotch
6. Kids and Pets by Mrs. Chocolate
7. introducing baby to our pets by Mrs. Jump Rope
8. Introducing Dogs to Your Baby by Mrs. Sea Otter
9. Introducing Your Dogs to Your Baby by Mrs. Garland
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
We’re really worried about this. Ever since I’ve been pregnant our dog has been behaving SO badly. I’m not even showing yet but obviously he knows something’s up. He has been really destructive whenever we leave him alone which is not at all like him. We’ve been trying to give him extra attention and do longer walks to help him get out his energy but nothing is helping. We had to resort to sequestering him in the guest room today because I just got too sick of coming home to some sort of mess every day!
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
Aw, I love pictures of babies and their dogs!!
I’m glad to hear that you were able to get Charlie to be such a big part of your life even with the introduction of Baby H. I like hearing that you let him up near you when you’re feeding Baby H, it sounds like what I plan on doing with at least one of our dogs. Does he still sleep under the covers with you and Mr. H? I think that would be such a huge adjustment for a dog. We do not plan on changing our routine there – the dogs will continue to sleep with us – we also don’t plan on co-sleeping. I can’t remember if you do that or not.
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
We talk to Finley about the baby, but I have notices she is a lot more attentive to me than ever before. She cuddles up and has to always be laying right by my belly. I always say “Finley where’s the baby, do you love the baby” and she gives kisses to my stomach. So hopefully that carries over, but we will do the blanket thing as well as letting her get used to the baby once we bring him/her home.
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
Thanks for writing this post! I’ve been thinking I needed to do some research about how to help prepare our four-legged child who is used to being 100% our baby. Since ours is a little dog, it’s easy to let her get away with a few behaviors, like jumping and pulling on the leash, that will be more of a problem when I’m pregnant or when we have a baby.
Love the photos!
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
I hope our dog adjusts well! That picture of the two of them is too cute!
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
So sweet!!! Warms my heart when I see pups with babies
pomegranate / 3225 posts
Thanks for posting this, my doggie is in for a shock but she loves kids so I know it will be fine!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
I was really concerned about this too even though Feeney is a rescue who has lived with a baby in each of his two previous homes. His foster mom’s son learned to crawl and walk during the 6months he lived with them and he let the baby crawl all over him. Regardless, it had been a while since he’d been around babies, so I was nervous. We sent home the first couple receiving blankets that baby Stroller was wiped off with. My mom opened the plastic bag and let Feeney sniff them. Apparently he could care less. She washed them the next day. When we brought baby Stroller home, we put his car seat on the floor and Feeney lifted his paw to shake for the baby. Baby Stroller just realized we have a dog the other day and he’s obsessed with pulling Feeney’s fur. The dog does not move at all. He sits right there next to him during tummy time and just eats up the attention!
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
I also thank you for writing this! I’m interested to see replies. As mamamoose said, our dog has been very fresh since I’ve been pregnant. Part of that might be that I’m still sick at 20 weeks, so he hasn’t had as much attention from me (I was in bed for awhile sick, and then I couldn’t stand the smell of him…poor boy).
I’m very worried about him & the nursery, as well as his barking!
Does anyone have advice as far as barking? We have a spray bottle that works (when we have it!) but if we don’t have it handy, he’s smart enough to know he can bark and won’t get sprayed. I’m really nervous about him constantly waking up baby – or do babies get used to that? (I have a Sheltie).
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
Aww, sweet!
We tried different things, like bringing home a blanket for him to smell. But it really didn’t seem to help, my MIL said he just pushed it away. It’s been quite the journey for them. When LO came home, my pup hated her because she was a screamer due to reflux. But then she calmed down and so did he. He learned to love her and wanted to lick her all over, and she didn’t like it at all. Now she doesn’t mind it, but she’s at the grabby stage so she grabs at him, and I know he doesn’t love it but he tolerates it and goes to lick her
pear / 1616 posts
@sorrycharlie: as far as the barking, we use a citronella bark collar on our pup. its basically the same concept except he wears it around his neck so if he does decide to bark, it will automatically spray him with citronella. our dog does realize when the collar is off that he can bark which is okay for us. we mostly use the collar when we’re on walks because he’ll bark at other dogs. we don’t mind that he barks when we’re home in case there are intruders!
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
That’s so sweet and awesome that dogs can sense that something is different and kicks up the security/protective blanket for you and the baby!!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
Aw I love the picture.
nectarine / 2152 posts
Awww, so sweet! Your dog sounds a lot like my dog (aka a maniac) but so wonderful the transition was so easy, I hope it’s the same for us when the time comes!
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
I’ve been meaning to write about this, too! With two dogs, things are a little more crazy, though, so we have been really strict with them. We still give them lots of love, but their lives have definitely changed!
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
Thanks for the tips. All things I have to consider when we get pregnant.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
This post is SO helpful and that pic absolutely melted my heart. Bookmarking to adjust our two furbabies!
blogger / apricot / 366 posts
@mediagirl: We (finally) got Charlie back in the habit of sleeping on his bed at night before the baby arrived…but he still gets invited up in the mornings for cuddle time under the covers. We have been co-sleeping so having a pup in bed, too, would be a lot!
@sorrycharlie: I agree with Kodybear on the cintronella collar. We had used one with Charlie when we lived in a condo – it really helps. Now we can have it on him but turned off & it helps keep him calm (like, if we have people over and we don’t want him going crazy at the start of their visit). However, Charlie still barks when the mailman or anyone else comes on our porch. Fortunately the parking doesn’t bother the baby – even when she is sleeping or nursing – but I’m sure that will change.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
@Mrs. Stroller: oh my….he lifted his paw to shake with the baby!?!?! How cute is that?