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“5 Top Tips to Make Your Baby Pup Introduction Flawless” is by Mil Birthisel, mumma to Theodore (Teddy) & Evie. Wifey to Tim. Instagram @becomingmumma
When we were pregnant with our baby boy we had a lot of our friends and work colleagues ask us how Evie was going to be around him. We said she will love him, give him lots of kisses and be a great buddy for him to grow up playing with. Evie would be 18 months when Teddy was due to arrive, this seemed like an acceptable gap.
Although we treat Evie like our first born and she has better living conditions than most people, she is still a dog. She will deny this fact and will refuse food if it comes out of a can but she is definitely of the four legged variety.
Most mums will agree – you receive a lot of advice when pregnant (and some of it needed)!
On top of this, we received some amazing tips on how to help baby and dog meet, bond, and settle in with each other.
Tim (my husband) took home the towel that Teddy was received in and cleaned up with. Apparently Evie LOVED this! So much so that when I got home 3 days later it was still in my lounge room, and prior to my arrival, she had taken to putting it in her bed and nesting on top of it.
Evie hadn’t seen me for 5 days. This is a long time for a dog who gets excited when I come home after getting milk and bread. I was able to go in and have a cuddle with Evie and attempt to calm her down before Tim brought Teddy in.
We sat down on the floor and introduced Evie to Teddy. She liked the smell of him, but overall was still so excited about me being home that it wasn’t until later in the day that she showed a little bit more interest. She was especially interested in me feeding him and seemed to think this was an acceptable time to investigate him further. When she did come towards him we said ‘gentle’ and used treats. We attempted to teach her to sit close to be when feeding Teddy but not over my shoulder or on him.
Honestly, this is something we have struggled and continue to struggle with. I would recommend prior to baby being born that you start setting some boundaries for baby and dog. For example, leaving a play mat on the floor and teaching your dog not to get too close. Evie loves Teddy a bit too much and just wants to share that love through kisses.
Try to familiarise your pup to the different noises a baby makes, and reward for good behaviour. Evie was very sweet in those early days when Teddy would make little cries, she would try to put her paws up to the table and cry also. These days, the talking, crying and screaming noises that he makes doesn’t bother her.
There are some noises that do bother Evie, however, and they are when anybody comes within 10 feet of our front door, and the Australia Post truck backs out of our driveway – she hates those reverse sounds. She will bark as soon as she can hear someone coming, which seems to always be when Teddy is asleep! This results in a cranky, overly tired baby and a bouncing dog trying to lick the postman.
Take into consideration the advice people offer, but really you know your dog and will be able to have a bit more insight into how they will react to their new brother or sister.
Please remember: although you may trust your dog and you treat them like a family member, they are an animal and should not be left alone with baby.
Teddy is now 17 weeks and thriving. Evie is nearly 2 and still loving her baby brother. We can’t wait to see them grow up together, especially when he starts moving and pay her back for all the kisses she has given him!
Download this helpful guide to coordinate a flawless baby-pup introduction:
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