The RSPCA wants to help you introduce your newborn to your fur-baby

By Livia Gamble

While you’re excited about your new bundle of joy, your pet might not feel the same way.

The good people at RSPCA NSW have created an online training course to help new and expecting parents introduce their fur-baby to their newborn.

Adam Farrugia, RSPCA NSW Senior Manager – Training said, “As a leading animal welfare organisation, we have a wealth of knowledge here to share.”

Pet vs baby

The newly launched course costs $15 and teaches parents how to:

• understand dog body language
• condition your dog to babies, and baby noises and equipment
• train your dog
• plan for the newborn stage
• plan for the toddler stage
• seek further assistance if needed.

First aid for pets

But that’s not all. We all learn first aid for our kids, so it makes sense to do the same for our pets. After all, they’re part of the family. 

RSPCA NSW also offers a basic (non-accredited) first aid course for your pets, so you can confidently recognise pet emergencies, common poisons in the home, snake bites, and ticks. There’s also an introduction to Aussie wildlife.

Not just for parents, Adam says these courses are available to everyone.

“These courses can be helpful to anyone – from professionals and students with careers in the vet sciences and animal welfare; pet owners and parents introducing pets to children; and community members seeking to grow their general knowledge and skills in interacting with and understanding animals.”

After completing a course, additional time to chat live to a trainer can also be purchased if parents want more information. 

To find out more, visit the RSPCA NSW website. 

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