Congratulations on the new baby that is coming into your family. Now that your know you are pregnant, it is time to start preparing your dog for all the changes that will occur after the baby arrives. If there are any existing behavioral issues, they should be corrected now. While preparing your dog ahead of time for the baby’s arrival, you can look for behavior changes that occur during the preparation. It will become important later to know if the behavior changes are due to all the changes in your home now or are due to the presence of the baby itself.

One of the first things you should do to prepare your dog for the new arrival is to make sure that your dog is in good health. If necessary, vaccinations should be updated. A stool sample should be checked for intestinal parasites. Because there are diseases and parasites that are transmissible to people, early diagnosis and treatment are important. A thorough physical exam is also important because some behavioral problems can have a physical cause.

It is important to begin reviewing basic obedience skills daily or to begin basic obedience training. Sit/stay and down/stay are essential commands to control your dog and to help your dog develop desirable behaviors. Your dog must learn not to jump up onto people who are sitting or standing – they may be holding the baby. Reward calm, controlled behavior. Teaching your dog to sit before it receives anything from you or someone else is equivalent to teaching your child to say please.

Begin accustoming your dog to all the new baby paraphernalia. Strollers, swings and noisy toys can be introduced gradually to avoid fear or anxiety. Start walking your dog with the stroller to see if any problems need to be addressed. You want the whole family to be able to enjoy walks.

If your dog is extremely sensitive to unfamiliar or loud noises, you can play recordings of baby sounds. Gradually increase the volume while rewarding your dog using positive reinforcement, such as, treats, a meal, playing with a toy, etc. when the dog does not react to the baby sounds.

If your dog sleeps with you now, you should decide if that will continue after the baby arrives. The baby is going to disrupt sleep schedules. You may decide that it is better for your dog to have a bed on the floor. Begin encouraging your dog to sleep on the floor a few months before the baby arrives. Suddenly kicking the dog out of the bed when the baby comes home will be a negative association for your dog.

If your dog has a history of guarding the food bowls, you may want to begin feeding your dog behind a barrier now to prepare for the time when the baby becomes mobile. Avoid giving your dog long-lasting treats such as rawhides or pig ears when the baby is present.

If you prepare your baby’s room in advance, your dog will have the opportunity to investigate the changes and become accustomed to them. Installing baby gates now in the places where you will likely place them when the baby arrives will help your dog to learn that it is okay to be physically separated from you at times but still be able to see and hear what you are doing.

When the baby begins crawling – sooner than you may think – it is essential that your dog has a place to retreat to so curious children can be avoided when desired.

You have now taken steps to prepare your dog for the baby’s arrival. The nursery is set up, baby gates are in place, feeding areas have been established, sleeping arrangements made and your dog reliably sits/stays when you give the command.

Now it is time to pretend the baby is home so you can see how your dog responds to your holding the baby. You can wrap a doll in a blanket and carry it around, diaper it, rock it and put it in the crib. Your dog should sit/stay when you have the doll and only be allowed to investigate the doll when calm and controlled. Be sure to reward appropriate behavior so your dog has positive associations. Set up the mechanical swing and use the rocker so your dog becomes used to the motion and sound. Introduce new smells, such as, powder and lotion by using them on yourself. After the birth of the baby, have someone bring home clothing or a blanket with the baby’s scent on it so the dog becomes accustomed to the smell.

When mom first comes home to greet her dog, she should be empty-handed. Have someone else hold the infant in another room so mom can reunite with her dog with a calm, warm welcome. A special treat or new toy can make the homecoming a positive experience. When everyone is settled in, invite your dog to sit next to mom while she holds the infant.

Make having a new baby in the family a good experience for your dog. You want to help your baby and dog become a team, not competitors for your attention. Talking with your dog, giving treats or petting while you are feeding or rocking or diapering your baby makes the baby’s presence a good thing. If you only give your dog attention while your baby is napping or absent, your dog will see the baby’s absence as a good thing.

When preparing to welcome a new baby into your home keep in mind that most dogs like their world to be constant and steady. By thinking like your dog and looking at how the changes the baby brings will affect your dog, you can begin to foster a lifelong bond between your baby and your dog before the baby even comes home. All of us who were lucky enough to grow up with dogs know just how special their friendship is. After all, who else kept the monster in the closet all night and never, ever revealed the secrets we shared and would eat the Brussels sprouts when no one was looking and most of all was always thrilled to see us no matter what?