The dog should be allowed to sniff the baby, but at a respectful distance. During this first meeting, do not bring the baby too close. Eventually, the dog can be allowed to get closer and closer to the baby.
Tips Once You and Your New Baby Are Home
After your pet becomes accustomed to the baby's smells and sounds, it's okay to let him sniff the baby. Leash your dog during early encounters; you can gradually allow him to sniff off-leash while supervised. A few more pointers: Never leave your pet and baby unsupervised.
You might see a dog sniff or lick a baby's face or rear end; don't let this behavior scare you as it's their way of checking the baby's health. These are things a mother dog does with her pups. In addition, canines have heightened, powerful senses thanks to their olfactory glands.
"Dogs sniff babies because they cast off a variety of smells that can attract dogs, from the scent of the baby itself to the scent of what's in the babies' diapers or even the scent of spit-up. Things that we normally find disgusting are very alluring to dogs," Basset says.
Remember, NEVER LEAVE YOUR BABY AND DOG TOGETHER UNSUPERVISED, even if you trust your dog. As your child grows up you will have to continue to supervise interactions with your dog since many attacks occur against children that do not realise that they are irritating or threatening animals.
Dogs can hear, smell, and see babies, but they don't really know what a baby is, so it is shocking when dogs treat babies differently than adults. While your dog may not care much about adults, you might notice that your dog seems especially interested in babies.
A dog's mouth carries a lot of germs, which can easily be passed to people. This is especially problematic for babies and immune suppressed adults. Both are at an increased risk of contracting infections and parasites from dogs. So, even though it may look cute, a dog licking a baby's face should not be allowed.
It is perfectly normal for your dog to assert some protectiveness over the newborn, however, if he or she is overly protective, it might be time to look into how you can encourage more appropriate behavior in your dog.
Dogs are extremely loyal members of the family and just like humans they can experience a variety of different emotions - including jealousy. This can especially be the case when someone new becomes a member of the family, such as a newborn baby and seems to get all the attention and affection.
Dogs can get jealous of babies just like siblings can. They might not know how to act around a new baby, or not understand what is expected of them. Dogs could also be jealous of the attention that the new baby is getting.
Toxic to both cats and dogs are Tulips, Azalea, Bird of Paradise, Aloe, Begonias, Baby's Breath, and Amaryllis.
Generally, dogs will want to sniff the baby and may nudge the baby with their nose or even lick the baby. For the most part, unless the baby was born with a particularly weak immune system or other health concern, these actions are perfectly fine and are a normal investigation process for your dog.
Ears and ear wax have a peculiar smell all of their own, which you may or may not have noticed, and dogs like it. Your dog loves any personal odor which your body emits, even if it's completely unnoticeable to our lazy, human nasal senses.
Try to give your dog lots of attention when the baby is present. Teach her that when he's around, she gets treats, petting, playing—and anything else she likes. When you feed the baby, you can feed your dog, too. When you walk your dog, do your best to take the baby along.
Dogs are brilliant; they understand that babies are defenseless family members and not just a tiny human. They strongly feel the urge to protect and be gentle with babies for various reasons our experts have observed.
They can also display aggressive behaviors, such as growling, flashing their teeth or biting. However, some people mistake these actions for protective ones, believing that their pet wants to keep their baby safe rather than harm it.
pointed out that, while a dog might not be able to sense gender when your little one is still in the womb, there is a chance they will be able to do so once your baby is born. That's because dogs are actually pretty good at being able to tell the difference between male and female voices.
It's official: from as young as three-years of age we are predisposed to appreciate "cuteness" in puppies, kittens and babies. Apparently dogs are also most definitely man's best friend, with the same academic study showing that their faces trump our fondness of other humans and cats.
"Studies have confirmed this exposure, and it can lead to mouth and gum infections, or even systemic infections," he says. But, germs aside, it's also extremely important, for safety's sake, to help your dog understand that he is not the baby's master or pack playmate.
Dogs lick because they are nervous, to show dominance, or just because something, or someone, tastes good. None of these are reasons to encourage or condone your dog licking your baby. In addition, there are health hazards associated with your dog's baby-licking behavior.
Many babies become interested in patting dogs when they're as young as 6 months old. That's fine, as long as your dog is comfortable with the attention and you keep a close eye on your baby at all times. Never leave your child alone with a dog, even if it's your well-trained, easygoing family pet.
Dogs and kids are a match made in heaven, but it can take some time for the bond to form. Don't set expectations that the magic will happen immediately. Teach or review basic commands before the baby arrives. Introduce your dog to new gear, new routines, and new smells before the baby comes home.