How to Introduce Pet and Baby

Start by greeting your pet. The cat or dog should be able to greet you when you get home, even if the baby isn’t there. Dad shouldn’t bring the baby in until the pet has calmed down. “Sometimes it’s a good idea to keep the pet and the baby apart for a few hours,” says Jonathan Klein, the founder of I Said Sit! Personalized Dog Training Center in Los Angeles. This way, the pet can get used to the baby being in the house without being close enough to check it out. How to Introduce Pet and Baby

Start off small

Start slowly. For the first introduction, the dog should be on a leash and in a sit-stay position. The dog should be praised or petted when it does this. However, Dog and Baby get closer to each other over time. “As long as the dog is quiet, it should be allowed to stay nearby, close enough to smell the baby but not close enough to bite,” says Klein. When meeting a cat, you shouldn’t be in a hurry, either. Again, just close enough for the cat to smell the baby, hold the cat near the baby and talk to it in a soothing voice.

Stay calm

Megan Blake, an animal rescuer and host of the PBS show Animal Attractions TV say that your pet will sense your nervousness during the first meeting. “Try to keep things as quiet as possible. At first, there shouldn’t be a lot of people around,” she says. “Don’t yell at the dog or cat if she gets too close. You can be firm, but don’t raise your voice. It will only scare the pet and make it think of the baby in a bad way.”

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Give lots of compliments

Blake says that if your dog or cat is good around the new baby, you should let them know. “Give lots of praise in words and with treats,” she says. “Good behaviour will be encouraged by positive reinforcement.”

Don’t exclude your pet

Klein says the most common problem is that the pet acts up because it’s not getting as much attention as it used to. “So it’s important to remember to include it as much as possible when you’re around the baby and go the extra mile to make it feel like it’s part of the family.” As much as possible, stick to your pet’s normal routines, and make sure to spend quality time with your pet daily. It may even help you relax. How to Introduce Pet and Baby