Pet and Kids- Stages of Introducing The Pet to a Baby

Getting a pet is a big decision, and even bigger is introducing them to kids. Pet and kids have always been a tricky business. For instance, take this-

"A Labrador retriever, wanting to befriend a little baby who was just welcomed home had a hard time doing so. The baby cried every time he laid his little eyes on the dog, but the dog was determined. The pet parent, wanting to help the situation, ordered a funny lion mask for the dog. The dog, now looking like a dwarf lion made the child laugh out loud for the first time. This was the beginning of a long and lasting friendship."

Although this story is a scripted advertisement of Amazon, it portrays the main elements of change; the baby, the parent and the dog.

Your life, along with the lives of everyone around you will change when you welcome home a new baby. It is usually for the better. For a pet parent, bringing home a human child could prove to be a little complicated. Having a baby, which crawls like a pup but smells like a human may seem absurd to your four-legged friend. The confusion always reciprocates itself into curiosity and the pet would want to know everything they can about the little creature who seems to have turned his house around. Dogs are pretty open about welcoming new members to their pack.

Pros of Having a Pet

Pet and kids are good for each other. Having a pet around can increase a baby’s immunity. The baby eventually grows resilient to the bacteria present on your pet’s fur. Pets can change the atmosphere of a place and are often considered good for your mental health. They also put up quite an entertaining show. A cat can play with a yarn ball for hours together with an amused audience. Walking a dog could discipline your life in terms of exercising.

Pre-delivery stage.

Your pet can easily detect the change in your behaviour. The fluctuating mood caused due to hormonal changes during pregnancy can often leave your pet paranoid. At this stage, it is important for you to set your boundaries. You can do this by training your dog to not enter a particular area. You might also want to make the house smell of the lotion or the powder you’re planning on using on your baby to adapt your dog to the smell. Do not exclude your pet from your daily routine. Stick to his schedule.

Post Delivery.

This is the tricky part. It is now time to introduce your newborn child to your existing child. Remember to take both pet and kids slow and easy. There are different ways to go about this, but in any way, you have to prioritise the safety of everyone involved.  You could try taking your pet on a walk (in case of dogs) or tiring them out by playing (in case of cats) before you introduce them to the new member of your family. The exhaustion will lower their instincts and their inbuilt excitement would not portray itself in physical movements. This makes their first interaction easy. You can let your pet sniff the baby from afar and then slowly bring them closer.

In the end, these are only a few suggestions to help ensure pet and kids live together in harmony. Your dog’s nature and temperament would probably determine how they would get along. This is not a day’s process and you should not force either of them to interact. Remember to give it time and let the interaction take its own path. Don’t lose your patience and ruffle your pet’s fur and if deemed necessary, you can also seek professional help.