Tips for Introducing Baby to Pets

Thanks to Freshpet for sponsoring this post. Check out Freshpet refrigerated pet food, made in small batches with fresh ingredients and no artificial preservatives, for a difference you can see and your pet will feel. Thank you supporting the brands that make CB&BP possible!

It’s national pet day! Yay!

As you know from either my instastories, this blog or my instagram, we had two fur babies before we ever welcomed Miss P into our lives. Bella and Georgia are our two rescue pups who we love dearly, so it’s only natural that I was so worried about bringing home our baby since they’d been in the spotlight for so long. I researched and read so many articles, sites, etc. while I was pregnant to help them with the transition in our home and today, I’m teaming up with Fresh Pet and their Fresh Roasted Meals to share some tips for introducing your pets to the new baby.

1. Introduce Gradual Changes in Routine. WAY before baby arrives, start to stir up your pet’s routine. Maybe your feeding schedule gets pushed back, or walks are on different days at different times. Making these changes in advance means that baby is not the reason walks have dwindled from every day to every other for example.
2. Introduce Smells/Items: As soon as we stated bringing baby toys in the house from showers, etc., we made sure Georgia understood they were off limits. Additionally, we also introduced them to baby items and smells (e.g. baby lotion, powder, diapers, etc.). When I was in the hospital with P, Aaron came home and brought a blanket we were using to leave on Pops in the house so the girls could smell her scent and get acclimated to it before we brought her home.
3. For the first introduction, take it easy! Aaron entered the house alone first to calm the girls down and I made sure I was holding P so that the pups could gently sniff her. We also used some Fresh Pet Roasted Meals pieces as treats to get them to be calm and sit. If your dog is more aggressive in nature, keep them on a leash and have another adult assist.
4. Give them nutritious and delicious food. We’re all a little happier when fed, right? Since I can’t always give the girls all my free time, I like to let them know they still mean so much to me by making sure they are well fed delicious and wholesome food. They absolutely love Fresh Pet’s all-natural pet food, fresh from the fridge. We don’t give it to them exclusively, but we do use it as a special treat a few times a week. They get so excited every time the fridge door opens! And since I can’t home cook the girls all meat dishes (I can barely feed myself!), this is the next best thing for them!
5. Let them decide when to interact. Don’t ever force your dog to greet the baby. They should do this on their own terms.
6. Do not scold. Even though we tried to teach G that Poppy’s toys were off limits, sometimes she forgets. Sometimes, she even gives a kiss to the baby when we’re not looking. It’s okay and it’s going to happen. I’m sure Poppy will also play with a dog toy by mistake eventually. Don’t scold your pet; keep your voice mild and give a firm but gently “no.”
7. Give them their own space. Your pet should have their own space they can go when baby is upset, crying, etc. G gets very upset when Poppy cries, and usually retreats to her bed where she feels safe. We also constantly are talking to her, letting her know Poppy is okay. Once Poppy is big enough to crawl, the dog’s spaces will be off limits to baby.
8. Give them attention. It is so important to let you pets know they are still loved. We may not be getting them out for walks as much as we once were, but we are constantly trying to make time for them in this crazy house.
9. Establish Boundaries. Just like baby should not be on the dog bed, dogs should know where they can and cannot venture (i.e the nursery). When we play with Poppy on the floor, the girls know they should leave us be unless invited. When Georgia does come up to try to lick or play, we are just firm with her about what’s allowed.
10. Most importantly, never leave baby and pet unattended. I doubt in a million years our pups would ever do harm to Poppy, but you just don’t know. Your child’ safety comes first above everything else.

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Overall, our girls have adjusted well to Penelope. Georgia is SOOO protective/worried about her at any given moment and has to be near her at all times. Bella on the other hand, doesn’t pay too much attention to her, but will occasionally pop up on the rocker to say hello when I’m nursing. It doesn’t surprise me though, even when we brought G home, Bella couldn’t have cared less, so I’m sure in her eyes, P is just another pup stealing attention away from her. J I know they will love her in a year or so when she’s dropping scraps from her high chair, but until then, the girls are super excited every time the Fresh Pet comes out!

Have a great day friends! I’d love to know about your pets and your baby and what worked for you!

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