Bringing a newborn baby home is one of the most joyful moments in life. Your dog, who was once the center of your world, now has to share the spotlight.
It is only natural for questions about our children and their safety to arise from time to time, especially when you have dogs in the household. Today, we will try to provide practical tips and strategies that can serve as support for parents and their babies.
Why Do Dogs Get Jealous?
Let’s get to the root of the behavior. Similar to how older siblings might experience jealousy with the arrival of a new baby in the house, dogs can have the same emotion. This feeling can be amplified when dogs feel like they have to compete for your attention.
The root of this behavior can be traced to the common dog’s ancestor: the wolf. Wolves have a biological drive to defend their territory. Losing their territory means less food and fewer partners to mate with.
While modern day humans have domesticated dogs into house pets, that biological need for territory is still just as strong.You, as their pet owner, are their territory and sometimes, they feel the need to defend it.
Any change in routine can also make your dog feel jealous, as the new focus on the baby results in a household shift in priorities.
Signs of Dog Jealousy Around Babies
Dogs manifest jealousy with different behaviors, ranging from pawing and barking, to hovering and getting into your space.
With that in mind, here are some common signs of a jealous dog.
Doing Tricks Without Commands
This might seem adorable initially, but it can be a warning sign you shouldn’t ignore. Dogs try to perform tricks to get your attention.
The problem is that if you accidentally reinforce this behavior, it gets worse. So, when a dog tries to perform tricks without prompting, try to give them a command. Continue the training session with some tricks, but try to involve your baby as well. For example, reward the dog for being calm around the baby.
Pushing In
A possessive or jealous dog might try to push in between you and your baby. Dogs show off this exact same behavior with a love partner. For example, while you are snuggling to watch a movie, a dog might insist on getting in between you.
With a baby, a dog pushing might be dangerous.
Aggressive behavior
Aggression in dogs due to jealousy can take the form of biting, barking, nipping, jumping, and everything in between. Instead of punishing your dog for this behavior, take a step back and consider why they are acting this way.
The important thing to understand is that your pup has nothing personal against the new baby.They are threatened by their position in the home and feel their territory is being encroached upon.
Resource Guarding
The most common sign of dog jealousy is resource guarding. Your home is the place where dogs get their food, toys, and attention. When a new person enters the scene, their primal brain tells them to guard the much-loved resources.
It starts with dogs gathering their toys and hiding them or acting strangely around their feeding area. If you do not react then, the jealousy can take much more dangerous forms.
Destructive Behavior
Dogs can also lash out on your furniture and clothing due to jealousy. Feeling jealous can bring on stress and anxiety in your dog, causing them to destroy furniture, toys and other destructive behaviors to gain attention.
Inappropriate Toileting
Almost every dog owner goes through the phase of improper peeing and pooping indoors. When an adult dog starts doing it out of nowhere, it can signal something serious including a strong sense of jealousy. Your dog cannot write down the root of his stress, so he finds creative ways to get your attention.
How To Prepare Your Dog for the Arrival of a New Baby
Let’s go over some quick ways you can use to prepare your pup for the baby’s arrival.
- Help your dog get used to the sounds of babies by playing YouTube videos.
- Teach your dog basic obedience training commands like leave it, go out of the room, sit, stay, etc.
- Set up familiar stations for your dog to retreat to when they feel overwhelmed that contain their scent. Baby gates and crates along with toys and snuffle mats are good to have ready to go.
- Bring home some baby clothes from the hospital for your dog to sniff.
- Make the first meeting a calm and positive one, a quiet room without many people.
No matter how well-behaved your dog might come off, be sure to watch the interactions and avoid leaving your dog alone with your new baby.
How to Prevent Jealousy in Dogs
Nobody wants a jealous dog in the household, even more when you have babies. With that in mind, here are some strategies you can use to calm your dog and turn a stressful situation into a peaceful harmony.
Do Not Reward Envious Behavior
Dogs are like children in many ways. For them, any attention is good attention. Dogs that do not get the love they desperately want will be happy to accept even a negative reaction such as scolding.
The main goal for dogs is to get your attention. So, if you react strongly, you reward a dog for its behavior. The more effective approach is to turn away or walk out of the room without giving any attention to your dog when it displays an unwanted behavior.
Make Your Dog Feel Included
When a new person comes into the household, dogs feel upstaged and threatened. An effective way to deal with that is to include the new person in your dog’s favorite activities such as walking and playing.
Do not reward any unwanted behavior with a treat but you can create a positive association between being around the baby and receiving treats.
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Slow Down the Pace
Let your pup get used to the baby gradually and at their own pace. Do not force interactions..Forcing a dog into a stressful and uncomfortable situation will do no good. It can potentially worsen any negative feelings dogs have over the new member of the household.
Seek Help
For many pet parents, handling a newborn and their dog can be overwhelming. This might be the perfect time to ask for help. For example, you can recruit the neighborhood’s dog-walking teenager to help you maintain your dog’s routine. Ask friends and relatives to play with your pup while you take a break.
Or if things get too overwhelming, ask for professional help. With professional handling, every dog can become a good therapy dog. Trainers and behaviorists specialize in helping dogs feel calmer and teach them how to be a helping hand in the household.
Create Safe Zones For Your Pup
Bringing a newborn baby into the household creates a whole new routine in the home. For some dogs, the mere sound of babies crying and everything else can be overwhelming. Create safe zones for your dog to go and relax. All dogs need downtime and a quiet space where they can retreat when necessary. Once you identify such a place, add treats and food-stuffed toys to help your dog associate the place with good things happening.
The Good Old Chew Toy
Your dog needs an outlet. Provide enrichment ideas like sniffing toys, puzzle toys, chew toys, and plenty of mental stimulation activities to keep his mind sharp.
Focused Attention
It might be hard to find a few minutes in the day, but try to give your dog focused attention consistently. For example, while your baby is sleeping, cuddle with your pet and make it a point to give them undivided attention a few times a week.
Set Up Predictable Routines
Dogs thrive on routine and a new baby in the household completely changes it. Try to make the new routine as predictable as possible and adjust it according to your new baby’s needs.
Never Punish Your Dog
The number one mistake most pet parents make is punishing their dog. Yes, it can be challenging to react calmly when your dog is growling around the baby.
But for dogs, growling is a communication tool. Punishing the dog usually does more harm than good. Instead, you should listen to your dog and see what makes them uncomfortable.
Punishing also doesn’t solve the root problem. Best case, a punishment is a band-aid, solving the issue in the moment but it will probably lead to long term issues down the road.
Eventually, if you get into the habit of punishing your dog too harshly, your bond will become weak and this could result in your dog ending up in a shelter.
Final Words
The key to a happy and successful household is to give your babies and the furry ones, the love and attention they need-in the way they need. What might seem overwhelming at the beginning, can turn into a rewarding and joyful experience.
Nobody wants to feel neglected, be it a dog or a human. Try to involve your pup in the new routine, and soon enough, your baby and dog will love spending time together.
