The arrival of a new member in the family will inevitably alter your dog, so much so that you may become jealous of the new baby. For this reason, today we will teach you how to avoid it.
The dog's jealousy usually occurs in a new situation or the entry of a new member into the family, for example, of a new animal. However, with the arrival of a baby the thing gets complicated, because, for the dog, the baby is the last in the family hierarchy, and we must make him understand that he is ahead of him.
And why does jealousy originate? For a problem in the socialization of the dog, which would come from puppy. If the dog is well socialized and educated, there should be no problem with the arrival of someone new to the family home. However, also comes into play the personality of each dog (if it is more insecure, more dependent ...) and is something that we must take into account.
Also, you must bear in mind that the adult must always be present, at least in the first interactions between the child and the animal, therefore you should not leave them alone. We should let him smell and lick the baby carefully, so that he identifies him as another member of his family.
It is easy to fall into the temptation to "compensate" the dog and give it at all times what you want, so you do not feel displaced by the arrival of the baby. But this is not a good idea, because you have to adapt to these changes and we should not make you believe that now you will get everything you want.
On the contrary, he will have to give his attention, as always, but he has to learn that now the child will be ahead of him. Normally, jealousy will happen when the dog gets used to the new situation, but in extreme cases coexistence will become impossible.
Also, keep in mind that during pregnancy, it is not a good idea to keep the dog away from the belly; On the contrary, the experts point out that we should act normally and let him approach carefully. The same happens when the family begins to prepare the child's things (cradle, blankets, clothes ...); It is not superfluous to let him smell everything, so that from the beginning he does not feel a stranger in the experience of the arrival of the baby.
When the baby arrives, it is equally positive to let him smell the clothes, stuffed animals ... whatever the child has used, so that the dog gets used to its smell. At the first contact you must be careful and observe the dog's reaction; That first "presentation" is fundamental for the relationships that will establish the child and the dog.
Later on, something essential is to teach the child how to treat the dog, and the importance of knowing that it is not a toy. Growing up with a dog is a wonderful thing and it does not have to be a problem.