Labrador Retriever Life Span – How Long Do Labs Live? For example, pick up a doll, cradle it, rock it, and walk back and forth. Usually only the two dominant adults breed, yet all members of the pack help to care for the mother and pups, bring meat back to the mother and pups, and guard the pups. The best dogs around babies are those that are well-trained, calm, and well socialized. This procedure should be considered only if the dog is reliably trained and controllable. If the dog remains calm and under control, it might be allowed to sniff the baby, again from a safe distance. Respiratory Tract Illnesses During the First Year of Life: Effect of Dog and Cat Contacts. Most zoos require children to pet demonstration animals with two fingers extended, rubbing down the animal’s back. If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets. Dogs eat feces for many reasons; it can be a normal (while distasteful to us) dog behavior. If your dog already knows these commands but is unreliable, practice these obedience exercises with the dog until it is reliable. Everyone has an anecdote about their perfect childhood dog, but the truth is that there’s really no scientifically-supported breed choice for baby friendly dogs. You can also get recordings of babies (including loud screaming and crying) to play them while your dog is around. Not to mention the potential of a large dog with long fur inadvertently rolling over and smothering or choking a sleeping child. Your dog should associate the various obedience commands such as sit, stay, and come with pleasant experiences. Infants are very different from children. a study confirmed that older infants showed a higher preference for their a live dog. dog behavior and new baby Can a 8 week old puppy be potty trained? This way, you can avoid reprimanding an excited dog that merely wants to greet the owner and that may jump at the baby in an attempt to get near the mother. It’s important your dog doesn’t think every time you have the dog playing with the baby, the dog is going to get yelled at. Dogs that become aggressive when approached while eating or in possession of a bone, toy, or other favorite item or that become aggressive if startled or when awakened require very close supervision in the presence of a baby. If your dog shows any signs of aggression, anxiety, or other undesirable behavior, address it right away. Dogs bring immense joy to our lives, don’t they? Dogs and babies sharing a bed is a strict NO-NO from me. Your job as the parent is to ALWAYS pay attention to your dog’s state of mind. You can use this interval to familiarize your dog with the baby’s smell by bringing home blankets or clothing the baby has worn. She was never socialized properly around children, and would quickly become uncomfortable with a squealing toddler. He often attempts to wedge himself between you and visitors when the visitors get too close. teach your children how to appropriately pet your pets calmly and gently. If the dog is extremely excited, however, this progression should not be attempted. Hi, I have 4 dogs in my home – A sharpei/lab mix, a chihuahua, a 1.5 yr old pitbull and 5 month old pitbull. But you also have to consider that a small dog like a Pomeranian has a mouth right at a toddler’s eye level, so its first strike could deliver significant damage to the child’s face. You should learn to interrupt before the dog ever reaches a point of growling. I now have a child of my own, along with two German Shepherds. Your Dogs Instincts – A Modern Day Pet or Primal Beast? After all, the goal is for the dog to like both the owner and the baby, not simply for it to obey because it is frightened or afraid of being punished. Most dogs adapt quickly and easily to the presence of a new baby. Did you know children don’t have full control of their grip either. After just a minute or two, stand up and hand the baby over to your partner so you can really praise and snuggle your dog. This precaution allows you to hear the baby but eliminates your dog’s access to the room. Over a period of days, however, your dog should be allowed to smell the baby up close. Getting Your Dog Ready for a New AdditionHow will your dog react to the newest member of the family? Dog behavior problems are often misunderstood or mishandled by dog owners. Introduce your dog to the strange new sights, smells and sounds that come with a new baby. This monitoring should continue until your dog is paying no attention to the infant or is completely friendly toward the baby. The most potentially dangerous situations are predatory responses. Owners should allow some time for the dog to get used to the smells and sounds of the baby, which to it are the presence of another creature in the house. That’s really what your dog wants more than anything else, and it will help him adjust to the happy additions to your family. Not eat? Obviously, a baby will not be perceived as another dog. Then again, your dog may just be curious. The number of infants killed by dogs is very small, not more than 10 per year throughout the entire United States, and, in contrast, many thousands of infants in the U.S. are victims of automobile accidents, burns, drowning, choking, suffocation, and poisoning. Here are our recommendations for introducing a new baby brother or sister to your dog. If your dog shows any curiosity towards the doll or the sounds, reward him or her with plenty of praise and even treats. If your vet rules out any physical reasons for your dog's behavioral change, ask her to recommend a canine behavioral therapist. This will help the dog accept that it is no longer the “focus” of your attention. If the dog has a history of predatory or aggressive behaviors, it may take many introductions before dog and baby are close enough for the dog to investigate the baby closely. The age group that is most-often the victim of dog bites: boys ages 5-9 year olds. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of SiriusDog.com, the staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site. The dog should gradually be exposed to babies until it can remain relaxed in their presence. This goes for your family pets too, so teach your children how to appropriately pet your pets calmly and gently. Apparently, Dalmatians had a bad reputation for a long time for being aggressive toward children. Either carry the baby out of the room or ask your dog to go to his quiet place. Are you wondering if these concerns are legitimate? The Labrador Site is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Need we refer back to the dog bite statistics regarding the occurrence of bites when children were unsupervised? It is also important for you to realize that exposure to and interaction with small children is not the same as exposure to and interaction with an infant. Play a tape recording of various baby sounds in your house for increasing lengths of time so your dog can adjust to the new sounds before you bring the baby home. As a new parent, although you should be aware of potential problems, you should not worry excessively about the potential problem of your dog injuring your infant. (Have a partner on hand to intercede if there’s a problem.). The exposure should be positive so the dog does not associate unpleasant situations with the baby so the dog does not feel anxious or aggressive in the baby’s presence. Let your dog join the fun, but in a controlled way. When Do Puppies Stop Biting And How To Cope With A... Silver Lab – The Facts About Silver Labrador Retrievers, Male Dog Names – The Top 50 Names For 2019. She may have been one of the best-trained dogs in the city, but even she would snap at a kid. When it came to questions about dogs and babies, I didn’t have much experience or research to rely on. If you are observant of your dog’s behavior, and take precautions to introduce dog and baby to each other gradually while your dog is under control, you should be able to avoid accidents or troublesome incidents. Make sure they know not to play with Fido when he’s eating, not to pull a toy directly out of his mouth, or to pull his tail and ears. Gradually introduce periods of ignoring your dog while you pay more attention to a baby doll, another pet, or a friend’s child you could babysit. The most serious potential problem is for your dog to fail to recognize the new baby as a human being that should be included in the family unit. Dogs And Babies – They Sure Make For The Cutest Pictures When They Are Together. Wondering if there are certain dogs that are naturally better around children? Now that your dog’s whole home life has been changed, keep an eye on problematic dog behavior with new Baby, such as if your dog: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dog bites requiring medical treatment in infants could be as low as 0.04%. JAMA. Even if you consider your dog “pretty good,” that may not be good enough and could lead to your having a false sense of security. How to Get Your Cat Comfortable with Car Rides. He seems “jealous” of visitors and you are worried how he will react to the baby. So yes, this is a serious situation that should be heeded, and you should continue to monitor the relationship between your pet and child for years to come. Although the risk is small, there is cause for concern about a dog’s reaction to your baby and precautions will help insure that your baby does not become a “statistic.”. It’s a horrific scenario that none of us hopes to find ourselves in. Periodically, reward the dog with tidbits, petting or praise for remaining in a sitting position while this is going on.