Bringing a new baby home can turn your pet’s world upside down, unless you prepare well in advance. This means slowly introducing new schedules and boundaries, along with novel sounds and smells.
Playing recordings of babies and practicing infant care with a doll may help your pet get ready for the changes to come. Before bringing your baby home from the hospital, introduce your pet to the smells on your infant’s clothing.
When the time for baby’s homecoming arrives, consider asking a friend to hold your baby so you can be free to greet your pet. Once things calm down, you can introduce your infant to your furry family member at your leisure. As you settle into the new routine, talk to your pet while tending to baby and try to include him in activities when the baby is awake.
Who knows, maybe your baby and pet eventually will be best friends.