Dogs can get along great with newborns and toddlers. They are very energetic and could keep up. Dogs love to play chase,
It is common practice to allow dogs around newborns, even though only a few studies prove safe dog and newborn cohabitation.
The dog has been domesticated for thousands of years to protect humans, so this relationship between humans and dogs has created a strong bond.
Many people are very attached to their pets, especially when it comes to small dogs that were bred as companions.
They might feel unhappy, leaving them unattended or outside the home, which increases their risk of being inside the same room with a newborn baby.
The main concern about such kind of cohabitation is newest born babies’ sensitivity towards germs from the doggy environment, and breathing bacteria affected the air brought by the sniffs or bark action of the dog near its owner.
Germs that are harmless for grown-ups can cause severe infections to newborns.
Dog’s breath is a perfect place for germs to grow and multiply because of dog saliva that contains millions of bacteria called ” Pasteurella multocida”. Many of these germs are not dangerous for adult human beings, but they can be very dangerous when breathed in a newborn baby’s lungs.
Dog often comes close to the owner to get attention or touch during their interactions, an excellent opportunity for germ transmission from dog towards the human.
Dogs lick their feet and paws throughout the day, which causes them to have more micro-organisms inside their body than humans do.
Dogs carry microorganisms (most likely organisms like; Aspergillus, Atoxoplasma, Clostridium, Cryptococcus, Microsporum and Dermatophytes) that can cause infection when transmitted to humans.
Newborn babies are not born with immunity from their mother’s womb; Their immune system is not developed until four weeks of age, so they need to be careful to be exposed so that raging infections don’t occur on their skin or lungs.
This is a severe reason for concern, especially when a newborn baby has chronic lung disease like Cystic Fibrosis (CF).
The best way to ensure the dog’s safety and the newborn’s health is to keep both of them at the same place without direct contacts, such as in the room, separated by a door or via separate spaces.
How to introduce your new baby to your dog.
Introducing a new baby to your dog is a process that needs time, patience and knowledge.
So you should be prepared for this change because it might be hard for the dog that used to live with you alone, or it might also be hard for your child if he will get a new best friend.
First, you should separate your dog from your newborn for at least 48 hours. This means that you should not let the dog be with your child during those 48 hours at all.
During this time, you should disinfect the dog’s crate and toys that he will use during the next period.
It would help if you cleaned the dog’s crate with vinegar and hot water. You should not bathe your dog during those 48 hours.
Second, you should start preparing your dog for the meeting with your newborn.
You should train him to stay calm around you and the child, such that he has the time to be with the newborn.
You should train your dog so that he will not bite and hurt the child.
Third, let them meet each other.
If your dog has been trained as stated above and is sure that there will be no problems, let them meet each other.
It will help if you start by letting the dog sit close to the newborn for a while without any physical contact and let them watch each other.
Remember that you should not leave them alone before they are ready to meet each other.
After a few days of introducing your dog to newborns, you should let them play together.
Ensure that both your dog and newborn have all the necessary protection, and you supervise them to avoid any possible injuries or accidents.
Tips for introducing the two of them on their first meeting.
Here are some tips that can help you in introducing your dog and the newborn baby at their first meeting.
1. Always carry the newborn when you let your dog meet the baby.
Because a newborn is fragile and not capable of protecting himself, you should carry him all the time when living with the dog will begin. And what is more, you can wrap him in a blanket so that the dog will not hurt him if he wants to take a bite out of curiosity.
2. Wear gloves and avoid direct hand contact with your newborn while having dog around.
Because the newborn has passed through several stages of pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding, all of the steps transported many germs to the newborn, so be careful when you touch your newborn or dog and always wear gloves.
3. During the first meeting, let them watch each other’s movement but not together at first.
Let them meet for the first time in different rooms and never close enough to touch each other.
4. Stay with your dog and newborn during first meeting for safety reasons.
Don’t leave them alone before they are ready to meet each other, or you risk the dog being aggressive to your newborn or baby feeling afraid of a new canine friend.
If you need to do something, then simply take them separately to another room to meet each other and then bring them back to the place where you left them.
5. Always keep your dog clean.
No matter if your newborn will be around him or not.
Because newborns can have serious infections such as diseases transmitted by dog skin, you should always wash your dog when he is around newborn n.
If you don’t have the time, then at least put him in his crate so that the newborn cannot touch and play with your dog.
6. Keep dogs away from newborn toys.
Blankets and beds until both of them are ready to meet each other.
Because a newborn passed through several stages of pregnancy during which he has been touched a lot by you, it means that the newborn can be infected with dog’s germs.
So you should keep dogs away from newborn toys, blankets and beds until both of them are ready to meet each other.
7. Always clean your dog before he is near newborn.
Always clean your dog before he is near a newborn because during pregnancy, the baby was always in his mom’s womb but not in the dog’s stomach and dog skin has many germs that the newborn might not be able to resist.
8. Always be careful when bringing your dog to newborn baby room.
Always bring the dog in house separately and never let him loose near the newborn crib because he can hurt the newborn by accident or fear.
9. Always take a few days before you allow them both to play together on their own.
This is a short period in which you can get the dog used to newborns and vice versa.
Ensure that both your dog and newborn have all the necessary protection, and you supervise them to avoid any possible injuries or accidents.
10. Remember to supervise dog and newborn to make sure that both of them are safe at all times.
Supervise dogs and newborns to make sure that both of them are safe at all times.
11. Remember to search for dog and newborn’s play time.
Remember to search for the dog and newborn’s playtime before bedtime so that you will avoid any possible dog aggressive actions toward your newborn during the night when he sleeps or newborn crying because of fear from the dog.
When you first bring them together, let them play and release energy before bedtime so that neither dog nor newborn will be in the aggressive mode toward the other.
Why it’s important not to leave children alone with dogs, especially if they’re toddlers or babies.
Leaving children alone with dogs is not a wise idea, especially if you have newborns and toddlers.
The main reason for this is that newborn has not been used to being around dogs all the time.
Although your dog is amiable and likes children, sometimes newborns can be in danger because of their movement.
For this reason, it is better that you supervise newborns and dogs if they are both in the same room.
In case your dog is not used to newborns, always supervise the two of them.
It is also better that you never leave your dog alone with your newborn.
This is because newborns are extraordinarily fragile and can be hurt accidentally by your dog moving around.
Moreover, newborns have not been used to the sounds that their dog makes, such as growls and barking.
Also, dogs tend to start chasing newborns when they see them running around.
If you have a dog that is not used to newborns, it may attack and hurt your baby.
This can happen accidentally and in rare cases, but this can happen.
If you have a dog that is not used to newborns and never leaves the house with them, it is better for your baby.
This is because dogs are animals, and they like exploring, so it will be hard to keep them inside if there is no need.
You’re going to have a great time bonding with this new baby!
Now give that pup some love before you head out for errands today!
You’ll probably bring the new baby home soon, and then you can start getting to know each other!
He’s going to be so excited to see his sibling for the first time.
I’m sure it will go over well, but you should still supervise them together at all times, as I mentioned above in my article.
Timing is essential here, so don’t rush into it; your dog wants a moment with his new child too! Once he gets used to the idea of another pup/kid in the house, you can begin bonding them both together on their own.
Conclusion
The best way to introduce your dog and the new baby is by spending a lot of time with them in the same room.
This will give both animals plenty of opportunities to get used to each other’s smells, noises, movements, etc., without overtaxing either one too much.
You can also work on teaching basic commands or tricks that take concentration from both parties at first, so they’re occupied but still aware of each other’s presence.
As for what you should do if children are left alone with dogs or cats – never leave toddlers or babies unsupervised unless there is someone who knows how to properly restrain an animal nearby because these types of children might not be able to escape danger themselves.
