Everyone in your household is on the cusp of a major change when a new baby arrives -- and your dog is no exception!

How can you set up your dog for success in this exciting, sometimes challenging, new family dynamic before the baby arrives?

Having been through this twice and with my positive dog trainer/Family Paws educator experience, I want to share what you need to know and what to do to help your dog live happily and safely with your new baby at every stage.

Let's dive in...

You can see all this in the accompanying webinar below including photos and videos elaborating on key info and strategies.

Let's talk about dog body language with a new baby

How to identify stress signals and triggers from your dog

Dog parents often lament that we wish our dogs could talk. It's true our dogs don't speak to us in words, but they are talking to us all the time. We just need to know how to listen (usually with our eyes) and know how to understand and respond.

Learning how to understand your dog’s communication is an important first step in setting your pup up for success with your new baby. 

Family Paws Education has a saying: "Eyes, ears, tail, muzzle, gather the clues to solve the puzzle!" That's just a rhyming, memorable way of reminding us to observe your dog's body language constantly to have an ongoing conversation with and support your dog.

Our dogs are constantly telling us a lot...

You can see visual examples in the accompanying slides linked below but here are key body language signs to watch for in your dog:

How to tell if your dog's body language is relaxed or stressed

Face

• Relaxed: soft; loose
• Stressed: skin taut; wrinkled brow; lips pulled back; tense jaw

Eyes

• Relaxed: almond shape; normal pupils; soft eye
• Stressed: whale eye; dilated pupils; prolonged staring or avoiding eye contact

Ears

• Relaxed: neutral; back but not flattened; loose
• Stressed: out to the side; flat against head

Spine/posture

• Relaxed: flexible neck to tail
• Stressed: rigid and/or stiff

Tail

• Relaxed: level with topline, slightly above or below; wagging
• Stressed: high above topline; tucked; wagging

Mouth

• Relaxed: mouth open or closed; lips - long, soft, commissures/corners relaxed
• Stressed: mouth closed; lips - short, tense; snarl; lip lift; bite

What are some other stress signals in dogs?

• Yawning
• Lip licking
• Sniffing beyond the norm and out of context, more as a diversionary tactic.
• Shaking off, like when your dog is wet but done out of context when your dog is not wet.

The more you know your dog's stress signals and when they're likely to appear, the more you'll be able to anticipate and preempt any tricky situations.

Ask yourself: How will my dog react if...

• I come home with my baby in my arms, perhaps after being away for a night or two?
• my baby cries for the first time?
• I am up and down at strange hours of the night for feedings?
• I am sensitive or sore and unable to bend down to pet, be jumped on, etc?
• new equipment is introduced around the house?
• the baby is passed from one adult to another?

Most, if not all, of these things are likely happenings as a natural part of having a new baby. It's worth taking a minute to ask yourself each of these and think through how you plan to handle it now when you're not in the moment and under pressure of this major life change.

Remember, know your dog! You know how and if your pup will react to new sounds and baby items around the house. Now is the time to plan what you can do to make your new family member's arrival comfortable for everyone, especially your dog.

How expectant parents can create a training plan for your dog

When we talk about a training plan and how you'll want to manage all things dog and baby, it's important to include everyone who is on your support team, all family members plus any dog walker, etc. Consistency is always key with dogs, and with so much newness in your dog's life now when you bring a baby home, having humans in sync is critical.

It's always helpful to think not about what you don't want your dog to do, but what you do want your dog to do in any given situation. Then you can prepare your pup with positive reinforcement skills that become your go-to's to set up everyone for success.

Ask yourself, "What do I want my dog to do when..."

• my baby begins to cry or make other unfamiliar baby noises?
• I am feeding the baby?
• I am changing the baby?
• guests arrive to visit the baby?
• I need to put my pup in a separate room or behind a gate?
• the baby is on the ground for tummy time or on a play mat?
• we are all going for a drive as a family?
• I am in the baby's room?

It's a good idea to think about each of these and what behaviors your dog can fall back on for calm and comfort.

Basic behaviors and skills your dog should have before a new baby arrives

What are the basic skills and behaviors you want your dog to own? These are the cues and skills you'll call on when you need to keep everything going smoothly.

The basic behaviors you'll want in your dog's repertoire before baby arrives:

• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Being comfortable behind a baby gate or baby gates in the same room or in another room
• Being comfortable in crate/x-pen/playpen
• Stationing behavior (go to mat)
• Back up

If your dog doesn't already have these skills or if both of you could use a refresher, check out the Manners Channel here on Dogly where you'll find guides dedicated to how to teach them.

You'll also find my series on the super useful "go to mat" here.

Get a jump on strengthening your dog's cues now before introducing a baby

Even if your dog is solid on these skills, it's a good idea to practice and strengthen them now. Get a jump on refreshing them in the context of how they're likely to come up once you're focusing on a baby at the same time.

What does that mean?

Try this

• Can your dog respond to known cues while you are seated? Practice cues seated since you may likely be seated with the baby.
• Can your dog respond to known cues while your arms are full? 
• Can your dog respond to known cues from a distance? 

Try your go-to cues with your dog from all these positions likely to be your norm after your baby arrives. Changing the picture now can make adjustments easier when you're actually in these situations with a baby.

Get your dog accustomed to changes before your baby arrives

What other changes will happen in your environment when your baby comes home? 

Think about how to get your dog used to those changes in a positive way now. If you'll be using special equipment around the house, start setting up and practicing using it. Get your dog comfortable with the sight, smell, and sound of baby items before they become associated with the new family member's arrival.

Now is a good time to start setting up and desensitizing your dog to feel comfortable around:

• New furniture
• New management tools
• New equipment and baby paraphernalia
• Changes in routine

Check out my full guide to desensitization here on Dogly if you'd like a step-by-step how-to for helping your dog feel comfortable around all the newness.

Make a plan for your dog for the baby's birth day

Whether you're planning to have your baby at home or at a hospital, you will want to make plans for your dog for before, during, and after the baby arrives.

Plan answers to questions like:

• Who will care for your dog while you’re away? 
• Who will be in charge of contacting that person?
• Will your dog be cared for in your home or elsewhere?
• Does your dog already have a relationship with the people in charge of his or her care?
• Is your dog familiar with the environment (if away from home)?

All these questions are important to think through to help your dog be as calm and comfortable on the days surrounding all the initial excitement of a new family member.

Preparing your dog for homecoming of the baby

Like everything else dog and baby, bringing your baby home can go smoothly and happily for all with some upfront planning. You know your individual dog -- think about these questions as you create your homecoming plan and how you'll introduce your dog to the new baby.

Setting your dog and baby up for success - together

• What does your dog need? 
• What is your dog’s greeting style?
• What is your dog’s level of interest in new things coming home? 
• Who will be there to help you with your dog? 
• What management tools can you use?

Here's a look at our plan in our particular situation with two dogs and having the birth at home:

• When I go into labor, I will call my parents
• My stepdad will be in charge of taking the dogs to a safe and comfortable place away from the commotion (their house)
• After the birth, my husband and I will each greet the dogs separately, while the other person cares for the baby 
• The dogs will likely be on leash since my husky-mix may be over-excited after spending time away, and I will likely need to be careful as I recover
• One adult will be in charge of each dog
• When the dogs are calm, we will bring the baby into the common space
• The dogs will be reinforced for calm behaviors - sitting/lying down, etc.
• The baby will not be brought into the dogs’ space for them to inspect or smell (you never want to reach into your dog's space with the baby. Always let your dog come to you.)
• The dogs can be reinforced for lying calmly on their mats or dog bed as we spend time together as a family

Over time, your dog will naturally get used to new baby sounds, each baby smell, and your individual baby's scent around your home without forcing the process.

For more why and how details of homecoming plans for dogs and babies, take a look at my complete guide focusing on homecoming here.

The main thing to remember when bringing your new baby home:

Homecoming doesn’t require a formal introduction.

The ideal reaction from your dog is a “no big deal” reaction. A relaxed dog is safer than an over-aroused dog.  

Management and inclusion for your dog and baby

How to use "success stations to make success the only option for your dog. Success stations are areas of your house that are dog-proofed and baby-proofed where your baby and dog can safely coexist.

Management doesn’t mean turning your four-legged family member into backyard or isolated dogs! Using management helps foster safe inclusion in family activities.

Dogs can’t learn about their strange new roomies without safe exposure.

Set up success stations throughout your home, everywhere you're likely to spend time in your daily activities. Using baby gates, play yards, or other tools, you can create boundaries that allow your dog to be comfortable while still seeing you and being near the action with the baby.

You can learn more about how to set up success stations along with other management tools in my guide here on Dogly on setting up your space for everyone's success.

How enrichment can help your dog adjust to a new baby

Enrichment helps keep dogs both stimulated and relaxed at any time and is especially helpful keeping a dog's behavior at an even keel when newborn babies join the family.

How and why to engage your dog's senses in enrichment as part of your dog's routine:

• Use mealtimes as enrichment opportunities -- try serving your dog's meals in a slow-feeder, puzzle-type bowl
• Pre-make enrichment items in batches before baby’s arrival
• Try new enrichment activities now, so you can expand your dog’s repertoire and know what your pup enjoys
• Enlist the help of your support people
• Rotate your offerings to increase engagement
• Offer enrichment in conjunction with success stations

Get creative!

Having varied enrichment activities available will help you keep your dog occupied and entertained while you are busy getting to know your new family member, especially during the first few days. Creating multiple opportunities to let your dog sniff and use their brains channels extra energy in a positive, calming way.

Try these enrichment ideas to vary your dog's experiences:

• Puzzle toy
• Food-stuffed chew toy
• Bully sticks or long lasting chews
• Pupsicles
• Destructibles
• Snuffle mats/scatter feeding
• Lick mats
• Flirt pole
• Training games

Family outings with baby and dog

Just as you do in your home, on family outings think "dog and baby on the scene, parent is in between." Think about exactly how it's going to play out to set everyone up for a smooth, safe, and happy outing:

• Plan ahead
• Designate roles
• Stroller vs. baby wearing -- decide which is best for a particular outing
• Practice needed skills

And as always, know your dog!

Relationships take time to build! 

Focus on comfortable coexistence first between your dog and baby, then think creatively about ways your baby can enjoy your dog without physical contact. Then we can begin hand-over-hand petting, and discussions about consensual contact.

Try this

• “Helping” to make enrichment items
• Watching dogs enjoy enrichment items
• Baby-wearing during training games or treat scatters
• Baby-wearing during toy play
• Baby-safe fetch

Staying dog-aware at all stages of your child's life

Development changes create new challenges.

As your newborn grows into a young child, different stages give your baby new capabilities to be mobile and interactive. And they can present new challenges!

For your dog, newborn babies can be less engaging since they are less awake and on the move. Think about your baby's development and what it may mean to interact with your dog:

• Eyesight development
• Head strength
• Motor skill development
• Mobility
• Emotional development

What to expect at 3 months with your baby:

• Improved eyesight
• Grasping
• Increased interest in toys
• Changes in vocalizations
• Rolling

What to expect at 6 months with your baby:

• Sitting up
• Tracking movement
• Eating food
• Reaching with interest

What to expect at 9 months with your baby:

• Crawling
• Pulling up to stand
• Increasing interest in interaction

What to expect at 1 year!

• Cruising and walking
• New kinds of movement
• Increased management needs during outings

"Babies grow, dogs age, adjust management at every stage!" That's another Family Paws saying that reminds all of us to plan, practice, and adjust as our babies grow and live harmoniously with our dogs.

Next up in the Kids and Dogs Channel on Dogly!

Now that you've got a solid overview of all things dog and baby, keep going with more ways to support your dog and child. Check out the next guides that dive into the details of each aspect of management and training to help babies, kids, and dogs live happily together.

If you have any questions on how to manage life with kids and dogs or other questions about your growing family life with your dog, just ask us in our Community Discussion.

Continue in our Kids and Dogs Channel where you'll learn everything you need to know for your dog from our community of Dogly Training Advocates.

If you need more personalized dog training guidance, get started in your dog's training plan here.