Preparing Your Dog or Cat for a New Baby

Key takeaways: Start preparing pets months before your due date. Change routines gradually, practice basic commands, and introduce baby sounds and smells. Never leave a baby alone with any pet, no matter how gentle. Keep pets out of the baby’s sleep space.

Pets are family too, and a new baby is a big change for them. Preparing ahead helps keep your baby safe and your pet calm.

Before the Baby Arrives

Visit the vet. Make sure your pet is healthy and up to date on vaccines and parasite prevention. Talk about any behavior concerns.

Change routines gradually. If walk times, feeding times, or who does them will change after the baby comes, start the new routine weeks ahead so your pet doesn’t link the changes to the baby.

Practice manners (dogs). Work on sit, stay, down, leave it, and going to a bed or mat on cue. Practice calm greetings. A certified trainer or behaviorist can help, especially if your dog has a history of jumping, guarding food or toys, or nipping.

Set boundaries. Decide which rooms will be off-limits (like the nursery) and start using baby gates now.

Introduce baby sounds and smells. Play recordings of baby sounds at low volume while giving treats. Let your pet sniff baby lotion and supplies.

Practice with a doll. Carry a baby doll, walk with a stroller, and reward calm behavior.

Plan pet care for when you’re at the hospital.

Bringing the Baby Home

• Before the baby comes home, send home a blanket or hat with your baby’s scent.
• When you arrive, greet your pet first without the baby, since they’ll have missed you.
• Introduce the baby calmly, with your dog on a leash and an adult holding the baby. Let your pet sniff from a short distance. Reward calm behavior.
• Keep early interactions short and positive.

Ongoing Safety Rules

• Never leave a baby alone with any pet, even briefly.
• Keep pets out of the crib, bassinet, and sleep area.
• Watch for stress signs in dogs: lip licking, yawning, turning away, stiff body, growling, showing the whale eye (white of the eye). Give your pet space and a safe retreat.
• Keep pet food, water bowls, and litter boxes out of reach once your baby is mobile.
• Wash hands after handling pets and before handling your baby.
• Give your pet one-on-one time every day.

Cats

Cats may be curious about new furniture and the baby’s spaces. Keep cats out of the crib and bassinet, and provide them with high perches and quiet spaces of their own. The idea that cats “steal a baby’s breath” is a myth, but any animal in a sleep space is a safety risk.

If Problems Arise

Contact your veterinarian or a certified animal behaviorist right away if your pet growls, snaps, or shows fear or aggression around the baby.

The Bottom Line

Prepare pets early, introduce the baby calmly, and supervise every interaction. With planning, most pets adjust well to a new family member.

Want more support for your baby’s first year? My book, From First Breath to First Birthday, is available on Amazon.

Related Articles

• Dogs and Babies: Safety Rules
• Cats and Babies: Myths and Facts
• Preparing Older Siblings for a New Baby
• Life After the NICU: Bringing Your Preemie Home

Sources

1. American Veterinary Medical Association. Pets and babies. https://www.avma.org
2. American Academy of Pediatrics. Pets and babies: safety tips. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy pets, healthy people. https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets
4. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Preparing your pet for a new baby. https://www.aspca.org

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.