Before the Baby Arrives

• Train dog basic commands such as sit, stay, lie down, no jumping, and come
• Repeat basic commands with doll cradled in arms of parents, rock doll, hold by breast as if nursing
• Wrap doll in blanket and show your dog, who should remain in the stay position
• Reward your dog from time to time with treats and/or praise/petting
• Play recordings of a baby crying, babbling, or laughing
• A few weeks before the baby is due, decrease the amount of attention your dog gets

Once the Baby has Arrived

• Bring home wraps or clothing the baby has worn to familiarize your dog to the baby's smell
• Exercise your dog before introducing to your baby
• Parents should greet the dog without the baby first
• Let dog get familiar with new smells and sounds before introducing him to the baby

Introducing Dog to Baby

• Once household is calm and your dog relaxed, then carefully introduce dog to baby
• One parent should attend to the baby while the other parent should stay with the dog
• The dog should be in a sit or down stay and on leash
• Keep dog about 10 to 15 feet away from baby
• Slowly bring them closer together; if dog remains calm and under control, allow him to sniff the baby but at a safe distance
• After your dog meets the baby, take him out for more exercise
• Be wise in determining when to let your dog approach close enough to sniff the baby

After the Introduction

• After regular intervals over several days of doing the introduction exercises and when it is certain that the dog won't lunge or snap at the baby, you can let your dog off leash
• Make sure soiled diapers are kept tightly in a closed container
• Your dog should not have unsupervised access to your baby for at least a few weeks and never if the dog has a history of aggressiveness
• Be especially cautious when the baby is screaming or crying or waving its arms and legs which could elicit a predatory reaction by the dog toward the baby

Slowly but surely your dog will learn to remain under control around the baby if you take precautions and don't rush. And, don't visit friends' homes where strange dogs live or let a baby-sitter bring their dogs to your home without taking significant precautions. Not all dogs have been socialized with a baby like yours.