Dogs and Newborns....

So I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas on the best way to get my dog used to the idea of having a baby in the house. We have an 18 month old Boxer dog. He is the most trustworthy, loving dog so I'm not worried about him being aggressive towards bubs when she arrives, I just worry about him getting a bit jealous. He has always been our boy. Sleeps in our bedroom with us (never on the bed, in the corner on his bed) and is generally inside with us when we are home. With the weather getting nicer and days getting longer tho we are slowly trying to increase the amount of time he is outside tho to help prepare for when Isla arrives.
If any of you have had to introduce your dog to your newborn, can you please let me in on any pointers that might make it an easy transition? Thanks in Advance ladies

Good advice from Carin!

There was a thread on this a while back - here's the link

We've got a boxer too although he's a bit older than yours and there haven't been any jealousy issues. Can't say we actually did the dirty nappy thing I talked about in the other thread though and turned out that was unnecessary. Mind you Beans has never even been allowed in the bedrooms so that wasn't an issue for us either.

Only issues we're having are about now, JJ is running around like a crazy loon so sometimes Beans will get a bit excited and run around like a crazy loon too which is fine until JJ gets knocked over!

Sorry i dont really have any advice but..

We have a boxer as well he has always been very gentle with the kids, but like weegee's boxer, Maverick can go a bit spazz when he gets excited lol, jumps around and his big clumsy paws really hurt when they get you.

One of my mums clients breeds boxers, and aparently they love babys and children and are very gentle with them.

My only advice on top of what the others have said is that anything you intend to change (say if you are thinking he won't sleep in your bedroom once bubs arrive, for example) make that change now that way the dog won't associate it with the baby at all.

When I came home from the hospital I went outside and said hello to the dogs without the baby then they came in were introduced to the baby and allowed to sniff away like mad things, then i just told them to go to bed (they always are on their beds when indoors) and we had bought them a couple of rawhide chews each and gave them them. They were happy as but did freak the first time he cried so I just told them to go back to bed as if it was nothing, within no time they were sleeping through him crying even if he screamed the house down.

Ceaser Milan recommends taking the dog and the pram out pre-baby to teach the dog to walk behind the pram, I couldn't bring myself to push an empty pram around like a mental patient though. Mine quickly learnt how to walk next to it, but that's something you might think about doing. I did do lots of walks with the dogs and baby either in the pram or sling as I thought it would be a good association baby/pram = walk

Yay for all the boxers, they are so cute! We have french bulldogs which are very cute too

We have got them used to all the baby ?paraphenalia so they dont freak out at all the gadgets like the capsule, pram etc. A few years ago my dog did not like my friends baby at all! She used to jump into his capsule when we were holding him and would always sniff his bag.

Someone suggested taking the pram for a walk with the dogs, so they get used to walking with it. I have been too scared though, what if someone looks inside and sees no baby!!

I've been getting Benson used to the pram by pushing it around the house with him on the lead. Not game enough to walk down the streeet with it tho! lol He hasn't once tried biting the wheels or anything. He's pretty laid back. He's still a bit afraid of the pram but getting better. We have a big back yard and long driveway so might have to start taking him for 'walks' up and down the driveway with the pram. Never thought of that!
Jane25 - We have let Benson into Isla's nursery a few times (we have it all set up already) just so he can get used to the change in scenery. The room was all painted and new curtains and of course there is now a cot etc in there but now he knows not to go in there. If we are in there, he just lies down at the door.
I'm thinking it is worthwhile finding somewhere else for him to sleep rather than in our room cause it will be quite crowded having our big bed, Benson on his dogbed AND a bassinette in there! Maybe if we just move his dog bed to outside our bedroom door. I like having him close to us at night for protection.

I recall being worried with our dog, too.

In the end we didn't do anything to help transition her, we trusted her to be obedient and respectful - and she was.
They're best buddies and have never been any trouble for eachother.

It'll be just fine