from: www.woai.com, San Antonio, ch 4 TV
Preparing a pet for baby's arrival
By Dr. Marty Becker
Knight Ridder Newspapers
(KRT)

When Bridgit LaCombe, of Albuquerque, N.M., attended a birthing class in preparation for her first child, the topic of preparing the family pet for the arrival of a baby arose. This was of particular interest to LaCombe, as she was concerned about her first baby, a mixed-breed dog named Lizzy adjusting to the arrival of her real baby.

"With your first child, you never really know," said LaCombe. "I was afraid that Lizzy would harm the baby out of jealousy, because Lizzy was always my first baby. My ultimate fear was that Lizzy would have to go to another home."

For moms and dads, bringing a new baby home from the hospital is a glorious and blessed event. All attention is on baby, as the home is filled with new and unique smells, sounds, toys, products, and most importantly, the little one herself.

But for many new parents of human babies, there often exists a beloved family member whose needs can get overlooked in all of the excitement surrounding the baby's arrival - the family pet. This family member also needs to be prepared for the new baby since it will be a time of changes for it, as well. Besides, since our pets have lovingly and patiently prepared us to be parents, don't they deserve to be patiently and lovingly prepared to accept a new family member?

"Every day, animal shelters take in dogs and cats who lost their homes because they weren't easily adjusting to the new baby. Or, worse, because their owners thought they wouldn't adjust," says Stephanie Shain, The Humane Society of the United States' director of outreach for companion animal issues.

A family pet who is unprepared for the arrival of a new baby can react negatively to this strange and unfamiliar intruder into his home. In some cases, parents may fear, warranted or not, for the safety of their baby, as it relates to her interactions with the family pet.

"Dog owners can get some idea of how their pet will likely respond to the new baby's arrival by considering its personality," says Dr Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviorist at Tufts and author of "If Only They Could Speak" (Norton 2003). "More pushy, dominant dogs sometimes get their noses bent out of shape by the competition for attention that necessarily follows the newcomer's arrival. Fearful dogs may need to be coaxed to accept the screaming bundle, whereas dogs with high prey drive have to be watched carefully for the first few days until they clearly identify the new arrival as family. The good news is that dogs' natural instincts are to protect a new pack member - and that's what the new baby will represent to them."

How can we help our beloved first "children" feel at ease with the new arrival? The first step should be to brush up in their obedience training, even taking a class if needed.

Next, before the baby arrives, parents-to-be need to accustom their pets to the sights, smells and sounds of a new baby. Crying, babbling, cooing, giggling, and yes, even, the occasional screaming baby are all sounds that your pet will need to be comfortable hearing if he or she is going to be accepting of the family's latest addition.

Until now, familiarizing your pet to baby sounds created quite a challenge, requiring taking him or her to a nursery or to visit a friend with a baby. But thanks to two mommies in Albuquerque, this task just got easier.

Lisa Ruggles and Shawn Hrncir created "Preparing Fido," a CD filled with the baby sounds that your pet is most likely to hear when you bring baby home. The CD contains recordings of baby crying, babbling, cooing, giggling and screaming, even a thirteen minute "variety" track which contains a compilation of the various baby sounds.

After purchasing "Preparing Fido," LaCombe played it for her dog, Lizzy.

"The first time she heard the baby sounds, Lizzy's ears went straight up and she ran directly to the stereo, barked, and put her paws on the speakers as she tried desperately to find the little creature making these noises," LaCombe explained. "But after listening to the CD for several weeks, Lizzy became calm and accepting of the sounds."

Included with the "Preparing Fido" CD is an instructional booklet that contains important tips and recommendations from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) about lovingly preparing your pet for the arrival of a baby.

This highly recommended CD is available for $16.99 plus $4.00 shipping and handling and can be purchased online at www.preparingfido.com.

Additionally, long before your due date, begin to fill the house with the sights and smells associated with a baby, by stocking the baby's room with diapers, lotions, powders etc. Some animal behaviorists and veterinarians have suggested putting lotion and a diaper on a doll, carrying it around the house and talking to it in that "special voice" once reserved only for your pet. Many obstetricians suggest bringing the baby's first receiving blanket home while Mom and baby are still in the hospital. Let your pet sniff the blanket while you pet and stroke him, helping him to associate the smells with a positive experience.

Once home, get in the habit of never leaving the pet and baby alone together in the same room. If you need to leave a baby alone, such as while it is sleeping, call the dog out of the room when you leave, and block re-entry. This way all interactions between baby and pet are supervised.

A success story: LaCombe reports that Lizzy and her daughter, Alexandra, are now the best of friends.

© 2003, Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.


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