The Preg Veg: The Furry, Howling Child
8/4/09
It’s true that I’m going through my first pregnancy, but my first “child” was a beagle-mix I got from a dog rescue. Rusty is 5-years old now and very well tempered, but I still want to make sure the small gurgling addition to the family doesn’t incite any unexpected behavior. That’s why I took some time to talk with Neil Sattin, a professional dog trainer schooled in the practice of Natural Dog Training.
Neil had many helpful suggestions, including avoiding any big introductions, and instead being low-key about the baby’s arrival. He also suggested that if we had an opportunity before the baby comes home to bring a baby blanket for Rusty to sniff to help familiarize him with the new scent.
Dogs love structure, and nothing can disrupt this more than a new baby. Which is why Neil recommended thinking about what kind of structure we could stick to, to make the transition a little less difficult for Rusty. I promised to continue my daily morning walks to keep his tail wagging.
Another good tip I got is for when the baby creates stress for Rusty. Neil said to take the dog outside and play tug-of-war for about 15 minutes, making sure to let him win. This should release any energy that has built up from the stressful indoor atmosphere.
To find out more about Natural Dog Training, check out
Neil’s Web site, which has a good basic introduction to the philosophy and practice.
—Gabrielle Harradine, Market Editor
Gabrielle Harradine is VT's Market Editor and, more recently, The Preg Veg. She's navigating the joys and challenges of her very first pregnancy, and she's blogging here about her efforts to keep it healthy, green, and vegetarian.
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Very cool! I'm 24 weeks along and my partner and I have just started thinking about how to ease the transition for our dog and cat. This gave us some good ideas! I love reading your blogs, and hope you'll continue it when you're a full-fledged Veg Mama!
I am pleased to see this kind of information in VT or anywhere. So many new parents dump their pets in a shelter when a baby arrives, anything that helps this transition is welcome - and so worth the effort.
More people should contact trainers to prepare for baby coming home. However I have to say that letting a dog win at tug-of-war sends the incorrect message to a dog. It just makes the dog more comfortable using his mouth as a tool to vent frustration - dangerous around a baby. Simply teach boundary training, meaning the dog gives the baby space and observes from a distance until the dog no longer shows sign of anxiety. Don't forget your daily walk dog owners and always supervise interactions. But if the dog has major behavioral issues, these must be dealt with ahead of time.