How to help your dog adjust to a new baby in the house

We’re about to introduce Rufus to a new baby for the second time, which means we’re approaching it with a little more confidence than we did first time round.

Back then, we read the advice, tried to prepare him for what was coming and wondered how a dog who had been firmly at the centre of our world would react when a small, noisy human suddenly appeared. Then we forgot it all as soon as the baby arrived and mainly muddled through thanks to Rufus’ calm and gentle nature.

What we learned is that the first introduction is only a very small part of it. Bringing a baby home changes the rhythm of the house: when you get up, when you go out, how much time you have and where your attention is directed. For a dog, those everyday changes can be just as significant as the baby themselves, so this time we’re thinking less about the big moment of introduction and more about making the whole transition feel manageable.

Make changes before the baby arrives

One thing we learned first time is that it helps if the baby isn’t responsible for every change in your dog’s life. If walks are going to become less predictable, start varying them beforehand. If your dog will no longer be allowed into a particular room, introduce that boundary early, and if someone else is likely to take over some of the dog walking, get them involved before you actually need them.

We’ll be doing the same with Rufus this time. There will inevitably be disruption once the baby arrives, so anything we can make ordinary beforehand is one less thing for him to adjust to later.

Get the baby stuff out early

Babies come with an extraordinary amount of equipment, and much of it is strange from a dog’s perspective. Prams move, bouncers bounce, toys flash and sing, and familiar rooms suddenly fill with objects that weren’t there before.

We found it useful to have some of that around before our first baby arrived so Rufus could investigate it and then lose interest in it. We’re thinking about noise too, because a crying baby can be loud and unpredictable, particularly to a dog with much more sensitive hearing than ours. Playing recordings quietly beforehand can help some dogs get used to the sound, provided they stay relaxed, and it is really just about reducing the number of completely unfamiliar things they have to process when the baby comes home.

Introduce the smell before the baby

This is another thing we did first time and will do again. Dogs understand a huge amount through scent, so if possible we’ll bring home something the baby has worn or used before the first proper introduction and let Rufus investigate it in his own time.

There is no need to make a big event of it or push the item towards him. The value is simply that by the time the baby actually comes through the door, their smell is no longer completely unfamiliar.

Don’t put too much pressure on the first meeting

Before our daughter arrived, it was easy to imagine that the initial meeting would be a significant moment. In reality, we learned that it is better if it isn’t, especially if you have been away from home and your dog is initially far more excited about seeing you than interested in the baby.

We’ll give Rufus a chance to say hello and settle down first, then keep the introduction quiet and controlled. A quick sniff followed by wandering off is a perfectly good result. Your dog doesn’t need to fall instantly in love with the baby; they just need to be comfortable sharing their home with them.

Keep something of their old life

This was probably one of the bigger lessons for us. A newborn makes routines unpredictable, so walks do not necessarily happen when they used to, evenings change and there are times when the dog simply is not going to get your undivided attention.

We couldn’t keep Rufus’s life exactly as it had been, and we won’t be able to this time either, but we can keep the things that matter to him: walks, sniffing, play, decent sleep and time with us.

We also learned that a bit of flexibility is useful, because if your dog expects breakfast or a walk at precisely the same time every day, it may be worth loosening that routine before the baby arrives. With a newborn, keeping the good parts of the day is more realistic than keeping everything to the minute.

Make baby time good for the dog too

This is something that worked well for us because it is easy to incorporate into normal life. If you are feeding the baby, your dog can have a chew or something else that keeps them occupied, and if they settle quietly nearby, that can be rewarded too.

We’ll do the same again with Rufus because we don’t want the baby’s arrival to consistently mean that he gets moved away or ignored. Equally, he doesn’t need to be involved in everything. A dog happily snoozing while the baby is being fed or changed is doing exactly what you want.

Give them somewhere to get away

Having somewhere quiet matters from the beginning, but we learned that it becomes considerably more important later. Rufus has his own places where he can sleep and be left alone, and we’ll make sure he still has access to them so he never feels that he has to interact with the baby simply because they are in the same house.

That becomes particularly important once babies start moving. A newborn may be noisy, but at least they generally stay where you put them. A crawling baby is much more interested in the dog’s bed, toys, food, ears and tail, so making sure your dog has a reliable way to opt out becomes even more important.

Let your dog opt out

One of the most useful things you can do is let your dog walk away. Dogs often show discomfort long before anything as obvious as a growl, and signs can include turning the head away, repeated lip licking, yawning, becoming unusually still or simply trying to put some distance between themselves and the baby.

If Rufus moves away, we won’t follow him with the baby or encourage him back over. He never growled but if a dog does growl, it should not be punished, because that growl is a warning that they are uncomfortable and need more space. If anything about your dog’s response to a baby or child concerns you, speak to your vet or an appropriately qualified behaviourist.

The crawling stage is the part we’d prepare for most

If there is one thing we understand better second time round, it is that bringing the baby home isn’t the end of the adjustment. In some ways, the more challenging phase comes later, once babies can crawl, grab and follow the dog around.

At that point they are suddenly at dog height and very interested in things they should not necessarily touch, which is where baby gates, separate spaces and supervision become particularly important. We’ll make sure Rufus can get away whenever he wants to, while gradually teaching our child how to behave around him as they get older. However much we trust him, we also would never leave Rufus alone with a baby or young child.

What we learned first time

The main thing we’ll do differently this time is worry less about whether Rufus shows much interest in the new arrival. First time round, we were understandably focused on the introduction itself, but experience taught us that the weeks and months afterwards matter far more.

We’ll make changes gradually, protect the parts of Rufus’s routine that matter to him and make sure he always has somewhere to retreat to. Peaceful acceptance is a very good outcome, and Rufus has one advantage this time that he didn’t have before: he already knows that small humans eventually progress from making strange noises to dropping food on the floor. There is also nothing better than seeing how my daughter and Rufus now adore each other.