How To Introduce Your New Baby To Your Dog
Written by George Walker | Walkers K9 Services
1. Start BEFORE the baby comes home
Dogs handle change way better when you ease them into it.
Do this now:
Play recordings of baby crying/whining at low volume, then gradually louder.
Sprinkle baby powder or lotion around so new smells aren’t shocking.
Set up baby gear (swings, strollers, bassinets) and turn the sounds on so
nothing suddenly appears on Day 1.
Practice walking the dogs next to the stroller so they’re used to it.
This takes the “new and weird” out of the situation.
2. Create clear boundaries ahead of time
Decide what will be allowed:
Are the dogs allowed in the nursery?
Are they allowed on furniture when you’re holding the baby?
What’s the rule when guests arrive and the baby is in your arms?
Teach these rules before the baby shows up so the dog doesn’t link new limits to the baby.
3. Use scent introduction first
When the baby is born (assuming someone visits you at the hospital), have them bring a blanket or onesie that smells like the baby back home.
Let the dogs smell it while:
They’re on leash (just to keep things structured)
They’re calm
You praise them for sniffing politely
You’re basically saying, “This belongs here. No big deal.”
4. First meeting = calm, controlled, not dramatic
When you walk in the door with the baby:
Someone else should bring the dogs out already calm.
Greet your dogs FIRST without the baby in your arms — they’ve missed you.
Once everyone is settled, sit down with the baby and let the dogs sniff from a respectful distance.
Key:
No jumping on couches, no crowding, no intense nose-to-baby sniffing. Just calm curiosity.
5. Keep intros short and sweet
Let them sniff the baby’s feet or blanket.
Then redirect the dogs to:
A sit
A down
A place command
A treat reward
Less is more at first.
6. Reward calm behavior around the baby
Every time your dog’s choose:
Calm
Quiet
Gentle curiosity
Moving away on their own
…mark and reward it. They’ll learn fast: “Baby around = chill, good things happen.”
7. Never allow pushiness — but don’t punish curiosity
Dogs shouldn’t:
Poke noses into the baby’s face
Jump around while you’re holding the baby
Hover or guard
But gentle curiosity is totally normal. Guide, don’t scold.
8. Keep routines as normal as possible
Walks, playtime, mealtimes — try not to let everything fall apart.
A tired dog is a polite dog.
9. 100% supervision every time
This one’s non-negotiable.
Even the sweetest dog should never be alone with a newborn or crawling baby. Babies move unpredictably, and dogs react instinctively.
10. Involve the dogs in everyday life
Dogs love belonging to the “pack job.”
Let them:
Walk beside the stroller
Hang out calmly during feeding time
Be present during bedtime routines
The goal is: “This baby is part of our life, not a rival for attention.”
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Written by: George Walker
Walkers K9 Services | Tucson, AZ
📞 520-500-7202
