| Bringing Your Newborn Home To Your Pet |
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| Sunday, 16 October 2011 | |
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Sometimes there can be a bit of jealousy on the part of the family pet when you first bring the new member of your family home. This can make you quite nervous, but just imagine what the pet is going through. How will the pet react to being relegated to second place? If you spent a lot of time with the pet prior to having a baby, the adjustment may take a little time. One of the main points is not to make the pet feel as though they are no longer important or part of the family. The baby may not react to the pet as you might think. Fright might be the first reaction. The baby may cry loudly and frighten the pet, which may bring out aggressive behavior. You want the baby to be safe and you want to be able to trust your pet around the child. Have the pet checked by your vet before you bring the baby home for the first time. Make sure all the vaccinations are up to date, and the animal is free from fleas or other parasites. Also, take care to have the pet spayed or neutered. This simple measure is something which tends to calm them down quite a bit. If you have an animal that is a little hyper, keep them away from the baby at first. Let it see the child from a distance, and introduce them gradually. Use pet gates to keep the animal in it's own space. Take your pet for regular grooming and bathing, and make sure to keep nails and claws trimmed short to avoid scratches. Never leave the baby alone with the pet, no matter how much you may trust it. Pets have a different way of seeing things, and may actually view the baby as a rival for your attention. You never can be sure what they are going to do. A long period of adjustment may be necessary if you are all going to learn to get along. Once the animal realizes that the baby isn't going away, it will probably become quite protective of the child. If you were affectionate and loving toward you pet before the baby, don't stop after you bring the baby home. Showing the animal the same amount of attention will go a long way in lessening the feelings of jealousy the pet has. Accepting the child will be much easier for the animal once it realizes you are still going to cuddle, pet, and spend time with it. Some pet owners are extremely lucky with the pet they have. Some animals automatically accept whatever and whomever the owner brings into the home. No jealousy, no aggressiveness. Everything is peaceful right from the start. Don't worry if your animal reacts in the opposite way. It just takes time for everyone to get used to each other. Generally it all works out in the end, and everyone lives together peacefully. About the Author: Keyword Tags: baby safe, house pet, baby try |
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