Several people asked on Instagram how we introduced Burger to Clara and how we managed the transition from living with just a dog to living with both a dog and a newborn. We did some research and spoke with our vet to make the change as easy as possible for Burger and for us. Here’s what we tried and how it worked out.
1. A day after Clara was born, John briefly left the hospital to bring Burger a blanket that smelled like her. We had to stay in the hospital for several days, so John dropped the blanket into Burger’s crate while his parents looked after him. Burger loves his crate, so he spent time with family and time alone with the new blanket. Letting him sniff and sleep with Clara’s scent from the start seemed to help him become familiar with her before we arrived home.
2. When we finally brought Clara home, Burger was already there waiting. We carried her in a baby seat and also brought a treat and a new toy for him. We’d heard that giving a dog something positive when a new person arrives helps create a good association. So we gave Burger a treat, some snuggles, and a toy while introducing Clara to the house. That gave him a reason to think her arrival meant something good was happening.
3. We made a point of giving Burger affection whenever we could while juggling newborn care. Newborns require a lot of attention, but Clara also spent a lot of time sleeping or nursing, which freed up moments for us to sit with Burger on the couch and give him attention. We shared as many rubs and snuggles as possible so he didn’t feel ignored or replaced. Although he probably noticed the change in family dynamics, he didn’t have accidents or act out, which we had been warned could happen, so we were relieved things went smoothly.
How did you introduce your pet to a new family member? Do you have tips for people who are nervous about the process? I like to joke that Clara climbed the ranks to become one of Burger’s favorites quickly—sticky fingers and crumbs are practically irresistible to him—so they’ve become a great pair.