My latest late-night anxiety has me thinking about how to introduce our dog to the baby. We have a 4-year-old golden retriever who has been our spoiled “first child,” and I’m starting to get genuinely nervous about how he’ll handle not being the center of our universe anymore.
So, of course, I’ve spent the last few days going down a research rabbit hole. I’ve read all about bringing a blanket with the baby’s scent home from the hospital first, and I’ve bookmarked a couple of online dog training programs specifically for this. I’ve also started getting him used to the sounds of baby gear—the swing, the sound machine, etc. My partner caught me playing YouTube videos of baby cries for him yesterday, which earned me a strange look, haha.
What I’m really looking for are the practical, real-life experiences that you can’t find in an article. For those of you with pets, what actually worked for you? Did you do anything specific in the final weeks leading up to the birth? How did the actual first introduction go? I’m mostly worried about accidental jealousy or just him being too boisterous and clumsy around a tiny newborn. Any and all tips or reassurance would be so appreciated!