How can a dog be helped to adjust calmly to the arrival of a new baby?
Poppy is the most adorable tiny Cavapoochon.
She is sweet and gentle.
Apart from when she spots a cat or a squirrel. Then she explodes into frantic barking.
The little family used to live London. Apart from her reactivity to small animals Poppy is virtually bomb-proof. She is very friendly with people, children and other dogs.
On meeting the baby, Poppy erupted
She has been so easy and confident that the couple didn’t think to prepare for the arrival of their new baby, Rupert.
On their return home from hospital with the baby, Poppy erupted into frantic barking, just as she might if she saw a squirrel or a cat.
Night times
She had always slept on their bed but now, this first night, they had to leave her downstairs. She cried all night.
Baby Rupert had only been home for a couple of days when they got in touch with me. Two things they wanted to resolve. Firstly Poppy sleeping alone at night. Secondly her reaction to the baby.
For the past couple of weeks now she has stayed over at various dog-sitters. There have been three different places and apparently she has settled fine in all of them.
A few days after our initial online session, I went to their house.
How Poppy feels about the baby
We soon established that they only had one pressing problem, not two. Poppy’s feelings about the baby. If the tiny dog is happy with baby Rupert she can continue to sleep on their bed.
The man had fetched Poppy from the sitter’s for a while. We worked out a plan.
Both he and Poppy both very quickly took to the clicker. Using this, we started introducing the little dog to wet then dirty nappies.
The lady, still recovering from a difficult birth, remained upstairs with the baby.
We then moved on to a doll wearing one of the baby’s wet nappies. The man cradled it and talked to it. We clicked and fed Poppy every time she showed an interest.
That was enough for one day.
The next day I called again.
This time they had prepared a recording of baby noises which the man put under the doll – ‘Fake Rupert’ – as he held it.
Mum now entered the room and sat down cradling the doll. All the time we clicked and fed where appropriate.
Things were going so well that the man brought her a sleeping ‘Real Rupert’ for her to hold.
We fussed Poppy. She sniffed baby. All was well.
That was enough for today.
In the following couple of days they advanced to Poppy coming into their bedroom during the day. (The man was fetching her from the dog-minder for a few hours each the day). Mum was in bed. Baby was in his cot by the bed. Asleep.
Third visit a couple of days later
The time had come for them to have Poppy back home at night.
We needed Rupert to cry now.
Mum changed his nappy while dad and I sat on a sofa nearby. The baby cried – loudly!
Poppy seemed interested but not over-concerned. Then she lay down and settled between us.
They are now ready for night times.
Nights
The first night there was no barking – one little whine. Baby woke and cried several times.
The second night Poppy was a lot more distressed, though after several chews she settled. It seems the arousal levels during the day spill over into the night.
The third night, with the help of chews, things were a lot better. She even took herself off downstairs for a while.
Two and a half weeks after my first visit, introducing Poppy to the nappies, I asked ‘how was your night?’. The reply : ‘Close to perfect behaviour I would say’.
They no longer need to worry about leaving Poppy downstairs. She can be a proper part of the family just as before.
