Why Is My Dog Obsessed With My Newborn Baby
First time parents may be puzzled with your pet dog behaviour when you bring your little one home for the 1st time. As a pet owner, you will definitely be curious why is the dog obsessed with my newborn baby.
Throughout history, the bond between dogs and humans have shaped cultures all around the world. The evolution, integration, and eventual domestication of wolves into human households has not only helped humans progress in our agricultural endeavors but also in the development of societies and perpetuation of the species.
Dogs ́ long history as human companions have naturally helped them form solid and unshakable relationships with their newfound pack. In fact, they even evolved their facial musculature to hone their human relationships even more.[Source]
Dogs and Babies
One of the most noticeable proofs of this evolutionary bond is seen when families bring a newborn into the home. It’s not hard to find videos online of infants interacting with the family pooch to the amusement of family members and online viewers.
It’s not unusual for babies to be seen cuddling with even larger breeds, with the dogs in question returning the reckless, tender pat of the infant with gentle nudges and licks on the cheeks.
There have been seen benefits to raising a baby with a dog around the house:
- Babies raised with dogs tend to have buffed and stronger immune systems.
- Dogs and babies tend to fill each other’s need for companionship, playtime, and attention.
- Canine interactions raise the serotonin and dopamine levels in infants. These are the chemical building blocks associated with increased levels of happiness.
But do you ever wonder what is really going on behind this adorable newborn-dog affection?
Dog behavior with new baby
A look at canines’ evolutionary history may provide an explanation to your dog’s obsession with your baby.
Dogs have the instinctual behavior to protect the pack
Dogs evolved from wolves where their entire life and survival depends on adherence to social hierarchy. Within a pack, there is always a categorization of strong and weak dogs. Because they hunt in packs, their strength lies in numbers and in order to protect the pack, it is the responsibility of the stronger dogs to look after and protect the weaker ones.
With the introduction of the new family member, they may view the baby as a weaker member of the pack that needs protecting. This behavior is often manifested when a stranger who the dog isn’t familiar with visits to the family’s house. And the dog barks at them when a family member tries to hand them the infant.
Your dog is protective by nature
Some dogs are very protective by virtue of their breeds. Boxers, sheepdogs, and the adorable Akita are all naturally protective in nature. Because they are loyal, vigilant, strong, and brave, these dog breeds often make the best Guard dogs.
If you own a protective breed, they are more likely than normal to guard the infant at all costs, possibly even keeping them in sight at all times and not letting strangers touch the baby without the due intervention and assurance of the guardians.
Your baby’s new scent is all new for the dog
Dogs have a very powerful sense of smell. This heightened sense coupled with a generally curious nature makes them incredible at detecting new scents around the house. This is why they bark at strangers or foreign objects.
Similarly, the scent of a new baby may be foreign to your pooch. Their sights and sounds are all new to them too! Naturally, your dog will go full investigative mode to figure out what’s going on and assess if the situation is a potential cause for alarm or not. This explains why they mostly can’t keep their snouts off the crib.
Tips On How to Manage the Behavior
Remember that having a new baby can shift the whole dynamics of the household. New things come into the house that your dog will be interested in. Even the change in energy can be picked up by your fur-babies.
This is why it’s crucial to know about the following handy tips when introducing your baby to the family dog.
- Never leave your dog alone with the baby. Even if your dogs are reputedly gentle, it is still better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your baby’s safety.
- If your dog is hyper-active, keep them busy with tasty dog chews or treats that are long-lasting to drain their energy faster.
- Establish your baby’s role as another leader of the pack by going out of the door first when walking your dog. Dog walking also helps them spend their energy and maintain less aggressive behavior if they tend to be very active.
- Put your dog away from the sound of a crying baby. The dog can easily pick up the baby’s vibe and whine or bark back in response which is not a very pleasant behavior for your family and the family next door over at night. (See also how to make newborn sleep fast)
- When your baby starts to crawl around, try discouraging pulling or poking the dog. Be careful how you treat your dog around the baby as they can learn the habit as well.
Dog aggressive towards baby
Dogs are called man’s best friend for a reason. But animals are still animals and it’s only natural and practical to keep your caution when introducing your newborn to your pet.
Thankfully, training your dog to be gentle around your baby is something every dog owner can do. Dogs have naturally evolved to respond to human’s body language and verbal sensibilities. What you need is to develop your dog hidden intelligence to eliminate their bad behavior.
So if you want to teach your dog how to properly behave around the new pack member, you must keep your calm. You don’t want the dog to feel on guard all the time. This may bring out unwanted aggression.
As an infant and dog parent, you must also demonstrate gentleness around the newborn. This will let the dog know that the infant is vulnerable and in need of protection.
Show them that it’s not okay to sit on the baby as they may sometimes do with you. Discourage biting, and if possible, always be present during their interactions to reinforce and reward behavior.
Using treats is a highly effective way to train your pooch. This will also help them spend their energy and mitigate contentious behavior. Try getting your hands on those handy subscription boxes for dogs that come with chews and toys for convenience. For pet lovers, do note that part of the proceeds also helps goes to local animal shelters.
Final Word on Dog Obsessed With My Newborn Baby
It’s important that your dog is taught these behaviors early. If you feel that there are behaviors that are beyond you to handle, seek the services of a professional trainer immediately. This will not only benefit the interactions between your baby and your dog but also improve your dog’s general behavior within and outside the household. How do you introduce your dog to the newborn baby? Leave a comment below.
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