When you bring a new baby home, life will change dramatically in your household, which can be stressful for your pets. Fortunately, by making the right decisions early on, you can streamline pet care and help your animals take the changes in stride.

New Baby? 3 Tips for Preparing Pets

1. Sign Up for Obedience Training Courses

Professional obedience training courses not only help keep animals safe but also the people you bring into your home. During obedience class, pets learn to master skills such as sitting, staying, and not jumping on guests.

Additionally, pets can work on not chewing on furniture and learning how to socialize, reducing the chances that they’ll destroy new children’s furniture or become distressed around the baby. 

2. Expose Your Pets to Babies Often

Pet are naturally curious about anything new, so make the new baby seem like less of a novelty before their arrival. If you have friends or family members with babies, bring your pet to visit. Just make sure to keep your pet at a safe distance.

Allowing your animal to smell new babies and become familiar with their behavior will make the pet more accepting when you bring your little one home.

3. Give Pets a Little More Time Alone  

When you bring your baby home from the hospital, your time will be split between your new child and your animal. Since this sudden change can be hard on your pet, try to give them more time to themselves in the weeks leading up to the birth of your child.

While you should still tackle all essential pet care needs, think about going on fewer walks or cuddling less frequently, which may happen when the baby comes home. Though this will be a difficult transition for you and your pet, it will help them cope with the changes to come. 

Since your schedule will get busy soon, make an appointment for your furry family members at Mililani Town Center Pet Clinic before the big day. In addition to making sure they’re current on their shots, you can also talk with your veterinarian about other pet care concerns, such as how often your pet should be going on walks and what they should be eating. Learn more about how the veterinary clinic can help with pet care by visiting their website. Call (808) 625-6744 to make an appointment.