TBD

BEFORE BRINGING BABY HOME: Acquaint the family dog with the infant by allowing him to sniff the baby's scent on an article of clothing, blanker, or diaper.

AFTER BABY COMES HOME:

• Give your dog attention so he doesn't feel he's lost his special place in the family.
• Never leave your dog alone with your baby – no exceptions.
• Be sure that everyone who takes care of your baby understands that even the most gentle and obedient dog could become aggressive and harm the baby.
• Offer treats and praise the dog if he is present when you are diapering or playing with your baby. Your dog will then associate the baby with rewards!
• Keep separate dog and baby toys.

AS BABY BEGINS TO CRAWL AND EXPLORE:

• Have a place where the dog can retreat that your child can't get to.
• Create boundaries for both your baby and the dog. Put a gate across the entrance to the baby's room to keep the dog out.
• Keep your dog's food off the floor. The dog can become aggressive if the baby moves toward his food while he's eating.
• Store pet's medication out of your child's reach.

Teach your growing child NOT to:
• Put her face or fingers near a dog's mouth.
• Tease or taunt animals.
• Disturb a sleeping dog.

Did you know?

Young children are most likely to be bitten by the family dog. The child is often blamed, yet many bites are unprovoked or occur during play. Children under 5 years old, who, because of their small size, are bitten on the face, head, or neck and require medical attention for both dog and cat bites.

Visit Baby Everywhere for more about ways to prevent injuries.