It seems like adopting a dog is one of the trends these days and young couples decide to do so as a way to start their families. But when the time comes for a little human to join the pack, your best friend changes a bit. Are you wondering why is your dog obsessed with a newborn baby?
Canines are really close to human beings and they like to spend a lot of time with us. They’d do anything for our attention, but our doggos also know when we desperately need them. When you get back home from work or you’ve had a long and exhausting week, your fur buddy is there to give you a hug.
It’s all fun and games until you decide to bring home a little version of yourself (or your partner). That’s when your pup may start behaving differently and you start to ask your self “What in the world is happening right now?” Before you start seeking professional help for your four-legged buddy, let me tell you a few things.
The dog my parents had when I was born was something special. His love for their newcomer (a.k.a. me) was unconditional. While my mum was pregnant, he’d jump and put his paws on her stomach, just so he can rub his head for a while and share some love with the little human inside.
After giving birth, their dog was obsessed with the newborn baby. Mom, of course, was worried, but soon she realized that he solely wanted to protect me. He realized that they nudge my crib every time I start crying, so he started doing the same.
He was constantly laying down in front of it, so no one can hurt me. We would always eat at the same time and as soon as my parents would lay me down in my bed again, he’d take his position. I’m sure we would be the best buddies the world has ever seen but unfortunately, he passed away…
But, let’s not go down that road. Let me explain to you why your dog’s new obsession is your newborn baby!
Why is my dog obsessed with a newborn baby?
I’m sure that as a new parent, you want your baby to be safe. You’re probably following the book and playing by the rules all the time. But, your canine doesn’t seem to behave according to those rules, right?
Trust me, it’s not a big deal. The reasons why your dog is obsessed with your newborn baby are far more adorable than you think. Sure, he may be jealous, but don’t think of the worst just yet. Let me share these cute reasons behind your puppy’s obsession with the baby. Are you ready to get enchanted?
1. He wants to protect her
When you look back through history, why did our ancestors domesticate dogs? Some people will try to convince you that it was an accident because they were sharing meat with wolves, and others will strongly oppose that. Whatever the truth is, we bonded and became one pack.
We started feeding them our leftovers and they kept us safe at night. Perfect trade, don’t you think? If you go back to your question about why your dog is obsessed with your newborn baby, it makes more sense now, right?
Your best bud is trying to protect the new part of your family. In your dog’s mind, a newborn is something fragile, vulnerable, and weak, so he has to be the one taking care of it. His instincts will show the most when someone visits you, so he may start barking at your guests.
2. He’s trying to make her happy
Since dogs entered our lives, they’ve been nothing but filled with happiness. The dogs are also fully aware of that, and these beautiful creatures keep making our days better. Your dog is obsessed with your newborn baby because he wants to make her happy, too.
Science says that our serotonin and dopamine levels heighten and you just can’t stop smiling when your puppy is wagging his tail. The best part about this is that canines can feel this and they recognize it as something positive.
He figured out that this little hooman needs him as well, so he’ll do anything to give your baby that love injection to boost her mood.
3. He’s curious about the newborn
Another reason why your dog is obsessed with a newborn baby is curiosity. Babies have a specific smell none of us can get enough of, and of course, your buddy wants to know where it comes from as well. His scent is multiple times stronger than yours, so imagine at which level it intrigues his senses.
Since he’s not used to the presence of that little human, he’ll be really curious. Your puppy will try to decipher your baby’s habits, sounds, and smells. I mean, he just figured out how to behave in your presence, give him some time to accept the changes in his environment.
Why is this loaf crying all of the sudden? That squeak was something good, or is this thing irritated? Look, when I touch it, it’s really soft. Hooman, what’s this?! Agh, now it stinks; what is happening? This is going to be a ruff day…
4. He craves attention
Okay, so it seems like the world revolves around this little human being, and puppies like what? Attention! That’s one of the reasons why your dog will become obsessed with your newborn baby. He sees that something’s constantly happening over there, so he wants to be a part of it as well.
Make sure that you’re giving your baby and the doggo enough attention and affection since both of those are essentials in their lives. This will prevent the hatred and jealousy that may appear in some homes, so think about that, too.
As your kid is growing up, they will give attention to one another and create a beautiful bond. Also, your canine won’t have a lot of obligations around the house (I mean, you’re the one doing chores), so he’ll be able to jump in whenever the mini-you needs him.
5. He thinks you’ve got him a new playtime buddy
Dogs love to play and that may be another reason why your fur buddy is obsessed with your newborn baby. He probably thinks that you’ve got him someone who’ll only play with him and someone with whom he’ll go on a bunch of adventures.
This is usually the case with younger canines that are still very energetic and want to use that energy to do something fun. Problems may appear because your little human is still not ready to jump around, or even run with your pup, so you have to be very careful.
You can easily minimize the negative effects of your doggo’s excitement about the new family addition by taking him for long walks or playing fetch with him a bit longer than usual. That way, he’ll be too exhausted to even try and play with the baby.
Share these duties with your spouse, switch up the roles from time to time, and make it interesting for yourselves as well. It’s not an easy task to be a parent and a dog owner at the same time, but I’m sure you can do it.
6. He’s jealous
The thing that is the least adorable is jealousy. I assume that this is not something that you want to read, but it’s possible that your dog is obsessed with your newborn baby because he’s jealous. But, don’t worry and remember that you shouldn’t blame yourself for anything.
It’s the first time that you’re in this situation (or even similar), so it’s possible that you forgot to do some things. Perhaps you didn’t gradually introduce this new family member, and now when he or she is getting the attention that your pup used to get, he started behaving oddly.
React as soon as you notice that something’s off, don’t wait until the dog becomes aggressive. At that time, it will be too late to make things work and you’ll have to take drastic measures. However, if you react in time, your little family can be happy.
How to properly introduce a newborn baby to your canine friend
Think of it this way – you have nine months to prepare your canine friend for your baby’s arrival. That’s plenty of time and you have to use it wisely. When you sort things out beforehand, the dog will probably become obsessed with your newborn baby, but in those ways that melt your heart.
You have to gradually reduce the time that you spend with him, and you need to teach him to stay away from the baby’s room (if that’s what you want). Play him some videos, or just audios that your newborn may produce, so he can get used to them and not freak out.
Also, remember to give him some treats in stressful situations, because he’ll be a part of your sleepless nights, too. Let him smell diapers and baby stuff and try to make him busy every time you need to take care of your baby.
There are plenty of benefits why it’s good to raise a kid in a household that has a pup as a pet, but you still have to make your house (or apartment) safe for both of them. And well, your dog may become obsessed with your newborn baby, but you’ll know the reasons behind that affection.
Read this: Hair In Baby’s Eye: How Do I Get It Out?!
