Important Safety Tips
You already know the most important safety tip for allowing your dog to interact safely with your baby: never leave the two of them alone together. Likewise, if you have a dog before having the baby, make sure to properly introduce your baby to the dog. However, there are other important safety rules you should establish as soon as possible and enforce consistently in order to prevent your child and your dog from injuring each other.
1. Set Boundaries
Establish where your dog is never allowed to go — like your child’s bedroom. It’s also good to establish dog-only zones where your baby is not allowed. Baby gates can be effective at setting boundaries for child and canine alike.
2. Provide an Exit
If a dog feels cornered by a child with no means of escape, it can feel trapped. Without a flight option available, a dog is more likely to indulge its fight instinct. You can prevent matters from escalating to that point by ensuring your dog always has a way to exit a stressful situation.
3. Recognize Warning Signs
Your dog typically gives off some recognizable signals when stressed and ready to attack. Some of these include averting its head, rolling its eyes, and stiffening its body. Learn to recognize these signs and act quickly if you spot them.
4. Avoid Face-to-Face Contact
Not only does this put your child within easy reach of your dogs jaws, but canines may misinterpret this behavior as a challenge.
With constant vigilance, you can create a peaceable kingdom within your home in which dog and baby not only coexist but eventually become best friends.