Today, we’re going to meet three different moms. Chelsey, Amber, and Julie each watched the Dogs to Diapers video in preparation for welcoming home their babies. In the short clips provided below, you will hear each mom’s opinion of the video and how it impacted her thoughts on the subject of dogs and babies. Additionally, each mom will discuss how they applied the techniques from the film.
1. First, we meet Amber. Amber would be considered a “planner” and was very cautious when deciding how to introduce a pet into her family. This family includes three boys under the age of five. Amber grew up in a dog-friendly family that rescued all of their pets, a trait that she wanted to continue with her own family. In the clip below, listen to her journey as she learned how to integrate rescue animals into a home with young children safely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZdQzwguZs4
2. Julie’s story is perhaps more surprising. She and her husband had a dog before baby: a Labrador and Golden Retriever mix. While envisioned as the quintessential dog for American families, Julie imagined that they would have no issues with bringing her infant home to their family pet. She even took the time beforehand to introduce her dog Cooper to other children to make sure he was socialized. Imagine her surprise when his reaction to the addition was adverse! Listen as she discusses the lessons she learned from Dogs to Diapers and how they positively impacted the relationship between her dog and baby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQPITAtdHXc&t=1s
3. On the other hand, we meet Chelsey. Chelsey is the proud owner of a working breed dog, an Australian Cattle dog. In addition to knowing how much exercise her particular dog’s breed typically needed, Chelsey was able to pick up on early warning signs. She felt indicated her dog would not be accepting of the upcoming changes in their home. After conducting some research online, Chelsey found our video. She was able to build up her confidence by becoming better prepared to introduce her dog to her new son. In the video, she will share her journey and the techniques she learned from Dogs to Diapers that allowed her to facilitate a positive home environment for both dog and baby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu5t01q77Es&t=1s
Every expectant family goes through a different journey as they prepare their home for the changes of having a child. Part of that preparation should always include your family pet. While some mothers don’t think of this until after bringing baby home, others begin early planning to have systems well in place. Whatever your journey and planning process is, the common denominator should always be the safety of your child and your dog’s consideration.