The most common mistake I hear is when new parents tell me how they prepared their dog for the arrival of their newborn. They proudly tell me that they brought home a blanket with their baby’s scent on it and had their dog smell or sleep with it. Everybody does this with the best intentions of making their dog familiar with the new odor. Unfortunately, this method was never thoroughly thought out because that isn’t always how your dog’s brain processes odor.
This method is the #1 most popular advice given. To this day, dog trainers, pediatric nurses, midwives, and doulas continue to pass this incorrect information to expect families who have dogs. When I was expecting my first child in 2014, I’m pretty sure I was the first person to challenge this myth publicly. I tested it against updated dog theory.
Let’s start from the dog’s perspective; the scent you are introducing is a foreign smell from a stranger that your dog has no association with. As humans, we will never be able to tell if the immediate association your dog had with smelling your newborn’s swaddle blanket or hat was positive or negative. What if the scent triggered a cautious, confused, or stressed response? What if your dog now views this odor as a potential threat?
Dogs process an array of information based on what odors they smell. Studies have shown that dogs get highly excited and enjoy the smell of their familiar human’s scent. This smell is just as motivating as a reward itself.
We can use this study to our advantage. When introducing a newborn to your dog to help ensure we have done everything we could for your dog to have a positive association with your baby.
I explain this up to date method in the video clip below taken from Dogs to Diapers. The goal is that the day you walk in from the hospital, the following happens: Your dog gets one whiff of your baby coming through the door. A concrete foundation is processed and paired with your newborns’ smell, so your dog doesn’t perceive your infant as a threat.
Here is a clip from the online course, Dogs to Diapers, and my method of how to introduce your newborn’s scent to your dog. This is one of the many techniques taught in the online video course to help prepare your dog for the arrival of your baby.