FACT:
We live in a culture that waits until there is a problem before deciding we need to take action.
As a dog trainer, this is a recipe for disaster especially when it involves dogs and babies.
In the majority of families, I meet they have their dog first before their baby arrives, and the dog is pretty much their “Fur Baby”! I have attended numerous Prego Expos and I always ask expecting moms “Is your dog ready for the arrival of your newborn?” and they tell me “Yes! My dog has been around kids and loves them” or “My dog can tell something is different about me.” From these statements, I know that they have NO CLUE what is about to transpire in their dog’s routine and life.
When somebody compares how their dog acts around kids, that is significantly different then how your dog will behave when there is a crying, smelly, noisy, crawling, all attention-getting little baby that is never leaving! We are barely ready for that as parents let alone the dogs!
We need to use caution when using the term “kid friendly” too loosely. A dog that has been raised around babies and kids is very different than a dog that has been exposed to them for short amounts of time.