5 Awesome Tips To Make Your Pet And Child Fall In Love With Each Other

Wondering if your dog or cat will get along with your baby? It isn’t that challenging to manage both under one roof. Neeti Jaychander tells you how to make sure they fall in love with each other.

- Neeti Jaychander

If you’ve already got a pooch or canine, and there’s a baby on the way, it can spell disaster for the pet’s ego once the new arrival takes away some of the attention. Similarly, a toddler or young child can feel threatened if a new pet arrives and parents engage with it. Also, the needs of a pet and a child are very different, and it’s up to your parents to identify them and not compromise on either, so as to nurture a successful, loving and healthy relationship. Here are some tips to get started.

SET THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT

Prepare child-safe areas that will be inaccessible to the pet and vice-versa. Your pet will take a while to get accustomed to the sounds, sights and smells of a new family member. It may look at the baby as a new plaything—so beware! Also, once the baby is older, it may yank some of the pet’s fur, or ears, mouth or tail, and that could be catastrophic. Gently train the pet not to wander into areas that are the baby’s. If your baby has started crawling, make sure the pet’s areas are out of bounds as well. And keep your pet well-groomed and clean!

EQUAL ATTENTION