13. Have another person hold the infant when you first arrive. This allows you to calmly greet your dog and give her treats - stash some in your purse before leaving for the hospital. Then calmly introduce the baby, rewarding proper behavior. Keep the meeting brief and positive, experts say. A quick sniff of the feet will suffice as a first hello.
14. Think of ways you can spend quality time with your dog after the baby arrives. Morning runs and hours spent hiking may be on hiatus for now, but your dog only cares about the what, not the where.
People underestimate mental stimulation, Shryock says. She advocates teaching new tricks, like Roll over and Retrieve-a-new-diaper, or playing Fetch and Hide-and-seek. Some of these you can do while sitting on the couch with your baby, or while cooking dinner.
She wants to be with you in a positive way and a challenging way, Shryock says. [Time together] is going to be different, but it doesn't have to be gone.
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