Bouncy, cuddly, smiley and mischievous, many of us see our dogs as our babies long before a human version ever enters the picture.
There for us on good and bad days, we feed them and walk them, structuring our lifestyle to meet their needs, cementing their position as the centre of the family.
Despite this, a large number of owners surrender their furry friends to pounds and shelters when faced with the arrival of their biological offspring, worrying that they can't accommodate both.
However, some careful preparation and constant supervision can ensure that the two can grow together and develop their own special friendship.
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Prepare
Experts stress that preparing your dog and your home for the arrival of the newborn is the best way to get ahead and develop a positive relationship.
"Preparation is the key when a new baby is coming into the home but unfortunately a lot of dogs are rehomed because people aren’t preparing", Fiona Gregan, Education officer with Dogs Trust, explained.
"It’s a huge change for the dog and we obviously want the baby to be safe and the dog to be safe", she said.
Fiona recommends familiarising your dog with baby sounds like crying and the materials needed for the baby so that when the real thing arrives it's not as strange and scary.
Before the baby comes home, offer the dog some of its clothes to sniff so they are familiar with the scent.
"Especially if it's your first baby, there are going to be new things in the house like buggies and car seats and lots of different things that the dog wasn’t used to", she said.
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"Let the dog see these things and get used to them."
Fiona also recommended that any out of bounds zones are set before the baby comes home so that your pet doesn't associate restricted access with the new arrival.
"Put up the baby gates", she advised. "If the dog is not allowed in the bedroom anymore put the baby gate up."
Support
Owning a dog can be quite the commitment and being a new parent can be stressful, so be sure to accept any and all offers of help that come your way.
While many parents may be walking their dog more in the weeks leading up to the birth because they have time off work it's important to avoid doing this and then dropping the level after the child is born.
"It is natural that you will be spending less time with your dog when the baby comes home", Fiona explained.
‘Have extra pairs of hands so that the dog is going to be getting some attention from some other people not yourself but that it doesn’t feel that neglection’, she added.
An exciting group walk featuring the baby after it comes home is also a positive way to get the dog to associate fun with the new addition.
It's also important that the dog understands basic commands like drop so that when the babies toys and the dogs toys are in close proximity one doesn’t get mistaken for the other.
Dogs Trust advise going over some basic training in the months leading up to the arrival of the baby to ensure that behaviours like jumping and guarding are under control.
Supervise
No matter how much you trust your dog every expert stresses that you should never leave your dog unsupervised with children at any age.
"Supervision is so important", Fiona said. "Make sure the baby is always supervised and as a toddler as well".
"People always think 'my dog would never do that', but you can never know. They can't talk and tell us".
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While supervising the pair it's also important that they see each other as a source of fun and good things.
"Always praise and reward the dog for good behaviour around the baby to reinforce that positive association", Fiona advised.
"If they are doing something you don’t like, then obviously deal with that but not in a really strong way because they can create a negative association very quickly."
Dogs Trust have a list of warning signs that a dog is getting stressed out on their website, which parents can familiarise themselves with and step in before there are any problems.
While it's natural to be nervous about a new arrival, having a happy, playful pet like a dog is a great experience for children growing up. These small efforts now are a very small price to pay for a lifetime of happy memories for your child and your loyal best friend.
