By Heidi Ganahl, Camp Bow Wow

Pets can be great companions for any Savvy Auntie. However pets can also be the cause of some anxieties, particularly if young nieces and nephews come to visit. Have you recently welcomed a new pet into your life or simply haven’t gotten around to introducing your pet to young nieces or nephews? Here are some tips to help you introduce them to your pet without conflict.
 
1. Get started right away – Start working on helping your dog get prepared for the new little one’s arrival as soon as possible. The more time spent devoted to helping your dog get ready for the arrival of your nieces and nephews will help your dog by not overwhelming them with too many changes at once.
 
2. Take a training class – If your dog has not been to training in a while, it is important to take a refresher course. There are many commands that will be extremely helpful for you to use when your little ones arrive. You want to ensure that your dog is able to understand your requests and respond in a timely manner once they arrive, so a refresher course will help both you and your dog.
 
3. Put baby items around the house – Start bringing in items that will be around the house when your little ones arrive. Put a bouncy chair on the floor, bring in a high chair and other items. This will allow your pup to get used to seeing them. It is also a good idea to get a CD of a crying baby and baby noises and have your dog get used to hearing those.
 
4. Quality time – Spend a minimum of 10 minutes a day doing something with your dog that they enjoy. Play fetch in the back yard, go for a ride in the car, or simply spend time petting them. Older nieces and nephews can help out with this one.
 
5. Buy a baby doll – You will want to practice having your dog respond to commands and displaying good manners when you are holding your baby niece or nephew, so there is no better way to practice than to carry a baby doll. Sit on your couch and hold and talk to the baby doll and make sure your dog sits on the floor and doesn’t try to jump up. Put the baby doll in the bouncy chair and get your dog to lay down next to it. Getting your dog practicing manners right away is a must.

Heidi Ganahl is the CEO and Founder of Camp Bow Wow, North America’s largest and fastest growing pet care franchise and INC 5000

Photo: deltamike via Flickr cc
Published: March 26, 2014