How I Prepared My High-Energy Dog for Baby's Arrival

Are you an expectant pet owner feeling both excited and nervous about how your dog will react to your newborn? TL;DR at the bottom. If you’re worried about balancing life with both a baby and a beloved high-energy dog, you’re not alone. Many pet owners face uncertainty when bringing home a new baby, wondering how their furry friend will adapt to the big change.

I’ve been there. I worried, would my dog act out? As a first-time mom and the owner of a sensitive (and sometimes needy), energetic dog, I wanted to make sure our transition was as smooth as possible—for both my baby and my pup.

Discussions about pet-owner relationships after having a baby became especially heated after The Cut published an article about a mother who struggled to bond with her cat postpartum. Reading the reactions to that article made me even more grateful for the steps I had taken to prepare Murphy—and reinforced how important preparation can be for a smooth transition. In this post, I’ll share my experience of introducing my dog, Murphy, to our newborn and the steps I took to set us up for success. Every dog and family is different, but I hope my story provides helpful insights for those preparing to navigate this exciting (and sometimes nerve-wracking) journey

I would like to introduce you to my dog, Murphy. She is about 5 years old and is part Border Collie and part Australian Cattle Dog. Yes, she is athletic and could fetch all day long. She is highly motivated by food and is very attuned to me. I'd consider Murphy a velcro dog, always by my side. She loves people, and they usually point out how sweet and sensitive she is. She does not make friends with every dog she meets, so meeting new dogs can be hit or miss. Preparing Murphy and my home to welcome my baby was important to me. Our lives were about to change, and I believed a proactive approach was the best choice. This proactive approach is outlined here.

Let me preface with a handful of points:

1. Although I was proactive during pregnancy to prepare Murphy for this life change, it is possible our success story is simply credited to Murphy and how she is. Perhaps she would have acclimated just fine regardless of my proactive approach. Every dog and family is different.

2. There are rules and boundaries I had in place with my dog BEFORE ever getting pregnant that I believe were critical to our successful transition.

3. I had a Plan B ready in case Murphy let me know this new baby thing simply wasn't going to work for her. My father was prepared to take her in, either temporarily or permanently.

4. This post may not be helpful for cat owners. I'm a dog owner. I am not a dog whisperer; I am my dog's whisperer.

   
   

It is best I lay out the couple of rules I believe are critical for all dog owners, especially if you plan to bring home a new baby. These have been implemented in my home with every dog I've had before Murphy, and I will continue with every dog after Murphy.

Two rules I've had since day one of bringing Murphy home:

No dogs on the couch or bed.

That’s right—I don’t let Murphy sleep in my bed or cuddle on the couch. Well, most of the time! We do break the rule occasionally, but that’s the point: it’s on our terms, not hers. This rule is critical. She has learned the boundaries of the home and is respectful of them. This was not easy to implement when she was young; however, these boundaries are crucial and must be enforced consistently. This helps reinforce boundaries, making it easier to establish baby-safe zones later on.

Implement dog zones.

Here we have the reverse of the first rule. There are two zones that I simply do not mess with and I make clear that they are her areas. One is her dog bed—that is her safe space. The second is where her food and water bowl sit. If she is sleeping or eating, I don’t bother her. In fact, I protect her and those spaces. As my daughter becomes more mobile, I plan to implement baby gates, doors, and monitors to safeguard these spaces. No matter what goes on in our household, Murphy knows she will have her bed and food, whether that is pre- or post-baby’s arrival. I believe this is important for the dog's security within the household. She knows she has a place in the home and does not need to feel insecure (or in competition) that someone might take her bed or her food.

Now, here are the proactive steps I took to ensure Murphy welcomed our baby smoothly.

1. I spoke to Murphy as if she were a toddler.

As soon as I knew I was pregnant, I would talk to Murphy about the baby coming. These talks mostly happened in the calm moments of the evenings before going to bed. I’d get on the floor with her for some snuggles or belly rubs and tell her our family was growing. I let her know she could expect crying and sleep disturbances, that we were going to be busy with a baby, and that I promised she would still get to play fetch frequently. I assured her that the baby would grow big and be able to play fetch with her too. My talks with her increased as my due date got closer—almost daily by that point, especially while putting the nursery together. Maybe she understood me—maybe she didn’t. I’ll admit it felt silly at first, but it became natural later on. She’s a clever dog, quite attuned, and was sensitive to my pregnancy, especially in the third trimester.

2. I set fail-proof elements to her routine throughout pregnancy that I ensured would carry on without a hitch postpartum.

Murphy’s world revolves around two things: food and fetch. To keep her routine stable, I committed to feeding her at the same time every day. I even bought a $30 automatic feeder as a backup—though we didn’t rely on it often, it gave me peace of mind knowing her schedule wouldn’t be disrupted. Throughout pregnancy, at the same time every day after work, we would play fetch with her. We weren’t perfect; however, we put forth our best effort, gaining her trust in the routine. This meant sacrificing our beautiful green grass to her claws. It also meant saying goodbye to clean floors by the back door and just letting the muddy dog towels pile up. When family members visited and asked how they could help, I asked them to assist in continuing Murphy’s food and fetch schedule.

Additional note: I prepared activities for bad weather days, such as puzzle toys, frozen Kong balls, search-and-find games, learning new commands, and hide-and-seek.

3. We introduced Murphy to the baby in a controlled manner and after she had exercise.

A good dog is a tired dog (especially a high-energy one). I put a leash on Murphy before we brought the sleeping baby into the home in her car seat. We stayed calm yet joyful, eager for them to meet. We set the car seat on the kitchen table and let Murphy sniff the room without letting her jump or reach up, limited by the leash. I gave her a couple of treats and spoke to her in a calm, happy tone using many of the same words I had throughout pregnancy. She was excited, feeding off our energy. Once she relaxed and her body language showed she was happy and curious, we let her get closer to smell and see the baby. Murphy quickly adjusted to the crying, and by the end of the first day, she had relaxed. That evening, my husband and I introduced our newborn to this whole new world while Murphy settled into her fabricated normalcy, watching me with sympathy as I clumsily tried to nurse my baby.

Six months in, and I’m grateful for the preparation we did—Murphy has adjusted beautifully and thrives in her routine. She’s respects our baby zones and we don't our baby near her dog bed. She is calm around the baby and continues to be my sidekick in this new motherhood adventure.

Of course, there are challenges. Murphy loves to lick the baby over-zealously, so I keep a close eye on them. Our daughter is getting ready to crawl and we are anticipating adjustments to our environment to keep them happy and safe. I admit after long nights it is difficult to get up and feed Murphy breakfast, although not perfectly, I push onward knowing her trust in the routine and her place in the home is foundational to our peaceful dynamic.

Now, as our baby becomes more aware, she gets the biggest smile on her face and giggles at the sight of Murphy. And Murphy reminds us throughout this snowy winter the importance of getting outside for sunshine, fresh air, and a little exercise. I look forward to watching Murphy teach our daughter how to play fetch, and I look forward to the memories we'll make. The effort was worth it, and I can't wait to see their bond grow.

TL;DR: Preparing your high-energy dog for a new baby can feel overwhelming, but with proactive steps, it’s possible to create a smooth transition. I introduced my dog, Murphy, to our newborn by setting clear boundaries, maintaining her routine, and gradually familiarizing her with the baby. Establishing dog-safe zones, reinforcing structure, and ensuring positive first interactions helped Murphy adjust beautifully. Six months later, she’s thriving in her routine, and our baby already adores her.