Rescue volunteer and new mom, Kara Venus, has created a delightful, vividly illustrated picture book, Harper and her Dogs: A tale about introducing your fur-babies to your new baby, that tackles this vexing problem. A family of four – two parents and two dogs – is about to welcome a new addition. But the parents worry their four-legged loves won’t be too thrilled to live with a new baby – a girl named Harper.
The unique, realistic book gives soon-to-be parents important suggestions about how to prepare their dogs for this life-changing event. For example, it’s important to introduce fur-babies to the new baby’s sounds and equipment. That way, the dog can become familiar with some of the changes long before the baby arrives.
In Harper’s story, the dogs adjust beautifully, protecting, playing, and cleaning up after Harper. The dogs and Harper eventually become best friends.
Kara shares her tips for introducing pets to a new baby including:
- Freshen up on dog training- If the dog has never been to obedience school, it’s time to get an education. They need to learn to listen to commands, starting with simple ones like sit and stay.
- Prepare your pet for new sights and sounds- Turn on the infant swing, put up baby gates around the house and go for walks with the stroller. Play baby sounds like crying and cooing.
- Set boundaries- Let your dog become familiar with the new things, but also teach them boundaries. The bassinet and crib are off limits.
- Set in place new routines before baby comes- If your pets have certain routines that you would like to shift, do so before baby arrives.
About:
Kara Venus lives in New England with her daughter, husband and two dogs. Her love for dogs and volunteering with local rescues inspired this story! She works as a marketing professional by day and enjoys skiing, gardening, and traveling. She hopes this story encourages readers to feel confident about welcoming a new family member, two-legged or four-legged!
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