My partner and I have just had a baby girl, and we only got back from the hospital today. Before we arrived home, we’d given some of the baby’s first clothes to our dog to get him used to her scent. He’s even got her babygrow in his bed. We introduced the little one as soon as we got back. He sniffed her and was absolutely hyper, tail wagging like crazy. When she started crying, my dog started whining too. And as soon as he gets near her, he goes wild. He even whimpers when she’s in our arms. I’m really worried for my little girl and scared he might bite her. If anyone has been through something similar, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Translated from French
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Following on, that evening the dog sat next to us while we were holding the baby. And when she cried, he didn't make a sound. I don't think it was bothering him anymore. We tried introducing her to him again, but he kept turning away – maybe he’s worried about hurting her? He’s been around another baby before, though it wasn't our own. He didn't go right up to him, but he lay down nearby; mind you, when the dad arrived, he started barking to try and protect the baby! As for the tail wagging, it’s right up in the air and his whole back end is wiggling too... Respect works both ways.
A baby should be surrounded by a ‘magic circle’ of protection that no dog is allowed to enter. Dogs understand boundaries amongst themselves, so there’s no reason why you can’t make them understand the same rules for the baby.
It’s just something new for him; he’s probably wondering what it is. You just need to be careful that he doesn’t jump up at you when you’ve got the little one in your arms and that he respects her personal space. Conversely, once the little one is older, you’ll need to teach her to respect the dog. Dogs are very predictable; you just need to know how to read their behaviour. By the way, if you’re not too sure how to go about it, or if you’re worried your dog is a bit too hyper, you could always consult a behaviourist ;)
You are completely right to be concerned, and that is why you must never, under any circumstances, leave a baby unsupervised with a dog, regardless of the breed.
The fact that your dog is wagging its tail is actually just a sign of arousal; it can mean a happy dog just as easily as a dog that is about to bite.
Only the position of the tail will clarify its intentions—whether it’s horizontal, vertical, relaxed, more to the right, or to the left, or if its whole back end is wiggling at the same time; each of these positions has a specific meaning. If he met infants during his socialisation period before he was three months old and had a positive experience, you shouldn’t have any issues. However, in any case, you must simply never leave him alone and show him that your daughter is a source of joy and positive things for him.
I don't think he's trying to bite her; from what you’ve said, his behaviour sounds more like pure excitement. You still need to be careful though, as he could easily knock you over when you're with the little one. He must find her very funny and intriguing... you'll need to teach him to be calm in her presence as soon as possible, as Huskies can be quite boisterous in the way they move.
