Your dog, your furry companion, your baby. Until you realize that you are expecting a human baby, that is. And suddenly, the hordes of well-meaning friends and neighbors, sometimes family members descend upon you with a ton of good advice, and then this little gem: "Why don't you get rid of the dog? He's so spoiled, you know he'll be jealous and try to bite the baby."
Whoa! Back the gravy train up here, expectant parents. Before you start calling your local animal control, and making arrangements for Brutus the dog to find a new residence, why not start now and get poor Brutus used to the fact that he's going to have a "sort of" sibling crawling around soon? It can be done, and fairly easily, and there's no need to remove from your life an animal that's been your best friend through thick and thin (and getting thicker).
First things first. Obedience classes are a must. Yes, I do tend to stress this a lot, but that is because it is so important. Obedience classes are as much for the owner as they are for the dog. Teaching you how to correctly handle your dog and your dog what is expected is a necessity in any relationship, and having a baby on the way makes this doubly important.
Obedience classes not only ensure that your dog is well behaved, but also build a strong foundation of socialization experience. A dog that learns to handle himself in a crowded room filled with other dogs and owners wandering about, will also handle himself well when baby starts to crawl.
Part Two: Prepare Her Ahead of Time and Avoid the Most Common Jealousies
