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Bringing baby Nina home was a moment we’d been eagerly waiting for, but we knew it would be an adjustment for everyone, especially our cocker spaniel, Alba.

Here’s how we navigated those first beautiful (and hard!!) days together:

As we settled in, we made sure to maintain Alba’s routine as much as possible. Consistency is key for dogs, and we wanted Alba to feel secure amidst so much change. So she continued to sleep in our bed as she used to before, and we maintained her same type of walks and home dynamic.

We created safe spaces for both Alba and Nina. Alba had her cozy bed and favorite toys, while Nina had her bassinet and play area. This helped each of them have their own retreat when they needed it, but we did let Alba get near Nina’s space and have her regular sniffs at the baby and see that nothing really happened and that baby Nina was harmless.

Supervision was paramount. Although we trust Alba completely, the first days we never left Alba and Nina alone together unsupervised, ensuring everyone’s safety and comfort. We wanted to make sure Alba felt completely at ease before doing this. ☺️

We continued to involve Alba in our daily activities, including caring for Nina. Whether it was diaper changes or feeding time, Alba was right there by our side, offering her silent support.🥰

Positive reinforcement was our go-to strategy. Whenever Alba interacted gently and calmly with Nina, she received plenty of praise and treats. This helped reinforce good behavior and strengthen their bond. We never scolded her for getting “too close” to Nina or any behaviour that we preferred differently because we didn’t want her to associate being close to Nina with being scolded. Only with positive things. 🤗

We know it’s hard, especially those first few weeks, but it’s very important to make sure both parents have a little moment with the dog each day. In our case, both Mom and Dad took at least 5 minutes of “alone time” with Alba. Sometimes Dad would remind Mom that it was almost evening and she still hadn’t had that moment😓, so Mom would make sure they had it before the end of the day. We want our pups to feel that they are still loved in the the same way. That their place in our family will never be taken over by anyone else. ♥️

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