Introducing the royal baby (to pets)

Melbourne veterinary alumnus Dr Lewis Kirkham has developed a special interest in animal behaviour during his career, particularly helping parents and their pets adapt to life with a new baby.

With his wife Debra, who works at the University of Melbourne’s Veterinary Hospital, Dr Kirkham developed the book and CD Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant: An essential guide for dog owners who are expecting a baby, to help parents introduce their new baby to the family pet, and assist in building a strong bond between them.

Dr Kirkham says that just as prospective mums and dads attend parenting classes, dogs also need help adapting to life with a new baby. 

“I’ve seen many new parents unravel, not just because of the changes that a newborn means for them, but in helping their dog or ‘fur’ child adjust too,” Dr Kirkham says.

“So when I heard that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were expecting a baby, I not only sent a copy of our book to them to assist with their Cocker Spaniel, Lupo, but also to the Queen to help introduce their new arrival to the Corgis. It is important for all family members to ensure their dogs will be calm around the baby.

“I was delighted to receive a return letter from Her Majesty thanking me for the book, it was very special,” Dr Kirkham says.

The birth of his two daughters first ignited Dr Kirkham’s passion for educating expectant parents about the smooth transition from a child-free, dog-owning family to that of a larger family with a new baby.

“As a vet, I am very interested in understanding the bond between owners and their pets, so this prompted us to develop a guide to assist in bonding between family dogs and a newborn baby,” Dr Kirkham says.

“To many couples, the dog is their ‘fur’ child and there are a lot of changes that will occur when a human baby arrives. Preparing the dog early for these changes can help prevent behavioural issues such as house-soiling, aggression, destruction and attention-seeking.”

The book provides a step-by-step guide to prepare a dog for a baby in the house including the latest in animal behavioural psychology to help owners introduce their baby to their pet, read and interpret a dog’s body language, and adjust the household to keep the dog calm.

Dr Kirkham has provided advice to many dog-owning couples expecting a baby, and found there was a lack of good quality recordings of baby and toy noises available to prepare pets.

“When our first daughter was born we recorded some of her sounds and then expanded and remastered these sounds to create a CD, which accompanies the book, to familiarise dogs with a range of baby sounds, including squeaky toys, crying, sneezing, giggling and bath splashing,” Debra Kirkham says.

The book also includes information on recognising a dog’s warning signs if it is not adapting to the new family structure and to know when to seek professional assistance for behavioural problems.

www.babyandpet.com.au

www.vet.unimelb.edu.au