Many families are concerned about how their PON may react to a new baby and this is relevant with mature PONS that have not had contact to infants earlier in life. The following advice may serve to help make the introduction easier and safer for your new infant.

Prior to arriving home from a maternity stay in the hospital, or during pregnancy, it is sometimes beneficial to begin making lifestyle changes so your PON can settle into their new role more easily. Consider purchasing an inexpensive doll that makes realistic baby like sounds. Allow your PON to get used to the sounds of an infant crying. Also, let your PON become used to the smells of baby products and most important, your PON get used to the idea that your lap may not be theirs anymore. If your PON has any behavior issues, deal with them now. Behavior problems rarely are resolved on their own.

When arriving home from the hospital, it often helps if your spouse can carry the new baby. This allows your PON the opportunity to welcome home the new mom. You strongly wish to avoid creating a negative first impression with a command to  "get off" or "go away," during this important initial meeting with the new infant.


Make the first meeting of baby and PON positive and calm. Ideally you want to create an extremely positive association from the start. You may also want to let your PON sniff a piece of your new baby's clothing. Have a leash on your PON as a safety precaution.

Families with new babies are usually busy. If you do not have the time to exercise your PON, ask a family member to help by giving the PON sufficient exercise.

Give your PON some quiet time. A crying baby wakes up you, and wakes up your PON. Make sure your PON gets sufficient sleep.

Never force contact. If your PON is hesitant, seek professional help as soon as possible. Always supervise your PON and your children.

Things PON owners should consider:

If you haven't already taught your PON basic obedience, you may want to consider doing that now. Problems often emerge as your baby begins crawling. You need to think and plan ahead.

When teaching "leave it." Consider using a word like "mine". Mine is a common toddler word, and in the future, you may be very glad that your PON believes the word, "mine" means "leave it."


Put a jar of dog treats by your door and ask the flow of company visiting your new baby to take a moment to say, "hello" to your PON. This makes it easy for your PON to feel special.

Keep both your baby and your PON safe. Children's toys may not be safe for your PON and dog toys may not be safe for your child. You will need to pay attention to both.

Have a pleasant time. PONS and children can get along well, with supervision and a little work. If in doubt, get a certified professional in to help you progress in the right direction.