How to Introduce a Great Dane to a Baby

The friendly great Dane is a popular choice for families longing for a dog, though this energetic breed can present challenges when it comes to introducing a baby. Whether the bundle of joy is yours or a visitor's, you have several methods at your disposal to ensure that a first meeting is a successful one. Encouraging a positive relationship between the two early on might help them become friends for life as the baby grows older.

Instructions

    • 1

      Introduce your great Dane to your baby's scent before you bring a baby home. Your partner can bring home an outfit or blanket the baby has been in contact with for your dog to investigate. The scent can help your dog acclimate to a new arrival, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

    • 2

      Enlist the help of a few friends as you head home with a baby. Everyone else can enter the house first, greet your great Dane as usual and retrieve treats. Your great Dane should be leashed before you enter the home with the baby, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

    • 3

      Enter the house, keeping the baby in your arms. While this can be an anxious first meeting, it is important that you show enthusiasm and happiness in front of your great Dane. One of your friends can give your dog treats while you offer praise and acknowledgement for calm, positive behavior in the baby's presence.

    • 4

      Keep the initial interaction brief and in a calm, quiet place, according to the ASPCA. As you keep the baby in your arms, calmly invite your great Dane to get closer. You might be most comfortable letting the dog get near the baby's feet first, all the while offering praise and encouragement. Offering treats when you give praise can also go a long way in building positive interaction between the two.

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