1. In today’s society, many couples choose to delay child-raising and instead turn to pets as surrogate children. Recent surveys consistently show that owners use children’s names for their pets rather than historic “pet” names.

2. These pets become integral parts of the household, joining their owners in many daily routines and being treated similarly to how parents treat their children.

3. When the couple decides to welcome a child into the home, this can cause a change of routine. Any change can be upsetting to any member of the family, including the pet, who are very ROUTINE oriented.

4. Such changes can cause many different reactions, such as destructive behavior, loss of appetite, or house-soiling.

5. Include your pet in the planning and rearrangement that comes with a new addition to the household. Allow them to explore the new room or furniture you might set up in the nursery.

6. Excluding the pet from preparation activity can be very harmful and cause undesirable behaviors and unusual habits. Serious or lingering behavior problems should always be discussed with your veterinarian.

7. Continue the pet’s normal routine but try to expose the pet(s) to an infant or child so that they can get used to the sounds, smells or activities of a child.

8. Have a friend stop by or, if possible, go visit a friend’s home that recently added a baby to their family. This is a good way to socialize and introduce your pet to an infant in a controlled manner.

9. If you have the time allowed by a pregnancy or waiting period for your child, it would be good to slowly limit or decrease the time that you spend with your pet. If you generally spend long periods with the pet, they will need to adjust to less time with you.

10. When the new baby arrives at home, try to keep a routine and make sure that the pet(s) get attention sometime during the day. If the pet has never been around children, always supervise interaction with the new arrival

11. Do not be swayed by “old wives tales” about “cats stealing the breath from babies” or dogs attacking children. Studies have shown that children raised to pets are less likely to be allergic, learn compassion, care and responsibility plus tend to be healthier than those who grow up with out pets.

12. Younger pets do appear to adjust better than older pets, but that may be a factor of the older pet taking longer to adjust to the new schedule.

13. Occasionally, pets will exhibit undesirable behaviors that cannot be controlled and may need to be placed in a different home. While this is rarely necessary, be sure to note that the pet needs to be in a home with NO children or older children.

14. Prior to the child’s arrival, stop by your veterinarian’s office and make sure your pet is up to date on all vaccinations and is parasite free. This will protect not only the baby, but any visitor who might be stopping by.

15. Remember, in many instances, pets were your babies first, so they don’t really understand what is happening sometimes. Make sure to allow special time with them and as your child grows, teach them to respect and treat your pets properly.

16. Pets and newly arrived children can change everyone’s life, but with a little planning, the transition can be smooth and a happy family unit can be the result!

17. Go to www.MyVNN.com for an entire library of on-line pet care videos.