# Babies and Pets: Preparing Your Dog or Cat and Keeping Baby Safe

> How to prepare a dog or cat for a new baby, safe introductions, everyday pet safety and signs a dog needs space.

Stage: baby - Topic: Safety - Page: https://www.askcladle.com/guides/baby/baby-and-pets

Grounded in: AAP HealthyChildren guidance on pets and babies and on dog bite prevention, CDC guidance on healthy pets and on reptiles, amphibians and backyard poultry around young children, and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) dog bite prevention guidance. Summarized in Cradle's own words; none of these sources endorse Cradle. General information, not medical or veterinary advice.

Reviewed: 2026-11

## TLDR

- Never leave a baby or young child alone with any pet, even a gentle one, even for a minute.
- Before the baby: vet visit and basic training. Introduce calmly on a leash, and keep pets out of the baby's sleep space.
- Lip licking, stiffening or growling mean give space; never punish a growl. Any bite that breaks the skin needs a same-day visit.

## The one firm rule

- **Never leave a baby or young child alone with any pet,** even a gentle, familiar one, even for a
  minute. Most dog bites to young children come from a dog they know, often at home, and are to the
  face and head.

## Before the baby arrives

- **During pregnancy,** have someone else change the cat litter if you can, or wear gloves and wash
  hands well, to lower the risk of toxoplasmosis. Daily scooping helps.
- **Vet visit:** vaccines, parasite control and any health or pain issues addressed. A pet in pain
  is more likely to snap.
- **Training:** practice sit, stay, down, leave it and go to your bed. Consider a trainer if your
  dog jumps, guards food or toys, or is nervous.
- **Change routines early.** If walks, feeding times or where the pet sleeps will change, start
  weeks ahead, so the pet doesn't link the changes to the baby.
- **Set up boundaries:** baby gates, a pet-free nursery, and a quiet retreat for the pet.
- **Sounds and smells:** play recordings of baby cries at low volume; let the pet sniff baby lotion
  and, once the baby is born, a blanket they've used.

## Introductions

- Greet the pet first, without the baby, after time away.
- Let the pet sniff the baby briefly while calm and on a leash, with one adult holding the baby and
  one handling the pet. Praise and reward calm behavior.

## Everyday safety

- **Sleep:** pets out of the baby's sleep space; keep the nursery door closed or gated. A crib
  should hold only the baby (see the safe sleep guide).
- **Food and water bowls** out of a crawler's reach: kibble is a choking risk and water bowls are a
  drowning risk.
- **Litter boxes and pet waste** out of reach. Wash hands after handling pets, and keep the baby's
  hands and toys away from pet food.
- **Flea and tick products:** follow the label, and keep the baby off treated pets for the time the
  label says.
- **Reptiles, amphibians and backyard poultry** often carry salmonella. The CDC advises children
  under 5 not to touch them or anything in their habitat.

## Reading a stressed dog

Lip licking, yawning, turning away, showing the whites of the eyes, a tucked tail, stiffening or
growling all mean "give me space." Move the baby away calmly. Never punish a growl; it's a
warning that helps prevent a bite.

## Teaching gentle touch

- As babies grow, guide their hand to stroke the pet's back gently with an open palm. No grabbing
  ears, tails or fur, no hugging, and no approaching a sleeping or eating pet.

## Allergies

- Growing up with a dog or cat may lower the chance of some allergies; evidence is mixed. Rehoming a
  pet before the baby comes isn't usually needed for allergy prevention.

## When to check in

- Mention it at a checkup if your baby has frequent rashes, wheezing or stuffy breathing that seem
  to link with pet contact.
- Any animal bite or scratch that breaks a baby's skin should be seen by the pediatrician the same
  day. If a bite causes severe bleeding or serious injury, call 911.