Eliminate Jealousy in Your Pets

Pets have a tendency to become jealous when you bring home a new pet or newcomer to the house. And although it’s not the same type of jealousy humans feel you can still notice a sense of competition for your time and affection. Pets will show their jealousy by acting in different ways. They may be overly aggressive, sad, become destructive by tearing up or chewing on things they know they shouldn’t, and some even hide or take off for greener pastures. Dogs have a hierarchy ranking and if you don’t abide by it this can cause jealousy in your older dog. Cats don’t have a hierarchy mode but they can become jealous as well. So, what do you do when your beloved pet starts having jealous tendencies? Learn how to eliminate the jealousy in your pets.

To help eliminate your pet’s jealousy be sure you spend quality time with each pet, don’t dote over the new pet and ignore your pet that has been there the longest. How would you feel if someone started paying more attention to someone else and completely ignoring you? It’s not a good feeling. When you do spend quality time be sure you spend it with both pets at the same time. Let them play together, eat together, walk and sleep together. For dogs, you will need to abide by their hierarchy standards. Your older dog will expect to be fed first, pet first, and groomed first. In other words, they expect you to give them attention first, that’s just how it is in the dog world since dogs are pack animals.

Make sure you stick with the same routine, don’t change things around on pets. Pets love a routine. If you walk, play, or feed your first pet at a certain time they will expect this routine, changing it because of a new pet will cause your pet to become jealous. To eliminate jealousy in your pet because of a new person try to spend an equal amount of time with your pet and the new person. However, many times your pet is not jealous of the new person just not use to them.

Whether it’s a newborn or a friend, it may not be jealousy at all they are not use to the person and may be hesitant in getting acquainted with the new person. For babies, pets need to get use to the different things that happen when a new baby is brought home – the crying, the smells of strollers, baby seats, etc. Make sure you purchase all your baby items ahead of time and let your pet sniff around those helping them get use to the new smells. Perhaps you can purchase a baby-crying device or make a tape of a baby crying so your pet will get use to the sound of crying. You can bring home some clothes your baby has worn in the hospital to help prepare your pet with the baby’s smell.

If your pet has slept with you in your bedroom and you plan on moving him out once the baby arrives, make sure you move them out ahead of time. In fact, move him out once you find out you are expecting a new baby or shortly after. Be sure to spend as much time as possible with your new baby and the pet together, so your pet won’t feel as if he is being ignored. However, don’t let your pet lick, nip, or get close to an infant, especially a newborn. Newborns’ and infants’ immune systems are still developing and you should not think that your pet wouldn’t try to bite or nip at your newborn just because it’s your pet. Never leave your pet alone with your newborn, either.

Plus, a pet may scare your infant so gradually let them get to know each other.
Once your child is older, around the toddler age, let the child give your pet treats. However, make sure you show your small child how to pet or rub a pet. Many small children give pets a bear hug or smother the pet, kick the pet, stomp their feet or do other annoying things to pets that pets don’t understand and can interpret this behavior as aggressive or unusual, which may cause your pet to become defensive.