Can dogs tell babies are babies?
If you’re a dog owner who is expecting a baby, you may be wondering how your canine companion will react to the new arrival.
There are a number of ways that you can prepare your dog for the new addition to your family home, promoting the chances of a smooth introduction.
You’re probably curious to whether your dog will be able to tell your baby apart from older children and adults.
We asked five experts, ranging from professional dog trainers to veterinarians, whether dogs are able to tell that babies are babies.
Can dogs sense newborn babies?Dogs Can Sense, Smell And See Toddlers There is no scientific justification for this, but researchers say it is because they can smell the distinction between adults and infants. Dogs always wag their tails when they see a newborn or a stroller, regardless of the cause.
Dogs Are Aware Of Their Size
Jen Jones, Founder Of Your Dog Advisor
Many of us who have been around dogs and babies have noticed that dogs seem to treat babies differently than adults and older children.
They are often more gentle, curious, and protective of infants. While dogs likely don’t know a baby is a baby they are aware that babies are small, fragile, vulnerable and helpless.
In fact, many dogs will be found mothering babies in the same way dogs would mother puppies.
This does lead to a theory that, while we can’t say for sure what dogs know, we can say they know something is special about a human baby in our home.
Maureen Murithi DVM, Registered Veterinarian And Team Vet Of SpiritDog Training
There is no scientific evidence to show if dogs can tell apart a baby from an adult but anecdotal evidence exists.
It’s common to see dogs being more gentle, protective, show more interest, or bark/whine when you take the baby away.
Reasons for such behavior according to experts is that dogs can tell there is a size difference between adults and babies as well the scent from babies being different from that of adults.
Some of the senses exhibited by dogs include:
• Tail wagging • Barking/whining • Raised ears when they hear a baby coo • Whimpering • Staying close to the baby • Excessive sniffing • Excited behaviour