If you’re pregnant and have a velcro dog who follows you everywhere, panics when you leave the room, or constantly needs to be touching you, you’re not alone. Many dogs form deep attachments to their pregnant owner, but this can become a challenge once the baby arrives. After all, you’ll need to sleep, feed, and care for your newborn without a dog glued to your side.
In today’s episode, we’ll talk about why some dogs become hyper-attached during pregnancy, the potential risks this can create once the baby arrives, and—most importantly—how you can start preparing your velcro dog now so that they feel safe, secure, and comfortable being separated from you when needed. Whether your dog struggles with anxiety, follows you from room to room, or whines when you close a door, I’ll walk you through practical steps to help them adjust before baby arrives.
Listen here
The Top 3 Immediate Steps to Prepare Your Dog
I. Why Dogs Become Hyper-Attached During Pregnancy
- Changes in scent, hormones, and mama’s body shape
- Increased resting periods or physical changes that invite closeness
- Emotional changes in the pregnant parent and how dogs pick up on them
- Pregnancy shifts household routines
- Does your dog actually have Separation Anxiety, a panic disorder?
II. Why This Becomes a Problem Once Baby Arrives
- If your dog has Separation Anxiety, a true panic disorder, training sessions (aka. “missions”) are difficult with a newborn, baby or toddler
- Safety concerns: preventing tripping hazards and interference during feedings
- Sleep safety risks for the baby if the dog can’t be separated
- Increased stress for the parents and possibly the dog
III. Early Steps to Encourage Healthy Independence
- Teaching the dog to settle away from the parent
- Introducing positive alone time gradually with short, structured separations
- Reinforcing calm behavior when the dog is not attached to the parent – using a remote treat dispenser, such as the Treat and Train
IV. Practical Training Exercises
- Creating positive associations with a crate, playpen, or separate space, using remote treat dispensers, chews, frozen food toys such as the Toppl
- Using baby gates or barriers in a stress-free way
- Training a reliable cue for independent relaxation
- Building confidence through enrichment and independent activities
- Work with a CSAT (Certified Separation Anxiety Specialist) if your dog has separation anxiety
V. Preparing for Real-Life Transitions
- Practicing bedtime routines where the dog sleeps separately
- Practice parents leaving the dog to respond to baby sounds in another room
- Brief separations while a parent makes meals, showers, or does laundry, for example
- Planning for postpartum changes (who will take the dog out, how to maintain routine)
VI. Final Tips & Encouragement
- Change is hard, but small steps now will make life easier later
- Your dog can still feel loved and included while learning to be more independent
- If needed, seek professional help for separation anxiety before baby arrives
- Celebrate progress—every little step helps!
Related Product Suggestions for Parents with Velcro Dogs
- My top Safety and Management Equipment suggestions, including my favorite pens and baby gates for safe separation
- My top Meal Enrichment items to give your dogs mental stimulation at mealtimes or when separated
- My top Treats and Chews suggestions to give dogs something to do when parents can’t pay attention to them
Supportive resources for parents with dogs
If you found this podcast helpful, I offer ongoing, affordable support. Join the Club! The Pooch Parenting Society is the only membership of it’s kind – offering compassionate EXPERT and relatable advice FOR parents with dogs from a certified professional dog trainer, family dog mediator, mom and credentialed teacher. You don’t have to go through this parenting kids and dogs journey alone. I’ve got you.
P.S. If you are a dog pro, I have a special program that can help you too! You don’t have to be a parent yourself to offer support to clients who are expecting or who have kids. The Pooch Parenting Coach Collective will help you learn what you don’t know you don’t know 🙂 Plus, I even share handouts that I have created for my own clients on all topics related to raising kids and dogs together – all so you can focus more on your clients and less time at the computer.
