My friends appear to be at that age. They are married, have good jobs and a nice place to live. And even with adoring spouses, loving dogs and disposable income they feel incomplete. So they are starting to explore the realm of parenthood. As these excited couples prepare a nursery, read all of the parenting books and debate hospital births or home delivery, they are overlooking the most important aspect of preparing for the baby. These families have completely ignored the troublesome transition with the dog.

Dogs are intelligent. They know changes are happening. Your dog can smell the pregnancy before you even know you are expecting. They only thing they don't understand is why this suddenly changes their status from "beloved fur-baby" to "dirty, dangerous dog'.

This dog has been a good friend to you, and deserves the easiest transition to a new member of the household. So if you are expecting, I suggest you consider these tips before your baby comes.

• Training - all dogs, regardless of age, size and breed can benefit from training. If your dog has never completed a basic obedience program, enroll them. Your dog should always be able to sit, lie down, stay and leave it on command. Practice basic obedience daily.
• Veterinary Check - before the baby arrives, it is important that you make sure your dog is in good health. Get them up to date on vaccinations, and make sure your dog is not suffering any pain or discomfort like arthritis.
• Give your dog his own space - if your dog is crate trained, you are already ahead of the game. If your dog sleeps on your bed, give him a high quality dog bed and encourage him to sleep there. Dogs need a safe place of their own to retreat to if they feel fearful or threatened. By providing this before your baby arrives, you will be giving him a great hiding place the baby become a mobile threat.
• Involve your dog in the baby preparations - if you are preparing a nursery let your dog sniff the furniture, clothes, toys and blankets. Let your dog take the time to become familiar with the smells and shapes of the babies things.
• Toys and Chews - if your dog is a chewer make sure he has his own toys and chews that do not resemble the babies. If you catch your dog with a baby item, tell him to leave it and give him an appropriate dog toy.
• Behavior - If you dog has behavioral problems, you might want to consult a certified animal behaviorist.  You need to make sure they are well socialized, and don't show aggression to small children.
• Introduce them to crying and baby sounds - purchase a cd of baby sounds and play it. Start with the cd on low volume and gradually increase the volume. This should start months before the baby arrives. Ideally the dog will learn to ignore the baby crying before the baby arrives, making them less likely to react out of irritation when the real thing does it.
• Introduce the dog to a new routine - Once a baby enters the home, your schedule is never the same. A week or two before the baby is due, introduce nighttime disturbances. Have the baby sounds cd in an alarm clock and have it set to go off at 2am. This will help your dog be comfortable with the idea that the baby will likely cry for late night feedings and diaper changes.
• Arrange for someone to watch the dog - As you get closer to delivery time, you will need to have someone on stand-by to watch the dog. To make this less stressful on the dog, you should consider having a friend or family member that the dog knows well, stay at your home. This will keep the dog at ease before the baby comes home. Also, have the person watching your dog exercise him shortly before you arrive home with the baby. A tired well exercised dog will have less energy for meeting the baby.
• While at the hospital - bring an extra blanket. Wrap the baby in the blanket. Before you bring the baby home, have someone take the blanket to the dog. Let the dog sniff the blanket and become familiar with the baby's scent.
• When arrive home with the baby - have someone take the dog outside. The mother should take the baby to the nursery and place it in the crib. Have the mother go out and see the dog. Be prepared for excitement and extra sniffing. Once your dog has calmed down, walk the dog into the baby's room and let the dog sniff the crib. Make sure that the baby is secure and out of the reach of the dog. After a few minutes lead the dog out of the room.
• After the baby's arrival - make sure to take time with the dog. The dog still needs your love and attention. Walk and play with the dog while the baby is sleeping. If you don't give the dog enough exercise and attention, they could become jealous of the baby. After the dog has been exercised, allow it to be in the room with the baby while you are holding or feeding the baby.
• Eventually your dog will accept the new addition. However you should never leave a baby or small child alone unsupervised with a dog.

Congratulations on your new addition. If you take the time to introduce your dog to the baby, hopefully you will have a smooth transition.