Three Things to Know
A survey explored the guilt dog owners experience after childbirth due to reduced time and attention for their pet dogs.
Nearly half of the participants reported conflicts between dog care and childcare responsibilities. Post-childbirth, they also observed increased problematic dog behaviors such as barking/whining (33.9%), begging (24%), and anxiety (17.8%).
Despite these challenges, owners who proactively prepared and remained attentive to their dogs’ needs reported more positive experiences. Witnessing the bond develop between their child and dog also eased their concerns.
For Dog Welfare Practitioners
Families with children more commonly consider rehoming their dogs. This research revealed a significant factor: guilt. Potential owners might feel burdened by the inability to provide the same level of attention to their dog after the arrival of a child.
A key solution involves proactive preparation for dog owners before the birth of their child. This includes allowing the dog time to adjust to the sounds of a baby crying, establishing a designated safe space for the dog, and consistently ensuring that the baby and dog are never left unsupervised. Dog owners who successfully navigated this transition often found relief by actively incorporating their dog into family life and including them in activities with the child.
Therefore, dog welfare organizations should consider developing targeted educational programs for expectant parents to facilitate a smooth preparation and transition.
The Full Picture
Pet ownership is widespread in the U.S., with most owners considering pets as family members or even children. Pets offer various health benefits, including improved physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. However, recent research highlights the complexities of pet ownership, including emotional challenges — particularly pet-related guilt, which can mirror parental guilt and negatively affect mental health.
Guilt, especially in the context of parenting, often stems from significant family changes, such as the birth of a new child. Although the emotional impact of adding a child to a family is well-studied in human siblings, no research has explored this transition when the older “child” is a dog. This study, titled “And Child Makes Four: The Impact of a New Child on Dog-Owning Families”, investigates how introducing a new baby into a dog-owning household affects owners’ dog-related guilt, perceptions of dog behavior, and owners’ mental health (depression and anxiety).
Study Methods
Researchers conducted an anonymous, online survey in March 2024. Participants were U.S.-based dog owners aged 18 or older, with at least one child aged 3 or younger, and who had owned their dog prior to their youngest child’s birth.
Survey Design
The questionnaire included several validated psychological and behavioral scales, measuring child-dog conflict (CDC), depression over the past week (CES-D) and anxiety severity (BAI). It also surveyed:
- Dog-Related Guilt: measuring guilt in relation to dog care.
- Relationship Changes: how participants’ relationships with their dogs changed after having a child.
- Compensatory Behaviors: actions taken to compensate for guilt (e.g., overspending on the dog).
- Dog Behavioral Problems: behaviors assessed for changes post-childbirth.
Two open-text items were included to explore how the birth/adoption of a child affected the dog–owner relationship and what participants would do differently to prepare for having a child.
Study Results
A total of 242 U.S. dog-owning parents with at least one child under age three were eligible for analysis. Most were under 40 years old (81.8%), White (74.0%), and non-Hispanic/Latinx (88.0%). The sample included nearly equal numbers of men and women, with a high proportion holding a four-year college degree (66.5%) and being partnered or married (91.7%). Most had one child under three (82.2%) and felt strongly bonded to their dog (75.6% rated the bond 8–10 on a 10-point scale).
Challenges
Depression, Anxiety, and Child-Dog Conflict
Parents reported both benefits and challenges in this transition. Survey results showed that:
- Depression: About 36% of survey participants scored above the threshold for risk of depression.
- Anxiety: Most respondents reported minimal anxiety (68.6%), with 6.2% experiencing high anxiety.
- Child–Dog Conflict: Nearly half (47.1%) reported that the time demands of caring for a dog conflicted with childcare duties.
The study found that higher child-dog conflict levels were linked — albeit weakly — to higher depression and anxiety levels.
Problematic Behaviors
Most common problematic dog behaviors post-childbirth were barking/whining (33.9%), begging (24%), and anxiety (17.8%). These increases in problematic dog behaviors also predicted greater psychological distress.
Dog-Related Guilt
Some parents expressed guilt and emotional fatigue, feeling overwhelmed by dual caregiving roles. The most common sources of increased guilt since having a child were:
- Not playing enough with the dog (56.2%)
- Not spending enough time with the dog (53.7%)
- Lacking energy to engage with the dog (50.8%).
About 18% frequently felt guilty. A few even regretted getting a dog before having children, citing the added burden. This guilt was especially common among younger parents.
While few owners compensated for this guilt by using services like dog walkers or daycare, nearly half (49.2%) reminded themselves their dog still had a good life.
Coping with Integrating A Child Into Home
While caring for both a child and a dog is challenging, many found ways to adapt through preparation and mindful attention to their dog’s needs. Some found that dogs provide emotional support, stress relief, and companionship during and after pregnancy. Owners with stronger bonds to their dogs experienced smoother child integration and appreciated witnessing the development of a positive child–dog relationship. For many, seeing their child and dog bond helped ease guilt over giving less direct attention to the dog.
To support a smoother transition, four key strategies were identified:
- Awareness – anticipating challenges in balancing dog and child care.
- Preparation – gradually introducing baby-related changes to the dog,
- Structure – maintaining routines and boundaries for both child and dog.
- Self-Compassion – accepting imperfections without judgment to ease emotional strain.
In addition, helpful tactics included:
- Creating dog-only spaces,
- Prepping the dog with baby-related stimuli (e.g., baby sounds),
- Hiring dog walkers,
- Using crate training and enrichment,
- Never leaving the dog alone with the baby early on.
Conclusion
Overall, the study highlights the emotional complexity of balancing dog ownership with new parenthood, with both challenging and enriching dimensions. Awareness, preparation, structure, and self-compassion are essential when introducing a new child into a dog-owning home. These strategies can reduce problematic dog behaviors and ease parental anxiety and guilt, ultimately helping to preserve the parent–dog bond during a major family transition.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
Owned Dogs > Offering Better Care > Dog Owner Education, Training, & Socialization
Year of Publication:
2024
External Link:
Kogan LR, Currin-McCulloch J, Bussolari C, Packman W. And Child Makes Four: The Impact of a New Child on Dog-Owning Families. Pets. 2024; 1(3):402-419. https://doi.org/10.3390/pets1030028