Puppies and babies. They make our world so much cuter. And if you’ve spent any time in the presence of these adorable little ones, you might notice that they have a few similarities! That’s not to say that raising puppies and babies is the same thing, of course. However, you might smile at some of the ways that the experiences of new parents and new puppy parents overlap.
#1: There’s no such thing as too many pictures
If you’re a Dog Owner, your social media is probably filled with photos of your dog. If you’re a new parent, you might get warnings on your phone about limited photo storage space. And if you fall into both categories? Well, get the snacks ready because your friends are in for one long slideshow!
It’s really not your fault; puppies and babies are too cute not to photograph! Actually, there’s science behind the fact. According to studies on cuteness perception, researchers found that both puppies and babies trigger our cuteness radar. And it’s probably due to an evolutionary advantage—snuggly, small, wrinkly creatures are the ones that invoke our nurturing behaviours!
So, don’t feel bad about overloading on puppy and baby pics. Both puppies and babies are practically made for the limelight.
#2: With puppies and babies in the house, you will lose sleep in the first few months
Both puppies and babies need a whole lot of sleep. But that doesn’t mean that you’re in for restful nights!
Puppy Owners will likely wake up for puppy potty training because their little bladders can’t make it through the night. Puppies might also howl or whine at night as they adjust to your sleep schedule. Finding a full night’s sleep can be challenging at this stage. But the good news is, by the time they’re about 4 months old, pups should be able to wait until an early morning potty break and sleep comfortably through the night.
Parents of newborns, on the other hand, are on the next level of sleeplessness. After all, the first question that new parents get asked sympathetically is usually: “How much sleep are you getting?” That’s because babies wake up every few hours to eat or relieve themselves. It’s not until they’re around six months that babies start sleeping through the night.
So both puppies and babies are likely to sap you of your sweet sleeping routine. But don’t worry, it’s not forever!
#3: Their learning process will astound you!
Puppies and babies have a lot to learn during their first few months on Earth! And watching the progress can be mind-blowing!
Puppies set about learning everything from how to say hello to their fellow furry friends to the inner workings of their canine senses to where to go potty.
Meanwhile, babies are learning fine motor skills, language development, and—incidentally—where to go potty.
While puppies and babies will learn different things and at different speeds, research shows that caretakers can use some similar methods to help the learning process. For instance, the use of positive reinforcement training, which is so popular in the dog training world, was first developed in the field of human psychology. And it turns out that both puppies and babies learn by imitating the behaviours of their favourite humans.
Eventually, human babies overtake the puppy learning process, but it’s fun to watch and help them figure out the world around them.
#4: It’s all about the food!
For both puppies and babies, good nutrition is absolutely critical. They need all the energy and vitamins they can get so that they can learn new things, grow big and strong, and build strong immune systems.
But, while human babies have benefitted from decades of research on the importance of early childhood nutrition, the field of dog health isn’t quite as old. The recent shift towards high quality dog food is a good sign that Owners are starting to pay more attention to puppy nutrition.
To learn more about puppy portions, check out our post, How Much Should I Feed My Dog?
#5: Both puppies and babies will put anything in their mouth!
Pet Owners and parents have to keep an eye on the kinds of foods their little ones eat. But they also have to worry about keeping everything else out of those chompers!
Both puppies and babies explore the world by putting things in their mouths. And while it’s not entirely understood why, some theories suggest that this mouthing exploration might provide comfort and mental stimulation. Another idea even suggests that mouthing is a chance to build up immunity to the bacteria and antigens of the outside world while still under the protection of mother’s milk. Other theories guess that puppies eat everything as a kind of sink-or-swim method of finding out what’s edible.
If you’re concerned about your two- or four-legged baby putting everything in their mouth, don’t be alarmed. It’s normal and temporary. You won’t have to be hyper-vigilant about what goes in their mouth forever!
#6: Puppies and babies love baby talk
Baby talk is universal. You’ll hear it when you take your baby out for a stroll around the block. You’ll probably hear it from your puppy’s enthusiastic Dog Walker. And as a parent or Dog Owner, you might even engage in baby talk yourself!
Baby talk is expected, but just how much puppies and babies love it is really surprising! Researchers suggest that babies benefit from baby talk for a couple of reasons: one, it helps with language development, and two, it makes them feel special.
And while your puppy might not be building up the language skills of their two-legged counterparts, they also love the attention that comes with baby talk.
So, if you can’t help but bust out the baby talk whenever you see that adorable furry or non-furry face, don’t fight it! Puppies and babies both love baby talk.
#7: You are their world
The connection between child and parent is unmistakable. Those beautiful little eyes seem to be fixed on their doting parents from day one.
As it turns out, the way a pet looks at their beloved Owner isn’t too different. Scientists are pretty sure of this fact after testing something called the “secure base effect.” The study, which has been conducted with both parent-child and Owner-pet participants, reveals that kiddos and puppers feel more comfortable and confident in the presence of their caretaker. Without them, they’re less enthusiastic about play and food rewards, and may even feel a little lost.
This might also be why dogs have developed the incredible knack of reading our facial expressions. It’s similar to the way in which a baby will look to a parent for guidance!
So, even with the differences between doggos and humans, it seems that our puppies see themselves as one of our children, all the same. And both puppies and babies look to their caretakers as the centre of their world.
