Kate Middleton Baby News, Due Date: Pregnant Duchess & Prince William's First Child Puts Royal Pup Lupo in the Dog House for Attention!

Every couple with pets knows that once a baby is on the way, man's best friend (or any other variety of pet) might feel a little left out and has to adjust to the new addition. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge already have a "child" in their dog Lupo, a gorgeous and beloved black cocker spaniel. For some time, the media has been focused on the young pup, but with Kate's pregnancy and the July birth of the future heir to the throne being just around the corner, Lupo has not been in many stories. What should the Royal pet expect from his "parents" with the new baby coming into the family?

"When you have a young couple, like the royal couple, before they have children, the dog becomes the center of their universe. They treat it like their child," Nicholas Dodman, the director of the Animal Behavior Center at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, Mass., explained to GoodMorningAmerica.com. 

"You can see how the dog becomes the center of their universe, totally spoiled, but that sets the stage for him having his nose get out of joint when their baby comes and disrupts his harmony."

Dodgman also gave some examples of what Kate and Wills could do with Lupo when their child arrives. Here are some of examples:

1) Keep the baby's bedroom off limits, even before it arrives.

"If there are going to be any changes in the internal arrangements, it's that the baby's own room is off limits," Dodman explained. "If the dog can't go in there before the baby comes, then the baby doesn't get credit for banning that behavior."

2) Take the dog on walks with a baby doll in the stroller.

"Put a dolly in a stroller and have the dog go walking around the palace grounds," said Dodman. "This gets the dog used to the idea of having a baby there, as a part of life, before the actual baby becomes part of the equation."

 

3) Play tape recordings of babies crying.

"It seems to be the most annoying thing about the new baby, but if you play tapes of babies crying, it does wonderful things for the dog," Dodman said. "They get used to the sounds of nails on a chalkboard. The sound upsets dogs more anything, so you can desensitize them with pre-recorded tapes you can buy."

 

4) Get the dog comfortable with the baby's scent.

"Bring clothing, or blankets or booties or something the dog can sniff to get used to it," he explained. "When the baby is born, choose some clothes that have the baby's scent to let the dog explore. The goal is trying to slowly introduce various aspects of the baby from geographical arrangements, to sounds, to smells. You could even walk around with the dog to other places where people have babies."

 

5) Mom walks in first, then Dad enters with the baby.

"When bringing the baby home, how things work out really depends on the personality of the dog," Dodman said. "Usually after the mom's been away at the hospital, allow her to greet the excited dog first. Then Dad comes in with baby. Then baby is held while dog is on leash, and dog is allowed to sniff the baby."

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How do you think the Royal couple will handle the Lupo situation?