Request for a meeting with dog trainers – energetic adult pitbull and newborn

Hello everyone, I'm writing to ask for a discussion with dog trainers/behaviorists, because I'd like to verify that the management we're adopting is correct and understand if there's room for improvement.

Context • Premature baby, recently returned home • Dog: Adult male pit bull, energetic, with no previous experience with children • Recent cohabitation, managed with great care and supervision

Observed Behaviors

The dog: • Remains calm and at a distance • Sniffs without exaggerating • Remains calm when the baby cries • When the baby is moved (e.g., changing table → crib), raises head and ears and observes, remaining still • Breaks gaze, changes position, and often chooses to lie down next to me • Communicates with me (paw, soft vocalizations such as "uuu," soft wagging tail), not directly with the baby

Does not exhibit: • Body rigidity • Prolonged fixations • Impulsive attempts to approach

Current Management • Constant supervision • Distance Safety (~1 meter) • No mouth-to-baby contact • No calling the baby toward the newborn • Reinforce calm • The dog has a kennel/safe area

We made an initial mistake (calling him while I was holding the baby), which led to a slight pinch of excitement with no consequences. From there, we made the management more structured.

Questions for educators 1. Should the attentive observation with ears and head raised, but body still, be interpreted as neutral attention, or is there something that needs to be monitored more closely? 2. Does the fact that the dog chooses to move away and then seek contact with me indicate good self-regulation? 3. Is the safe distance appropriate, or would you recommend something else? 4. Are there early signs of overexcitement that I might be missing? 5. What would you strengthen or change in this management?

Objective

We're not looking for forced interaction, but rather a peaceful and safe coexistence with an emotionally stable dog and a protected newborn.

Any constructive feedback is welcome. Thanks in advance to anyone who would like to share their perspective.

submitted by /u/Professional-Page742
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