Sleeping babies & barking dogs

BluEyedGrrl

This is probably more for the ladies with kids already, but I'll take all the advice/opinions I can get.

I've got two 5 year old yappy-type dogs that bark at *everything*.  The mailman, all visitors, cars pulling up in the driveway, neighbors chatting, cars & people on TV, any knocking sound, etc.  It's an annoying breed thing that we've attempted to stifle over the years to no avail.  But they're ridiculously cute so we live with it.

Soooo... I've been thinking how this will affect my sleeping baby who will be here within a couple weeks.  I'm hoping that since he's been experiencing their craziness this whole time, maybe he'll be used to it or even find it comforting (please god).  Who else has experience with this?

fuzzylamb

We use PetSafe bark collars on our dogs when barking is a problem. I have beagles and one howls endlessly when he feels like it, so when my landlord is home... on goes the collar. Works great.

BluEyedGrrl

fuzzylamb:

We use PetSafe bark collars on our dogs when barking is a problem. I have beagles and one howls endlessly when he feels like it, so when my landlord is home... on goes the collar. Works great.

Mine are both mini dachshund / chihuahua mixes - the doxie half loves to howl, while the chi half likes to whine and yip.  We tried a bark collar on our first when he was a puppy, it didn't do squat.  But then again, we were trying to crate train him and that didn't work, lol.

I might give it another go, I'll just need to get over that whole feeling like a monster thing. The EYES they give you!  Like, mom are you mad at me? 

allieoop80

Get a sound machine.  At least when LO is in their room it will help.  We have had one since day 1 with Collin and that thing rocks.  He has slept through our dogs barking, fireworks, the doorbell, loud movies, people talking loud and many other things haha.  

https://www.amazon.com/Homedics-SS-3000-Soundspa-Lullaby-White/dp/B000QTSW64/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1295909790&sr=8-2

It has been playing the ocean sounds for night and nap every day for 2 1/2 years, we even take it out of town with us... otherwise known on the bump as the baby crack machine  

 

rosesandpeonies

in the first few weeks you are going to be amazed....babies sleep through everything. 

circa1978

Personally, I hope LO will be somewhat accustomed to the barking, given that our two American Eskimo dogs have been happily yapping their way through the past 8 months. I know LO can hear them, because he starts kicking when they go on "alert." We have a bark collar, as well, but honestly, we live with dogs. I don't know how quiet I can ever expect it to get.

Molluskwrangler

I talked to the Pedi about this today because my daughter does not even flinch when our dog barks.  She said that the baby can hear the dog barking in the womb and is used to the noise.

Like Cruel said, later on that might change but the newborns don't seem to even notice it.

laura&dan05

We have a German shepard and while she's not yappy at all she is a very loud barker when the ups or fed ex people make deliveries. My dd slept through her barking until about 10 months old and it started waking her from her nap. The deliveries always come in the afternoon during nap time! I don't want to discourage our dog from barking because that is part of the reason we have her and the barking is her instinct. So if I know we ate expecting a package I take the fog in the basement with me when dd goes down for a nap (or out in the yard if the weather is nice).

charlaNIKol

The baby can hear your dog barking now, so it's likely already used to the sound.  DS1 was never woken by our dog when he was little.  On occasion, our dog wakes him now, but that's only if we just laid him down or he's ready to wake up anyway.  I wouldn't worry about it, I did and wish I hadn't.  We have a 7 year old shih tzu who howls like a *** dog lol.

kwitt22

Every baby is different but if they bark that much, I would aim to guess your LO will get used to it. A book I am reading now says to not limit everyday noises while your baby is sleeping (like dog barking, vaccum, etc). They will sleep much better their whole life if they can get used to sleeping through noise.

sar00800

This is my first pregnancy and I asked my friend with two yappy dogs and a baby how she quieted her dogs down.  She said that her baby would sleep through it and that they would go about life: dogs barking, vacuuming, and all.  Now her daughter will sleep through anything.  This is the route I am using with our yappy, spoiled dog.

kappanole

I registered for one of those sound machines but hoped my baby would be used to the barking she hears from her two fur siblings.  I have a friend who puts a sign up on her front door so no one knocks or rings when her baby sleeps and seriously has contemplated getting rid of her pets (I change the subject when she brings it up because I think it is unbelievably ridiculous). I just think that your kid will adapt if you allow them to. 

labooshki

Oh, my dog has woken my child up many a time barking at people outside. I've wanted to snap. We've just dealt with it. If I can tell someone is coming to the house, I'll try to put the dog in the other room.