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Multiples
Diagnosed PCOS 2/07, TTC #1 since 8/09
11/10 - Clomid Round 1 = BFN
12/10 - Clomid Round 2 = BFN
1/11 - Voluntary Break = BFN (duh)
2/11 - Clomid Round 3 = BFN
3/11 - Femara + IUI = BFP * Beta#1=56 * Beta#2=266
*Cautiously expecting baby girls on November 28, 2011*
Who has dogs+multiples?
We have 4 dogs - 2 pugs, a Golden Retriever, and a Great Pyr mix. I would love to hear success stories on how you sucessfully brought your twins (or more) into your pets' lives. What worked, what didn't and any helpful books or other resources you used. Thanks in advance for your help!
Diagnosed PCOS 2/07, TTC #1 since 8/09
11/10 - Clomid Round 1 = BFN
12/10 - Clomid Round 2 = BFN
1/11 - Voluntary Break = BFN (duh)
2/11 - Clomid Round 3 = BFN
3/11 - Femara + IUI = BFP * Beta#1=56 * Beta#2=266
*Cautiously expecting baby girls on November 28, 2011*
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Who has dogs+multiples?
We have 2 dogs and 2 cats.
We brought in the babies, let the animals sniff them and that was it. They've been fine
This, except with one dog and two cats. When they were in the NICU we let the animals smell the blankets and clothes we brought home to wash. Our dog is a little momma. She loooves the babies
This except we have 1 dog (Golden Retriever) and 3 cats. My husband brought the dog in on a leash the first time b/c she's ridiculously excited about everything. All 4 pets have been fine with the babies. The cats pretty much steer clear b/c they'll get fur pulled out if the wander too close.
I have a beagle.
My dog did fine until the girls started to shriek and crawl. Something changed after that. He started doing the low warning growl at them, not listening to me and doing a low growl at me about things, etc. Once I saw that he growled at the girls- we immediately started doing some re-training. Reinforcing basic commands, etc. to show that we were in charge. It wasn't working as well as we thought, so we called a dog trainer who came out to help us. He showed us some techniques that really helped- he's from Bark Busters, which is a chain.
It's gotten much better, but I still keep the dog fenced in a separate area sometimes because he needs his space. I also never, never leave the girls alone in a room with him. When my friends come over with small kids, I leave him upstairs in my room. The trainer did tell us that there's nothing we can do to get him to "like" the girls.
It's been hard honestly. I did all the stuff you're "supposed" to do in the beginning, and like I said, he was fine until they started shrieking and crawling. My friends who have kids that are like 3 and up- he does great with. I'm hoping once the girls get older and I understand better how to treat him and what's off limits that they'll be buddies.
My dog is the most submissive dog in the world, so he has been find around them behaviorally. One thing we did when O was young that I LOVE is teach the dog to sit and stay in the kitchen while we eat (it's within visual distance but not on top of us.) He can clean up after we release him, but no begging, no feeding him under the table, no baby passing him treats. Love it, and I think it has taught him that O is the boss of him too.
The thing that makes me most nuts is the dog barking at every passing dog, car, etc outside. ARGH!
I think this is my biggest fear. We have one pug that is always on "high alert" for noises and barks a ton. I have tried and tried to teach her not to bark and nothing has worked. Maybe I should have a trainer come in before the babies arrive to help with that since I've been a huge FAIL trying to stop it.
Diagnosed PCOS 2/07, TTC #1 since 8/09
11/10 - Clomid Round 1 = BFN
12/10 - Clomid Round 2 = BFN
1/11 - Voluntary Break = BFN (duh)
2/11 - Clomid Round 3 = BFN
3/11 - Femara + IUI = BFP * Beta#1=56 * Beta#2=266
*Cautiously expecting baby girls on November 28, 2011*
The dog (Australian Shepherd) adjusted fine, after a week of not eating when the girls came home. She loves them more each day, though she does get annoyed with them when they pull her hair. She has snapped a couple times, but never bitten.
But honestly, having a dog and 2 babies is a PITA. I find myself annoyed with the dog almost always. And when she barks and wakes them up from their nap, it infuriates me! I feel bad because she was our number 1 before the girls and now she plays 3rd fiddle. And since she requires so much exercise due to her breed, and we don't always have the time, she gets all this pent up energy and acts naughty more than she used to.
I feel bad admitting all of that, but man, having a dog and babies is hard...
After 2 rounds of IVF & 2 rounds of FET, we were blessed with identical twin girls!
IUI #3 gave us the best 2nd anniv. gift ever: 2 babies! (born 03/09/10)
Peanut and Little Man are getting so big! 2 years old already!
finally blogging again at This Will Be: An Adventure
We have two large dogs - german shep & husky. Our husky doesn't like kids so we were very nervous about bringing the girls home. The best advice I found for getting them used to them, was to bring something home from the hospital of the kids for them to smell before you even go home with them. DH brought home blankets and outfits each day to get them used to their scent.
When we came home, I had 5 minutes alone with the dogs, since they hadn't seen me in a week and were super excited. As soon as they calmed down, we had the babies in their car seats up on the table and let the dogs smell the car seats first and watch the girls kinda squirm around. Then DH took them out of their car seats one by one and let the dogs smell them. Our german shep lost interest fast, it took a few days for our husky to get used to them, he would whine and run over to smell them everytime they made a sound, but a week or two in, he is completely fine with them too.
I totally agree. If I could find someone who would give him a good home, I'd let him go. It's so so so hard to juggle everyone right now, and he definitely doesn't and won't get as much attention as he used to.
Ugh! Totally! The barking drives me insane, and I always end up yelling at the dog for just being a dog. But I spent all this time to get them to sleep for 10 minutes of peace and quiet and you bark your head off because a car drives by? <headbang>
We've had some success with a citronella collar, but the smell is kind of gross.
Oh I hear ya on that. I'm not a dog person either. She is my husband's dog. He had her before we met. The cats are mine. Unfortunately the dog is very last on the list of priorities.
I just posted about this in another thread!
We had 2 cats, 2 dogs and twins (14 months now). We just had to put a cat down, but we're still a full house.
Our dogs are a priority. Since we got them, we've trained them very well. They went to obedience, then one went on to agility. She still goes, the other doesn't as she doesn't seem to like it. But both are walked regularly, played with regularly, and trained.
Our twins are a handful, esp. now that they're walking! But we've taught the dogs AND the boys boundaries so they all live in harmony. There's no jealousy, when we need to separate them we do, and we spend lots of one on one time with everyone. The best time is walks and hikes - either the boys are in a double stroller or in backpacks on our backs and the dogs always come with. It's important "pack building" time imo.
I consider my dogs my 2 first children. They deserve time, attention, exercise, love and affection. If they get all that they can and will live in harmony with the kids. so far, so good.
GL!
I'm in the camp that finds it difficult to have babies + dogs. We have two dogs--a basset hound and a dachshund. I was worried when I was pregnant about the dachshund because he is very needy and because he barks constantly. So we hired a trainer (Bark Busters). But it didn't really help. And I've had the trainer come back since then, but again, it hasn't helped. He is just a dachshund, and it is in his nature to bark. I'm trying to just feel zen about the fact that it is who he is...but that's hard when he wakes the babies. And the neediness: It has not gone away. He is just constantly underfoot, this dog.
Meanwhile, my basset hound, who I thought would be no problem, poops on the floor quite a bit more frequently than he used to. I am swimming in poop in this house.
I have said many times that the babies are manageable, but the dogs push me over the edge. I do love them, though. The next thing I'm going to try is hiring a dogwalker for the dachshund--one of these Cesar Milan types who walks dogs in packs and puts them in their place in a pack. And I'm thinking about getting Simon (basset) a better bed. Honest to god, all he wants is to be left in peace to sleep in a soft place.
Kim-I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear another MOM say that. Seriously, ditto to everything you just described. We have a high energy/high maintenance sheltie who is a barker. He was my first baby and was the main focus of our lives until the boys came. But having twins and a dog is enough to drive me to drink (as my mother would say). My dad absolutely loves our dog and I've told DH many times that if he offered to take him that I would seriously consider it. Some days I just get SO fed up and feel like life would be a lot easier without the dog. And I fully understand that DH and I need to put forth more effort for the dog's sake. We have started a daily checklist. I hope it works.
The one nice thing about having a dog with the twins is having him clean up the floor after meal times!
YES!!!! When Sierra goes "on vacation" to my parent's house (read: when I need a break from her for a week) I miss her floor cleaning skillz.
After 2 rounds of IVF & 2 rounds of FET, we were blessed with identical twin girls!
Diagnosed PCOS 2/07, TTC #1 since 8/09
11/10 - Clomid Round 1 = BFN
12/10 - Clomid Round 2 = BFN
1/11 - Voluntary Break = BFN (duh)
2/11 - Clomid Round 3 = BFN
3/11 - Femara + IUI = BFP * Beta#1=56 * Beta#2=266
*Cautiously expecting baby girls on November 28, 2011*
Add me to the camp that finds dogs plus twins very difficult. We (clearly) have two shih-tzus so not big dogs but it is a pain. Like PP's said, sometimes it is the dogs that really push me over the edge. Our dogs were our babies before our boys were born and I do feel badly that they don't get played with like they did but the bottom line is that the babies have to be our first priority. There were nights that the babies slept through the night and the damn dogs were up throwing up at night - I wanted to throw them out the window, I'm not going to lie. We also live in a condo so we don't have a yard we can just let them go out in so that is a huge PITA.
As far as how they are with the boys, we have one who is very laid back and he pretty much leaves them alone. If the boys pull his fur, he just gets up and walks away. Our other dog doesn't get it. If we are on the floor playing with the boys, he wants to be involved and is all in our face. He also doesn't move when they pull on his fur so he gets annoyed. He doesn't seem threatening to them but he definitely doesn't like them. I try to teach the boys to be gentle with him but they are just not old enough to get it. So, I also never leave the boys alone with the dogs. I NEVER thought I would say this but I agree with some PP's, if someone could offer them a good home where I knew they could get more attention than we could give, I would probably let them go too.