Why no, I will not be getting rid of my dog.

laurenbrooke_09 · April 2011

I have an 8 pound Maltese who is my pride and joy. His name is Asher, and he is my baby. We also have two cats that stay inside. While on the phone with my grandmother she asked what I was going to do with Asher when I had the baby. I replied um, exactly what I'm doing now, give him love and attention. Apparently she was under the impression that we would get rid of him because we are having a baby. I will admit that he is spoiled rotten and such a mama's boy, he will probably have some jealousy issues at first, but we are determined to make it work. He is a part of our family! She also told me that it was a 100% true FACT that the cats would jump in the crib and smother my baby. WTF? Anyone else having to defend their fur babies?

cryan06 · April 2011

Yes, my MIL said something to the effect of, "Of course, you'll get rid of your cats." I said, "No, we will not." And left it at that. As if!

lindseymik13 · April 2011

People were worried about my little dog because he is such a mama's boy but he has done fine with the baby transition. They even play with each other now. While on maternity leave I held my son in my arms and my dog laid on my legs. We all got our bonding in.

WhitneyZ11 · April 2011

I have a Basset and two cats that stay inside and they are not going anywhere. I don't know why people think you can't have both, but it really burns me up. my MIL and my Dad are under the impression that I should be getting rid of the animals (which is just crazy talk) I mean it really offends me, they are talking about just dumping a family member because another one is coming in pfft. they can hold their breath on that one.

jaminjeff · April 2011

One of my dogs has nipped me but it's been years since it happened and he's been fine since then. My dad has never let it go, it wasn't that big of a deal.

My dad keeps saying, "What are you going to do with Cooper when the baby comes?" I just say, "I don't plan on Cooper baby-sitting for me any time soon, so I think we're good."

laurenbrooke_09 · April 2011

lindseymik13:
People were worried about my little dog because he is such a mama's boy but he has done fine with the baby transition. They even play with each other now. While on maternity leave I held my son in my arms and my dog laid on my legs. We all got our bonding in.

So sweet! The major problem I think we'll have is Asher stealing the baby's toys

he prefers stuffed animals and soft toys over dog toys, so I can just see him hoarding all the baby's stuffed animals!

laurenbrooke_09 · April 2011

WhitneyZ11:
I have a Basset and two cats that stay inside and they are not going anywhere. I don't know why people think you can't have both, but it really burns me up. my MIL and my Dad are under the impression that I should be getting rid of the animals (which is just crazy talk) I mean it really offends me, they are talking about just dumping a family member because another one is coming in pfft. they can hold their breath on that one.

That's what I thought! Are we going to get rid of the first child when we have a second? Completely absurd!

cinderella4282 · April 2011

My five year old puggle is my little girl . . . she was there with me even before DH! So she is not going anywhere. Our friends have a little one and Maddy sits there and plays with her and is SOOOO gentle. I'm sure there might be a little bit of jealousy, but once Maddy figures out she has a new playmate, I think they will be fine.

tanya8 · April 2011

Our 2 huskies actually guard DD. In fact, they also let her tug on their ears and tails, use them as a step ladder, hug and lean on them and they even let her reach in their food bowls while their eating without problems and she steals their bones and toys while they are chewing on them, and they just walk away like its no big deal. Our cats arent big cuddlers, and never go near our faces let alone DDs. They pretty much just avoid her and all children.. My point is: you know your pets and what their personalities are. Most family pets will treat the new addition as just that...a new member of their pack (or pride, etc).

slmayer1981 · April 2011

Our dog is really protective of me, so we are a bit worried about how she will react but we would NEVER give her away. We have nine months(ish) to break her of this habit and we are fully committed to make the transition for her smooth (she was our first baby, after all). Why do people think that pets should be replaced by children rather than co-existing? It's just silly.

MrsG.060708 · April 2011

It bugs me that people think you can't have kids and pets.

Our dog has always been very defensive of us when someone new comes around that she doesn't know, and our cat can be a lil' devil so we were a little concerned when I got pregnant with DD. During the process of getting her nursery together, we let them explore her room and her things (the crib--but not let them IN it, the baby swing, etc) so they were familiar with it before she came.

The day we brought DD home, DH went into the house first to hold down the dog (a lab mix) while I came in with DD and we let her sniff DD. We were so nervous, but the animals have done great, especially the dog! We never had any issues with her and the baby. The dog is so used to DD now, that DD can sit on her and mess around with her without us being in fear that the dog will hurt her (we, of course, still keep a close eye, but the initial fear is definitely gone).

ETA: It was easier getting the animals used to the baby then it was getting them used to each other!

tanya8 · April 2011

- this is a regular occurance at our house

tetedefromage · April 2011

Nobody has dared suggest I get rid of my dog or cats yet, thankfully. That will never happen! My pets are family, i'm not one of those people that can just "get rid" of a pet I've had for years and not bat an eye.

I'm a little bit worried about how my chihuahua will react to a baby...he definitely thinks he's the baby now! And he's always been afraid of children, so I wonder how he'll be when he lives with one! We'll work it out though.

lvisser · April 2011

It depends on the dog. We had Cubby before we got married, and he was always a wild card... he did great when we had Rylee but did NOT handle Kai very well at all. He began to become aggressive. I still remember the moment when I lost ALL trust in him. There was no way I could allow him to stay in our home.

Sorry... but my kids (human kids) come first. When I feel that they are in danger - sorry.

Janimal · April 2011

When I was pg with DD I heard this "You think you love that dog - just wait until you have a baby. You'll realize he's just a dog." It made me very sad because I know my dog wasn't thinking "yeah, you're just a human". It was SHOCKING to me how many people just assumed we would get rid of our dog.

FYI - Our dog is AMAZING with our daughter. He has never chewed anything but his own toys. She has taken food right out of his mouth. Used him as a step to get onto the couch. He is so super gentle with her, he won't even take any food from her hand if she tries to feed him. She has to put it down in front of him before he'll take it. It's honestly amazing.

We think he's become more protective of us since she came along - barking more when people are outside, getting more fierce when people come to the door. I like it. My 65lb all muscle dobermann/pointer black dog looks pretty scary to people - and is the sweetest most well behaved boy we could have asked for.

laurenbrooke_09 · April 2011

lvisser:
It depends on the dog. We had Cubby before we got married, and he was always a wild card... he did great when we had Rylee but did NOT handle Kai very well at all. He began to become aggressive. I still remember the moment when I lost ALL trust in him. There was no way I could allow him to stay in our home.

Sorry... but my kids (human kids) come first. When I feel that they are in danger - sorry.

If I thought my animals were aggressive then that would be completely different. However, that is not the case. My cats are lazy and uninterested in us, except for when they want food, and Asher has never been aggressive. I would never intentionally put my baby in danger. I understand where you are coming from.

CandiceNT · April 2011

Reason 40,984,320498 Why I prefer my pets to people. Before DS, I would volunteer at our local shelter every Sunday, and have seen way to many pets that were owner surrenders. My dog and cat are not going anywhere. Period. End of story. In fact, it's really been fun to watch my dog and DS together! My dog is very tolerant and will let Blake crawl all over him, and Blake's first word was "doggy"...that melted my heart.

And my cat....she would nap in the crib before DS was born, but hasn't touched it since Wink

naemsmommy · April 2011

lvisser:
It depends on the dog. We had Cubby before we got married, and he was always a wild card... he did great when we had Rylee but did NOT handle Kai very well at all. He began to become aggressive. I still remember the moment when I lost ALL trust in him. There was no way I could allow him to stay in our home.

Sorry... but my kids (human kids) come first. When I feel that they are in danger - sorry.

This. We had a rotti who was the most affectionate, loving dog ever. He literally thought he was a lap dog and just wanted to curl up and cuddle, he was so sweet. But he was awful with kids, very snappy and aggressive, even with us right there. We tried absolutely everything, but even the trainers at his obedience school said they would not recommend him ever being left alone with a child. When I got pregnant, it took DH almost the whole nine months to convince me, and it broke my heart, but we did end up finding him a great new home that was child-free and staying that way. It was hard to give him up, but in my heart I know we made the right decision. I shudder to think about what could have happened.

Now we have a sweet little dog and a cat that we would not even consider getting rid of. Our cat is extremely cuddly so I am somewhat concerned. Also, he currently sleeps in our daughter's room which is going to become the nursery. I think we are just going to set the crib up as early as possible with a crib tent so he starts to get used to the idea that he can't sleep in there. After baby arrives, as long as we know he is not in the nursery, we will just close the door. We will probably continue using the crib tent just to be safe.

I think with an overly aggressive pet, there aren't really any options. Children come first without question and it's just not a risk anyone should be willing to take. But with most other behavior problems, e.g. jealousy, cuddlyness (not that that's a problem hehe, but just when it comes to sleeping on a baby's face), etc., there are lots of solutions to try before just up and getting rid of your pet.

So funny that people just assume because you're having a baby you would arbitrarily get rid of all your pets!!!

CandiceNT · April 2011

naemsmommy:
lvisser:

It depends on the dog. We had Cubby before we got married, and he was always a wild card... he did great when we had Rylee but did NOT handle Kai very well at all. He began to become aggressive. I still remember the moment when I lost ALL trust in him. There was no way I could allow him to stay in our home.

Sorry... but my kids (human kids) come first. When I feel that they are in danger - sorry.

This. We had a rotti who was the most affectionate, loving dog ever. He literally thought he was a lap dog and just wanted to curl up and cuddle, he was so sweet. But he was awful with kids, very snappy and aggressive, even with us right there. We tried absolutely everything, but even the trainers at his obedience school said they would not recommend him ever being left alone with a child. When I got pregnant, it took DH almost the whole nine months to convince me, and it broke my heart, but we did end up finding him a great new home that was child-free and staying that way. It was hard to give him up, but in my heart I know we made the right decision. I shudder to think about what could have happened.

Now we have a sweet little dog and a cat that we would not even consider getting rid of. Our cat is extremely cuddly so I am somewhat concerned. Also, he currently sleeps in our daughter's room which is going to become the nursery. I think we are just going to set the crib up as early as possible with a crib tent so he starts to get used to the idea that he can't sleep in there. After baby arrives, as long as we know he is not in the nursery, we will just close the door. We will probably continue using the crib tent just to be safe.

I think with an overly aggressive pet, there aren't really any options. Children come first without question and it's just not a risk anyone should be willing to take. But with most other behavior problems, e.g. jealousy, cuddlyness (not that that's a problem hehe, but just when it comes to sleeping on a baby's face), etc., there are lots of solutions to try before just up and getting rid of your pet.

So funny that people just assume because you're having a baby you would arbitrarily get rid of all your pets!!!

Thank you for re-homing responsibly and not dumping off at a shelter. You did good, and a good thing for your dog Smile

cottonlily84 · April 2011

It's very possible to have pets and children but some people are just too lazy to try. When they have a baby suddenly the pet is just a material possession and not a creature with emotions and feelings and they feel they can just "get rid of them". Ugh I hate that phrase! We have a boxer that everyone already assumes will be an outside dog when the baby comes, as if our house isn't big enough for the two of them. People just won't take the time to acclimate a child to a pet and vice versa; it's more appealing to make your life easier.

manbearpig31610 · April 2011

A lot of people just get rid of their pets when they have children and to me it's just disgusting. You wouldn't get rid of a kid because your having another would you? I'm totally not one of those "my pets are my babies" type people (not that theres anything wrong with that) but when I adopted my pets I took on a responsibility to care for them and give them a good home and I can't just throw that responsibility out the window because I am taking on a new responsibility. Thats not how it works. I have 2 cats and a chihuahua. The chihuahua and my DD are BFFs and play together all the time. The cats could really not care less about her. Shes 1 now and they still pretend like she doesnt exist but they certainly do not try to smother her! lol.

Kelseyloo · April 2011

I don't understand why people think you need to get rid of your dog when having a baby. I could understand if the dog was extremely aggressive or something. But to just get rid of them for no reason is dumb.

jenb_99 · April 2011

Pffffft. Like I'd get rid of my critters. At the moment I have a parrot and two Chihuahuas. While I don't consider my pets little people or call them my children, I do consider them an important part of my household.

Fortunately I haven't had to defend them yet. I imagine I'll have to defend the bird most, since he's noisy. But babies are tough. If they can fall asleep in airports and restaurants, then they can fall asleep with a parrot squawking in the background.

I want my baby used to all kinds of animals. Besides, children raised around animals have stronger immune systems. And my dogs are tiny, so if my child does aggravate them and get nipped, then I'll consider it an important lesson. I'm not the kind of psychotically overprotective person who'd freak out over a tiny pinch and hate my dogs for "biting" my baby. That $#!+ annoys me.

If anybody mentioned pet dangers to me, I'd just smile, shrug, and say I'm not worried about it. And that would be that. I'm not an arguer. I just politely get the point across that it's not up for discussion.

WARM SUMMERS · April 2011

Janimal:
We think he's become more protective of us since she came along - barking more when people are outside, getting more fierce when people come to the door. I like it. My 65lb all muscle dobermann/pointer black dog looks pretty scary to people - and is the sweetest most well behaved boy we could have asked for.

I absolutely LOVE dobermans. They look like they can tear you up to pieces but every doberman I've met has been so sweet. I search on YouTube for videos on dobermans often. Some of them are just so stinkin' cute!

DH and I have a daschund. He's nipped at me once before but hasn't since. Our family knows this so they're constantly bringing that up and saying "You know he can do that to the baby, right? Are you going to get rid of him?" Ever since I got my BFP he's been super protective over me though. I think with a proper introduction and prepping he'll do just fine. Of course I'll still keep a close eye on him but I still think he'll be fine.

It just blows my mind that people actually suggest to get rid of our pets when they've been part of our families for years. Sad We love our pets and will love our LOs equally.

KellieJH · April 2011

My H and I have three border collies and we compete with them. Not only do you plan on keeping ALL of them and still competing with them, we even plan on getting maybe 1-2 more!!!! I haven't told anyone yet because I just got my BFP today, so I am crossing my fingers that this doesn't happen to us.

Mrs.NGM · April 2011

We only have our two cats, no dogs, but we would never ever consider getting rid of them. They've already been around babies and one is very tolerant and lets babies pull on his ears and the other one just hides in the basement. He's a 17 lb cat who's not afraid of new adults in the house, but petrified of a little baby that's smaller than him lol.

PhoebeJones3 · April 2011

I have two little fur ball dogs that will continue to be my constant companions, yes even after the baby is born. We do also have a cat, but she is outside. She started out being inside when I first found her, but she liked it outside too much to stay in. Thankfully NO ONE has had the balls enough to even hint at the possibility of me getting rid of my dogs, or cat. I grew up on a farm, so my family knows that animals and people can coexist just fine.

It irks me when its the couple having the baby that decides to give up their animal, because 'we just don't have the time for him anymore' - well you should have thought about that BEFORE you got an animal! You make a lifetime commitment when you get an animal. Yes, there are circumstances, like some above that are some pretty serious grounds for removal of the animal, but that is completely different. Be responsible pet owners, and don't ever get an animal if you aren't planning on keeping it, with or without kids in your future.

Sorry for the rant. I've just been reading a lot about animals being tossed for no reason other than because of the baby on the way.

KellyAnn911 · April 2011

PhoebeJones3:

I have two little fur ball dogs that will continue to be my constant companions, yes even after the baby is born. We do also have a cat, but she is outside. She started out being inside when I first found her, but she liked it outside too much to stay in. Thankfully NO ONE has had the balls enough to even hint at the possibility of me getting rid of my dogs, or cat. I grew up on a farm, so my family knows that animals and people can coexist just fine.

It irks me when its the couple having the baby that decides to give up their animal, because 'we just don't have the time for him anymore' - well you should have thought about that BEFORE you got an animal! You make a lifetime commitment when you get an animal. Yes, there are circumstances, like some above that are some pretty serious grounds for removal of the animal, but that is completely different. Be responsible pet owners, and don't ever get an animal if you aren't planning on keeping it, with or without kids in your future.

Sorry for the rant. I've just been reading a lot about animals being tossed for no reason other than because of the baby on the way.

Some girl on 2nd Tri got flamed the other day for getting rid of her dog(that she had for over a year) because she didn't have the time to train him/walk him/play with him and didn't want to be bothered with him once the baby came. I seriously question her ability to be a parent.

PhoebeJones3 · April 2011

To PP^^^

There was a mother who thought that she no longer wanted to breast feed her newborn because she didn't like the 'idea' of being tied down. Um, hello - its an infant - they sort of tie you down for a while. Why even have children if you don't want to be tied down?!

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