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Poor puppy...
Looks like today is my lab's annual shots/check-up! Hope she doesn't hate me too much. She seems to keep a close eye on me these days, pretty sappy too, resting her head on my legs or feet. Do you think when I lift my shirt up and say "Baby", she knows what i'm talking about. I know pets, especially dogs can sense these things, but I wonder if she really knows life will change in the next few weeks to come!? I'm not too sure how to prepare her other then letting her sniff baby's clothes, check out the nursery and just point at baby and say baby?!
Anyone have any suggestions!?
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Re: Poor puppy...
Sounds like she will do just fine when the little one arrives! And I agree, try to keep paying as much attention to her as you can. I've had advice from friends (who don't own dogs...) to stop paying attention to her now so she gets used to it. How cruel would that be!? She won't stop being a part of your family. I know, because my dog is already starting to get clingy with me, too! She loves kids, too, and the only problem I can see is her constant need to lick... it's been very hard to break, but we have made progress! She especially loves kids faces, because they're at the perfect height for her. It's taken us about three years, though, to get as far as we have with that habit, so it will probably take a while longer still.
Just keep giving your pup the attention she needs, and I'm sure she will be a great "sister" to the new addition!
Hey I have never been on this board but I can give you a tip or two what we did with our pug when our LO came in August:
I didnt ignore him or give him less attention-like pp said, that just mean. The 2 weeks leading up to LO's birth I put on baby lotion everyday to get the smell going on and let my dog sniff. I also had given him a few baths with the babies shampoo. Another way to familiarize himself with the smell.
I read that the "alpha male" is to introduce LO to the dog. (Whoever wears the pants in the family-your dog will know!) This lets the dog know that the alpha male has excepted the baby as apart of its pack so the dog must as well. So the day I got home from the hospital I went to my moms to pick him up and we had our little moment. He was so happy to see me. I brought him home where my Dh was holding our new baby. We let him sniff her and check her out. He lied down on his back like he wanted a belly rub-this is a dogs way of being submissive, which is what you want! We have not had a problem yet-he loves our DD.
Always make sure you give your dog some "them time." Just a belly rub or a good scratch behind their ear. I swore to myself I wouldnt neglect my dog when LO came but sometimes its hard. I know when I put DD down to sleep at night he is happy because its just me and him-just like how it used to be.
Thanks for the great advice, especially the part about "alpha male". She will definitely need to know baby isn't an intruder and part of our daily routine from now on. The only concern I have with Bella, our 2.5 year old Lab is that she is so hyper, I have been working at her "being calm" and "nice" when she comes up the stairs or comes inside from being out free in the yard. That potentially worries me, not that she is aggressive, by no means is she. she loves kids, but she is so easily excitable. With a little one, I think she will have to tone it down about 10 more notches. I do hope she adjusts nicely to having a new person, new noises and new activities all around her. And atleast once this LO isn't so little, she will have one of the best play mates!
Here's to hoping for the best, and I will definitely "not be neglecting her". She was our first kid. Just a little fury. I just hope the belly rubs and ear scratching, tug a war and fetch are good enough for her. Sometimes I feel like she thinks it's always about her, and playing. I mean, no one needs a "needy" dog. She should be more then happy with the attention her mom and dad give her...which is quite a bit.
Thanks again