Dog plan for labor?

mrs&mrsk · November 2014

What are your plans for your dogs when you are in labor?
I feel like anyone we trust or is close to our house will be at the hospital (FTM) .

HailsMom · November 2014

Our plan is to have friends or family check on the dog a few times a day. We might even ask the ILs if she could go stay with them. Yes, they will be at the hospital some, but it would be easier for them to run over to the house to be able to feed or let her out than it would be for me or the husband.

If friends/family aren't an option, what about neighbors?

aggiebug · November 2014

Well I have no idea if family will be in town, if they are problem solved. They won't be at the hospital until after baby arrives and should be able to care for the puppies just fine.

If you have family around I would honestly ask if they wouldn't mind taking care. The pups won't take too long to take care of and they can be up at the hospital in no time. They will have plenty of time to enjoy the new baby

If no family is in town I presume we will have enough time to contact a friend to feed them and let them out once if need be.

Obviously we need to work on day of plan a bit

kefttsc · November 2014

I am extremely particular about my dogs.

1. We don't have a fenced in yard, so not just anyone can take them out to potty/exercise them.

2. They are on a special diet with many additives, so not just anyone can feed them.

3. There are four of them, so they are a handful.

4. They are used to me being home all day, so going 8 hours without pottying is out of the question.

5. My old girl is fragile and not just anyone can deal with her.

6. The baby boy is quite sensitive and not just anyone can deal with him.

All of this said, we are having my sister's husband be in charge of them. He will follow directions explicitly. He will NOT do anything out of the norm without checking with us.

I have two friends who know my dogs, their diets, and their particulars already. They both have keys and know where to find things in the event they are needed before the BIL can get here (from 2 hours away).

I have bought a stockpile of ziploc bags and will divvy out 4 days of food for each dog, complete with vitamins, so that no matter who comes over, they will know what to feed them. I have labeled their bowls on the bottom so that everyone knows what belongs to who.

Anything I'm missing?

Mrs. Zee · November 2014

I have actually been debating this in my head-we have a service we have hired in the past to take care of her if we weren't going to be home for a feeding/taking her out. My IL's usually watch her (and I would want her with them overnight) but I have major hesitation about them knowing I am in labor. I also thought about boarding her (the trainer we board with is maybe 10 minutes from our house so could be possible to get her over there). We also have a neighbor I know would come in and feed her. I am really not sure....

Smyers2girls · November 2014

Having to have a secheduled c section, our plans are pretty well made. My IL's live right down the street and they will be coming down a few times a day to let the dogs out and feed them. The last night I'm in the hospital DH will stay home with the kids and dogs.

erobbins09 · November 2014

We have been working on this with a friend of mine. Over the past couple of months we've taken little trips and I've had her watch our dog and in that time she has learned about Emma's quirks. She lives 10 minutes away and we plan to swing the dog by on the way to the hospital OR we've already relied on her picking/dropping off our dog with leaving a key in a hiding spot so we will establish a new one at the new house. Our dog sleeps in bed with us so there's no way she'd go over night alone...and our friend has now experienced this several times

I'll have a doggie "go bag" ready the same time I do mine which will hopefully will before the day of

this will include food for 3 days at which point if we need to stay longer FI would need to go home and restock her and his own stuff probably.

WanderingA · November 2014

Since we will be gone such a short period of time (less than 1/2 day) we will probably just have my neighbor come over and feed her and walk her. If I labor as quickly as I did last time I will only be at the birth center for about 6 hours total and she will be able to stay in her crate for that time.

I would recommend trying to keep everything as "normal" as possible for your dogs while you're in labor. If you go into labor at home the dog is definitely going to pick up on it and become anxious. If you then board them it's going to cause a lot of stress and to top it off they'll come home to a new baby! See if you can get a family member or neighbor to care for the dogs while you are away.

lelly0086 · November 2014

We've had a plan set up for months lol spoiled pets! My brother (he is 16) is going to be taking care of my 2 dogs & rabbit. They will stay over with them during our hospital stay.

Valentino2013 · November 2014

We have a dog walker we trust to take our dog out and feed her. He'll come anytime of day so we just have to text or call. My sister's plan is to come into town when I go into labor so she will stay at the house overnight to be with the dog.

boxerrrmama85 · November 2014

Geez, this definitely got me thinking.

The doggy daycare/ boarding place that we use has a pick up service, but don't think I like the idea of a potential stranger entering our home and taking the pups! I think we will ask a friend to come pick them up and take them to the boarding place for us and then have them back at home when we get home from the hospital (all nice and worn out and tired) ready to meet their new brother or sister.

Good idea @kefttsc‌ on having their "hospital bag" ready with food and meds, etc.

Just saying, I'm sitting on the couch snuggling with my fur babies and if I love them this much, I can't imagine how much I'm going to love this baby!

jennjilljo · November 2014

We need family to stay at the house with DS while I labor anyway and Dh will call when I go into active labor/start pushing so that DS can be there to see his sister when she's born.

Alygohome · November 2014

We live rural and we have a dog door In our dog room so as long as we can get someone to put dogs in dog room we will be fine. I don't trust anyone to come if weather is bad so worst case my dogs go a day without eating. I can't kennel the one and family is hours away.

krispy83 · November 2014

When DS was born, we went to the hospital at 4 am so later that day my mom came to our house and picked up our pup. They watch him at their house anytime we go out of town and have 2 other dogs that our pup gets along with well. My parents did come to the hospital after DS was born, but the dog wasn't an issue as far as those plans.

This time, I'm giving birth at a birth center so we won't be gone nearly as long and not over multiple nights. I'm thinking we'll probably ask our neighbors to come over and let him out and feed him when necessary.

firelizard83 · November 2014

We will see if a neighbor can come help deal with them while I'm laboring. If not DH will drop them off at work to board, but I'd rather not do that. My ultimate plan is to have DH stay at home with them most of the evening while I'm recovering so he can be well rested when I get home. Hopefully this way he can give me the breaks that I might need.

mrs&mrsk · November 2014

Our best plan would be if my sister moves back to town , she knows the drill best.
2nd maybe my mom would stay at our house but I don't want anyone here when I get back. And it depends on her work schedule.
Otherwise the inlaws can stop by (they live 3 mins away but they aren't familiar with the dogs at our house and can't have dogs at their new house.
Dw will stop home the day after the baby is born.
We can't board them bc they only have been once and freaked out so bad and were sick for days after

mylazypony · November 2014

My friend is picking up my dog when I go into labor. I worked this out with him months ago. My pup is a big baby and will be really freaked out by all the activity. I'm having a home birth and think it's best he's out of the house.

Angeldcf · November 2014

Last time, we let her out, fed her early then headed to hospital. Next-door neighbors have a key.

mamabisme · November 2014

We're sending them to Mimi & Papa's house, with the kids. So thankful for Mimi and Papa!

Last time, we just left them at home. Mimi stayed at our house through the day, to look after DD1 and dogs and DH speant nights at our house.

ETA: Having no one to help in the hospital all night (I had a rcs) was not ideal. That's why we are sending everyone away this time. So, DH can stay and help. Babies room in at our hospital, which is great, but I definitely needed help the first night and had a mini break-down because I was alone, felt helpless and the nurses were great but not always immediately responsive to being called. I think this plan will work much better, for us.

CGOODPAS · November 2014

My mom loves a half a mile away from us and while I plan for her to be at the hospital I don't expect her to stick around for the hours (or days) delivery can take. She has already agreed to look after our three dogs. They are used to her since we stayed with her while our house was being built. I also have a few friends that live close that I could ask to check in on our dogs if she got tied up with me at the hospital.

I also plan to have my mom bring something home with the baby smell on it once our baby arrives to let the dogs get used to the smell. They have been pretty good so far adjusting to the changes in the house like setting up the nursery and the like.

Anyone else gotten the non dog people asking if you are getting rid of your dogs now that a baby is on the way??? It's only happened to me a few times but it drives me nuts! This is our first baby but our dogs have been socialized around small children and babies. Plus my dogs are my children as well but no dog lovers never seem to understand that!!

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