Puppy Problems

ktyrd007 · May 2015

So DH went and did something kind of silly - we fell in love with a puppy. We had a dog who passed away back in November and DH has been feeling really sad and depressed about not having a dog around. We knew we wanted to adopt a dog before baby arrived so that we could train it and have it get used to us before bringing baby home. We never planned on that adopted dog being a puppy but when we fell in love with her we thought we could handle her. She was 9 months when we got her around 3 weeks ago. We foolishly named her "Serenity" (after Firefly) but the name definitely doesn't fit her personality...

It's been SO HARD. She jumps on my belly when I'm laying on the couch trying to relax, she jumps up on my belly when she's excited, she pulls at the leash, and gets into everything and I feel like I'm yelling at her all the time. I A) don't want the negative energy and yelling to affect my baby, and

don't want her jumping on me and affecting baby. DH and I have had and trained dogs in the past but it feels so drastically different this time and I am just getting so upset by her. It could be the hormones, and my fears of her jumps, but I'm at the end of my rope.

It's to the point where I don't want to come home first from work so that DH can take her out instead of me having to. I can't relax around her because she'll just jump on my belly, and I try to block out her antics and not yell but it's so frustrating. Talk about a test of patience for when baby comes!

Do you think all my shouting is affecting the baby, or am I being paranoid? I'd rather be singing or reading to baby, rather than having baby hear me all day at work then all night at home yelling at a dog! Has anyone been in a similar situation? We hope to get some in-home training for her soon but until then I need any advice I can get!

Of course, this also makes me nervous that she will continue to jump around and continue to be hyper when baby is here and it could be unsafe for me and baby.

gotdiesel2007 · May 2015

My opinion is your paranoid. I'm constantly yelling at my kids to get down, stop jumping on the couch, beating each other up etc. I'm sure #3 will be quite all right. Puppies have energy and unless you get them something constructive to do and let them release that energy they are going to have behavior issues as well as a lot of pent up energy.

If you lock a two year old in the house for 8 hours a day without giving them something to do or letting them realease their energy they are going to destroy the place. Same principle applies.

mnj05 · May 2015

I yell all day and did with my first too (teacher) and I'm sure it didn't impact him at all. My son is 2 and is always jumping on my stomach and number two has been fine as well.

I'm sure you and baby are fine. No worries!

Knottie99627423 · May 2015

So, this worked for my dog barking and helping I wonder if if would work for you...every time Annie would bark (like if I left the room/she used to come to work with me) I would march back in, douse her mouth with Sweetbreath (that minty breath stuff) and say "no noise"! It was incredibly effective!!! And I didn't have to yell and scream like a crazy lady. The mint didn't hurt her, it was cheap and she hated it enough to stop in a couple days. Good luck! Im sure your baby will be fine with the yelling but I get not wanting all that stress. What kind of dog is she?

aerod19 · May 2015

We did the exact same thing. Had to say goodbye to our best dog ever and got a 4 month old hound puppy back in February. I'm 100% a dog person but feel no emotional connection to this dog yet. She's a slight terror. We send her to doggy daycare at least once a week which helps get her wiggles out and are working with a trainer as well. I just keep reminding myself that she is still a baby herself and needs to learn and be stimulated just like a child. Hang in there! They all grow out of it eventually.

charliepepper · May 2015

Agreed, I think you're being paranoid. Like PP have mentioned, it's like having a toddler. And although yelling is never very productive for a toddler or a puppy, it certainly isn't detrimental to a fetus. I think you need to take a deep breath and take responsibility for this puppy you brought home--long walks, dog park, daycare, training. Every single day. I also think you're overreacting about him jumping on your belly (unless he's huge). Moms with multiple young children constantly field jumps, jabs, and rough hugs. My dogs jump on my belly all the time.

ktyrd007 · May 2015

Thanks everyone - I know I need to calm down... It's good practice for when baby screams and when baby turns into a whiny and hyper toddler!

We take her on a walk every night, and we bring her to my in law's house every Sunday to play with their dog in their big back yard. She does get her energy out in those ways - it's just trying to deal with her while her energy level is so high and all I want to do (and need to do so I can grow this baby!) is relax.

Our pup is a 45 lb pit bull and she is very strong - all muscle. So her jumps are really hard and they hurt. Right now our main concern is to stop her from jumping. It's not a good habit in general and I definitely don't want her to jump on the baby or on me while I'm holding baby.

MrsJIsbell · May 2015

I get where you're coming from. We have a 1 1/2 yr old boxer/pitbull mix and we got a Great Dane a couple months before we found out I was pregnant (she's now 10 months old).
Our older one is extremely hyper even when she gets her exercise in. A while back she came to jump on the couch with us and jumped right on my belly. It hurt so bad I cried. I thought maybe she could have hurt the baby. I mentioned this to my OB at my appointment the next day. He laughed at me and told me not to worry. He said baby is protected in there and unless my dog is running around with a knife I have nothing to worry about.
We have since started implementing new rules that we think will be helpful when baby is home. No jumping (working on it but getting better), no dogs on the couch (I think this is harder on me than hubs and the doggies) and no dogs in the bedroom. We also started putting them in their crates for short periods of time during the day while I'm home. I plan to crate them when I'm alone with baby and can't keep a close eye on them. Better safe than sorry. I want them to know that's a good comfy spot just for them. I think it will be helpful to get them used to it before baby arrives so they don't associate being crated with the baby.
Good luck with your pup, they sure are a lot of work but do worth it. We love our girls and we'll do anything to make it work once baby is here.

kursha13 · May 2015

Ive got a 80lb rottweiler and once whe turned a year her personality did a 180.. from hyper to now super calm! just keep working with your dog! Thankfully I have plenty of nieces and nephews so shes around kids all the time and we have a blacl lab as well. Give her some chew toys and love! Dont give up!

LittleRue · May 2015

We have 3 lady pits and they can be hyper but really easily trained. Treats work miracles with our bunch of muts. You need to show her that she's not the alpha and you will still pay attention to her without her needing to be in your face. When she jumps on you bring your knee up and bump her in the chest it will push her off you without hurting her and tell her no. Have her sit and give her a treat. Make sure she's nice and calm before you give her any extra attention.
She's just like a kid any attention is attention she doesn't care if you're yelling at her, she still loves you.

beeish · May 2015

We started crating our bulldog after we found out we were prego in November. So far so good!!

At first we put him in the toddler gates from toys r us. Now he's in a regular crate. We take him for walks and play with him regularly. He's a changed man. Lol

KAR8706 · May 2015

we have 2 boxers who are hyper. We have recently bought them each beds and are teaching them to lay down on their beds instead of trying to get in our laps or on the couch. The also know off, so whenever they jump, we say off and turn our backs to them. It has been working and they rarely do it anymore. Our dogs are also crate trained and stay in them anytime we are not home. Most dogs end up liking their crates, like their own little room.

zmombie · May 2015

The stress of a puppy I don't believe will harm the baby. Each pregnancy I have had dogs or puppies around me.. As I'm writing this I had to yell at my brothers puppy for chasing the cat.
This being said... For some reason when I'm pregnant, dogs annoy the living shit out of me!! I don't know why, other then the dogs here are very untrained and annoying. They shit on the floor.. They get in the trash. This puppy is so behaved.. But still an annoying puppy. She listens when she's yelled at. But also.. I'm the kind of person who don't think it's animal cruelty to slap there ass for doing something they shouldn't, such as jumping. And they should be taught to not jump, because it can hurt the baby if they jump on it when it's born. Or they could jump up on you and knock the baby out of your arms.. Dogs do need to be taught.. Get a rolled up newspaper and smack it for jumping (probably gonna get some hate comments for this, but a babies life is more important then a dogs feelings)
My other brothers dog is now 11 months old, huge and completely untrained. Jumps on everyone, but after I started slapping him for jumping up on me, he don't do it. He has knocked me down by running into me.. I despise that dog with everything I have! He's stupid, and huge. And stupid! And even more stupid! (Ps... I'm a cat person anyways. Love dogs when there not around me all the time.. Or when there trained. Like this 3 month old puppy knows more and listens better then he does!)

Lol anyways. Don't worry about yelling at the dog, but don't stress out over it. If she's being bad, get an outside leash and put her out. Maybe all she (or he) needs is to run and play out the hyper ness.. Or a crate.. But of course don't leave it in there all the time.

pinkspringtulip · May 2015

The puppy stage is so hard! We have a West Highland Terrier and he's now almost four... but do I ever remember the puppy phase and feel your pain. It's difficult and challenging, but it will get better soon!

NoSugarCoating · May 2015

One walk a day is NOT ENOUGH for a puppy. Our pit bull is 4 years old, and gets at least two walks a day.

Plus, puppy classes. Even if you've had and trained dogs before, the socialization and playtime they get in puppy class is great for mentally tiring them out.

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