Dogs...

kodariah · December 2015

I was wondering if anyone is having to make changes with there pets?
I have two yorkies and a lab and they are all well behaved but they probably have a little more freedom then they should. They are never kenneled or locked up, they are allowed on the couches and they sleep in my bed with me. I'm worried about my labs hair making my little guy sick or my yorkies getting playful and jumping on him or something. I'm probably just being over protective before they are good dogs but I was wondering if there is anything I can do now to get my dogs ready. I don't want them to hate my little guy so want to make any changes now before he comes. Any STM's gone though this and have any advices?

ariasbabyblog · December 2015

There is no reason to think that your dog's hair will make your baby sick. Children who grow up with pets are less likely to have allergies, not more. As far as training goes, I would teach all the dogs not to jump up. Dog claws can be sharp and it's just good pet manners anyway. Do you have any of the babies things set up? Let the dogs investigate any baby furniture now, before the baby is in it. When the kiddo is born, bring home his hat first and let the dogs smell the hell out of it so they get used to his smell before he comes home. We also greeted our dogs outside so there was less chaos in our small front room, and took them for a long walk/run so they would be a little worn out and more inclined to listen to us in spite of the new excitement. Are you co-sleeping? I personally wouldn't let the dogs sleep with me if I were to co-sleep, but if not then it doesn't matter where they sleep. You will probably spend more time making sure your suddenly mobile child doesn't use the dogs as toys than the other way around. It is unlikely that they will hate the baby, but be sure to spend time with them one on one so they don't get jealous and start acting out.

Beverly0628 · December 2015

I second letting the dogs investigate baby things, especially things that move or make noise. We have a pit who has bad anxiety and is pretty much afraid of everything. She was so freaked out by our mamaroo the first time we turned it on, she went into full blown panic mode; barking, and acting crazy. I just started turning it on every day for a while and acting like it was NBD while I folded clothes or did things in LO's room. Now she cares nothing about it. I would also recommend making sure that your pups have a space that's just for them, like a fenced in yard, a room or a section of the house that you can put them in with baby gates. We went ahead and put up baby gates in our house so that our pups would have time to get used to them. I feel like it's good to start making changes a little at a time before baby comes, instead of all at once once baby is here. That way, maybe your pups won't associate all the changes with the baby and start to be jealous of your LO. There are lots of good sources on this topic if you google it or look on Pinterest. I especially like this article:
https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-training/socialization/introduce-your-dog-to-your-baby

ShannyFann · December 2015

I second the whole let them smell baby hat or blanket. But I'll add to also make sure that they are gentle with anything having to do with baby. Don't let them play with blankets or toys or whatever is used for baby. Investigating is fine but they need to know how to behave around things that are baby only. We had a LARGE dog and did this and he pretty much ignored our son as an infant, he only got nervous when we handed the baby to someone else but settled quickly. They'll soon learn as long as you set the rules. They'll love their new sibling.

mrhargr · December 2015

Baby gates are awesome for making a temporary separation between the baby and the dogs. We kept the dogs in the other room while we did tummy time, etc. and the rest of the time it was like nothing had changed. They were right there with us. One of them hated it when she cried but she would just get up and leave the room lol.

JandJ62914 · December 2015

Our vet recommended keeping things as normal as possible for the dogs after bringing home the baby. They said you'll be amazed how quickly they'll adjust and accept the baby as part of the "pack". We plan on sending home a hat too so they can start becoming familiar with her scent.

alisongem · December 2015

If you have any friends/family with babies you could have them come over and see how the dogs act. I know it won't be exactly the same but I did this and it brought me so much relief because my dog just smelled the baby for a little while then left him alone. She didn't even seem phased by him crying or making noise. (My cat on the other hand was absolutely terrified- I totally expected it to be the other way around because my dog has anxiety!)

kmo8986 · December 2015

We sent home a blanket with my mom the day my son was born and had her put it on the dogs bed. She had been around lots of babies and children so were sure she would do fine but then at least she knew the baby's scent before he came home

maddisonwallace · December 2015

We've been letting our dog get exposed to things little by little so his whole world doesn't just flip when baby gets here. We moved in furniture a little at a time and let him check it out and as I've been doing clothes I let him sniff them and be in the room. I also hang out in there a little bit more with him in there with me so that he's not having to adjust to all new stuff AND a brand new "thing" in there in such a short amount of time. We've tightened up on the no getting on furniture rule and he's never been allowed to jump up.

ETA we created a very specific place for his toys and crate that he sleeps in every night. I read this as a suggestion from a dog trainer. It creates a safe place for them to go to and distinguishes clear boundaries between their stuff and baby's.

kodariah · December 2015

Thanks everyone. They are really good dogs but it just stresses me. The FTM jitters

cindyjoh · December 2015

I was worried about how our pups would react to our little one, but they have been great. My dogs have free range in the house, and love to cuddle and play. Since we brought the baby home, they have been curious, but also
keep their distance if he is fussy. We had my mom bring home a swaddle from the hospital and let them sniff it before we brought him home, and I think that helped. I'm sure yours will be great! (Sorry if this makes no sense.... Working on very little sleep with my 6 day old!)

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