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October 2015 Moms
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Feelings changed towards pets

journeygirl3journeygirl3 member
in October 2015 Moms
I do feel terrible even writing this, and feeling this way....but since bringing our baby home a little over 4 months ago, I have lost almost all love for my pets.  (cat & ultra senior small dog)  I know the dog probably only has another few years (or less) which makes me feel even more shitty.  Dealing with my cat howling 24-7, dog peeing and pooping indoors 24-7, barking at night, the mess they make with litter/food, cleaning up after them, getting no sleep due to them, has really gotten to me.  I am only interested in caring for my little human these days. I was the biggest animal lover before the baby, so I do feel terrible!  Anyone else go through this?  
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Re: Feelings changed towards pets

  • kdoak2015kdoak2015 member
    I love my dog greatly but since bringing baby home I want to punch him daily lol. He pees in the house now which he never did before, whines constantly and is so loud the second I get her to sleep. Or he wants outside the second she sleeps and will whine her entire nap. We will love them again.
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  • journeygirl3journeygirl3 member
    edited February 2016
    Glad to hear I'm not alone!  Though I can't see the day when I will love them again, ha.
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  • AiramJAiramJ member
    edited February 2016
    I feel the same but also feel sad for our pets. Their behaviour changed because of us loving baby more. I have 3 dogs and especially one of them (almost 3 years old, she was born in our house!) I treated like a baby. I have no interest in them anymore, often wish it was only us and my baby. I am even annoyed having to feed them! I am angry at myself for feeling this way and never expected it!! But it's nice for baby to grow up with pets and I am sure once our babies are a bit older, we feel more relaxed about and loving towards our pets again.
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  • danniellemichelledanniellemichelle member
    edited February 2016
    So happy to know I'm not alone. My dog was everything to me before I had our daughter. Like literally before I was pregnant I told my Husband that if I don't see how I could ever love anything more than him.

    I sill love him very much but don't like him often if that makes sense lol. I contemplated having him stay with my sister for a little while when V was first born because I couldn't handle the constant potty accidents (which were my fault anyway), and I felt bad for him not getting the attention and love he deserves. 

    I definitely agree about it changing later on... it's already getting easier and I know my daughter will love him so much when she gets bigger and can play with him. 

    Edited to add: OP you aren't alone in sometimes wishing it was just you guys and the baby. I always think that whenever I let my dog hang out on the balcony to get a break from him lol
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  • oceanlove13oceanlove13 member
    Our pets have a huge adjustment with a baby being introduced, just like we did and they also have to adjust to the way we treat them (which is different because we are stretched so thin right now caring for an infant and lack of sleep). It took our dog 4-6 months with the first baby to come out of a depression like state and start acting "normal" again.  I can't say he acts like he did pre-children, even now.  We are all much better though and adjusting well to each other's company.  We make sure to make time for our dog.  Take him on walks, car rides, feed him on a schedule, play with him and give him treats every day, etc.  It's cute to see our toddler play with him.  It will improve with time.  
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  • FatPonyFatPony member
    My dog annoyed me a bit when LO was a newborn bc she had an allergy we weren't picking up on (diarrhea a lot). Anyway, my friend's toddler came over yesterday and my dog never left her side. They played with the ball and ran around. It was awesome to see my dog interacting so well with a small child. So I hope she'll be great for when LO gets a bit bigger
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  • amarie1504amarie1504 member
    edited February 2016
    My feelings have changed but in a totally different way. My dog (3-year-old Black Lab) has been such a trooper with all of the changes and has been so easy to train with the baby. He has even transitioned perfectly from sleeping on our bed at night to sleeping in his bed on the floor. This isn't even because of our LO but because we recently bought a new and very expensive bed, and we're trying to limit the amount of dog hair that gets on it (our dog sheds a lot). If anything, my heart breaks from time to time (ok, a lot of the time) because I know our dog has to be confused and jealous at times. We make sure that he still gets tons of love and affection, but I know his world has been rocked by LO - new smells, new sounds, can't always play fetch when he wants to, etc. He has adjusted well, but I know there have to be times when he feels totally unsure about everything, even if he doesn't act out or show it. 

    I don't love him any less than I did before though. He was and always will be my furry baby. If anything, I love him more because I see how loyal he is now more than ever and how much of a perfect fit he is for our family. I am so excited to see how he interacts with our LO when LO is a bit older. I keep telling our dog, "Just wait, buddy. You're going to have a tiny little best friend before you know it!" Does he annoy me sometimes, and maybe more often than he used to? Sure, like when he barks right as LO is falling asleep or when he licks LO's hands, but it's unfair for me to be angry with him or to feel differently about him because of these things. His whole world is changing with the presence of our LO, much like my world changed and DH's world changed the day we walked through the front door as a family of three instead of two, but he doesn't understand everything the way we can. 

    I'm sorry you are feeling this way. Although I can't relate, I do sincerely hope that things get easier for you either with time or through some other solution. Good luck!
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  • trishee13trishee13 member
    @maral1015 hahaha I can totally relate with the bed thing.. While I was pregnant we bought a brand new bed and mattress and we said the dogs (well dog, only one of the 3 can actually get on the bed) are NOT going on it! That lasted like a month. I'm such a sap.
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  • jenboston22jenboston22 member
    edited February 2016
    Similar thing has happened to me; I used to feel that my cat was my baby, but this has changed since bringing my actual baby home. I now feel that my cat is my actual pet, not my "son", etc. I think that he fulfilled a need before I had my baby; he was something to love and to take care of (and he certainly enjoyed the attention!). Now I still take care of him, of course, but the feelings have changed to more of a pet-caretaker relationship rather than a parent-child relationship. I think it's natural, and as long as you continue to take care of your pet as promised when you adopted him or her, it's completely fine.
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  • danniellemichelledanniellemichelle member
    Got to say seeing this today warms my heart. :love: :heart: I really do feel like things will get easier for all of us and I really think all our babies will absolutely love their fur siblings as they get older!! 
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  • AiramJAiramJ member
    danniellemichellexox said:
    Got to say seeing this today warms my heart. :love: :heart: I really do feel like things will get easier for all of us and I really think all our babies will absolutely love their fur siblings as they get older!! 
    True! Best friends in the making!
    Here is Mayon with my furry baby Milli Mim <3


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  • danniellemichelledanniellemichelle member
    @AiramJ oh my goodness! So sweet :heart: 
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  • Rikki_5Rikki_5 member
    edited March 2016
    my cats annoy me so much more.  but I think it's the lack of sleep.  I still love them but of course its a different kind of love from my son  they are still my babies though even though I get more easily frustrated with them.  my cat is sitting on my lap right now and my other one is making noise and pissing me off because I just got baby to bed.  I'm about to go ape shit if he keeps trying to open the closet 
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  • kdoak2015kdoak2015 member
    He is her protector!!
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  • ravenbird007ravenbird007 member
    I can't stand our cat anymore. Ever since LO was born, he's taken up the habit of jumping up on the counters, especially during dinner before anything has been put away and tries to eat what's left, and jumping behind our tv which he nearly knocks over every time. It's a flat screen. It's expensive. He also has started clawing the bottom of our front door, and attacking the blinds. It wouldn't bother me so much if it was his sign that he wanted to go outside, but he refuses to go. If I make him, he jumps up and hangs on the window part of the door, while his back claws madly scramble against the door. It's maddening. He also really like clawing at our furniture, especially the new loveseat we just got. The best part is, he only starts his antics when SO gets home, and he's a big softy and doesn't really punish him. He gets light little pats on the butt if anything, which Mr. Kitty loves. I just have to look at him and sternly say "Get down!" and he hops right down. It's mostly annoying because he obviously understands because he listens to me, but SO's "punishments" seem to translate to "if I do the bad thing, daddy will get me down, and make me cuddle, and I'll get the pets". 

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  • cait040415cait040415 member
    Lurker from S15 here, but when we first brought LO home, I couldn't stand our dogs (especially my DH's dog, I couldn't stand him before! Lol) Now, as she gets older, I find myself loving them more because my LO LOVES them and my cat. Like is obsessed, looks for them and watches them as much as possible; they make her smile!!! They are also so, so much more gentle than I thought they would be! It'll come back, just give it time!!! But remember, safety of the baby comes first, and if at any time, you feel like you or the baby's safety is in jeopardy, then don't feel guilty for rehoming. I've known some dogs get really territorial after a new baby comes, and when they inevitably bite or react physically, it's automatically the dog's fault, which usually doesn't end well :( sometimes it is better to give them a better chance in a different home!!! Good luck!!!
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