Dogs and babies?????

Question

I am 12 weeks pregnant, and have 2 dogs. One of which is a rescue dog and very protective over me.
I'm not sure how she will take to a new baby in the house.
What should i do? Keep the dog and hope for the best or rehome her before the baby arrives???????
Any advice is welcome.
Thanks

The dog is a Staffie Boxer X

Both of my dogs are well trained, the female i am talking about still has many behaviour problems, i have talked to vets and my behaviourist and there is nothing else they can do for her.
She was badly mistreated when she was a pup by a family with a young child, she is scared of children!

Answer 1

I have read alot about this as I will be starting a family soon and have 2 male rotties.

The best advice I have read so far is that you prepare the baby room early and get a doll....Go around the house with it was your newborn and go through the routine with your dogs. Do this as you would when the baby comes. Let the dog smell the doll, not get too close. Make sure it is wearing the scent of the baby soap..

when the baby comes, it will be nothing new to the dogs as they will be used to the routine.

Answer 2

Its a really difficult one to answer without knowing the dog. We had a rescue Irish Setter before I had a baby and I was very anxious. In the event it turned out well. The dog just seemed to adopt the baby as his own and once even challenged me when I was trying to give my son a row.
However there are no sure answers. Talk to your vet and to a behaviourist who's actually met your dog.
You could keep the dog and see how he reacts. Let him sniff the baby's things before you introduce them. Give him plenty of attention and praise for being gentle. NEVER leave the dog and baby alone and this can be hard especially if your on your own and need to go to the loo or answer the door.
Try carrying a doll around and treating it like a baby for week or so. Watch the dogs reactions. In the end its a risk and only you can decide. I know how attatched you become to a dog especially a rescue dog but once the baby arrives you'll be surprised at how totally you'll love the child and you may not have the time and energy needed to cope with this dog as well.
I hope it works out well for you. Just don't feel guilty whatever you decide. You'll have done your best for both the baby and the dog.

Answer 3

There are tapes you can buy of baby noises to help your dog/s get used to the strange sounds they make.
Used with positive reinforcement it can help your dog see baby as a good thing.
You can get a baby doll to carry around and hold while you work with the dog on basic obedience commands like sit & down.
Last thing you want is her jumping up when you have a real baby in your arms.
Get something like a Kong to give the dog while you 'feed' the baby doll.
This will get her used to having a nice treat while you are busy.
Save the kong or treat for only when you are doing baby stuff - that way she will associate 'down time' from you with something positive.
Do this with both dogs - your other dog might not like having a new baby around either.
And your dog that isn't keen on children may see your baby as an extension of you & be fine.
Once baby has arrived be very careful with supervision and decide then if your dog can cope or if rehoming would be best.
If you have spent time working on training & positive reinforcement the dog will be a better prospect for a new home so even if this is the outcome putting some time & effort in now will not be a waste of time.
Good luck for a happy healthy pregnancy
Dalfyre

Answer 4

I agree with alot of what JadeC says.

1. You need to start adjusting your routine with the dogs as when the baby comes you will not have as much time with them.

2. The baby doll wrapped in a blanket, especially if you can get one from a friend who has recently had a child so a real smell is on the blanket and spend time with it like you will when your child arrives.

3. You did not say how well trained your dog is, it might be worthwhile to invest in some training now with simple sit stay and down commands so hopefully he will listen once the baby arrives.

4. Make sure when you and the baby arrive home that it is a calm and peaceful moment. go in and greet the dog alone as he would have missed you after not seeing you for a couple of days and give him a chance to calm down. then bring in the baby and introduce slowly from accross the room.

4. Still very very important, do not leave the baby unattended with the dog at any time.

Your dog is a member of the family and it would be a shame to rehome straight away without getting any kind of indication of how he would be with the baby. Err on the side of caution to protect the baby but give your dog a chance too.

Answer 5

Firstly, good for you to think ahead. I assume that you love this dog and want to keep her? If that is the case, I would approach a professional dog trainer and ask for a consultation appointment where he/she can evaluate your dog and offer advice from there. There are lots of 'tricks' like bringing home a receiving blanket that the baby has been wrapped in for the dog to sniff. But really those methods are for the 'normal' run of the mill dog. When dealing with an abused animal - I think it would be well worth your time and money for 1 appointment with a professional. That doesn't mean you have to take his/her advice as the Gospel truth. One thing that I would add (and I brought home my daughter while I had a 7 year old GSD) - never, ever, every leave any dog and any child or infant alone together. Never. There's a good chance that this dog will want to protect your baby. What I would bear in mind there is that in an emergency (such as fire etc), if a human had to act quickly and scoop the baby up - your dog has to be 'safe' and allow it because it could well be saving your child's life. Also, an excellent idea, if you've not already got this set up, provide your dog(s) with their 'own' safe space, such as a crate - when they are in there, they do not have to share, and they are totally safe. Good luck.

Answer 6

I have 2 dogs, Bosco, 3, a rott/choc lab mix that was mistreated as a puppy and Dosia, 2, a Pitt. They both grew up around my 5 year old son with no problems. When I had my daughter a year ago, the first thing we did when we got home was "introduce" them to her. Bosco has always loved kids and he was no problem. Dosia was a little wary at first because he had never seen a baby before. I let him smell her first and when he was fine with that, I sat down on the floor with Ava and let him sniff her from head to toe, the whole time telling him what a good dog he was. He was fine. Sometimes during the first few days he would look around when she cried like "What's that?" but soon, when she cried, he would run from me to her door and stare at me until I went to her. Now Ava's almost 16 months and he's her favorite. She climbs on him, hits him, pokes his eyes and pulls his ears, but he just licks her and if she starts pestering him he walks off. (Bosco usually won't even wake up) Every dog is different, and since yours has a rough background, I would take it slow. She deserves a chance, at least. If it doesn't go well, and she shows signs of aggresion towards to baby, yes, you should find her a new home. Since you're only about 3 months pregnant, you have 6 months to work with her. Try taking her to a park so you can see how she reacts to children and noise. Try a doll--maybe one that cries or talks. I hope you won't have to get rid of her since you're both attached to each other, and more so because she was a rescue and has already been through so much. But don't compromise the safety of the baby. And remember that as your child gets older, he will be rough with her at least a few times-all kids are-and consider how she may react with her background. Good luck.

Answer 7

Hi, you say the dog is a Stafforshire/boxer mix.
I'm a staffordshire breeder and I can assure you the Staffordshire side of the dog will love the little baby. They are not called the 'Nanny-dog' for nothing. Boxers are also rated under the no 1 group of dogs when it comes to children. I will not fear anything if I'm you. Remember a dog usually choose one individual in the family who he/she will love the most, and in some cases the dog will swop his master for a new one like a baby that they sense needs more protection. just give the dog/dogs a lot of attention and love during the whole process. Regards

Answer 8

This is a hard question because u never really know how the dog will react to a baby but there r a few simple things you can do before the baby arrives:
.Cut down the number of walks you have each day, as you'll probably have to do so when the new baby has arrived.
.Watch out for any behaviour or habits that could cause difficulties, like frequently jumping up or pulling on the lead. If you do notice such habits, slowly work on them, using treats as rewards.
.Teach your dog to be quiet around the house and get him used to sitting still and staying still. When you're dealing
with a baby, this will be very useful.
.Have a dummy run and see how your dog might react to a baby. It sounds mad, but wrap a doll in a blanket, nurse it and give it attention.
.ecourage your dog not to go upstairs, especially if your nursery will be there.

Answer 9

You need to see how the dog reacts to the baby. So make your decision after the baby is born.

THESE FRUITCAKES THAT SAY IT IS UNHEALTHY FOR A BABY TO BE RAISED WITH PETS OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW THE ELBOW FROM THEIR HIND PARTS. SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST IDIOTS.

Anyway, when you bring the baby home you want it to get used to the scent of the baby, but you also need to let her know that the baby needs its space. There is an episode of the Dog Whisperer where Cesar Milan explains all of this. I would try to find that episode and watch it.

If you don't have any luck with the dog when the baby is born please re-home the dog, don't have it put down.

Good Luck.

Answer 10

Before you start calling your local animal control, and making arrangements for your dog to find a new residence, why not start now and get your dog used to the fact that he's going to have a baby crawling around soon? It can be done, and fairly easily, and there's no need to remove from your life an animal that's been your best friend through thick and thin.

First things first. Obedience classes are a must. Teaching you how to correctly handle your dog and your dog what is expected is a necessity in any relationship, and having a baby on the way makes this doubly important.

Obedience classes not only ensure that your dog is well behaved, but also build a strong foundation of socialization experience. A dog that learns to handle himself in a crowded room filled with other dogs and owners wandering about, will also handle himself well when baby starts to crawl.

You've got two trimesters left before the new baby arrives, and your dog is still secure in the knowledge that she's Number One. It's time to get her used to sharing your affection. As with all important desensitization processes, and yes, that is what this is too, you'll need to start slowly.

And if you don't want your dog to be in the babies room, it's time to start prohibiting her access now. Start by closing the door at night, or when you aren't home. If she ceases to see that room as her territory, she won't be as put out by being "put out".