Dogs and babies?

Question

I have a Collie/Labrador Cross, a Jack Russell and a 10 month old baby boy.

Right from the start I've worried about having the dogs around the baby. I never leave my son alone with them but I worry about the hygiene aspect of having dogs with the baby (my Jack Russell picked up fleas recently which was a nightmare, I treated the whole house) the dog hairs on the floor etc (hoovering 4 times a day) and also I don't have the time to spend with the dogs that I used to or the energy for long walks.

I feel they should be rehomed but my other half wants to keep them and he won't agree.

My son loves the dogs, squeals with excitement when he sees them and crawls round the floor after them! Do you think its really bad to have dogs around my baby or would it be better to rehome them? We only have a small house too which is another thing that worries me.

The dogs don't go upstairs or in the baby's room. The Jack Russell is elderly and quiet and keeps herself to herself. The collie is young and playful but has always been very gentle around the baby.

My Health Visitor gave me an ear-bashing about how my house "smelt of dogs" and how it was a "hygiene risk" to have dogs around a baby and I guess thats got me worried.

Thanks for your advice everyone, deep down I don't want to rehome them, I guess I'm just worried about how to make 2 dogs and a baby work. I definitely need more help from my partner on cleaning up after them and walking them. But I would like to keep them.

Answer 1

the dog should go outside,your baby should not have to roll around in dog hair (i had the same problem my kid was gagging sneezing) it can give him asthma and other respiratory problems

dogs lick there butts and balls all day,I would not have it around my baby knowing it going to lick the poop off its but and then try to lick your baby's face.also dogs will bite as a reflex if the baby hurts the dog, it may not notice its just the baby several children are mauled every year by family pets

tell your other half the dogs are not more important than the baby
I could not get rid of my dogs so I got a baby gate and made a dog free zone in the living room,at least do that

Answer 2

This is a tough one...I am about to have a baby and I am somewhat concerned about how my two dogs will react. The best thing you can do is to continue to treat the dogs as you normally did (even before the baby was born). It may be a sacrifice, but try to walk them and exercise them as much as possible (maybe take the baby in a stroller on the walks with you!). It is good that the baby and the dogs seem to get along well...so you really have nothing to worry about there, just make sure the dogs aren't left alone with the baby. Try to keep up with the dogs hygeine...bathe them or take them to the groomer on a regular schedule and be sure to give them the proper monthly flea treatments. And as far as the dog hair on the floor goes, sweeping or vacuuming is fine and a few hairs aren't going to kill the baby! Don't worry about it, millions of people have dogs and babies and it is difficult adjusting at first, but there's probably no reason for you to rehome the dogs.

Answer 3

Keep your dogs - they contribute to your health and well being, both mental and physical- take them with you when you walk your child - which I assume you do. Make them aware that the baby is yours and yours alone - they must respect you and your partner as their leaders and they will in turn respect the baby in the same manner. It would be unfair - esp for the older Jack Russell - to re-home them because of your household maintenance. My husband and I raised 2 kids with Rotties, Labs, Bull Terriers and now have an Aussie, Lab and a Jack and I vacuum every day - by necessity - the big 2 are sand boxes - and I would no sooner give away my dogs than my kids. It is your responsibility as a pet owner to give them a stable home environment for as along as they live - regardless of how much work they are. Find a way - you never know where they will end up if re-homed. If you do re-home - I hope you can live with the decision.
As for your Home Check person - show them the door and don't let it hit tem on the way out!!

Answer 4

I would say give him a chance. Don't leave the baby and the dog alone together and monitor interaction. Its not like he has been growling at or trying to attack your child. Was the baby doing anything when the dog bit her? Most likely it was a warning - an "I don't like this, and biting is how I would warn another dog" type of warning. They both need to learn (and will learn) how to interact with one another. This being said, if your baby was minding her own business and the dog is jealous (for whatever reason) then I would advise getting rid of the dog immediately, because who knows how far jealousy could go.

Answer 5

I've been around dogs since the day I was born and it hasn't done me any harm. As long as your dogs are not aggressive towards the baby and you keep your house clean and the dogs clean then there shouldn't be a problem and I see no reason why you should have to rehome them. After all, they are part of your family too!

Answer 6

i dont have much faith in health visitors. i bet she wasnt a dog owner. its fine to have pets around babies. yours sound just right. as your son grows they will become best of friends. he wont grow up scared of dogs. its actually not healthy to have a spotless house. so maybe just hoover twice a day will do, and tell the mr if he wants to keep them then he has to pull his finger out. it will get easier to cope with as your son gets older, when i had my daughter she as three days old when my dog had thirteen pups. can you imagine?! nightmare! but she's 8 now and never had a thing wrong with her and is best mates with the rescue staffy we got a few months ago. dont rehome them, it would be such a shame, especially for your son and the dogs themselves. the jack russell sounds like he's doing no harm at all!

Answer 7

Keep the dogs - re-home the health professional.

Fleas notwithstanding, since you are already doing all that you can to keep your home clean and neat - plus supervising the baby around the dogs - you're in fine shape.

My ex-husband developed and retained severe allergies because his mother is a germ-o-phobe. When he was a baby, his mother kept everything so sanitary that he had no immune system to speak of - and the doctor demanded that she let him get dirty.

The things your baby/toddler will learn from the dogs are priceless - like compassion, gentleness, loyalty, etc. He'll learn that creatures age and die - just like people can. He'll learn that he may be superior in intelligence - but that brings responsibility while watching you care for the dogs.

Those are priceless, life lessons that will see him well into adulthood.

Keep the dogs.

Answer 8

Maybe the answer is for your other half to be the sole care-giver of the dogs, since he's so insistant on keeping them. Or maybe you guys can keep one and give the other away.

I'd be particularly careful with that Jack Russell - they can be really nasty little dogs.

Overall, I don't think you need to worry too much about the sanitary aspect of the dogs around the baby. Keep them out of the baby's room and away from the baby's stuff and that should be enough. Sounds like you nipped the flea problem in the butt. I'd get Advantage and put that on your dogs - it will prevent any flea infestation in the future.

Answer 9

Young children get so much out of having dogs around. The hygiene issue shouldn't concern you - it actually good for your son to be exposed to all sorts of bacteria as it will get his immune system working properly. A baby's body is more robust than people think!
My only concern is that your dogs get long walks - perhaps your partner could help in this. There are also many 'dog walking services' around - they are not expensive and will ensure your dogs get the exercise they need.
It sounds as if you have a happy son and happy dogs. Love them all and it will stay that way!

Answer 10

Your baby is far more likely to catch something from you or your partner than the dogs! It's been shown that children exposed to animals from a young age are far less likely to suffer from allergies than those who are kept in a germ free environment.
As long as your dogs are kept healthy & wormed regularly, you don't have anything to worry about. Just make sure your partner walks the dogs - you can't do everything.
I think it's really bad when the dog gets dumped as soon as the baby comes along!