anyone have pets?

[Ebony_Mommy]

how did u seperate the baby and the pet..?

i have a dog (staffie) and i dont want the dog in the front room aout 1 week before due date.. becaz i dont want baby to injest dog hairs..

the thought of baby creeping on the floor then put his/hers hand back in their mouth.. yuk...

 

[Hypnorm]

Just afew questions..
How long have you had the dog?
Do you have any other kids?
Does the dog have the run of the whole house or is he/she restricted to just down stairs?

 

[Ebony_Mommy]

well my i have my 4yr old sis ... ive had the dog since she was 6 weeks old and shes 10 1/2 mths now.. she's restricted to downstairs only...

 

[lauramumof2]

Dont take this the wrong way but that might be a wee bit over cautious. I had 2 long haired cats and the hair was only a problem because Jessica had exzema and it agrivated the skin. She never had hair in her mouth and I hoovered everyday (not that im saying you dont, LOL).

Its going to be a while before baby will be creeping about anyway and you might be surprised at how little they interact. It certainly wont do any harm to initiate a no go area for the dog just now though. Its quite a emotional thing to stop your pet doing/going somewhere in your house and maybe you should do it now as you might be a bit tearfull a week before the birth.

I love animals sooooo much and feel for anyone having to make difficult decisions with regard to pets. It does all work out though

 

[Ebony_Mommy]

i understand that... but i hoover twice a day... and the hairs dont go...

i cud just finished hoovering and the carpet look dog hair free.. but if i was to use a brush and a scoop ull be amazed by the amount of dogs hairs that escape the hoover

if my sis lay on the carpet her hair is filled with dog hairs!

i find dog hairs where i least expect them... ie in the fridge!

i just dont like the idea of it... i dont even like dogs in houses but i got her as a bday present so i had to change a lil....lol

 

[skatty]

I agree if you are making a no go area dó it well before the bay come so the dog doesn't resent baby! I have a German Shepherd and she malts loads in winter but I will still let her in the front room, I'll just be sweeping a lot more!

 

[Hypnorm]

Even if you keep the dog to one room then the hairs will still get transfered - there are lots of people with babies and pets and they all grow up to be happy healthy kids - Personally i think they grow up more immune to things as they have been introuduced to more germs. Babies are made to be tooo sterile these days.
As long as you keep baby away from dog poo, and keep the dog regualrly de-flea'd and wormed with veterinary dog wormer like drontal or stronghold.

As the others say - start introducing the changes asap - but gently - it migght be worth making the kitchen the dogs area and keep her out of the frontroom - she is young so will be more ameanable to the changes.

Its good that you have her restricted to downstairs already so at least she knows her place in the pack.

Also once baby is born - bring a blanket home before baby - that the baby has been wrapped in so the dog can get used to the smell.
sound weird - but it can help the dog adjust.

 

[Ebony_Mommy]

to be honest i think ill feel sorry for my baby (my puppy/dog i mean...lol) i think i wudnt be strong enought to restrict her....lol

... i mainly concerned what my family might think becaz they already think its 'nasty' to keep pets on the house

(becaz theyre older jamaicans and used to animals living outside)

 

[budge]

how did u seperate the baby and the pet..?quote]

simple
adopt the child or get rid of the dog.

Im not a dog fan at all (can't stand the smelly things) but for heavens sake how will the poor thing feel to be shunned from the family room as soon as the baby comes along? I predict ugly behaviour from the dog.
Do you think that is the only place the child will crawl? And crawling around is't the only way its will infest hairs and crap. Hairs float around in the air. A week is not long enough to rid the house of dog germs and hair either.

The only way i can see is if you get rid if one or the other.

 

[Ebony_Mommy]

nah.. i aint getting rid of my dog... the week wud be so th edog would get used to not being in the front room...

 

[budge]

needs more than a week.

 

[Jaidy]

Depends how obediant your dog is....but if its been allowed everywhere from 6 weeks it might take a while to get it used to being out of the front room, dont you think?? You ought to start now I think, give it time

 

[Shaz]

You think you've got trouble! I've got a horse that requires a twice a day visit, mucking out in the winter, etc etc!!

I can see me mucking out with the baby in a sling!!

 

[Jaidy]

@ Shaz

And like you said, Ebony thought she had problems

 

[Ebony_Mommy]

You think you've got trouble! I've got a horse that requires a twice a day visit, mucking out in the winter, etc etc!!

I can see me mucking out with the baby in a sling!!

ooooohhh

 

[Shaz]

Seriously though - if your dog is well behaved and doesn't get too jealous of the baby you should be fine.

I read somewhere you're supposed to, before you bring bubba home from the hospital, get someone to bring a piece of the clothing the baby has been wearing so the dog can get used to the scent before the baby comes home.

As far as dog hairs go - and with horse hairs in my case - they are bound to pick some up and swallow them, but I do believe that if you molly-coddle babies too much and keep them in an hygienic "balloon" they are actually more likely to pick up illnesses.

I mean don't be silly about it, but my friends at the stables who have children - their kids from a very small age have been around all types of animals and we've never had a problem. We've got ponies, sheep, dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits up there......

in fact their children are pretty robust!!!

 

[Jaidy]

Yeah a bit of grubs and dirt never killed no one!

 

[Ebony_Mommy]

i know that... i grew up on a 'farm' as well wearing barefoot in the yard playing with the dogs...pigs..chickens..goats..cows... u name it........lol

i think im just being over-proteted of my baby

 

[Shaz]

Of course you're not being over-protective!! It's a worry - EVERYTHING is a worry!!! I've already started to look at sharp corners on tables and cupboard doors and I'm not even due until January next year! Baby won't even be moving around the place for a good 12 months.

It's just the mothering instinct coming out in you - it's better that than not caring isn't it???

 

[skatty]

Its a good idea to get your dog used to babies and children too. My excitable German Shepherd is amazingly gentle around children and babies, she finds them fascinating but always gets bored before they do and then hides under the table or somewhere! We are going to train her to jump the baby gate and escape to her fave place in the hallway before our LO starts crawling around. She's part of our family though and would be heartbroken to be excluded from the family room, you'll probably be surprised how little work it will take to get your two babies acquainted and they will grow up together which is really nice