Pets

[Bloom]

Do any of you pet owners have any worries about how they will react with your LO's?

I have a dog and i have no problems about the jealousy side of things as he very well trainned but i am concerned about the baby being on its play mat on the floor (safest place in my eyes so they cant roll off anything) and the dog stepping on him/her by accident. I have got a travel cot do double up as a play pen in my lounge so baby is safe and im planning on getting stairgates to keep the dog and baby separate if needs be plus baby will have its bouncer. If im finding it a problem then of course the dog will have too go the baby comes first always. Im probaly worrying over nothing as the dog will probaly have no interest in the baby.

How is everyone else planning on adapting?

 

[Babylicious]

We've got a dog and a cat. We also have a crate for said dog as she's a 10 month old border collie and isn't small. PLus she's always hyper

 

[Bloom]

I have a staffie he has a crate too its massive he loves it though we got one for when he was a puppy but he loved it so much we still have it 2 years later i didnt have the heart to take it away even though it takes up so much room. He always goes in it when we are out.

 

[Babylicious]

snap it's the same with Harley, her crate is huge too. I'd just suggest putting him in there whilst baby is tiny then slowly introducing him back into where the baby will be. I'm try and curb any bad habbits before bubs arrives too, like no running round the lounge like a mad thing

I can't wait until Baby is big enough to ride Harley

 

[Bloom]

I can't wait until Baby is big enough to ride Harley

Thanks for the advice im glad im not the only one with a huge crate in their house we covered ours with a blanket its like a big cave

 

[Penstraze]

My dog trainers advice is get a good behaviourist to do a home visit to point out any thing they think could be potential problems and suggest what changes you may wish to make as changes are best made before the birth of baby so dog doesnt associate changes with babies arrival i.e. installing baby gates preventing access to certain areas of house babies room, your room etc

A well trained dog will be much easier to work with then one without training so that should help you alot Bloom being able to send a dog to their bed when you have your hands full and dont want them under your feet or telling a dog to leave from a distance if a gate is accidently left open will all be very valiable commands so starting a training course for a dog whos training might need some work in early stages or pregnancy might be a good preparation.

Dog crates are a great way of giving dog their own space when little ones get too much as children get older and a good way of restraining your dog at times where you need it away from under your feet!

One last think I was told it was a good idea to take a blanket with the babies scent on it home and let the dog get used to the scent so its not foreign when you bring baby home but I guess the practicality of that depends on how long your in hospital!

Hope some of that helps!

 

[DebbieM]

I'm not worried, but Barney has been our baby for so long that it concerns me a little that he might get jealous and feel excluded when the baby first comes home. However, we are going to try as much as possible to keep things as normal as possible so he adapts easily.

I think he will be ok.

 

[Babylicious]

takes up most of the dining room, she was only 4 months on that pic

 

[Emma58]

Babylicious your dog is gorgeous!!

We've got 5 snakes so I don't think we'll have any problems with baby. They are well locked up in their vivariums.

 

[paradysso]

awwww dogs and babies make me go weak at the knees, we had a dog with alana, he was great with her, followed her every where and guarded her bedroom every night.

 

[Manda&Thomas]

i have 2 rats and a waterdragon so i dont think il have any problems
although my dad has a greyhound who is very hyper near anyone and my sister has 2 rottwielres who are big softies lol and love babies
manda xx

 

[Bloom]

Theres some good advice here thanks ladies.
Shes so cute babylicious looks very well behaved.

I think im going to have to work on my oh hes far too soft with the dog not like me im no pushover but its like talking to a brick wall

We spent a lot of time training the dog when he was a puppy so hes brillant with commands and learns really fast and im sure he will be fine, just want to make sure i can iron out any potential problems before babys born. He doesnt really go in his crate when we are there (except to get his comfort blanket or a treat hes hidden) so i think i will try this one more often and the sleeping arrangements he currently sleeps in his bed upstairs in our room but i want him sleeping downstairs like a dog should.

 

[DebbieM]

takes up most of the dining room, she was only 4 months on that pic

OOOOOOOOH! How cute!!!!! I love dogs so much!

 

[DebbieM]

This is our boy:

Sorry - he is too cute to just choose one pic LOL!

He's 9 but people can never believe it as he is so full of energy and so crazy and still looks so young too

 

[Bloom]

awwww dogs and babies make me go weak at the knees, we had a dog with alana, he was great with her, followed her every where and guarded her bedroom every night.

Thats a lovely pic. What breed of dog is that? He looks like it has German Shepherd in him somewhere.

 

[Emma58]

All the dogs on here are beautiful. I'd love a dog but OH refuses, he loves them too but doesn't think it's right when we are both out at work all day to leave one.

I will wear him down though!

 

[paradysso]

hi bloom yes hes all german shepherd, but he was a puppy in that pic, this was him all grown up

 

[Bloom]

I was worried about this too Emma so i go home at lunchtimes to let the dog out and walk him he always acts as if ive interrupted his sleep time, i have no idea how hes going to be when im home all the time probaly fed up as he cant get any peace and quiet. I love having a dog we spend so much time walking miles at the weekend with him. Will post a pic when i get home later.

Debbie he looks lovely like you said he looks younger than 9.
Paradysso he looks gorgeous i dont think ive seen many all black German Shepherds.

 

[paradysso]

yeah he took us ages to find, but alana became allergic so we dont have him any more

 

[Nicola g]

we have a cat and dog, but im more worried about the cat as she already thinks the moses basket is hers