Dog and baby

I think it depends on the breed of dog and also which came first - the dog or the baby.

We got our first dog - a border collie - when my son was six months old. They got along fine and we had no issues at all.

However, I would never leave a baby and a dog alone together. Or a cat and a baby for that matter

we always had dogs with our children, you just need to train the dog and be sensible

My children and grandchildren have always been brought up with dogs in the family never ever have they been left with a dog on their own .

I'd sooner focus on the baby and get the dog later when the child can join in.

Of course it's ok to have a dog and a baby but never leave them together alone. I had the dog first then the baby. My lovely retriever spent the first three weeks of my Ds's life ignoring him. She would refuse to even look at him. She came round but I never left them alone.

Someone on a dog Facebook page had a puppy and a young baby and her husband had had to work away for a while. The poor girl was at the end of her tether. Puppies are such hard work. I had my first dog before I had children and made a point of treating her very much as a dog. Much as I wanted to make a huge fuss of her I’d heard that spaniels could get very jealous when a new baby suddenly gets all of the attention. I made up for it when I did have my daughter though, and the dog is in all of the photos. I wouldn’t leave a baby or small children alone with my dog the way I did back then, though. I hate seeing pictures on the internet with small babies lying next to dogs. My mindset has changed over the years. My daughters dog, acquired when the boys were @ 11 and 8 actually made them as a family and the joy on the boys’ faces when they saw their surprise puppy is something I’ll never forget.

My Weimaraner was three when my daughter was born. No problems at all.

Even a little dog such as OP mentions can kill a baby. Personally I would never have a dog with a young child in the family. Not leaving them alone together isn’t enough - a dog can attack in the blink of an eye, and kill before an adult has a chance to intervene.

We had a nanny dog (Labrador) when I was young. And again when my daughter was young. That was specific to the temperament of those 2 specific dogs though.

We also left our cats alone with my DGS. They were terrified of him and still never go near him.

Most dogs though, I'd completely agree. Never leave a baby alone with them.

We got our first dog (Airedale) when our boys were about 8 and 10. He became part of the family and was very good at football!

I would never leave a dog and young child alone

Terriers (which are small dogs) were bred to catch rats and other vermin, so I'd be wary of having them with a baby. DGD has learned as she's grown how to treat our spaniels, who've been fairly indulgent with her!
I was always twitchy about the cats sitting on a baby's face! Our cats always loved sleeping near a baby, but never actually touching.

Agree with others, not wise to have a dog and a baby. The baby will be a full time job without worrying about a dog as well. Why give yourself extra work? Wait until the child is old enough to understand and can join in the fun of getting a puppy.

Why not? Assuming the pet doesnt have behavioural issues that may affect the child

Not clear about what you mean AnnieHernandez have you already got a dog or a baby, are you suggesting you get a puppy as well as the baby?
All depends on the temperament and training of the dog. I have always had dogs but have been aware of the dangers of leaving small children alone with dogs.
A puppy and a baby together can be very hard work.

I grew up with dogs. We had dogs when our children were born. We now have dogs with the grandchildren.

Common sense is required. But it's easily done and can be of huge benefit to growing children

www.parents.com/parenting/pets/kids/the-benefits-of-pets/

Zoejory

I grew up with dogs. We had dogs when our children were born. We now have dogs with the grandchildren.

Common sense is required. But it's easily done and can be of huge benefit to growing children

www.parents.com/parenting/pets/kids/the-benefits-of-pets/

Growing children yes, babies no. A child will enjoy the experience, a baby only needs its parents or carers.

When my boys were 3 and 5 we had a Dalmation who decided my youngest son was her puppy and my eldest son was for me to look after. I frequently found her washing my youngest sone from head to toe.

When my first GD was born my son had two rescue dogs already and they stood guard over her rocked her crib if she made a noise and sat patiently when she wanted to put hairbands, clips and boobles on them.

Again though all down to the temperament of the dogs.

I do feel if children are trained correctly the dogs will be fine.

Dogs and small children are a lot of work, as others have said.

When I was little, and also when my nearly four year younger sister was born, my parents had dogs and cats.

We children were taught from the time when we started crawling never to go near the dogs when they were gnawing a bone or eating their dinner, or approach them when they were in their dog baskets

The dogs were trained not to snap at us - my father re-homed an Alsatian bitch that took exception to my inclusion in the family, so if things go wrong you will be faced with having to re-home the dog.

Cats need some place out of toddlers' reach. My mother's cat was two years older than me, and my earliest recollection of him, is a picture as clear as day in my memory.

I am stretching up as high as I can to touch the cat who is sitting on top of a chest of drawers. To my fury, I cannot reach him, as my extended finger tips only reach the second top drawer of that chest - and the cat is grinning at me from the flat top of that piece of furniture.

I have a later memory of me, aged, five, sitting in my sister's play-pen while she crawled happily round the dining-room floor. I was reading a comic aloud, to two cats and a fox terrier - all three sitting out of harm's (little sister's) way in the play-pen beside me.

You can have pets and small children together, but it takes time, patience and rules. As soon as we could crawl we also knew not to touch Daddy's medical bag.

If you ask me now at my present age of 69, why that bag had to stand on the floor, instead of being placed out of our reach, I cannot give you a sensible answer. I never did ask my parents about it.

Germanshepherdsmum

Even a little dog such as OP mentions can kill a baby. Personally I would never have a dog with a young child in the family. Not leaving them alone together isn’t enough - a dog can attack in the blink of an eye, and kill before an adult has a chance to intervene.

Wow Gsm I'm agreeing with you now.

I was brought up with a dog- an Alsatian my dad aquired during the war when the army unit it belonged to was sent abroad my mum took it in. So it was there when I was born, but it was a trained dog and attitudes to it were very different than people's today. It was kept out of most of the house. It did however sit next to my pram and guard it when mum was shopping and I used to hold its ear. People treat dogs more like humans now.

I honestly don't understand why anyone would want a dog and a baby (unless you already have the dog). Once the child is old enough to go to school they will thoroughly enjoy the experience of getting a dog and learning about it. Better for everyone all round.

Personally I would rather have a dog than a baby but that's just me. hides behind sofa

I joke with my younger daughter that if I had discovered dogs and horses before she was born she wouldn't be here. She replies that if my contraception had worked, she wouldn't be here. Which is true! We bought our first dog for daughter's 10th birthday and have had dogs ever since (border terriers) I would not mix dogs with very young children, especially terrier types, it is so much nicer for the children to enjoy them when they are older and able to follow the rules and I'm another who would never leave a dog and young child together. I kept my BTs well away from my grandchildren when they were small, which pleased the terriers!

Heavens, trisher, this is seriously worrying! I too was brought up with dogs as my grandparents had very docile labradors, who I played with and adored. Things were different back then. Your Dad’s dog was that rare thing, a dog trained by the military. We had an ex-marines German shepherd once and that training shone through. My current shepherd is wonderful and so gentle with us, but I’ve seen her kill a rat and she shakes her fluffy toys in just the same way. I don’t have grandchildren yet, and she’s a very old lady now, but all dogs have that instinct and if the mood takes them even Usain Bolt wouldn’t be fast enough.

Growing children yes, babies no. A child will enjoy the experience, a baby only needs its parents or carers.

The dogs were in my life before the babies!

They grew up together.

As long as you don't leave a baby, ( or child) alone with a dog, all is fine.