Dog and baby

Dogs and cats have teeth and claws - nuff said…

I'm always a bit concerned by "the patience of a saint" said about a dog with regard to children.
Some things try the patience of a saint too far, often without even realising it.

As a dog trainer of forty years,and a mum of three, I’d say don’t do it. For the first year your dog should have as much attention as a baby. If you’ve already got a dog then get a trainer in. Don’t wait until you have a problem

Yes it is. But some breeds are more possessive than others. If you have already got a dog then you need to take extra care. Your dog has become part of the familty and just like children they feel things like jealousy etc. You are going to be taking much more notice of the baby so therefore the dog is going to feel pushed away. You must make time for both. If its a very young dog then it is more than likely to respond with energy if its a playful dog, so need to watch as the dog does not know always that it may hurt the baby.

In this case and others its not always the way the dog is brought up that may cause a problem, as different breeds react differently and remember a dog will not know the rules as this is new to the dog too. Its a careful line you need to take that is, be vigilante, never ever leave a baby alone with a cat or a dog or other animals for that matter if they are loose. Just do not forget the dog came first (if this is the case) and not to suddenly make it feel not wanted by ignoring it or shouting at it if it gets near the baby etc. Calm teaching and love is needed.

If you are thinking of getting a dog then a puppy is a lot of work and it would be better to get a dog a little older so that it house trained etc this will help your time running round after the puppy. A young dog needs a lot of attention as does a baby. It is just like having another child but this one has teeth that can hurt and may not understand always.

The decision is yours but be prepared and get good advise from a professional dog handler is probably best. With all the advice we as dog owners can give along with a professional should help you to decide. Time is a big part to think about as in will you have time for a dog and if not, down the line you then decide to give that dog up will be heart breaking for all and the dog. Good Luck. Hope this does not sound all negative but if you have not had a dog before you need to know these things.

Depends on the breed of dog and how you treat it both before and after the birth.
If the dog is always treated as the bottom of the pack, there is usually no problems but if the dog is treated like a substitute child then once the baby arrives suddenly goes from top dog to the lowest then they will struggle and so will the rest of the family.

When my daughter was born over 30 years ago we already had a labrador who was then 2. He was an absolute angel with her and also my son born a few years later but I never once left him alone with the children.
My daughter has a dog (Lakeland Terrier) and has just taken ownership of a Cockapoo of 18 months who has been rehomed due to a toddler in the family and a new baby; it's owners just couldn't cope as it's such a lively dog.

And for every rare occasion that happens - and tragic as it is, it is rare - there are millions of children growing up happily alongside dogs from when they were babies. I feel quite sorry for any child who grows up without knowing the love of a dog in their lives. A dog will never let you down - humans do.

There have been so many stories of dogs savaging little babies to death. I wouldn’t entertain having both together…if anything happened you would never forgive yourself

We waited until the children were old enough to look after the dog - after GCSE's. TBF the dog was really for me.
I thought I would bring up the kids then have a dog.
My grown up kids thought I should have another dog as I love them and ours died aged 15 years and I was without a dog for five years.
Great idea except by then we were very involved in childcare for grandkids before & after school and putting a puppy in the mix was not a good idea. How can you always ensure the little kids and dog were never alone together, even for a few minutes?
Not fair on the dog or the kids.
Dog's behaviour became unpredictable around 8 months, was advised to re home the dog.
Heartbreaking, distraught.
Kids welfare came before the dog.
Dog was taken to a national re training and re homing centre by my puppy class teacher to avoid any future danger.
I have been walking someone else's dog under 'borrowmydoggie' scheme for five years now, helping out a nurse who does night shifts etc
My grandkids came before my wish to own a dog.

No no and no.

No

Very similar to another poster, when my parents met, my Dad had German Shepherds so I grew up with these wonderful dogs.
I was told that my Mum would put my pram in the front garden with me inside and if anyone approached the gate, the dog's would move in front of the pram...it was a local joke that I was the safest child in the street!
As I grew older, we always had dog's and most were big breeds, Shepherds, Dobermans and Rottweilers. All were well trained, socialised and I adored them. I was also taught how to behave with and around dog's, something very lacking with many children I think and also a reason for some attacks.
As an adult I've also had dog's and my boys grew up with them.
Puppies are hard work though and need a lot of care, attention and time.....add to that a baby?

As A child I was bitten in the face by our dog, I went up behind it just as it finished eating, my dad had it put to sleep. That said. I adore both cats and dogs and my children were brought up with them and now cats and dogs are in all our families. The one thing it taught me was to never take a chance. I looked after my DGD from 6 months until she started school and now am looking after her 2 year old brother. As much as I trust our Springer Spaniel I never leave them along for a second. If I have to go to the loo the dog is shut in the utility room. I never give the dog any form of food whilst DGS is here and all the dog toys are put away. You just have to be careful and especially know the nature of your dog at the same remembering that it is still animal and therefore unpredictable.

My parents had a terrier before I was born, the first of 4. Tojo, as he was called was very good natured and no doubt put up with a lot from us children.

If you want to have a dog I would suggest getting it first and making sure that it's trained. I would then make sure that my children were also trained to treat the dog with respect and to understand that it is not a living teddy bear to be mauled and that it is entitled to its own space.

We've always had dogs, so our children and now our grandson, grew up with one around the house. Personally speaking, I don't think a home is complete without a dog, but I wouldn't advise anyone to get a dog and a baby at the same time (especially a puppy!) Teach the children to respect the dog and vice versa and it's a recipe for a happy family!

nope. I wouldn't trust any child around a dog of mine. Children are untrained, impulsive and unpredictable. They will grab throw pull poke and hit without reason or thought.

We started married life with two large dogs (my husbands), which were joined 18 months later by our first son. No problems at all. I never worried for a moment about them being alone with the babies, they were our 'baby alarms' and protectors, they even helped put the toys away at the end of the day without chewing them! Both dogs were well trained and devoted companions to our boys. They came shopping with me and guarded the pram, no-one ever touched the pram or children, except one man who tried to give my son a sweet and I returned to find the German Shepherd holding him firmly but gently by the wrist. He was very nervous, embarrassed and apologetic but also impressed. Sadly we lost both dogs to cancer about five years later. Our youngest son doesn't really remember them.

You can never ensure that any dog is 100% reliable with children, but good kind training and common sense goes a long way to a happy, safe family environment for everyone.

I wish I had got a dog when I had babies. I grew up with dogs and loved them best, so I'd go for it. I meet a lot of young mums with babies and dogs on my dog walking wanders and they are all so happy.

We made the mistake of getting a puppy three weeks before my second child was born which made it hard work with a newborn a toddler and a puppy but we muddled through . If you already have the dog then introduce them carefully and you can judge how they are going to accept baby . And as with all dogs and children don’t leave them alone . Over the years we have had 5 different large dogs with our own children and grandchildren with no problems at all . I would say make sure the dog has a safe space to retreat to if the child gets too much for them

I had a two year old visiting at the same time as we had a guide dog puppy. The pup was fortunately almost ready to go back to GDBA for more training when the little girl poked her fingers up it’s nose. She (the pup) just gave me a very long suffering look. The child’s mother didn’t say a word.

Chestnut

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

This sounds pretty sensible to me. A new baby, especially a first, is enough to deal with.

If the dog and baby are for you, then only you can decide - if they are for someone else it is for them to decide?

We had our dog, a Doberman bitch, before our son came along. I was always careful to ensure neither felt neglected because of the other (eg breastfeeding son on the settee with our dafty Dobie leaning against my other side....).
She wasn't all that impressed with him until she realised food from heaven above was coming from my son handing her stuff from his highchair that he didn't want. Best of friends thereafter, though prior to that, she was very protective of him when we were out with him in his pram and then the buggy.

We had a 18 month old Lab when first DD was born. He was magnificent with her. We took care how we introduced her to him and from then on she could do anything she wanted with him, although we taught her to be gentle. He loved both our DDs and had the patience of a saint with them. With our current Labs we are always careful with GCs, especially as one son-in-law is phobic, which of course extends to his fearing the dogs being near his children. If he is with us we shut the dogs in another room. Whilst the GC are still so small and therefore potentially likely to fall on top of the dogs, we are extra careful. If a dog is not already in the family I would recommend, as others have, waiting until the child is old enough to enjoy a new dog; they are hard work and a puppy is like adding another baby to the mix, especially if it is to be properly trained. However, the health benefits to children brought up in a household with pets is thoroughly proven and accepted by health care professionals now; less allergies, asthma, better immune system etc. Much more of a danger is the parent (or GP) hovering with a bottle of Dettox or similar, squirting at every perceived speck of dirt.

We had my collie when first child was 3. She loved children and they could dress her up in hat's, bonnets, ribbons etc and push her around in a buggy. I still wouldn't have left her alone with my other DC when they were babies.
Other dogs I've had were mainly rescue dogs and not child agressive but not really child friendly either.
I think dogs need to be brought up from a puppy with children