Heads up - rant on the way. I think that is all that I will achieve from this post. I'm 4 months pregnant and hormonal so please excuse me.
Backstory - I have a dog who will be just short of 2 by the time our baby is born. Adolescent phase is out of the way (hooray). He is one of the most obedient dogs I know. Since having him I have actually been heavily involved with assisting at dog training classes, for maybe about 7 months now, and have got a couple of qualifications in training. I'm still building my career but know what I am talking about and work with other professionals.
He is incredibly well socialised and loves children.
For some reason, a couple of people that I know feel the need to make comments about rehoming our dog when the baby is born and telling me that I'll never love him like a human child. I know, of course, that a love for a dog and a love for a biological baby will be very different. But you never stop loving your dog!
These people have never owned a dog and I don't think particularly like them anyway. But the comments are driving me mad. They are completely unwarranted. Our dog adores children, listens to us, has never hurt a fly, and we are doing lots of work to prep him for when baby arrives so that there are no shock changes for him. There is literally nothing going on that would make anyone think there would be a problem.
Dogs will be dogs, and you still need to take sensible precautions, whilst still making them a big part of the family.
I wanted to post as this is really getting to me. I'm not sure if they just see dogs as disposable and are unsure why we don't, so are airing their views. But I find it ignorant and fairly heartless. I think my hormones are just making me more sensitive. That and the fact that they are talking to somebody who knows substantially more about canine behaviour than them.
If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.
The doghouse
The odd comment about new baby is driving me up the wall
gimmeadoughnut123 · 24/12/2018 08:42
I’m due my baby any day and these sort of comments really really piss me off!
We have 2 dogs and when I told my nan I was pregnant she said so you’ll be rehoming the dogs then? I said well no, what if I already had a baby and wanted to get a puppy would you suggest i rehomed the baby? For me it’s the same thing!
My dogs are my family, and like you we’ve been working hard to prep them for baby’s arrival and have a fantastic dog sitter in place who will take them overnight at the drop of a hat should I be struggling and just need a little break.
I grew up incredibly frightened of dogs which made me hate them, I want my child to learn to love dogs and as much as my dogs will need to learn how to behave around a child the child will need to learn how to behave with the dogs too!
Stupid people seem to crawl out the woodwork when your pregnant having an opinion on everything 
People can be so rude. What makes them think you’d be interested in their opinion on your family?
I’ll never love him like a human child
Well maybe not, but you won’t love your baby in exactly the same way as you love your OH. You don’t love your parents in exactly the same way as you love your siblings. If you have a second child you won’t love it in exactly the same way as the first. Because people are different and relationships are different. Some people seem to worry that love might run out, as if it’s a finite resource and you could ‘waste’ it all on a dog. No one suggests to people pregnant with a new baby that they might like to rehome their older kid, because obviously they won’t be interested in it now, and also toddlers can bite.
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