Baby + dog = need help!

If DH can’t help you should arrange a dog walker during this difficult period. As your baby gets older they may be able to have a few sessions at nursery to allow time for dog walking then, How long until your DH is fully recovered?

We have 2 under 4 and just rehomed our dog to my sister, I can’t believe how much less stress we’re experiencing on a daily basis. If you’re pregnant I’d definitely consider it as an option

Hire a dog walker.

If you drive, find a secure private hire field, drive there, let dog run around whilst you pog the ball about.

Train the dog not to pull on the lead - this can be done in 5 minute sessions multiple times a day and starts in your living room/back garden, doesn't even need a lead as you're training the dog to walk next to you first.

Just walk around dropping treats by your leg, dog starts to walk next to you, make sure you're dropping fast enough that she doesn't start to jump up. If she looks up at you as you're doing this, lob a treat out to the side so she dashes after it (very exciting, reinforces looking up at you more, so she will repeat that behaviour. Later you can do it within the range the lead allows in suitable places).

Remember to practice this with the dog on the non-traffic side of you if you were pushing a pram/pushchair! I'd also recommend a waist belt lead system so you have no fear of dropping the lead in order to manage kids/pram etc as necessary.

Don't even think of heading off for a real on lead walk until you can march up and down outside your house with your dog paying total attention and sticking with you through changes of pace, turns, with you pushing a buggy (empty to start with) no matter what happens around you - as every time she practices pulling she's reinforced for pulling and you undo the work you did.

Doing all of this will result in a dog who walks nicely on a lead - it will take a little while to get as far as a proper walk, but that's no big deal if you have a walker a couple of times a week, can visit a secure field each week, and are doing several training sessions a day. It is actually better done slowly, to ensure every session is a success!

You have so much on your plate already. I'd tell him either walk him proper, pay for a dog walker or rehome the dog. I'd put money on him suddenly wanting to rehome rather the deal with it.

Don't agree with this at all.

I had 2 under 2 and a dog. Ddog got a solid 1hr+ walk a day

DH needs to arrange for a dog walker and you will both need to find the cash for it. Have you looked at things like the Cinnamon Trust too?

How old is the dog and whose idea was it to get her? Sorry to sound rude but I really don’t understand what is going on in the heads of people who have dogs and small children in the house at the same time. Dogs are best suited to empty nesters, Childfree people and those with much older kids, if their jobs have a lot of flexibility.

You need to hire a walker until your OH is able to take over. You're doing far too much 😔

Is there a dog field nearby you could book for an hour so they can run about mad and be safe. Then you and baby can chill/play too

Why is he refusing to arrange help?

Does he seriously suggest you'll be fine losing an extra hour of sleep when you're already up half the night with a baby?

What irks me is that this seems to have become your issue to deal with as he "can't" because of his injury. While I'm sure it's valid, he can't simply pawn it off on you. Your reasons for not being able to do all the walks indefinitely are just as valid. He needs to arrange alternatives: Asking his parents, arranging a paid dog walker a few times a week, taking the time to drive the dog to the park and throw a ball there instead. He has a knee injury, I'm sure it didn't paralyze his ability to come up with different solutions.

I would imagine the problem with waking up earlier is OP isn’t getting a lot of sleep as it is and losing an hour a night won’t help.
Definitely agree with the training though, she shouldn’t be pulling so much.
Have you looked on sites like “borrow my doggy”? Or at local dog walkers/ dog day cares? We use a daycare for the dog who takes home for four hours a day a week so I have that day free with my one and three year old.

I have a Labrador and a 10 month old and I’d say you need to look for a dog walker, or if you just need a break then find a local home boarder who can take the dog even just for a few nights. I do think dog walker is the answer long term though, even just 2 days a week to give you a regular break

That's madness!
Get DH to arrange a dog walker 2-3 times a week.

Sounds like nobody really likes the dog. Can you rehome it?

I feel you OP. I've got a cocker and a baby (and a now 5 year old) and it is tough juggling dog and baby. How old is your dog? Mine is starting to get on a bit now so is happy with just one walk a day but he's also never been a crazy cocker which helps. He is however dog reactive and we had to put so much work in to training and walking and doing that with a pram is hard. If he's a puller then definitely work on that (in the meantime a harness with a chest clip works well, I've also got a head collar I walk him on for extra control incase he does react as like you I've had the pram pulled into the road).

Does your DHs injury genuinely mean he can't walk the dog? What's the money situation like - can he pay for a dog walker at least a couple of days a week to give you a rest? Any secure dog fields about he can take the dog to that he doesn't have to walk around.

It doesn't sound like he's on board with the dog

Poor dog.

Shoving the dog off onto inlaws for a week is not the answer.

You and dh need to both take responsibility for the dog.

What exactly is his injury and how does it affect him walking her?

I'd say you should walk her in the morning whilst dh has baby, then pay for a dog walker to do a proper walk midday and you do brain games in the garden/house with her at times in the day.

Dh then takes her to the park and throw ball when he gets in from work if his injury prevents him from properly walking her.

That way you both take responsibility for one exercise a day and pay someone to do a decent walk.

You definitely need to rehome the dog. A cocker needs a lot of exercise and stimulation, you are not offering either of that. You will drive this dog to despair if you keep it, and in turn the dog will drive you to despair.

In your situation I would get a dog walker booked in daily to do a long walk in the middle of the day - then if all you can manage is around the block morning/evening, it isn’t the end of the world. You could directly ask your PIL - if DH won’t and you think they would want to help. You could try borrow my doggy - it will match you with someone who can’t have a dog but wants to hang out with one - one of my friends used it and her ‘borrowers’ even looked after her dog when she went on holiday. If there’s any agility or fly ball clubs in your area, this is great for burning off spaniel energy and is usually in an enclosed space.

For the times you do need to walk the dog, you need to make sure she can’t pull you around. Spaniels are pretty trainable, but it does take time, and with a baby and a toddler you may not have lots of it - in the short term, a halti or lead attached at the front of the harness will stop her being able to pull you into the road, and baby in a sling might be easier than a pram. If your DH doesn’t want to walk her, could you agree he baths the children or does bedtime while you do her evening walk?

I see a lot of ‘rehome’ suggestions - your situation is potentially very temporary, and this may all be a lot easier once the kids are in preschool / you are off mat leave and can throw money at doggy daycare - but if that isn’t the case and it’s always going to be a struggle (my kids are 4 and 6 and I wouldn’t be able to walk a spaniel daily with them in tow!) then rehoming might be in all of your best interests.

A week away from you isn’t the solution.

Dog sounds miserable if it’s behaving like that over a walk. She deserves the best possible life and, right now, living with someone who clearly doesn’t like her and someone who can’t cope isn’t that.

Sorry, OP.

I loved walking the dog when mine were babies/toddlers!

Toddler pootles around the park while dog gets walked.

Or, if napping, toddler has nap in pram, while you listen to a podcast with a cup of coffee and dog gets a walk.

Your DH clearly doesn't want the dog, hence why he isn't helping with it. It also sounds like your dog needs some training if it is that badly behaved you can't enjoy walking it. Personally I loved walking our dogs with our baby. I did all the dog waking whilst on mat leave and I didn't find it particularly problematic. As others say, alternatives if you don't feel able to do this and your husband isn't going to help are to get a dog walker or last resort rehome the dog.

You have loads of options, but I'd suggest if your dog is pulling in the lead, the first option would be to train your dog.
As someone who is up at this hour to do a solo dog walk, with no children, in blissful peace and quiet, I'm also not sure what is wrong with DH suggestion that you do the same?
If he works out of the house all day and you're on mat leave it's entirely reasonable you need to walk the dog

What is wrong with your husband?

You either leave the kids with him and walk the dog, or seriously consider rehoming. Is it a working cocker?

We used to have a terrier when my kids wheee small. I couldn't walk him with a double buggy. My mum or mil came over every day so they could watch Dts while I walked him.

I don't think you should be palming the dog off one day a week.
Either commit to it wholly, or re-home.

I would get up early and walk her but I am an early bird, up at 5am. I appreciate other people aren't early birds and if you're not, then definitely don't agree to get up.

How bad is your DH exactly, an 8 - 12kg ish dog, if lead trained, shouldn't be too much for an able bodied person to walk.

Would it be insensitive to suggest you re-home your dh?!

It’s not unreasonable to expect some help with the family dog and DH needs to do his share if recovered. If not & affordable get a dog walker to help for a while.
However, I have always had spaniels and babies and getting out for a walk with them kept me sane. I often used to take them out alone as suggested before DH left for work & went all over with my toddlers, but dogs are kind of my hobby.
If the dog isn’t wanted, find a reputable breed charity & rehome or source a dog walker, training so your not getting pulled & embrace walking her yourself. It doesn’t seem fair to the dog.