Retired in laws won’t come pick up dog before my due date

Blimey, I hope this is a reverse (much as I hate them!). You want your in laws to drive 9 hours to do you a massive favour, rather than your husband meeting them half way?!

If they are being kind enough to have your dog for weeks, you should be taking it to their house!

Sort out some paid care for your dog if you aren't happy with what these (perfectly reasonable) family members are offering!

Yes this. I thought you were going to say they agreed to look after the dog when you went into labour but have now backed out!! You are so unreasonable

I would reconsider this. There’s absolutely no need imo for the dog to be away so you can settle the baby in. The dog will be far more unsettled with this set up. The dog will accept the baby fine and it’s the dogs home too. 100% wouldn’t be sending the dog anywhere. I was away one night haveung my DD and when I got back, baby and dog had loads of attention and then we all got on with it. No issues whatsoever. Treat your dog like any other family member that has to get used to a newcomer. He will have to get used to being back home AND a new baby, it’s going to be stressful for him. Just let him stay at home and wait for you & baby to get back. You wouldn’t send your kid away when you got a new puppy!

Um yes this whole thing sounds like an odd idea. You risk the dog feeling completely pushed out and reintegrating at a later date. I totally understand that you have reservations about introducing them but honestly my very bouncy and needy dog met both my little ones in 24 hours and you’d be surprised at how quickly they adapt. I wouldn’t have sent him away and risked him feeling confused on his return though.

This just can't be real, another ‘click’ thread?

Up the traffic with a common, much discussed topic ( in laws)!

This is so dramatic.

You sound very entitled, if you're so upset pay for a kernel for the dog.

This seems incredibly dramatic of you. They're doing you a favour and it's not as though you're likely to go into labour at that time - but as PP have said even if you did, you can get a cab. Maybe give a local friend a heads up for that one day just in case?

They're having the dog for ages and doing you a huge favour so if you don't like their solution, feel free to pay for a dog sitter somewhere more convenient.

That's a really good easy to unsettle your dog. He spends two weeks away (which he doesn't understand) finally gets to come home, really excited to see his people, and gets there to find this 'thing' which appears to have taken his place.

It's pure madness. You're asking for the dog to hate and resent the baby. In fact you couldn't do a better job of it if you tried.

I’m shaking my head at the unnecessary kerfuffle.

First baby, at the most your DH will be just over 2 hours away, if you have started labour he doesn't go. His parents obviously feel 4.5 hours, including driving into London is too much. They're doing you a favour. Had you mentioned them staying over or was your original plan that they should do 9 hours round trip in one day?

And once again the pregnant woman has put the Dog to the bottom of the pile.
Sick of seeing the same old story peddled out on MN.
The next step will be the poor dog being re-homed.

Yes OP, get your priorities straight: fur babies first!

Back in the real world, they are doing you a big favour, and you are being pretty ungrateful. (Sorry, but you are!) their suggestion is very practical.

As a dog owner, I think you’d be doing more damage to the dog to send it away for 2 weeks than to just keep the dog at home

YABU. It's 9 days. You may even have had the baby by then. Even if you go into labour the second he walks out the door he could just come back and YABU to expect your in laws to do a 9 hour round trip. I also think it's mad to unsettle your dog like this too. We put ours on kennels for two nights and he was home as soon as DH was, it's his home too. I don't think what you're doing is a good idea at all.

It’s unreasonable to expect them to do the drive, but it’s far more unreasonable to uproot the dog. This is not a recommended approach for successfully introducing a baby.

This timetable of several days pre labour is stressful to the dog and likely to cause more anxiety.

Sending your dog away then bringing it back to meet your baby is the worst idea I've ever heard!

Absolutely stupid. Poor dog. Poor baby......

Bloody hell that is bonkers that you’re expecting them to drive 9 hours to get your dog.

If on the very, very off chance that your husband is 2 hours away and you need to get to hospital just head there yourself and tell him to meet you there.

Wouldn’t it be risky to send your dog away and then they come back to a baby too? Wouldn’t that make the dog more jealous

True, presumably they'll be coming to meet the baby, although possibly not on the day or day after it arrives!
Usual kennels or dog sitter overnight then, or nearby friends or relatives, bit like you do with an older child. You don't send them away for days on end but they need to be somewhere while parents are at the hospital!
PS love the username!

OP step away from mumsnet.

Dog sitter at home. Imagine the difficulties of day away and feeling unsettled and then coming back to a new baby and everything has changed.

This 👆

Keep the dog at home. Less likely to cause any issues with the dog and the baby, nobody needs to drive anywhere. Problem solved. YABVU.

Yabu, they are doing you a favour so you guys need to make the effort.

However, yabvvu sending the dog away whilst you have the baby. You are setting yourself up for issues. Get a dog sitter and keep the dog with you.

Of course they cant drive 9 hours to collect dog. 4 is very generous. And looking after dog for 2 weeks after birth and up to 23 days before birth if 2 weeks late is a lot for anyone to do. I am not sure dog leaving for weeks is best idea for the dog either.