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

YABU. These people are being very nice to accommodate your dog. You probably won’t go into Labour early and if you do then chances that you go from early
contractions to birthing your child in four hours is slim to none. It’s vanishingly unlikely that this is going to be an issue.

Keep the dog at home. Otherwise when it comes back it will be expecting life exactly how it is now and you will have more problems.

I don’t know how to ‘introduce’ dog to baby but you should maybe find out how others did ‘the meet’ to help.

Start life off from tomorrow like you have the baby. Might sound harsh but things like shutting dog out for a bit / not letting it sleep on sofa etc (basically whatever is going on you know needs to change).

shutting it out / not giving usual attention you need to start in small doses, so if dog is never alone- don’t try shutting it in another room for half hour, do 5 mins. Maybe give it a toy/ healthy type dog bone and when you re meet with the dog don’t go mad and fuss it you need to be calm otherwise you’re teaching doggy it can go wild when you open the door/ baby gate etc.

I would actually do some research on dog behaviour if you haven’t already and a trainer.

Definitely sort a dog walker out asap so doggy can bond with its ‘own special person’ as doggy will need this more when baby comes. Some dog walkers may even take the dog for a couple of hours walk or back to their place for a bit to give you some time out.

I really think keeping dog at home will cause less drama in the long run.

Why are you being such a dick? Picking up on people's typos? Being snarky and sarcastic if you don't like an answer? Doing passive aggressive laughing emojis?

You posted in AIBU. People think you are - why don't you listen to the advice?

FWIW, if I was worried about my dog, the last thing I would do would be to send it away so that it feels like the new baby is the cause of it's rejection. I'd be fussing over DDog to ensure he doesn't see baby as a threat.

But you do you.
Laughing emojis and all

🙄

I think you are out of order sending the dog away tbh.

Also I didn’t own a scary breed like a staffie. If a staffie had attacked my toddler in the same way my child would now be dead. I had a small breed that was fine until I got pregnant and brought a new baby home, the constant noise and less attention made the dog very very unhappy, she grew less tolerant of all noice and small running children. I’d be worried about a staffie around a brand new baby too.

Also I didn’t own a scary breed like a staffie. If a staffie had attacked my toddler in the same way my child would now be dead. I had a small breed that was fine until I got pregnant and brought a new baby home, the constant noise and less attention made the dog very very unhappy, she grew less tolerant of all noice and small running children. I’d be worried about a staffie around a brand new baby too.

What will you do if he doesn’t act well? I had to rehome my dog with a lovely older couple with no children after my dog could not cope in a home with a new baby and the dog ended up attacking my toddler causing A&E worthy injuries. They made it very clear to me at A&E that my child was not safe with the dog and I made a hard choice to rehome. I don’t miss the stress and anxiety of always having to seperate the dog from my children. I suspect you know this may happen and my advice is to not delay the inevitable. This dog cannot be around your baby.

I don’t think they’re being unreasonable, to be honest.

Are you the first person in the entire world to be pregnant and own a dog? You're acting like you are. honestly, I'd be more worried about life at home with a baby and a staffie. I would not trust my baby for a moment around one of those.

I think you are being unreasonable. Why can’t you keep your dog at home with you? So unsettling for him.

Ah, OP, I know you've had a lot of harsh responses here but wanted to let you know I do understand your perspective. I was really nervous before having my first (and only) baby and I think I would've been worried about this too. Rest assured it's pretty unlikely you'd go into labour that early and have things progress so quickly that your husband missed the important bits.

Obviously you know your dog and home best, but wanted to share my perspective of how things went with my lovely but VERY excitable, young, mouthy, large dog. We didn't send her away as we thought unsettling her might complicate things further on her arrival home if suddenly everything had changed while she was gone. We ensured dog was used to "baby stuff" around the house, set up stair gates so she could be shut in certain parts of the house and tried to get her used to largely staying downstairs (she used to sleep on our bed!) beforehand. A relative looked after her just while we were at the hospital and then dropped her back home shortly before we came back, giving her a bit of time to chill first. We then did extremely gentle introductions either side of a baby gate, and worked up gradually to having them in a room together but always always under very close supervision and being quite strict with the dog to keep her distance. Dog and baby were actually almost always kept apart. Family member came to walk dog frequently for us, just to take the chore off our hands for a couple weeks and ensure dog wasn't going too stir crazy.

In the end, dog did amazingly and seemed to actually "grow up" a lot - I suppose because she was no longer being treated as a baby herself! If anything she was quite wary of the baby and very tolerant. There was absolutely no bouncing around the baby!

I was however fairly miffed when my MIL came to meet baby at a weekish old and brought her own dog with her without checking with us (no reason dog couldn't have stayed home with FIL). Then we had two dogs to manage, and ours was more wound up by the visitor dog. Sigh.

OP I do hope everything goes well. Unless you are concerned your dog is unsafe (which would obviously be a long term problem) I'd consider keeping them home and arranging for a dog walker / friend to walk and fuss over dog for a couple of weeks. It's a big change for you all and you'll want to make the transition as smooth as possible. Good luck!

Yikes, I’d never have a staffy near my baby.

THIS. ⬆️ Surely the dog is a family member?

Wow if you're this entitled about a dog, I hate to see what kind of parent you'll be! 😬

To add to the baby blanket thing, did the same with our dog, my husband brought used baby grows back while I was in hospital and let the dog sniff them calmly, if he got too pushy sniffing them he was corrected. Also while you have this window, get your dog used to baby crying noises off Alexa or something. Staffies are usually fantastic with kids, it’s like they have an instinct, hence the ‘nanny dog’ nickname. I’m sure all will be fine.
regarding the journey you asked whether you should be annoyed about, yeah that’s a step too far and I think you have to take the comments on the chin about being a bit entitled there 😂
good luck with baby! X

sorry but I think your plan has disaster written all over it
it’s going to be massively unsettling for the dog to be up rooted then when it does return home there’s a baby on its territory and all new rules for it and noise

I think it will be incredibly jealous if the baby given that it’s a staffy as well I would genuinely fear for the babies safety

Your partner wouldn’t be 4hrs away if he’s meeting halfway.
It will be fine

You need to just dig proof the rooms, is be disinclined to send the piecing away as it'll get jealous when it returns

This may not help but our dog was at home and dh took baby clothes etc home so the dog got used to the babies scent. Dog was always protective of the baby even though a rescue. As for dh being so far away I wouldn’t worry it’s not that far. I think you’re overthinking a few things.

I was 4 days early and my partner was working 4.5 hours away and he did miss it by 20 minutes 🙈 if he was 2 hours away I’m pretty sure he would make it in time

I think it’s generous of them to even offer meeting half way! 9 hr round trip is ridiculous to take your dog.

I agree this is the best way
don’t send the poor dog away
you might create issues

I'd hire a dog walker now and give them time to get to know the dog.
Do you have a friend or closer family member that can have dog for a couple of days or house/dog sit whist you are having the baby?

I think the dog is more likely ro be unsettled if it is sent away for a couple of weeks, then finds a new baby in the house, rather than being kept seperate in the house as needed.

I'd hire a dog walker now and give them time to get to know the dog.
Do you have a friend or closer family member that can have dog for a couple of days or house/dog sit whist you are having the baby?

I think the dog is more likely ro be unsettled if it is sent away for a couple of weeks, then finds a new baby in the house, rather than being kept seperate in the house as needed.

No not a kennel ! Traumatic for dogs