Rottweiler and MIL

[Maisy313]

Supposed to be travelling from London to Wales to visit PIL's with 5 week old baby, but it's just been dropped into conversation that they are looking after a neighbours Rottweiler. I'm not prepared to go until the dog is back with its owners, which would mean going the following weekend instead. Mil is very upset, she is insistent that the dog is safe around children as it's spent time around the owners grandchild (4 yrs old I believe). My point is that a newborn baby to a dog might not seem like much more than a rabbit and I'm just not willing to take the chance. There is a bit of bad feeling as mil felt that if my mother was going to attend the birth then she had the right to be there too, neither were in the hospital as it happens, but I think she isn't feeling involved enough. Am I being ridiculous and precious?

Whatever breed it is, it wont know your baby, so its wise to be cautious. Can it be kept in another room or on a lead, can another neighbour have it for a few hours too ? Otherwise I would delay and if she was so laid back about this and a newborn visiting, it would make me think carefully about future visits and questions to ask/things to bear in mind before your arrange them....

YANBU but sorry, I am laughing at the idea that being 'soft mouthed' means Spaniels don't chew! It simply means they retrieve game without damaging it, which is what they are bred to do, or, more specifically flush out the game! They are bred to work, which is why often they are regarded as nutty. They simply need a lot of stimulation mentally and physically.