Worrying about newborn and dog

[AlphaLemon]

I’m currently 21 weeks with our first child. DH and I have an 8 yo large cross breed dog, who is generally loving and gentle, but can be highly strung when there are new people in the house she doesn’t know, as she will cry/pace or bark if someone is at the door.
We are worrying about how she will be with a new baby in the house.

We maintain strict boundaries with her, so she won’t beg for food, she doesn’t go in the front room or upstairs and she won’t eat her own dinner until we tell her to “go on”. But she would definitely be a nightmare when healthy visitors / midwife come to visit. DH worries about her around strangers and arranges for her never to have contact, where as I always tend to introduce her at the door which she will go along with.

Has anyone got any advice on how to introduce a baby and dog with the least trouble? We would plan on never leaving baby alone with dog and keeping her routine as much as possible.

Do you have room for a crate? If so I'd make it a happy place and use it for when pooch needs space from visitors and crawling baby. It'll protect everyone that way.

Also keep your dog well exercised- a tired dog is a good dog IMO!

We have a baby gate across the door to the front room so our dog can see in the room but he isn't allowed in when the kids are there.

I worried massively about our dog and the baby as he absolutely hates children and is very reactive to them. However he accepted that they were here to stay straight away. They don't interact together but he wouldn't hurt them

My collie was 2 years old (and crazy as shes a working dog) when we had a baby. I was worried about the same thing but I shouldn't have. Iv made sure she has the same routine, plenty of walks and some attention when baby is asleep and shes done amazing with such a change. She adores my DD. We have been strict on the mutual respect between them as DD is now 14 months. Shes not allowed to grab, pull sit on etc. Your dog shouldn't have to tolerate a child being rough with it.
Set a quiet place your dog can go if it needs it and invite your dog over to speak to baby and you on your terms. Having them grow up together will be lovely. Good luck!

My dog is a nightmare with visitors. She is lovely and affectionate and absolutely must say hello to everyone by jumping up at them and harassing them. So when we know we have someone coming she goes straight on her lead and sits with either my husband or me. We don't shut her out as she starts getting anxious and will just cry continuously. Whereas if we put her on the lead and let her sit with us, she does actually settle and the visitors don't have a dog jumping up at them and trying to sit on their lap. It is also slowly teaching her some manners around guests.

I would highly recommend having a baby free space for the dog, especially for when baby becomes mobile. And a dog free space for baby. I would also recommend making sure you still spend one on one time with dog without baby.

Another thing we have done is put the sounds of a baby crying on YouTube at random intervals so our dog gets used to the sound.

When we bring baby home our intention is to hold baby out of dogs reach and let dog have a good old sniff, and keep doing this so dog gets used to the baby.

Our dog is used to a toddler and has been around newborns so we're sure she will be fine, but still taking lots of precautions. They will never be in the same room unsupervised