For not wanting my mum’s dog near my baby.

[Ellie42567]

I have a 12 week old baby and my mum has a 2 year old staffy they got when she was 4 months. When my daughter was 3 weeks old, my step dad ‘introduced’ the dog to my baby by picking her up and putting her face into the car seat with the baby in it. My daughter was asleep but the dog snapped at my baby and started barking and pulling. I asked for him to put her out which he eventually did. I have since been over to my mums a few times but I ask her to put the dog in another room. She is always reluctant and wants the dog to ‘say hello’ to the baby, even though she is often excited and jumping up. My mum thinks that putting the dog in another room is unfair. I invite my mum to mine often but she would always prefer we visit at her house. Am I being unreasonable for wanting the dog in another room? Any advice would be much appreciated.

YANBU, I've had a similar problem with a relative not putting a dog in a Separate room I left her home and my children will never return until the dog passes. She is welcome at mine and I will visit her but without my children. I am rather upset I feel it's rude and unreasonable beahaviour there is no hardship in putting the dog in the garden or garage whilst you have visitors. I have small children dog is know to have attacked postman and chased sheep.

God what a stupid thing to do! My 9 year old sons friend doesn't like dogs, so our old lab is in the garden or kitchen when he's here.

We had two labs when our first was born, they were never, ever left alone. Would come and have a look or sniff when baby was being held by us and we definitely went with the introduction as a new member of the pack. But they were trained, if they tried to lick baby's toes they were told no and accepted that. I was so shocked when my cousin came to visit when baby was a week old, my girl lab (we lost her last year aged 12, infront of the children in the garden, my 8 year old still struggles to mention her 😢) had never growled or barked at anyone and adored my cousin. Baby was in his swinging seat asleep, I was stood next to him, excited for cousin to meet him. my lab raced infront of my cousin and parked herself infront of the seat and growled at my cousin! I could tell she was anxious when cousin was holding our son as she was just staring and pacing so I put her in the kitchen, for her and my cousin and baby. It never happened again but it really shocked us.

Also when the kids were toddlers and were being boisterous and chucking toys and made her jump, they were firmly told to leave her alone when she was asleep.

A friends daughter was always really rough with the dogs aswell, pulling their faces and tails and getting in their faces, they never reacted but after two visits of this and the daughter ignoring being told no, I always put the dogs in another room.

Your parents are as dumb as dogshit.

The fact they have prioritised a dog over you and their grandchild by uninviting you to Easter would cause me to go NC in your position.

I love my dogs to bits and fully support you here, OP. One reason I didn't visit my PIL's home with my babies and young children was their dog and their poor restraint of it. If any visitor was uncomfortable with my dogs, I would have them in another part of the house for the duration of the visit if they wanted that, even with them being gentle creatures.

I would let your mother come to visit you if she won't make an acceptable arrangement with the dog at her home. It's not worth the risk or your discomfort.

It doesn’t sound like this particular staffy likes children at all, and was stressed to the point of snapping just by proximity to the baby / car seat.
I have a lovely staffy that worships the ground my dcs walk on, but he’s never shown a flicker of negativity towards them. I still supervise my dog and dc as it’s the sensible thing to do.
I absolutely would not have your mothers dog in the same room as a baby or child, ever. You could point out to your mum that not only is it dangerous for your baby, it’s clearly very stressful for her dog to be around children / babies when it’s clearly very unhappy / stressed with it.