Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

New baby and dog?

40 replies

RebeccaJames · 19/02/2014 20:37

I saw in the news today that a six-day-old baby has been mauled to death by the family dog. Beyond awful.

We have a dog - a soppy, sociable mini-labradoodle called Hannah, who was always fine with Ds1. She snapped at him once when he cornered her and hurt her, and left a tooth graze under his eye. It was a warning snap but of course worrying.

Now we have DS2, who is 10 weeks old. Hannah is older now and not getting much attention at the moment. Today's news has really made me think... You never really know with a dog and I would never forgive myself if she turned on my baby. I expect she is feeling jealous but there is no outward sign. I try to remember to put DS2 in the playpen when I leave the room but sometimes I do leave him on the sofa in his Poddle Pod while I run up and fetch washing or go to the loo.

What do you think about it?

OP posts:

Smartiepants79 · 19/02/2014 22:16

I disagree that 3 it too young to know better. My 3 year old knows better! She learned very fast not to corner our cat or bash it. One scratch was all it took.
That's a bit beside the point as far as the OP goes tho.
I would be very careful with a dog ( and was very careful with the cat until DD was old enough to chase it!). Although I can see how it's easy to get complacent with a loved and trusted family pet.
All you can do is do the things you already know you should be doing and do them consistently.

WeAllHaveWings · 19/02/2014 22:17

I am probably the other extreme and never leave ds(10) alone with 11 month old lab pup.

The pup is very placid, has never shown a single sign of aggression but he's still a pup growing up, becoming a teenager, 30kgs with big teeth, and I'm not taking any chances.

TheGreatHunt · 19/02/2014 22:20

My four year old wouldn't. 3 year olds still have that impulsiveness. They might learn not to do x otherwise dog would bite but they wouldn't have the cognitive power necessarily to apply that to other situations which could also result in a bite.

Original poster

RebeccaJames · 19/02/2014 22:20

Thanks, Suzietwo. Got a bit hairy there .

OP posts:

WinterDrawsOff · 19/02/2014 22:23

I would get rid of the dog. It's a safeguarding issue. You cannot leave a dog or cat alone with a baby or young child even just for a second. You should think of the safety of your children.

Suzietwo · 19/02/2014 22:25

A cat?! You can't leave a cat alone w a toddler? Wow.

NCISaddict · 19/02/2014 22:35

You can't leave a toddler alone with a baby either!

Quinteszilla · 19/02/2014 22:37

Not too soon then.

Suzietwo · 19/02/2014 22:38

Now THAT, I agree with ncis

sweetieaddict · 19/02/2014 22:46

your dog bit your toddler, left a tooth graze under his eye and you did nothing? did I just read that right?

take that as your warning and get rid of the dog - as for leaving the dog with the baby unattended - you are a very, very foolish woman.

you cannot give equal attention to a toddler, baby and a dog - you've even admitted that yourself - rehome her to someone who has the time and attention you don't. it's a dog ffs, your kids come first....

Excited85 · 20/02/2014 05:34

I have a small dog and a 16 week old baby. I've never left them alone together and as a result I'm finding being a new mum far more difficult than friends without dogs

As a pp says, when I need the loo either baby or dog comes with me, likewise even to turn the kettle on. Our house is open plan though so nowhere to put dog for a few minutes. If you have separate rooms downstairs there really is no excuse for leaving them together.

With a bigger dog baby gates should be helpful - unfortunately our dog can generally find a way to get through them being small. So we are moving house to one with separate downstairs rooms. This way we are hoping to avoid having to rehone the dog - we've had him for years before the baby turned up and don't agree with just automatically abandoning him because of the new addition - if we all did that rescue centres wouldn't be able to cope. It just needs a bit of thought and unfortunately everything requires a bit more time/patience than if you didn't have a dog.

Original poster

RebeccaJames · 20/02/2014 08:06

Excited, like you we have open plan which is why it is so hard and we have a rule that the dog doesn't go upstairs. I guess I will just have to take the baby upstairs with me even when he is sleeping, but unfortunately it will always mean he wakes as he is a bad sleeper and can never be moved without waking. With DS1 it was easier as we had multiple rooms and it was just a case of putting the dog on the other side of a door.

It IS hard. I would gladly re-home her and she is such a lovely and engaging dog that people have offered, but DH simply will not have it. and for something like that (we've had her from a pup, for seven years) we need to agree.

OP posts:

Suzietwo · 20/02/2014 08:17

have you got an enclosed garden? my poodle/retriever cross spends a lot of time locked out of the house alone in the garden. he's quite content.

ExpatAl · 20/02/2014 09:05

If the baby is sleeping take the dog with you. My dog is very soft but is never left alone with my dd. Small children's movements are very spontaneous and dogs are not keen on flailing arms and legs for obvious reasons.

Eletheomel · 20/02/2014 09:45

Agree that if the baby is asleep, move the dog. You could also get a crate for your dog if your downstairs is open plan, and put her in the crate if you need to nip to the loo. You might need to do some crate training first, but to be honest, given her 'previous' I'd get one anyway, especially as other peopels kids (who might come round on playdates) might not know how to behave around dogs, and you woudlnt want her biting one of them (to me snapping is just that, a snap that doesn's make contact with the skin, anything that catches the skin is a bite).

Flip

1 2