Getting a puppy with toddler and newborn

[mondray]

Please tell me if we are crazy for even considering it?

Our second is due in July and our first will be 2 years and 8 months at that point.
We are thinking of adding a puppy to the mix around autumn/winter time.

Oldest has always been a great sleeper, so not worrying about him at all, but it's more the combination of an infant an puppy that's making me doubt myself.

I'm a stay at home mum and husband will be permanently working from home at least a few days a week (at the moment it's full time wfh).

Both of us are experienced dog owners and it will not be a big deal to add a puppy to the mix in that sense.

Would dh be able to watch the dc while you walk the dpuppy? Getting 3 small beings out the house on a cold manky day would be no fun..
We had 2 ddogs under 1 when ds was born-dealing with them all wasn't fun.

Yep, you're crazy

I understand the rewards but I just remember the puppy days being so hard, and I didn't have kids at that point. I have an almost-1-year-old now and I can't imagine running around after a puppy as well.

Only you know whether you can cope, though. It would be lovely to have a pup and young kids grow up together . . .

Okay I didn't help, did I?

Wouldn't recommend it. You want to be in the middle of changing a nappy and baby screaming and still have to take a dog out for a walk. Plus toddlers don't know how to interact with a puppy properly and you'll have to make sure you never leave them alone.

Having a puppy is hard work alone, it's like having an additional child just having to clean their urine from the floor than a nappy.

It's your choice but everyone i know whose done it has regretted it

Don't do it!! Older dog then yes perhaps but not a puppy.

In a way I think our puppy was harder than the newborn stage (and we had 2 babies!)
You constant have to watch the puppy for toilet cues and rush them outside, they chew everything, and you'll be up in the night several times for the first few days and then at least once for a while longer.

Also our puppy cried when she was left downstairs so you have the puppy waking the baby risk but also baby waking puppy, who will then cry and need letting out for the toilet!!!

If you want a puppy definitely wait until your baby is reliably sleeping through!

We got a pupper just before ds's 7th birthday and DD is 1 end of this week. Its hard but weve settled in to it. ddog is tiny so trying to stop the kids standing/sitting on her, watching for toilet ques from Ddog, making sure Dd leaves Ddog alone as she isnt that keen on her. I need 3 pairs of eye and hands but i just do not leave dd alone with her ever. It is hard but i manage.

Crazy. I’ve had a toddler and a newborn and I’ve also had puppies but not at the same time. Both situations were hard work.

Im a SAHM to 3 children 5yrs, 3yrs and 2yrs and a 6mth old puppy. I grew up with dogs so knew what to expect.

We waited to get a puppy (my son has asd so an older dog wasnt an option we needed a puppy who could grow up used to his meltdowns and not be frightened by them) until the youngest started preschool so i have 3 days without the children to give long walks and concentrate on training as well as catch up on some sleep in the early days when the puppy had me up during the night. It was fine earlier in the year when the weather was lovely but now its colder and wetter the children are less impressed with having to walk him and getting everyone ready in wellies and all in one suits before a walk is hard work. I wouldnt change it and dont regret getting our pup but i wouldnt have got him when i had a baby i think you would be crazy!

No I don’t think it would be fair on anyone.

Aww OP I hear you, I miss having a dog! We are holding off until youngest is 3/4. I don’t find having a puppy QUITE as horrific as the majority on MN seem to but it is hard work just the same.

There is no way on God’s earth that you should do this.

Having two small DC is a totally different ballgame from one.

Leave it a couple of years and see how you feel then.

Thank you for your answers.

It made me laugh but the answer is very unanimous that we would be crazy. Which to be honest I already knew. I just needed to get someone else to tell me.

In our case it's not an option to get an adult dog as we've got 2 older cats. So it will have to be a puppy whenever the time comes.

I think we're
Going to hold off until the baby is here and has settled down in our family before we make any rash decisions. Probably wait until you hear is a year old or older.

Both of us have grown up with dogs and have experience with puppies, but not necessarily combined with young children.

Thank you all for your helpful advice.

Just the fact that you can't leave them alone together, ever, would be enough to put me off. Sorry OP.

Wait til younger DC has enough understanding to not chase pup etc

I have two dogs who are 6 and DS is 3. DDog1 we had from puppyhood but she was very easily toilet trained as breeder had done most of it and she was a good sleeper- no night crying etc. Ddog2 was FIL dog and came to us when I was pregnant but we knew her already. You don't want an adolescent overexcited dog and a toddler at the same time.

It isn't massive fun getting them out for walks on the wetter days if DH is actually in work (we cheat if he's WFH and DS gets tablet time). When he was younger, it was easier as he was in the carrier so didn't have the option to opt out or make a huge fuss. Pram not possible with the walking where we are.

DS adores both dogs but we are still having to be so careful to make sure things don't get out of hand. And the dogs squabble. It's like having 3 toddlers TBH.

Absolutely crazy

No no no.

Both are enough hard work in their own right never mind combining the two at the same time.

No no no.