Dog walk with baby/toddler

[1bub1pup]

Baby/dog mamas how do you do it?
Currently I walk my dog with my baby daughter (dd) in a sling ( or baby carrier). It works perfectly. Dd has her morning nap then I turn her round when she wakes and she enjoys the great outdoors.
People keep telling me that DD is too big for the sling at nearly 12 months old (personally, I think she has a while yet but the time will surely come!)
I just don't see how a buggy would ever work. My big buggy would handle the terrain but not get through the narrow footpaths and vice versa with my travel buggy.
When I've tried taking the buggy on a street walk with the dog on the lead she wants to weave from side to side and ends up getting tangled. Same if I use my running lead around my waist. I don't want to attach the dog lead to the buggy in case she sees a squirrel and goes charging off!

How do other mums do it? I don't seem to see any That bit older than her out and about.

I had the same difficulties as you when my child was a toddler. My dog also tends to pull on the lead, which made pushing a buggy difficult. I also like walking the dog on the beach which made a buggy impractical. I used a baby sling and then upgraded to a hiking child carrier (like a metal framed backpack) when he got too big for the sling. This worked really well for me and I managed to take them both on some really good walks. When my child was a bit older he’d walk independently for a while, but would inevitably get worn out. I’d just wear the child carrier empty (it was handy to wear anyway as it had lots of pockets in the carrier for things like water, snacks, phone, keys etc.) so that he could get in & out as needed, without me having to cut the walk short. It was a good way of building up his walking to the point where he was able to walk a good distance independently and I no longer needed the carrier.

I had a sling that went on front to start with and then could flip round and she went on my back. That was quite handy, and easy to get into on my own.
When me and hubby went on walking holiday, she went in a bigger backpack hiking carrier thing, which was great for OH to carry, but not comfortable for me.
Would dog just learn to walk better with pushchair on lead and when kids asleep you can take dog out if partner is there to look after baby?

My dog pulled so a pushchair was a non starter.
When DD got to big for the sling we had a backpack. Easier with 2 people but doable by one. Need good knees for the poo pick ups though!
I think I quite often walked a shorter distance if I was on my own with dog and baby and used the ball to get the dog exercised.

Back carrier and gradually build up their walking stamina over time. Some time in the carrier, some time walking.

Sling/carrier, to only carrier when tired with walking, finally just walking only (aged about 3), we walked to /from pre-school, we lived the furthest and seemed to be the only ones without a buggy, I got asked what do you do when they're too tired to walk, do you carry them, er no, we just walk! Biggest issue was a by then very elderly dog not wanting to walk as far as a fit active child!

Thank you for all the responses! This makes me feel feel so much better knowing that other mums have just cracked on without a buggy. I thought everyone was going to say it's a non-starter?
Can anyone recommend a back carrier We did try an ergo baby one That was supposed to go both ways but it was a bit of a nightmare to be honest and I ended up putting her on the floor so I could put her in the front.

We had a soft structured carrier that was for a pre schooler after they out grew the baby sized one. I think it was a BabyTula. We never took a pushchair on holiday and alway used this when going out late until they were quite old.

I live somewhere with very few pavements. Tbh I never really got the hang of buggies. I was a rubbish driver and on the few occasions we used one DD found it so exciting she refused to sleep 😂😂

You have to plan routes the buggy goes round okay and the dog needs to be trained to walk along one side of the buggy and not weave. Definitely don't tie the dog to the buggy, that's potentially dangerous depending on size of dog. I used our carrier until about 16 months then tried a backpack style one which DD hated so gave up on that pretty quick and only walked dogs with her in buggy. Had a few hissy fits 18-24 months that she wanted to get out and and walk but refused to let her as couldnt manage holding her and dogs safely. She became very accepting that if we have the dogs with us she stays in the buggy but we do max 45 mins and take plenty of snacks. You'll find a way that works for you!

Something like the littlelife cross country is what you need! I loved it for all three of my children. Great upto about three years and then mine got too heavy for me to carry for long distances, but sometimes we still took it for rests if we were going further than usual. There’s a sunshade that is great for showers and sun!
it’s a bit of a juggle to get it on your back if you’re on your own, but it’s very worthwhile mastering it! Hours of walking and you can go anywhere!

We have a local baby library and I know someone who carries still and their child is nearly 2. We also have a rucksack we can put a child in 😂

My dogs a puller and tbh the only solution I found was to get a head collar which really helps but sometimes still a bit giddy/pulling but for some reason much better with the pram than without!

So I always did a sling, then once she outgrew that I’d take them to a nearby park/field and they could go straight out of the car off lead and she could toddle (hated the pram). Now she’s nearly 3 we go there and she scoots, and my baby goes in the sling. I’ve found it’s either off lead walks or go before they’re up/once they’re asleep/get Oh to do it.
ETA the off lead walk has hundreds of bushes and trees for them to sniff and I take a ball so they’re not limited to walking at toddler pace 😂

I have two dogs and a 5 month old. I have no issue with a buggy and two dogs. Sometimes I use the baby carrier. I just loop the two leads round my wrist and push pram as normal and dogs know to follow. It helps that I can control my dogs with my voice.

On Thursday and Friday I look after my parents dog. I just use a baby carrier and walk three dogs. People think I’m mad but it works fine for me.

Osprey Poco LT is a good backpack carrier and it's handy that you can set them down in it unlike a soft carrier. For walking with the pram have the lead long enough that your dog can't cross in front but not so short that they are pulling away from you to avoid the pram. I used a wrist strap for the pram to me and hold my dog lead like normal. I've got a one year old and a three year old and a very active dog. We go to the woods where I either carry or push the baby and toddler runs or uses his balance bike, or the beach with a ball thrower and the kids play in the sand.

I got a Connecta carrier in black with the HP Deathly Hallows symbol on it, it lasted me for two kids, can be used for front and back carries, think from around 6m-2yrs. It's got a little flap you can put over their heads for the worst of the rain/sun.
I walked my dogs duringthis time so know it's loved but excellent!

Here's a link to similar one, but mine is all black
https://www.madeformums.com/reviews/connecta-baby-carrier-review/

If you're a JKR/HP fan I'll send it to you!

Bollox to that. If you’ve got a connecta sling (think they’re called Integra now), you can put them on your back when they get too big for front. I know people still use them with 4 year olds. I used ours until my daughter got physically too big for the sling. You can get junior slings too. Keep going, it’s a far more convenient way of carrying them.

you can get junior sized ones too. I had several as our daughter was growing including a solar one for summer which was amazing.

I used a Babybjorn on my front with my first until she was about 2y only stopped because I was pregnant and my bump was getting too big. At one point I used our three-wheeler pushchair on dog walks because I could steer it one-handed but the dog is a bit erratic and I ended up rolling over his paw - stuck to the bjorn from then on. Tried a back carrier but hated the weight distribution.

Both my kids hated slings after about 9 months so we went to the pram and I just got used to pushing it while holding the lead. My dog learned to walk alongside it and is now a pro. I do have to choose where to dog walk so that it's pram friendly but we have a lot of lovely walking paths and paved parks nearby so it's not been a problem.

Dog and toddler mum.
I have a dog which pulls and a toddler who refuses to walk.
I either have to get someone to go with me or struggle with a pushchair and a lead (rescue dog with no recall)
It's difficult but it's manageable (just)
Will be looking into a backpack after all these helpful suggestions.

I used a halti nose lead for my lab and always walked him on the left. He loved trotting alongside the pushchair like a carriage dog and knew that any stop he'd be able to have a good snuffle for crumbs under the baby

I have a 3-wheeler and can push it with one hand and have the dog in the other.
My dog is a weaver, but small, they soon learn to keep away from the wheels!
I have to conserve my energy DC(2.5) and weighs about 13kg, carrier is fine for a slow amble around the block but anymore than that I struggle as I can never get them sitting exactly correctly and DC's weight is always pulling my posture out. I'm a single parent and once you put your back out once you are very wary of doing it again.
My toddler is in and out of the buggy, they haven't got great stamina but this helps take the pressure off them to walk or me to carry.
Don't have to worry about stumbling over the dog, tripping over tree roots with a child blocking my view.
Buggy means I can take snacks and water etc without out adding to my load and if we get something from the shops if we pass that way the basket is handy.
I have the mountain buggy swift and although at first I wasn't convinced, it's so light and versatile I bought use my 'proper' buggy at all anymore.

I would recommend going to a sling library, they will help you find a toddler sling that feels really comfortable and show you how to easily get her onto your back. You can even get preschooler carriers for up to about age 5/6 so ignore anyone who thinks 1 is too old!

Soft structured carriers are far more comforable than the framed backpack type because the weight is spread across your back rather than all on the shoulders.

Find a local or online sling library or group. I have known a few people who have carried in a wrap sling way beyond 2 years old. If you want to carry on there's ways to do it and it doesn't have to be a structured carrier!