Managing two large dogs and a newborn baby alone

[Vavamum]

I have a challenge ahead and am hoping to read some positive experiences and stories. DH and I have two large dogs that we adore (they're great with kids), and our first baby is on the way. I think it’s worth mentioning that these dogs are ridiculously loved. We’re not in our 20s anymore, and when all our friends were having babies, we had the time to spoil our dogs rotten. We’re definitely the type who love our dogs more than people most of the time - I'm sure you get the gist.

I’ve seen many women have a baby and then seem to neglect their dogs because the baby becomes the number one priority. I don’t want to do that. While I understand that I’ll be busy and focused on my new little human, I still want to make sure our dogs get the same number of walks as they do now. I know I won't have as much time to fuss over them or teach them new tricks, but their walks are something I want to keep consistent.

One challenge for me is that DH works away from home for half the week, and working locally isn’t an option right now. I’ll have support from my mum and MIL for the first few months until I get used to the new routine, but eventually, it’ll just be me managing everything (3 days a week only).

Right now, I can naively imagine taking walks with a pram and my two dogs, and everything being fine. But I realized today that I’ve never actually seen a woman with a pram and two large dogs. Am I being unrealistic? Or will I be fine?

@MrsSkylerWhite if you want to discuss dog characteristics, in fact Labrador retrievers are one of the easiest breads to train. They are so food motivated and eager to please, it makes the training process a walk in the park if you put the right amount of effort and techniques in. This is how the bread is described if canine books and online articles. Now I am definitely not assuming that you failed to train your lab, that's why I don't like to rely on breed characteristics as they are more of a guide - each dog is different and clearly yours has a temperament of a Marley (if you've seen the film🙂) which is not your fault obviously, but this isn't the case with my dogs- they're proper gents !
Sorry if we came across rude - I could've explained this in the beginning. And the other woman got called Karen, well, because she is- she thinks I should put my dogs down or give them away if I'm having a baby. Cruel.

I chose a pram that was suitable for dog walks, rather than a pram that was suitable for supermarkets etc.

2 large dogs approx 35kg and 40kg. 2 good walks a day, all weathers. bottle fed baby.

And ignore some of the weird posts on here. Growing up with dogs has been lovely for my two, they all adore each other and I notice how sensible they are around animals generally compared to their peers who aren't used to them. It's a lovely bond to have. Good luck with your expanded family!

Nice, what pram did you have? I have my eyes on the new cybex gazelle but I'm still too early to shop at this stage. I think based on what people are saying here, for on lead walks I'll use a baby carrier and for walks in the parks where the dogs will be off the leads I am looking to use the pram.

Thank you so much 🥰 that's so lovely to hear. I grew up with dogs myself, and my dogs I have now are absolutely brilliant around small children - i made sure they interact with babies, toddlers and children of different ages to get them used to it - I was future proofing them from day one 🥰

I think you need to think about what being a "dog person who loves their dogs like children" actually means.

Does it mean you've allowed the dogs to do things which they won't be able to when you have a baby? I'm thinking jumping on sofas, sleeping on your bed, sofa snuggles whenever they want etc.

If so then that's the kind of behaviour to address now. When you're sat breastfeeding a baby for hours you don't want to also be battling a Labrador who thinks your knee belongs to them.

Good family dogs are not treated like children. They are appropriately down the pecking order. You need to think about how you approach inserting the child between you & the dogs without causing distress and unpredictable behaviour. Best to start distancing yourself now.

Thank your for your insight, I think I've got this covered. My questions were mainly around managing walking dogs and the baby at the same time.
In terms of training - we're absolutely fine, while my dogs are allowed to lay on the couch (which I don't mind if they do while I'm breastfeeding), they also know commands like get down, go to bed etc - I can't see myself having to battle them but thanks

I had a reactive GSD to manage with a baby and found on mat leave I was doing the dog walking 6 out of 7 days. The baby carrier was essential, definitely no pram for us (I had bought an off road pram, but really it was far easier to have the carrier and go off path for long walks). Later on the toddler rucksack, which I was using until this week (currently 6 months pregnant and decided this is my stopping point with 20kg rucksack! )
To be honest my dog did very well out of maternity leave as I had time for long walks and the baby gently introduced some chaos into her life so she's much braver now. This time round I have a great walker/trainer to help out twice a week and my dog is so much easier now than when I had a newborn. She gets on really well with my toddler.
So yep, you'll manage fine. Don't beat yourself up if they skip a walk or two, just do a treasure hunt or some home enrichment instead

Not one "dog person" will listen to you. They know better until disaster strikes.

I only have one dog but didn't find it too bad. DH did all the walks whilst he was on paternity leave. When he went back to work, newborn walks were fine either with pram or sling. It became much harder when I had a 4 year old, a pram hating 2 year old, the dog and I was constantly trying to assist with scooters so that we would actually get somewhere!

I have spent many years pushing prams/buggies with 2 GSDs, one each side, people used to say my kids had their own security lol

Gosh who pissed on your chips @PolitePearlMoose ! Polite is not the right descriptor for you.

Just because you don't like dogs (souless 🙄) you are being dismissive and critical of a woman trying to prepare and do her best.
I don't like gendered insults or I'd use the word applicable to females dogs to describe you and this behaviour.

I have a now 2 year old but as a newborn walked our four dogs with the pram or a carrier on.
3 big Labrador’s and a spaniel. All well trained, most important thing is having them at heal and them knowing wait and other commands so you can stop everyone crossings etc. I always just hold their leads then push with one hand.

people soon cross over when they see you need the whole path! If I had a pound for everytime someone said ‘you’ve got your hands full’ I’d be rich but realistically it was fine and never felt stressful. Some dogs takes them some getting used to the pram so worth practicing before baby comes ☺️

Farmer and farmers wife here.

So we had three terriers in house at baby arrival.

Fifteen outside. Collies and huntaways.

Pre baby I walked them all.

Post baby my niece took over initially, although it was December. She sometimes watched baby or did dogs.

From about three weeks, carrier and two groups twice a day. I had a section and was more worried about falling over injury.

Baby two, carrier and toddler in out and about. One field, dogs set away and back.

Four children later, and ten more dogs, I still do split groups.

Never tie a dog to the buggy.
Carrier absolutely yes, I used ergo as found that more secure than sling.
My dogs, the farm dogs are not on leads. So I am always hand free.

A pup may be occasionally on a long line but more for training.

A quad bike was a great help!

In town or show or something I would never have more than two.

Looking back it's probably easier with baby stage than toddler stage. That's when you will need to consider a sturdy buggy but gives you time to practice walking them with it. It's when toddler wants to walk, slowly you run out of hands.

We had 2 large 40 kilo dogs when the babies were born. No issues. Very important they are well trained and do not pull, but yours seem to be. We have not had any disasters that apparently are just waiting to happen.

Jesus Chris, how many times is this trotted out, so naive.

As it is many years since i had my baby, my model of pram is long long gone. So are these dogs too :( one sadly at the age of 8, the other was aged 14.

Being large dogs, they tended to have a sofa each :) I happened to have a very nice rocking chair for bottle time.
Dogs slept on my bed all their lives, it was in the days that baby was allowed to sleep in cot in own bedroom with a baby listener on.

I did however use a large playpen for a few weeks / months whilst baby was not quite mobile enough to get around.

I did also have a MIL who enquired when I was getting rid of the dogs.

Ah you’ve got labs. I’ve always had them, practically brought my kids up. Yesterday my youngest stubbed her toe, I comforted her and didn’t calm her down at all, youngest lab had her laughing and ok in seconds. They are such excellent dogs with kids.

When DS1 was born we had 2 large shepherd mixes (both 70lbs+)
Both were super gentle with the baby and despite both being dicks when walking, were great when they saw the stroller, they didn't pull in different directions etc.
When DS was a bit more robust, I'd put him in the baby bjorn and take the dogs out rather than the faff of the stroller.

DH did all the walks the first few weeks and we also live in a tropical country so would only run out for a quick pee at lunch and then come right back inside but once I was fully healed I'd get the baby bjorn and go everywhere using that - long off leash walks etc.

I think you'll be fine OP. Sling for when baby is little and one of those 3 wheeler, off road buggies for when they are a bit bigger (if you do woodland / field / beach walks). It will do you, your baby and your dogs good to go for walks outside.

Couldn't do it wth a pram, not enough hands to be safe.
But with a sling/baby carrier it worked fine.
My kids grew up going on daily dog walks (now 12 and 14) and love being outdoors, always got to run off energy and don't care what the weather is... My dog had excellent recall and the kids followed him when they were on their own feet, so responded with him to whistles... to the extent that, ddog isn't with us anymore but the kids still know to come when I whistle (very handy in crowds!).