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Original poster

Grandchild on the way and worried

45 replies

Hayleywayley80 · 22/05/2025 10:42

Hello, I was looking for some advice. I have a 5 year old French bulldog and a 10 year old cocker spaniel. They are my lovely dogs and been with me through thick and thin when no one else was. My mum passing away, lockdown, marriage breakdown. Always happy to see me!
my son lives with me and his GF is pregnant. She is due October time. They will be living with me. My son is worried about the F/bulldog and she does jump around and we are a little worried about how she will react to a baby. There is no way I am re homing her as he has said a couple of times now. I really don’t know what to do. She does sometimes run at my other dog if he is getting attention but he doesn’t tell her off. If I pick up my 15 year old Ragdoll cat, she will also jump up really high.
sorry for the rant, does anyone have any experience of French bulldogs- introducing dogs to newborns. Clearly I would never trust leaving a dog with a baby and will ensure stair gates are out in place. Thank you

OP posts:
Shetlands · 22/05/2025 10:45

Perhaps your son and his GF could rehome themselves?

GoldLash · 22/05/2025 10:48

If they’re having a baby it’s about time they moved out into their own place

GoldLash · 22/05/2025 10:49

He’s very cheeky asking you to rehome your pets

LandSharksAnonymous · 22/05/2025 10:59

This isn't a breed specific issue. Newborns and dogs need to be very carefully introduced. That being said, dogs shouldn't be jumping up - that's basic training there, so this is on you.

But, your DS and his girlfriend need to move out.

Tumbler2121 · 22/05/2025 11:24

They are guests in your home, it’s up to them to appreciate that and look after their child. However, the dogs should be trained to never jump up at anyone ever.

After that I’d suggest easy open baby gates at perhaps kitchen door and bottom of the stairs so the family can relax for example when baby starts crawling.

Goodgrashus · 22/05/2025 11:33

Goodbye son. Time to grow up and move out

cannynotsay · 22/05/2025 11:48

Wtf they should be moving out! This is beyond cheeky

Coffeeishot · 22/05/2025 11:51

You can lead your dog around the baby or put your dogs in another room if they are a bit jumpy, saying that when are they planning to.get a place of their own? You absolutely shouldn't be re homing the dogs.

saraclara · 22/05/2025 11:56

My sibling has a relatively large, chunky and poorly behaved FB and I won't even take my five year old DGC to his house. The power that these dogs have is disproportionate to their size, which is why they need training properly. That dog has nearly knocked me over several times, and I now avoid visiting them (and I love dogs).

That said, they can't make you re-home your dog, so it's either a crash course in training and you committing to disciplining your dogs, or DS and family will need to find somewhere else to live.

CatOnAHotRadiator · 22/05/2025 11:57

The solutions have been clearly stated by others. The best one by far is that they get their own place. Any expectation for you to rehome your pet is unreasonable.

Overthebow · 22/05/2025 12:00

Agree with pps, they have to move out if they are worried. It’s your home and your dogs.

Coffeeishot · 22/05/2025 12:01

I've also been knocked over by a Frenchie it was a little tank of a dog.

heroinechic · 22/05/2025 12:09

If it’s important to you that your son & GF stay with you then you could possibly look at a compromise. Putting in baby gates etc so that dogs can be easily removed from the room if baby is on the floor and the dogs aren’t behaving appropriately.

If you aren’t that bothered then just tell them that you won’t be rehoming the dogs and they will need to either get comfortable with it or look to find a place of their own.

Obviously don’t rehome your dogs!

NewBinBag · 22/05/2025 12:11

I'm not a dog person & that Frenchie sounds a nightmare BUT

It's up to your son & gf as mature parents to be to go forth & find an appropriate home for their family. It's not up to you to drop everything important to you because they chose to have a baby.

I can see it feels like choosing a dog over your GC but it's really not, they've put you in a really shit position.

Give them a year, they'll have their own place and if you get rid of the dog you'll still be missing your companion. Don't do it & don't be blackmailed.

TomatoSandwiches · 22/05/2025 12:12

They need to move out and you need to invest in some training with someone who knows the breed very well.
Absolutely do not recommend your dog, I can't believe your son even expected that.

Sugargliderwombat · 22/05/2025 12:14

It's the parents role to make sure they are somewhere safe with their baby, not your job to get rid of your dogs. They are incredibly cheeky.

Away2000 · 22/05/2025 12:15

If your son and his gf are starting a family then they should be making plans for living independently - not asking someone to rehome their pet.

WhereYouLeftIt · 22/05/2025 12:27

Repeating what everyone else has already said - if your son and his girlfriends are starting their family it is past time for them to fly your nest and set up their own.

I very much agree with the point made by @NewBinBag -
"Give them a year, they'll have their own place and if you get rid of the dog you'll still be missing your companion. Don't do it & don't be blackmailed."

pinkdelight · 22/05/2025 12:37

Your DS and his GF have plenty of time to find a rental place by October (or before ideally) and should really have done so before getting to this point. Hard enough to raise a baby without it being the first time living together as a couple. Course I understand CoL but if he's been living with you, he's had chance to save and even if the baby wasn't planned, it's still an opportune time to grow up and get their own place. I'm no dog lover, but it's your dog and your home and you shouldn't be the one making more sacrifices here.

Readytohealnow · 22/05/2025 12:42

Your house, your dogs. They chose to reproduce when their domestic situation is far less than ideal. Time for them to grow up.

Delphiniumandlupins · 22/05/2025 12:48

Any reason why son and gf are living with you? Are they housemates (paying rent and an equal share of the bills, helping equally with chores) or houseguests (paying a nominal amount towards costs, perhaps cleaning their own room)?

Regardless, you need to train your dogs and ensure all the animals are separated from the baby. I wouldn't even want to visit your home with a small child, currently.

Frostiesflakes · 22/05/2025 12:52

I used to have a Frenchie
they are the worse of both breeds
power and strength of a bulldog with the shitty attitude of a terrier 😂
saying that I would be telling DS to find a new home

Sdpbody · 22/05/2025 12:55

Time for your feckless son to move out!

Renabrook · 22/05/2025 13:00

Although I agree they should move out there are a lot of older parents who end up living with their parents or in-laws with the grand kids main one being massive renovations or knock down and rebuild and their parents should be more understanding of their situation

Dunnocantthinkofone · 22/05/2025 13:02

If your son wants to remain in your home, he needs to pay for some training help for the dog as a first step