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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Did your dog know...

95 replies

Katuk82 · 14/04/2012 16:10

My usually very independant dog has taken to following me around over the last two days, if i'm doing something she'll sit with me leaning against me, and keeps trying to get on my lap (she's no lap dog, but a very fluffy GSD!)

I'm 11 weeks.

Do you think she knows? What you your experiences with pets?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

whomovedmychocolate · 17/04/2012 17:06

Ginpalace - I want to say they smell oestrogeny - it's sort of a sour smell! I can also smell if people are ill (neither are good things btw if you out people accidentally)

Re smelling rain Sarry I do that too and it's blinking irritating because the smell gives me a headache.

Oeufman · 17/04/2012 17:35

Our 9 year old darling boxer dog knew I was pregnant before I did - she would spend ages with me in the bathroom sniffing anything I would let her sniff - especially urine (yuk) and generally driving me insane as I tried to pee!

The entire pregnancy spent with an overbearing, over fussy and overweight slobber of a dog at my side - trying to sit on my lap and sniffing me all the time.

This was nothing compared to when the baby arrived...

All 3 youngest came home from hospital to a dog ready to breast feed!! She produced milk and would if the baby was put on the floor lie down beside them and nudge them to latch on (the child was always picked up before this I hasten to add). I had to breast feed with her big slobbery head on my knee next to the baby so she could supervise and ensure her babies puppies were being cared for adequately! Any baby that cried would cause her to sprint to find them and see what was wrong and glare at me as I walked through from the next room

Each child learnt to walk holding onto her collar, she would sleep under the cot of dd2 calming her if she woke by leaning her head against the cot - dd2 would go back to sleep stroking her ear... It was like having a wonderfully patient nanny on site - who failed to coverup up her distain in my relaxed parenting skills.

Our dog is now 9 - the kids still adore her and regularly fall asleep curled up with her. I do not know how I could raise my kids without her loving care.

14UnitsMyArse · 17/04/2012 17:37

Yes my shih tzu would not leave my side when I was pregnant if anyone came into the room he would jump right up beside me. He is protective of my dd now

Overlovedbyfrantickitty · 17/04/2012 17:52

My cat knows!!! She's always been a clingy little beast but since I've been preggers she won't leave me alone - as I type she's miaowing at me and trying to get my attention by tapping me in the face.

youarekidding · 17/04/2012 17:59

My friends dog did this to me! Also climbed on my lap and sat with her head against my belly. We wondered why she put it in that certain place as made no sense - until the scan where we discovered DS was lying ackwardly and thats where his heart was. She also use to sit by DS pram after he was born. She never barked if anyone went near but she seemed to understand small babies iyswim?

DizzyKipper · 17/04/2012 18:20

I think the cows know. The last few weeks I've noticed when walking my dogs that the cows will all seem to come over to the hedge where I'm walking. A few of them (on different occasions) have actually run alongside the hedge to keep up with me, I've had 10-20 at a time all migrate to the hedge and stare at me, why would they give up their eating to come look at a human? They must know. Either that or something very weird is going on. I also suspect they're adolescent bulls but have been a little to polite to look down and determine if I'm correct.

DizzyKipper · 17/04/2012 18:20

PS. My dog so far seems oblivious, but MILs dog does seem a bit more clingy when I see her now.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 17/04/2012 18:21

at 'have been a little to polite to look down'.

Reminds me of the line in High Fidelity about how he doesn't know his cat's gender: 'I respect its privacy.'

moonblushtomato · 17/04/2012 18:33

Not sure about pets and their sense of smell but when I'm in the early stages of pregnancy I always have an extremely strong sense of smell.

In fact with pregnancy number 3 this was how I knew I was pregnant!!

Is this normal??

blondieminx · 17/04/2012 18:46

moonblush well if it isn't I'm the same kind weird but the ability to smell someone else's morning ciggy on the opposite side of the road does nothing for morning sickness

One DCat decided that since I was preggers he'd die - literally, 2 days after DD was conceived. Needless to say I took it very badly despite him being very old. He didn't like my neice and nephew and I think he thought - "ugh kids here permanently - I'm off". The other one followed me round for the whole 9 months and also was obsessed with following me to the bathroom. Her hunting skills went into overdrive and one day she brought me FOUR mice/birds (one live - euw!). The day I went into labour it was all in my hips and the only movement that eased it was going up and down stairs and I think I freaked her out a bit, she was very for about a week with me when we got DD home.

Ouef lovely post

fhdl34 · 17/04/2012 19:47

Mine didn't change at all with me but stopped running away from toddlers and would allow them to stroke them

MickeyTheShortOne · 17/04/2012 20:52

CupofBrownJoy I feel your pain.. my dog doesnt care either!

Ouef That is soooooo cute. Genuinely the nicest thing I've read all day. I hope our dog is like that!!!

Oeufman · 17/04/2012 22:05

She is snoring here next to me on the sofa - but says "thanks", she takes her role very seriously!

Prior to me coming home from hospital (I draw the line at giving birth at home with darling boxer as my birth partner - and really could not imagine how she would cope with me in labour) the DH brings home the first blanket the baby was wrapped in and gives it to slobba dog. She beds down with it, looking forward to the latest addition to her family and her body prepares to feed the baby. We trust her - though we would never leave her alone with the baby - we also allow her to demonstrate her love and bond with the latest puppy baby in the litter! We ensure slob dog is always wormed etc - our kids are so healthy and I attribute some of that to good clean dirt!

Our vet claims slob dog can actually talk to me.... Whilst he has read about dogs wishing to breast feed family babies - our dog is the first she has ever seen do it (and is very impressed with her attempts at all 3 dc).

Would just like to add she is useless with canine puppies.... Just so below her!

LuubyLuu · 17/04/2012 23:32

Such a lovely post Oeufman. And really interesting everyone.

CherryCheesecake · 17/04/2012 23:38

Our gsd x rottweiler is on her 3rd phantom pregnancy since i got pregnant in may last year (had the baby now haha) i have her milk all over my sofa! I think they can sense the change in hormones and that sets them off.

BaronessBomburst · 17/04/2012 23:42

I can smell rain too. And wasps. In fact, all kinds of things. DH thinks I'm weird but has to concede that I'm always right.

blackcurrants · 18/04/2012 01:43

oh Oeuf that is sooo sweet! :)

Getableedinggrip · 18/04/2012 08:21

My dog gets excited by rain and rediscovers his asshole on a daily basis with boundless enthusiasm, so no, would be my answer.

all4u · 18/04/2012 09:45

Well no surprises really - dogs live in this amazing olfactory world that cannot imagine! It can come in handy though - we recently got a kitten from a neighbouring farm and our sheepdog was being a pain trying to herd her all the time (like he does the chickens). Suddenly one day she seemed to smell gorgeous to him and he even licked the fur on her tabby back and she let him! Putting two and two together we whisked her off to the vet to have the op (tip: if you ask for intradermal stitches they can go out next day instead of being kept in for ten days...) Now though dog and cat are friends - though he still herds her. I do wonder though whether neutered animals are sensitive to these hormonal odours - our dog is entire.

bilblio · 18/04/2012 10:04

moonblush Yes my sense of smell goes into overdrive when I'm pregnant, and it's also one of the things which made me realise I was pregnant 2nd time around.
Possibly TMI, but I work with adults with learning disabilities. One morning I went in to get a lady her meds, then get her up for a bath. The smell which wouldn't normally bother me made me feel very sick and I had to leave the room. Later that day when I was complaining about period pains the penny dropped.
I think it's also why I can't drink coffee when I'm pregnant, it smells too strong.

Oeuf My friend's dog is a bit like that with her daughter. He was very protective when she was pregnant. Her daughter is 11 and the dog still goes and checks on her every night before he settles down to sleep.

redpanda13 · 18/04/2012 10:11

When I was pregnant my very independent cat took to sitting on my lap. He became very clingy from the very early stages of my pregnancy onwards. Towards the end my bump was so big space on my lap was limited and baby would elbow or kick him off.
Other far more sensitive cat licked his underbelly bald with stress.Took him to vets and they could find no organic cause for his sores and baldness and said it was probably a reaction to the pregnancy. He stopped straight after DD was born. It couldnt have been as bad as he expected

DonnaDoon · 18/04/2012 10:19

Theyre great arent they ? Oeuf love your dog !

toomuchmonthatendofthemoney · 18/04/2012 10:31

cupofbrownjoy congrats on yr pregnancy, maybe the dog will turn broody in the next few weeks for you!

ouefman your boxer sounds adorable. Like nanny dog in Peter pan. How lovely for your kids to have her there.

OhGood · 18/04/2012 10:46

Ouef awwwwwwwwwww - made me wish I were a dog person! Cat useless and annoying.

CupOfBrownJoy · 18/04/2012 10:57

Does it make a difference if the dogs/cats are male or female? I can imagine females getting all "mothery", and possibly its the fact that I have a castrated male which is why he hasn't reacted at all!

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