13 weeks pregnant and wanting a dog too

[madasyaf]

Hi there,

Some people might think I’m mad for thinking this.... so my fiancé and I moved into our house in December and literally in our first week in the house I found out I was pregnant. You know the saying, new house, new baby. We were surprised but overjoyed, it was sooner than we expected but still happy. We were planning on getting a dog after we had settled in and got Christmas out of the way with but obviously having a baby we were going to put that on hold.

Thing is though, I’ve always had dogs from growing up and even got my own dog when I lived with my mum and dad. We didn’t take him with us to our new house because it wasn’t fair to separate him from the other dogs.

So I’m quite experienced, my partner has had dogs in the past too, and even though I’m pregnant I feel like I’m capable of caring for a little puppy. It’s still early in the pregnancy too so I have time to settle the pup in before our new arrival.

The house seems too quiet without a dog and it is getting me a bit down. Obviously I’m thrilled to be pregnant and to be having a baby! We both are thrilled, but from always having a dog too, I feel like waiting nearly two years too long to wait...

I like the idea of our little baby being around dogs, my sisters baby loves dogs already because my sister had a puppy around when her baby was born.

And the dog is really intelligent and looks out for the baby too. Maybe I’m nuts... but am I being unrealistic? Is it possible to get a dog when pregnant?

Of course it's possible. But don't underestimate what hard work it can be... do you work? Do you have the space? If you were to have a tough recovery after pregnancy, is there anyone else around to walk the dog etc?

Get the baby first. Then you'll see how much time you'll have for walks (probably will work ok) but more importantly the dog won't feel jealous if he comes into a house which already has a baby.

I personally wouldn’t! You don’t know how you are going to feel further into pregnancy and once the baby is born. I know a couple of people with newborns and dogs and they said it is difficult at times.

I guess I would ask myself if I can’t take the dog for walks etc. who will? Can they do this twice a day? You will be absolutely exhausted early on. Also not all dogs are maternal towards babies, what will you do if this is the case?

Do not do it. You've had a dog before but you've never had a baby before and do not know what that entails. I know someone who did this and ended up sending the dog back three or four months post-baby because they couldn't cope. Everyone told them it was a bad idea, but no, they knew best and now a poor dog has suffered massive upheaval and the uncertainty of rehoming as an adolescent dog because of it.

Don't be like them.

I would also advise don't do it! After I had my baby my feelings for my dog completely changed, I now saw him as a threat and a burden. A threat as in he could be spreading all sorts of muck and bacteria around through paws, licks and his food, and the possibility of him snapping at the baby if he was grabbed and hurt so never being able to leave the room with them in together. A burden because he seemed to add so much work when I was already exhausted with baby stuff and not sleeping; needed walking every day, created more mess for cleaning, awkward to have a day out anywhere as he couldn't be left for a whole day on his own.
I'm lucky that my dh is besotted with him so took on a huge amount of his care but if it had been me I'd have really tried to re-home him and that's after 7 years! Feel so cruel saying that but that's the state of mind I was in after the baby. Now I'm rebuilding a relationship with him but it will never be the same as before the children came along. If it was a puppy it would have been even worse! The mouthing, chewing toys and furniture, lack of obedience, even more restricted on being left alone, plus the feeling if you got rid now it would be much easier to re-home a cute puppy than an adult dog. Think carefully before you go ahead....

I recently lost my elderly dog and the house was feeling incredibly quiet without her. I'm 14wks pregnant and my husband and I discussed whether to wait until after the baby was born (but likely at least a year) or get a puppy ASAP to give us time to train them.

My heart won and I'm currently sitting next to my new puppy. I've had dogs all my life and while this will be my first baby, I know that my family isn't complete without a dog. A few people have questioned our choice but most people have been very supportive. We chose a family friendly breed, we will train her well, and she will grow up with babies/young children, and equally it's important to me that our children grow up around animals.

I would say trust your instinct on this one. Yes a baby is going to be incredibly hard work but if you've got a plan in place to raise the puppy and know you can look after her once the baby arrives then go for it. I'm confident that I can do both and I've got very supportive family around me to help.

You may feel you can handle a pup and being pregnant now. But what about when you’re huge and constantly need the toilet yourself?
No decent breeder will instantly have a pup for sale.
No decent rescue or breeder would want a pup and a baby together.
Wait. Years preferably.

Hmm, I did it but was pregnant with dc2 so had already been hit with the life change of a baby. It was hard work but not as bad as people thought. I made sure we went to training every week until the dog was 18 months, and there were days where having to go out for a walk was the only thing that kept me sane. I also love that my dc have grown up with a dog and she is amazing with the children as it's all she's known. However I am currently pregnant again and I'm finding walking the amount she needs to walk now hard work especially when the kids don't want to go out in the rain.

So i guess only you can decide if you have the time, money and energy. I think it's the kind of thing that can go very well or very wrong. We've been very lucky.

Don't underestimate how tired you will be with a new baby.

Have the baby first and see how you feel then.

If you've already got a dog then why don't you bring him to live with you? I had a dog when living at home and brought her with me when I moved out (separating her and another dog that had spent their whole life together).
We took her for weekends initially to get her used to the house but it's honestly been the making of her! And if it hadn't worked out then she could've gone back to my parents.
I'd honestly try with your current dog first before getting another dog and potentially having to rehome it if it all goes wrong

Honestly wait till you’ve got settled with the baby.

Yes it could be fantastic and your puppy could train like a dream and you could have a very uncomplicated pregnancy and birth... or you could have a destructive mad hyper dog and be physically knackered and unable to lift anything after a c section with a baby who hasn’t heard the word sleep.

I have 3 adult dogs n ds 11months, pregnant again too. I had hg with ds and honestly could barely get the poor buggers into the garden. I then had issues near the end and was like a yo-yo to the mat unit. This time I’ve been relatively fine.

But I still need to always be an extra step organised. Going out of the room etc, fortunately mine are tiny dogs so we got a raised bouncer chair when he was tiny and use a play pen now he’s standing to save me having to physically run n put dogs in kitchen to get a parcel from a courier or pee.

They are a great source of sanity too, being able to leave ds with dp and go a walk was a blessing when you just need air. Can’t say I’d change the madness but I don’t think I’d start in it.

Me and my partner moved in together, a week later we got our bulldog puppy, 4 months later we got pregnant with our first baby. In a way it was probably better because the our dog was still young when the baby arrived, but was fully house trained. I made sure to take her to puppy school to learn some manners. (Which she now chooses to ignore, because she is very stubborn!).

She was a pretty lively puppy, but as soon as we bought our daughter home from hospital she totally changed. Chilled out alot, was so gentle around my daughter when she started crawling and walking etc.

Make sure you research the dog breed, make sure they are good family dogs and preferable reared around kids etc.

As others have said though, make sure that you will be able to devote enough time to the dog. Will you be returning to work? Will you be able to come home and let it out during the day? Also don't under estimate how much time a newborn takes up xx

Of course it’s possible, bloody stupid though

Stupid idea. By the time the baby arrives the dog will have hit peak adolescents and be in the 'naughty' stage. Just head over to the Doghouse and see how many threads there are on people struggling with the puppy blues. Factor in pregnancy/baby and it would be crazy.

No matter how experienced you are, one of them would suffer. And it is unlikely to be the baby..

I think experienced is a broad term (not knocking you because I don't know your entire dog history so please don't take the wrong way!) but there's a massive difference between experienced in just having had a lot of dogs and then being experienced in the potential behavioural issues that no one can predict that you see all over the Internet and these TV shows. Lovely cute puppies or dogs can develop issues without warning, especially with changes to routine or their environment.

I lost my Lab in September whilst pregnant and it's absolutely heartbreaking even now. I desperately miss her and having a Lab around but I just know that for me it's a no go until a good few years after he's here.

Being pregnant and having a new house, there's always something to do and lots you find yourself busy with that can often mean a puppy wouldn't get all of the time they really should have to become well adjusted and socialised. Then when baby comes, again, massive change of routine and circumstances which need to be factored in; can you spread yourself this thin or have the support to help you integrate both? You'd essentially have two babies or at least a baby and a teenager if you got one soon and even the most wonderful dog breeds can be absolute testing tits when they're in the adolescent stage, most don't mature until 2/3 fully. You might think you can handle it but babies change all the time as do their needs which is really hard work when you see how a dog will adapt to that.

I've seen plenty of reputable breeders turn away people for being pregnant because in their minds, it's not in the best interests of the pup. Just 'wanting' one is not a good reason to have one, so many pups suffer because people get one underestimating how much work they are when fitting them into their circumstances. I definitely would say to wait; if you're that keen then getting one once you've had baby and established your boundaries and routines would be much more sensible, there will always be dogs out there for you to have in the future.

Good luck whatever you decide

Not dog related but I bought two house rabbits around the same time I fell pregnant. I didn’t know I was pregnant otherwise I honestly wouldn’t have got them, I LOVE them dearly and I wouldn’t get rid of them because I’m attached to them, but if I knew I was pregnant/about to be pregnant I seriously wouldn’t get any pets. Their so hard work! They need to be cleaned and looked after, fed, watered, entertained, allowed to run around and you need to clean up after them loads. So it’s hard work and stressful. I often feel so guilty that I am
It looking after them properly because I’m too tired. So seriously don’t do it.

You are mad, seriously don't, you have no idea how your pregnancy will go and what kind of baby you'll have and how you'll cope.

Our dog was 3 when my second arrived but.... Well. If you're pregnant now you're due in what, Aug or September? All good until the weather turns and you've a bonkers, hyper puppy and a baby in a sling in the pissing rain.... Honestly I'd wait. I grew up with dogs etc etc etc but the combination over winter is really hard

Madness, completely daft idea. Get used to being a mum and then see how you feel about getting a dog would be my advice.

You're experienced with dogs but not with babies. Wait. Weird stuff happens. Like you get very protective. What if the puppy growls at the baby? You never know.

We waited and DD got to pick her rescue. They are incredibly close and it's wonderful. And because of the ages, it's unlikely she will lose a beloved pet in childhood.

I couldn’t have coped with a puppy and a newborn. I wouldn’t risk it. Have the baby first and see how it goes.

We got married and pregnant within the same month and then got our puppy 4 months later. She was/ has been a massive support for me whilst I've been at home and throughout both my pregnancies. She is the reason we go out when it's they're being difficult both days. Our son is 2 and our daughter is 8 months so very young family. I hadn't had a dog before but it felt right for us at the time and we didn't ask for people's opinions just did what was right for us. If you feel it's right for you do it! Babies are easy at the beginning it's when they start moving/ becoming toddlers which is the tricky part. The bin they have is awesome and we wouldn't change it for the world.

Wait until you've had the baby, Just to see how you feel as its easy to feel very overwhelmed and one less life to look after is a bonus. I say this as someone who has dogs and livestock and it was really hard looking after the livestock after weeks of very little sleep. The dogs are old and easy going.

Personally, I wouldn't do it. A puppy needs a lot of attention and affection and so does a baby. Maybe you will be able to manage but looking after both will be very hard. I have the most beautiful one-year-old dog but as a puppy, he was incredibly demanding and really tested my sanity!

Before we got our own dog we used to have MILs dog over the weekend which suited us all perfectly. (No kids though) so could that be an option? For you to take care of your dog but it still go back to your parents for some of the week like a holiday with his other dog friends? Wouldn’t suit all dogs I know but MILs dog loved coming to us as a treat she got spoiled rotten!