Dog meeting new baby

[batteryhen]

Hello :)

We have a 8 1/2 month old cocker spaniel who is lovely. He is so sweet natured, but obviously very bouncy, especially around new people, who is so desperate to meet and play with.

We are expecting our first baby in 5 weeks, and are obviously looking forward to it.

My DP is concerned about how the dog will get on with the baby etc. I think it's because we have got a cat too who hates the dog, and will go for him at every opportunity. Recently the dog has got a bit fed up and had a woof at her, but no more. Now DP seems to think he may have some hidden killer instinct .

I am just looking for reassurance really of how other people introduced baby to dog (and cat). He is not allowed on the sofa or upstairs and will never be left alone with babe, but my DP is making me worry now!!!

Pup goes to puppy training too to try and get him less bouncy. He is very obedient for his age too. (except recall when other dogs are around but that is another thread.... :))

If you are going to be with the new baby and the dog separately, start being separate from the dog NOW. Start introducing baby things to the dog now, and really importantly, when the new baby arrives, remember that the dog needs attention too.

We allowed our dogs to sniff and be with the babies. We had no great expectations that the dogs would like children, and we had a baby cage which was far bigger and more practical from all points of view. We never left the children alone with a dog, and never let them climb on top of them.

Your dog has a good warning system with the cat. Just remember that if the dog has been your 'baby' for a while, he will need lots of attention too.

YOur anxieties are normal. You should be absolutely fine, and try to keep to your dog's routines (not so easy when you have a new baby). If you take the dog out more than your dh, and this is likely to change with the new arrival, change it now. I expect you'll get an avalanche of advice.

We have a slightly different situation as we have outdoor farm dogs but we had a baby 9 months ago and so had to face some of this.

Once dd was born, the midwife gave us her first blanket for OH to bring home and introduce the smell to the dogs over several days. Once we were home we showed them the baby but always with OH holding her as the dogs worship him and we wanted them to view dd as an extension of him (if that makes sense).

They're always separated and if dd and I are working with OH then he has dd strapped to him, not me.

As it is, our old boy has become our walking companion and will happily trot along beside the buggy and flop down productively beside it.

Good luck!

Thank you both :) At the moment he does obviously get lots of attention, although he is used to being put in the kitchen for a sleep for a couple of hours when I need a break!
I do a lot of the walking, as DP lives away from home during the week, but sometimes he takes the dog away with him, so the dog is used to a bit of change now and then.
My mum has lent me a tiny tears doll to practice my moby wrap on so I will see what he thinks of me holding and cuddling that!
I have no worries really about him, DP seems to think because he woofed at the cat, he is going to turn into a blood thirsty killer .

To be fair he has put up with months of abuse from the cat so it's about time she got a woof back at her! Bully that she is.