8 week old puppy coming home at 6 1/2 months pregnant...

[Rosenip]

Advice please, my DH and I have thought long and hard about this, spent months researching what we should do and are pretty sure we still want to go ahead... despite dissapproval from both sets of parents etc (but the dog will eat the baby...)

We are getting a rhodesian ridgeback and the timing is due to wanting puppies from a particular breader and to have the puppy when I am off work full time so I am aruond to keep it company. The way I see it is that we can make a good start on house-breaking before our baby arrives, as we will have 2 months ish and then I'm going to be up all night with baby anyway, puppy can just come along for the ride!

I am thinking that a puppy pen would be a good way to go when baby and dog and I are in the living room etc

What precautions should we take that I may not have thought about?

SO pleased you have reached the really sensible conclusion, OP.
You will make brilliant owners in the future, when your PFB will be old enough to have a wonderful time being your new pup's best friend.
Good decision.

wheremycaffeinedrip that made me well up! In my defence I'm feeling ill and sorry for myself.

Sorry clarty

I think the dog house may be my favourite bit of MN so far!

I would wait a couple of years for your puppy, or even just a year. It doesnt mean youll never get one, but babies are exhausting. Puppies are even more exhausting

wheresmycaffeinedrip don't be sorry, it was lovely the way you wrote 'And how your baby will have a best friend he won't ever forget you bringing home'. I just had a romantic vision like a Lassie film of a lovely old fashioned little boy cuddling a beautiful Rough Collie and went all gooey.

Obviously the OP will probably have a dd and a Rohodesian Ridgeback is nowt like a Rough Collie .

Rosenip - I lurk here, a lot! My boy is lying patiently downstairs having not had a walk yet because I'm confined to bed with d&v. He'll be fine, DH will get him out later. Definitely thanking my lucky stars today he's nearly nine years old and not nine weeks.

We are having a DD! That's still a cute vision though right? Blonde girl cuddles large lion tracking dog.

It's a lovely vision :) it's always lovely to see children with pets. My dd's face when she got home to discover our cat was priceless. She was so excited. Your dd will be so happy the day you bring that puppy home. :)

at large lion tracking dog. Very sweet. We got our dog when he was 4 and dd3 was only 18m...she was obsessed with sticking her fingers up his nostrils for the first couple of weeks. I needed eyes in the back of my head.

He was and is fantastic though - he has more tolerance and patience in his left paw than I've got in my entire body.

Ah yes, I remember when dd3 met our boy for the first time - dh brought her downstairs after her nap and he was lying in the the living room. Her eyes went like saucers and she alternated between for about ten minutes. Wish I'd filmed her reaction but I was too busy consoling his previous owner who'd brought him round and was distraught and giving him up.

Dogs and children together are brilliant - but you're better being sensible and waiting until it's more manageable. :)

I think you've made the right choice! We've had our pup for two weeks and I am completely in love with him but my god he's hard work. I'm completely exhausted and you can't take your eyes off him for a second. The thought of having a newborn baby at the same time makes me want to cry.

I am so pleased you have come to that decision, I was not prepared for how much work a dog was - and we got ours at 6montha old, added to that you are thinking of a ridgeback..... My dogs best friend is a ridgeback - he is 13 months old and since about 8months old has needed 2 hrs walking a day to remain moderately sane - it is just not doable with a young baby. Maybe at this time of the year - but when it's freezing cold and snowing , not so much.
I love my husband, he is fab in almost every respect - but when it comes to the dog he is a real disappointment...... and he really wanted the dog - but I do 95% of the stuff, even on the weekends.... You will your husband to do the stuff with the baby.

We are getting a ridgeback puppy in 5 weeks. Have wanted a dog for year but have waited until youngest DC is 3 and starting nursery. I have 3 other DCs at school too and I'm at home all the time.

I spoke to RR owners, went to visit some, did loads of research, chose a good breeder who vetted us too. I've seen the Mum with my DC a few times and she is brilliant. Ill have the full back up of the breeder as well.

I couldn't have done it with a newborn especially my first born. Have your baby then in a few years you'll get your puppy

Great decision OP, it must be difficult with the battersea work, you must be soooo dog broody!! but new dog, especially a ridgeback, they are pretty strong minded dogs and a new baby at the same time is the way of madness. One challenge at a time, don't make more stress for yourself - wait until the right time (it really wont be that long and it sounds like you have enough dog experience to be sensible about this) and it will be a brilliant thing. My dogs are my DDs best friends, we had ddog1 when DD was about 2 and he is her bestest friend in the whole wide world poor sod!