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The doghouse

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Original poster

Update to my dog is going to eat my baby

26 replies

HelgatheHairy · 17/08/2013 17:47

I had a thread on here a little while ago about people's reactions to the fact I wasn't going to abandon my dog when my baby arrived. A little update.

DD has been at home 4 days now and is still uneaten. DDog has sniffed at her when he wants, nothing is forced and its going really well. He is very calm around her which is great. I think the poor dog is as tired as we are to be honest!

Things have changed for him. I did the majority of the walking and care of him and I've spent the last few days constantly feeding DD so DH is the one walking him. He's adapting well though and I'm trying to get into the garden to play fetch with him at least once a day.

Just hoping to reassure anyone else who was worried.

OP posts:
LesserSpottedNeckSnake · 17/08/2013 18:27

Aw, congrats on your DD :) Glad to hear it's all going well.

Booboostoo · 17/08/2013 19:10

So glad it's all going well! Congratulations on your baby!

Rosenip · 19/08/2013 13:11

Excellent (though not entirely surprising) news! Congratulations on your DD and long may the non-eating continue Grin

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 19/08/2013 18:44

It's still going really well. DDog is interested but not constantly. He really likes her toes and tries to lick them!

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HotCrossPun · 19/08/2013 18:49

How did he react the first time he saw her Helga?

Pregnant with my first and the owner of a (very old) Staffie. He is very even tempered and extremely gentle, but doesn't have much experience with young children. I think he's going to be a bit confused when we bring the baby home! Grin

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 19/08/2013 20:09

First time he met her he sniffed while we had a hand on his collar just in case. We petted him loads then gave him a pigs ear (his favourite) and we just went from there with loads of praise when he sniffed nicely at her.

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rubyrubyruby · 20/08/2013 07:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 20/08/2013 10:03

ruby I just saw them now, love them!! Think Lupo is just after a long walk to calm him enough to sit like that!

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Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 20/08/2013 10:52

So baby was just crying and I took her into the living room to sit down to feed her. DDog was lying on the floor eating a sock. He got up, followed me into the living room and dropped the sock into my lap! This is a dog who does not give up his socks easily! I like to think he was giving the sock to baby to stop her crying!

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bigredbaboonsbottom · 20/08/2013 15:38

Congrats Helga

Nice to hear I'm not the only one being told my dog will eat my baby (which still isn't here yet... Week overdue, so hopefully soon)

Hot I to have a staffie, 9 years old, so no spring chicken, but a complete character and a fully integrated/spoilt member of the family.

He's been used to young children, but babies are a new thing, so hoping we can survive first few days without issue.

We did put a play pen thing for the baby up in the lounge about a month ago so woofer got used to it and knew he couldn't go in it, car seat has been sniffed and ignored as has one of those bouncy chairs, which was put up last week.

Biggest issue are cuddly toys... We've had some sulking and side long glances at those, but he's left them alone when told.

Nicolaflem83 · 20/08/2013 21:03

Congratulations on your beautiful baby! Please keep us posted. Don't know if it's hormones or what but we are seriously considering another lab pup to add to our 1-year old lab before our first baby comes in the new year... We were always sorry we didn't get two together and don't know if now is the right time or not. I'll watch and see how you get on with one for now!

Happiestinwellybobs · 20/08/2013 21:22

I saw your original post... Glad all is going well. A bit different in our house as we adopted DD, so she was 10mo. when she came home to us. We had a "super spoilt, previous child substitute" Labrador.

I wasn't worried about any aggression.. He's far too soft, but did wonder how he would cope being usurped from his no. 1 child position. And he was amazing. I do remember a moment about 3 months in when I swear he gave me the "oh god she's stopping for good isn't she?" look.

He did chew one of her dolls, but after a severe rollicking, hasn't touched any toys since.

15 months on, they are best buddies. She is the first one he looks for in the morning, and he is who she looks for when she comes home from nursery. They sit together on the sofa, and run round the house chasing one another :)

bigredbaboonsbottom · 21/08/2013 07:12

Awww, sounds so sweet! I'm just worried our woofer is going to get the hump about having his sleep interuppted!

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 21/08/2013 09:08

That's lovely and what I'm hoping for happiest.

DDog does look at us when she really cries in a "can't you make her stop" kind of way but if she's just being a bit fussy he's over trying to lick her toes!

Nicola we really regret not getting two as well but I don't think I could go through the puppy phase with a young baby. DH goes back and forth as well. He thinks we should have got two but doesn't want another goldie as they don't live long enough and we'll be heartbroken when he goes!

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Fifi2406 · 21/08/2013 09:28

My friends dog tries to eat my ds as soon as ds enters the house! He's a chihuahua and really goes mental, I've stopped going round as my friend didn't really do anything about it and i was having to hold my son the whole time just incase and my almost 2 year old does not want to be held! Another friend has 2 Staffies and her daughter sits/jumps on them rides them, pulls them about no end and they don't do a thing! Just depends on the dog!

idirdog · 21/08/2013 10:21

Please don't any of you regret not getting two puppies together. It is a really really really bad idea for both the puppies and you.

An article here explains why littermate syndrome

Basically the dogs bond together it is a nightmare training them and you always need to work hard to get the dogs bond onto you rather than the other puppy.

Never ever get two puppies together

ChubbyKitty · 21/08/2013 11:18

AwwwwSmile

When my cousin was born my aunties staffie used to sit with his paw over the side of the Moses basket just watching over him. He was a brilliant dog!

HoneyDragon · 21/08/2013 14:24

I've always found that once mobile it's stopping the baby eating the of that's the problem

HoneyDragon · 21/08/2013 14:24

*dog not of

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 21/08/2013 15:27

idirdog good to know!

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Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 26/08/2013 11:09

So everytime baby cries DDog is straight over trying to lick any bit of skin he can get at. I sit in the armchair to feed and he keeps sitting on the couch next to it and stretching his head over the armrests to be a bit closer.

On the other hand - he keeps opening the front door if outside and then just standing there. Or worse, standing there with his toy in his mouth doing huge puppy dog eyes "come play with me"

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OnTheBottomWithAWomansWeekly · 26/08/2013 11:20

I lived with my parents when I had DD and was a bit worried about their dog (a v affectionate but lively and jumpey spaniel/collie cross).

We discovered she liked to sit under the pram protecting DD, and she would let a little growl if someone she didn't know came over to the pram to get DD. We thought at first she was growling at the baby and banished her from the room, but then realised she didn't growl at all at family.

She died when DD was about 8 - they had been best of friends up till then - DD still goes teary (at 16) if we find a picture of Queenie.

higgle · 26/08/2013 16:04

When I brought DS1 home from hospital we just put his car seat down on the floor and made a fuss of the dogs (then they were a collie cross and a dachshund) they sniffed him as if it was nothing unusual and everyone got on fine after that. DS 2 was born at home and the dogs slept through all the noise and met him when he was less than half an hour old, again no problems.

SixPackWellies · 26/08/2013 16:08

We had three rescue dogs when our first was born. people kept telling is it was dangerous etc.

two doted upon him, just sat next to his moses basket and licked his face and feet. The third ignored him totally. She had been dumped by her original family when they brought their new baby home, and she was anxious. After a bit she realised it would not be the same and now they are best of friends. Anywhere you find DC1, you find this dog.

The other two ignore toddlers, but adore babies.

frownyface · 26/08/2013 21:57

Good to hear happy baby and dog stories :)

I always remember the first night we baught my son home, he started to cry and we couldnt work out what to do to stop him, whilst at the same time our bully howled and howled lol! poor poor neighbours:)