Dog before baby or should I wait? Also, new dog meets adult cat worries.

[idlefolly]

DH and I have just started TTC #1. I have wanted a dog for years (grew up with a Dalmatian and DH grew up with a dog. I also worked at a vets for years and have pretty much had a lifelong love/borderline obsession with dogs and animals in general) and have resigned myself to being very sensible, as always, and waiting until the 'right' moment to get a puppy, which I think would be once we have had a baby to avoid any jealousy issues with dog.

However...TTC could take an indefinite amount of time (hopefully won't though) and I am a bit fed up of always being so bloody sensible! I have a 'countryside' type job where we have dogs in our office, and am considering going self-employed in the next year so there are no logistical reasons not to get one. We own our own home with a garden, live in an area full of perfect dog-walking places (hills, countryside etc...) and if we get a pup before having a baby at least I will time to train it! I may be so desperate for a pup now as I am very broody but I have still wanted one for such a long time. Is it a bad idea to get a dog now knowing that we are planning for a baby? I love the idea of children growing up with a family dog (I did).

Something else that is worrying me and DH is that we have a very much loved cat and we are worried about upsetting her (she is 5 and has had virtually no exposure to dogs besides neighbours walking theirs past our house). If anyone has any experience (good or bad) of bringing a dog in to their home when they have a cat I'd be very interested to hear about it!

Life is too short to spend it planning.
Just go for it, there may be times when you wish you'd waited but think better to just crack on and accept the bumps as part of the experience.
Get in line for one of Mablis pups!!

Thanks Sinclair, I agree. I have spent my life sensibly planning and patiently waiting for the right moment. I am having a scan tomorrow to see if I have PCOS, so after years on the pill and implant thinking I'd get pregnant (before the perfect time) just looking at a boy, it turns out that it's a lot bloody harder than that and all this planning has got me nowhere.

I have done similar and watched others get on enjoying life while I planned and waited for the 'perfect time'.
The older I get the more I think you just need to say yes to things.
Am starting to sound like one of those naval gazing self helpers!
Just get a pup, stop planning pregnancy, get pissed, have fun sex etc, all will work out fine!

You know what, I'm normally one to say not to get a dog and a baby at the same time, but if you have just started TTC, then now could be a good time as even if you got a puppy, they'd be through the worst of it even if you conceived straightaway, and you'd have got used to the lifestyle change of a dog first.

My cats hadn't been used to dogs, and though there was a bit of sulking when CMOTdog joined us (this is normal for them though), they are fine now. We have a baby gate on the kitchen so the cats still have their food down in there, and at first there was a bit of yelling through it. At the moment, cmotpuppy is still not perfectly house trained, so is restricted to the rooms with hard floors, and the cats have the rest of the house - though evilgingercat can open the door, so comes and goes as he wishes. At night the dogs are crated so the cats reign.

If you'd like to see how your cat might feel, you'd be welcome to borrow my dogs

Thanks everyone. Difficult decisions!! I may see if I can borrow a cat friendly dog and see how she reacts.

Go and look at some dogs. Talk to the breeders/dogs home people and see how you feel then. We had our dogs before kids, and it will give you something to take your mind off ttc. If you find a dog/puppy you really feel you can't live without, that's a decision made. We have rescue dogs with various problems (mostly not liking kids) and have to find ways to deal with it. There are always going to be people to help and it's important to keep asking. Happy hunting!!