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The doghouse

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Original poster

Puppies and babies

21 replies

GinnyBee · 13/12/2021 15:34

Has anyone had a puppy when your babies were small, and what was the experience like? We have one dog who is now 2.5 years and were always planning to get another when he's between 2-3, but now with baby on the way due in May we've decided to postpone the puppy. Because the breed we have is rare in the UK and waiting lists can be long I'm now wondering when is the next sensible time to consider a new puppy? Our lad is going to get to stud in the summer, but that litter is out of the question as I think baby will be too small and full on still. Is first half of 2023 too soon with a May 2022 baby? Just so I can give the breeder a heads up for when I might join a puppy list again.

OP posts:
Bells3032 · 13/12/2021 16:29

you may get better answers in the "Doghouse" section of mumsnet as this is more about the puppy than the baby.

I'd probably wait a few years esp if you have one dog already. a boistroius puppy and baby/toddler who can pull their ears/not handle them right doesn't sound like a stunningly good idea to me

icedcoffees · 13/12/2021 17:34

Honestly, I wouldn't even consider a puppy until your youngest child is in primary school, so maybe 2027 or so going by your timeline.

I think you're mad to even consider a puppy with a 9mo baby.

Happy1982ish · 13/12/2021 17:35

I wouldn’t entertain the idea for another moment longer personally

ceebee21 · 13/12/2021 19:18

Hi, slightly different situation but I posted something similar regarding dogs / puppies / babies last year and must say I had pretty negative responses!

We had a 9 month old puppy when our baby was born last December, he is a very excitable cockapoo. It has been a lot better than I ever anticipated and he is amazing with the baby.. that being said, not all dogs and not all babies are the same.

I think one thing I probably wouldn't do myself is get a puppy after having the baby....not for a while anyway. Trying to train a puppy whilst having a young baby does seem like hard work! Xx

tabulahrasa · 13/12/2021 19:53

The main issues are managing housetraining when there’s a child too young to leave unattended safely and the mouthing with a child too young to be able to follow instructions properly and that a puppy will find exciting and want to bite... and children get upset when that hurts.

School age is much better for both of those.

Original poster
GinnyBee · 13/12/2021 20:03

@ceebee21 Yes I completely agree! In an ideal world we would have had the puppy before baby, I do remember how exhausting the first month in particular was! But alas, that's not what the universe had in plan for us!

I also do agree that it will be hard and if I didn't already have a dog I wouldn't plan to get one until the kid is older, but I do have a dog and I believe he should have a friend. He's a very sociable breed and they thrive in packs. I never ever intended to just have one, so I'd feel like I'd let him down.

OP posts:
ceebee21 · 13/12/2021 20:43

@GinnyBee that's fair enough and I'm sure the hard work will pay off and it will all be worth it in the end! Xx

icedcoffees · 13/12/2021 20:47

I also do agree that it will be hard and if I didn't already have a dog I wouldn't plan to get one until the kid is older, but I do have a dog and I believe he should have a friend. He's a very sociable breed and they thrive in packs. I never ever intended to just have one, so I'd feel like I'd let him down.

I do sympathise with this view but loads of dogs live happily as only dogs and they don't "need" a friend to be happy.

You also really eed to think about the logistics of toilet training a puppy (and dealing with the mouthing, nipping and accidents), walking your older dog separately, and looking after a newborn on very little sleep.

Poniesandgin · 13/12/2021 21:02

On the other hand I have had a puppy alongside a small baby and it was no trouble at all. I am experienced in training dogs though and had another older dog at the time so it wasn’t a shock to the system.

Walking, feeding etc was the same as I had one to walk already. DH watched baby while I walked and trained puppy separately once he was home from work. I also did training around baby naps and found baby waking up in the night a perfect time to also toilet pup.

We didn’t allow the puppy to bounce around the baby obviously so never had any incidents of nipping. Once the baby and dog were old enough to be allowed together for short periods dog had grown out of that madness, for me the nipping lasted a matter of a few weeks if that. I also thought maternity was a great time as I was home 24/7.

Now I have 3 dogs of various ages, a young child and a newborn. Again, not really found it to be an issue but I do thrive on busy!

That’s not to say everyone will enjoy it but I actually did!

lingus · 13/12/2021 21:04

Your dog does not need a friend.

No dog breed thrives in packs. This comment worries me that you do not have a full knowledge of the situation.

They need a non stressed happy owner. Not a knackered ,no time, guilty owner cos they dont have enough time to meet everybodies needs.

It is not just the first month of a puppy's life that is hard.........

Reality will be baby waking up for a feed, you are tired from being non stop all day, puppy will wee on floor and chew babies toys The dog gets stressed but the babies crying and barks constantly, that makes the baby cry . The dogs are in the garden digging as you are bathing the baby, the puppy jumps up and eats your defrosting supper from the side when you are feeding the baby.

Dont do it and dont make excuses thinking it will be easy - it will not. Why put yourself through it? Just wait until you have more time. Better for everyone and every animal involved.

Santahatesbraisedcabbage · 13/12/2021 21:04

Our dpuppies were a year old when ds arrived... So technically all babies together!!
We already had an adult ddog so just for right in tbh. Didn't find it so bad...

MintyGreenDream · 13/12/2021 21:12

We got a small breed pup when ds was 2.5.I wouldn't go any lower than that tbh

Crazykatie · 13/12/2021 21:25

Be careful with dogs and babies if the baby gets more attention the dog may get jealous, never leave a baby alone with a dog it’s a risk. I’ve no idea why you think you need a puppy and a baby, the previous post advising primary school as a good time to have a dog is a good idea.

Janeandjohnny · 13/12/2021 21:32

[quote GinnyBee]@ceebee21 Yes I completely agree! In an ideal world we would have had the puppy before baby, I do remember how exhausting the first month in particular was! But alas, that's not what the universe had in plan for us!

I also do agree that it will be hard and if I didn't already have a dog I wouldn't plan to get one until the kid is older, but I do have a dog and I believe he should have a friend. He's a very sociable breed and they thrive in packs. I never ever intended to just have one, so I'd feel like I'd let him down.[/quote]
You have had great advice in this thread so while its entirely your decision Id think carefully. Most of the rescues I deal with end up coming from scenarios you describe. A kid, who might not sleep, parents who are exhausted and two dogs close in age who will not be trainable if in a double act. I would wait till your baby is older even if it means missing out on a puppy.

Janeandjohnny · 13/12/2021 21:34

@lingus

Your dog does not need a friend.

No dog breed thrives in packs. This comment worries me that you do not have a full knowledge of the situation.

They need a non stressed happy owner. Not a knackered ,no time, guilty owner cos they dont have enough time to meet everybodies needs.

It is not just the first month of a puppy's life that is hard.........

Reality will be baby waking up for a feed, you are tired from being non stop all day, puppy will wee on floor and chew babies toys The dog gets stressed but the babies crying and barks constantly, that makes the baby cry . The dogs are in the garden digging as you are bathing the baby, the puppy jumps up and eats your defrosting supper from the side when you are feeding the baby.

Dont do it and dont make excuses thinking it will be easy - it will not. Why put yourself through it? Just wait until you have more time. Better for everyone and every animal involved.

Cross posted with @lingus who said it better than I did.
MintyGreenDream · 13/12/2021 22:04

What breed do you have?

LifesABotch · 13/12/2021 22:22

@icedcoffees

Honestly, I wouldn't even consider a puppy until your youngest child is in primary school, so maybe 2027 or so going by your timeline.

I think you're mad to even consider a puppy with a 9mo baby.

Have to agree with this! Puppies and children, especially very young children, are incompatible 🐾
MilsDogMom · 14/12/2021 08:40

I have 2 older dogs and we got a puppy when DS was nearly 2, pup is 5 months old now and I’ve found it fine. Shes a lab and I’ve found her easy to train, she’s had a few moments of forgetting where to toilet or whatever but we’ve just got on with it, she settled immediately as long as she was with the other dogs so has never had a problem being left in the kitchen whilst I need to bath, change DS etc (has a habit of running off with nappies😂).

I think 2nd/3rd dogs are easier than the first one but I will say for the first 6 months after DS was born I was less interested in the dogs, had no patience for them. It soon passed, probably hormones.

Wolfiefan · 14/12/2021 08:45

What’s the breed?
I waited until youngest was 6. But then she was my first dog and a giant breed. I wouldn’t want a second dog any sooner than three years after having the first. You need to have the first very securely trained before you get a second.

Original poster
GinnyBee · 14/12/2021 09:20

@Poniesandgin That's reassuring! Thank you for your reply :) Yes part of me does wonder how much extra is it really when I already have one. Yes the first few weeks are intense, but after that it gets a lot easier. And the most stressful part for me was working when I had a small puppy, so I did wonder whether being on maternity leave would actually make it more doable. And my husband works from home, which also helps.

@MintyGreenDream @Wolfiefan I have a Finnish Lapphund. They are fantastic family dogs.

@lingus I didn't mean to say it's just the first month that's hard, I meant it is the hardEST. I remember it well, and then it got a lot easier. But he was basically toilet trained the moment he came home from the breeder, so I didn't have any messes to clean up. A couple of accidents that were my fault in his whole puppyhood. I also didn't say anywhere I think it will be easy, in fact I said exactly the opposite that I know it will be hard.

@MilsDogMom That's what I've heard too and can easily believe that 2nd and 3rd etc are much easier than the first one. They can entertain themselves to an extent.

I guess I'll have to wait and see what life with a baby is like! I know what life with dogs and puppies is like, it's the baby that's the unknown. And I suppose there are differences in experience there too, some people have easy babies and others are harder work.

OP posts:
StarfishDish · 14/12/2021 17:25

Our puppy was 6 months old when our daughter was born. Shes now 10 months old and her and our dog are like double trouble! Its been hard work but we're so pleased we did it like we did.

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