Preparing dog for new baby

[C1umsyGiraffe]

Hi all,

We're expecting our first baby in June. We have a 4 year old cockapoo who for the last 4 years has been our absolute baby and very spoilt! He currently sleeps in the bed with us and we'd really like to not have to change that but also are trying to be realistic.

Just wondered if anyone had any tips on how to prepare him for our new arrival? He's pretty good with change as we do supported lodgings currently so have people move in and out quite a lot anyway.

The other thing is he barks at anything outside, please tell me how to get him to stop! I know it'll drive me insane!

The bed sharing needs to stop. It's time to put in boundaries.
Do you have an area that you can make into the dogs bed area?

Hi, I can see your post was a while ago but I'm in the same boat. Baby due august. Little Cockerpoo girl who is 1. She sleeps on her bed next to the bed but by say 4/5am she sneaks on our bed until morning.
She's also been spoilt as our baby.
Just wondering if you've made any changes ect?
I've been playing YouTube crying baby sounds and she doesn't phased

@tax19 congratulations!

This is exactly our dog too, expect he sleeps in our bed from the first time we go to bed! We've been playing YouTube too but he's not fussed whatsoever, the biggest thing we need to crack down on is his barking at the door, I'm going to get a trainer/behaviourist in as I don't know what to do myself!

In terms of sleeping, we've got a material crate (he's not a chewer) that we've put next to our bed. We're still in the "getting used to it" stage so he doesn't feel too put out, I give him dinner in there and surprise him with treats too. Soon I'll start asking him to go in when we go to bed, then shut him in for 5 minutes etc until he's used to going in there all night.

Hope it goes well with you and your doggy! Any suggestions I'll happily take 😂

Thank you and congratulations to you too, I'm sure june doesn't feel that far off! 😊

It sounds like you are being pro active though! Normally my dog just sleeps away on her bed next to us but last night she managed to sneak a toy upstairs with her and she must of woke about 5ish and woke me up chewing away on her chew bone so I will now be making sure she doesn't sneak anything up with her!!

The barking is tricky, my parents also have a Cockerpoo and he barks at the door and they had a behaviourist, it was mostly at the post man and the bin men and the behaviourist said in his mind his barking works as he barks and they leave. (Really they deliver the post and empty the bins so leave). They are still working on it with him but it's around praising him when he is quiet as opposing to trying to stop him mid bark.

Our dog ginny isn't to bad with the door but we are a semi detached house and sometimes randomly she will bark (she must hear noises I can't hear) that worries me as I am thinking sleeping baby!!! No idea how to train that!

Also is your dog a licker? Ginny loves to lick, (we have all just joked she loves to give kisses) but now I'm thinking what if she tries to like the poor baby's face. Of course I would never leave a dog and baby alone together. It's just hard telling her off when in her mind it's giving affection.

I think it's going to be trial and error. I might have a look at the soft grates though!