What to do re: PIL dog?

[dogvcatcat]

I have name changed for this as it is quite identifying. We are due our first baby in a couple of weeks and I am very happy for PIL to visit soon after birth.

We have 2 happy and contented indoor cats (our fur babies!) and live in a relatively small 2 bedroom flat.

PIL have a massive dog (labrador crossbreed) and I adore him but he is very big and excitable and knocks everything over/jumps up etc. He is perfectly safe, just boisterous.

We sometimes have my mum's teeny tiny little dog round and the cats hate her though they do tolerate her now, so I know they will not be able to cope with a dog of PIL's size and energy. Unfortunately PIL have no one to leave dog with. I think they think I would be happy to have the dog round ours because they know how much I love him, and ordinarily I would be, but I don't want our cats to be stressed when they may already be stressed by a new baby.

WWYD? Bite the bullet and say he's got to go in kennels when they come to visit? It would only be a couple of hours' visit, not an overnight stay. Or is there a way I could shut the cats in the spare bedroom (their main sleeping room) with food and litter - that would be really mean, right?

Thoughts welcome!

Yes you are
Good luck to your dh in telling them!

Now all that rather puts a different complexion on it. Yes, I think you are going to have to be assertive.

Oh he will be happy to, I'm a way bigger softie than he is!!

they wouldn't all be coming for the first visit just to clarify, I think that was just PIL sort of being like 'well in the future we can all meet round yours as you like the dog'

4/5 hours is too long? Really? Do you mean they genuinely can't because he will tear the place down or they just don't want to? It's not unreasonable to suggest they leave their dog for a few hours.

What do they normally do when they come to yours?

laurie they don't want to, they think it is not right for him to be left that long. A lot of people with dogs feel that way, truth be told. Especially big ones who require lots of walking.

What do they normally do when they come to yours?

They don't, is the short answer to that. We live in London and they don't like driving here so we usually visit them. But that will change once we have the baby as we have no car so can't really do the schlep down there on the train with all the baby gear. They've only come once, but that was for a three day stay so the dog went in kennels. When they visit SIL the dog sits outside in the car.

I feel lots of Facetiming coming on.

Visiting you isn't sustainable in those circumstances, I think?

I feel lots of Facetiming coming on.

PIL can barely switch on a phone!!!!

Visiting you isn't sustainable in those circumstances, I think?

I really don't know, I think we'll have to play it by ear quite honestly. If we had a garden dog could sit out there quite happily, but we haven't.

If they can't leave him at home he can just wait for them in the car. I am a big doggy person and there is no way I would take my dogs to visit a newborn baby in a flat where cats live. I want to say that would be crazy but don't want to be too harsh lol

If they can't leave him at home he can just wait for them in the car.

Yes I suppose you're right. I just feel sorry for him, poor love. It's not his fault he's so giant!

Don't take any worry onto your own shoulders. He's their dog and they should be the ones making suitable arrangements if there are difficulties. Just get DH to set out the stall and they'll have to make whatever adjustments are necessary in the future.

A walk with dh at the beginning of the visit, a rest in the car and then maybe everyone go for a walk pushing baby while you have a sleep and then back for a quick cuppa before they head home.

Why can't the dog sit in the car like when they visit SIL? I know they know you like the huge unruly dog, but your circumstances have changed.

The change in circumstances actually makes it the best time to draw your line on this one - there's a clear reason to give them.

Absolutely

Cozie talks much sense. Use this as a chance to draw a line. Toddler/crawling baby and bouncy dog?
Their dog. Up to them to make arrangements.

My parents' dog was just about welcome in our house before DS was born, but they're not really compatible. It is a large, badly trained, treated-like-a-human dog. When they visit (daytime only, can't be left at home) dog stays in the car with frequent visits to see if & walks in the park. Won't let it in the garden as it trashes stuff. I won't stay overnight with them either.