Introducing your dog to a newborn baby

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
mudbuttjones

mudbuttjones

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 29, 2014
1,375
58
66
Wisconsin
So my lovely wife spit out beautiful baby girl on Saturday. We arrived home this week on Monday.

I've got a 10 month old "purebred" German Shepherd / Border Collie mix.
EBtSwic.jpg

Now I know how much MFK hates hybrids lol

He's intelligent and obedient, but he just has too much energy. I'm obviously not able to take him on too many hikes lately, my mother in law is a triathlete and has been running him a few miles a week which seems to help.

I have alot of anxiety about him being around the baby, hes a very pleasant dog and would never do anything intentional to harm anyone, but he's like 70lbs now and acts like he weighs 20, he thinks he's a lap dog.
24shc7p.jpg
we got him because my wife was having a hard time getting pregnant so he did get babied. Maybe too much.

I've been taking precautions to make sure he cant accidentally jump on the baby, like crating the dog, closing doors etc. The dog stopped eating. I know he's going through an adjustment period. I'm kindof afraid that he'll begin to resent the baby and his jealousy could become violence.

We Introduced the two the other day. He seems more curious than anything. He wags his tail and stares at the baby. He tries to lick her, but he goes crazy when the baby cries. I dunno if he thinks she's in danger maybe?

4tlX8nY.jpg


He has become a little more calm around her. I know the dog should not be on the bed, but I feel like this is a bad time or too late to correct this behavior. When my wife was pregnant he was really good about not stepping on her when he jumped up on the bed or couch.

Since yesterday I've taken steps to make sure they are not in the same room as each other unless my wife and I are holding the baby. I'm just afraid the dog will jump up and one wrong paw coukd be disastrous. I'm trying to eliminate any possibility that he could do anything on accident to hurt the baby. Im just worried I'll be going back to work next week and leaving my wife alone with the baby and the dog.

WPKmI77.jpg


WPKmI77.jpg
he was my first baby I don't want to have to get rid of him

I know im paranoid, overwhelmed, and rambling. Does anyone else have any first hand experience introducing a puppy and a newborn?



Sent from my SCH-R950 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
This is kinda like what happened when my niece comes over. She's just a few months old and my bullmastiff still thinks she's a lap dog. She gets very jealous. My advice will be to just keep introducing the baby to the dog over and over until the dog seems less curious. Now when my niece comes over both the dog and the baby can be around each other without worrying... Much. Please just always have supervision when the two are two or can interact. There's always the chance the dog will sit on the baby.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
I'm a first time parent and I just think im overly cautious some times. My wife thinks its funny that I carry our baby around like she's made out of glass lol. I definitely don't leave her unattended or out of my sight. I'm just taking things slow. The dog seems to be coming around a little this morning. His interest in the baby seems to be fading a little bit which is good.

Sent from my SCH-R950 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Two years ago I had my third baby girl. Her grandparents have staffies. The first year we would make sure the dogs and my daughter would interact only with supervision. And honestly having any dog around a baby unsupervised is asking for risks. Do not get rid of your dog. Your dog is more than likely curious on what that little screaming baby is and they will become great friends in the future. My daughter who is now 2 loves her grandparents dogs and the dogs love her . your dog senses feelings and when the baby cries its only natural that your dog reacts to this . just try to reassure your dog and you are doing the right thing by exercising the dog that is how they release stress . a tired dog is a good dog ! Don't try to worry so much your dog also feels that . I understand your a new father and it can be very hard especially when your little bundle of joy is so tiny !

Sent from my Z933 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Just take things slow, although its terrifying you know best how it needs to be, better to be over cautious than under...
We have a little boy and he is 11m old, or larger dog sonny loves him now as does travis he.
Initially i was trying to home sonny with a family member but im glad i didnt now. he is a 80lb staffy x american bulldog and he is very very lively, i regularly get him leaping at me in excitement when i get home usually inc a paw too the bollocks lol..
Sonny meeting travis initially couldnt have gone worse, sonny by no means is an aggressive dog but he guards our yard from rats and small animals aggressively and i believe he saw our son as a small creature. Well my missus was holding the baby and i brought in sonny on his lead and holding his collar and it was like i had a rat in the room as he clawed at the floor growling! After telling him NO he didnt growl again but you could see a look in his eye for a few weeks, eventually after multiple daily meets he began to ignore this little creature that was taking all our time. Now we are confident to let travis and both dogs wander in the same room while we are there, we still never leave them alone and until we are comfortable we wont!-)
Our house is fortified with baby gates that the dogs know not too jump and we are never more than 1 room away.
Just do what you know you have too, if anyone is reading this they know there own dog, dont kid yourself if its a bad dog, if its a good dog it can work around your new beautiful baby that is so precious and fragile, just be sensible.
Good luck!-)

Sent from my GT-I9195 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
We made some good slow progress today. The dog and baby are getting to know each other. I trained the dog and did some obedience classes with him, so he knows when I'm serious and my presence demands submission. He was very careful around the baby with me looming over him.

our biggest problem is him licking her face, which I suppose isnt a terrible problem.

I was holding the baby on the couch watching tv this morning, I called the dog up next to us and he sat next to me and rested his head on my lap next to the baby.

It'll take time but I think he's learning a little


Sent from my SCH-R950 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
it would be good to direct the dog onto an actual desired behavior "to do", which he will derive satisfaction from. something positive for him to focus energy on helps prevent becoming overly aroused by the baby (or anything real stimulating). like, teach him to fetch and attach to certain toys.
your dog is a mix of 2 work-oriented breeds. in addition to the exercise he is getting, he needs to feel like he has A Job.
 
I know my post may not sound related to the baby, but it is.. very important for dogs to have good alternatives to indulge in, as opposed to only imposing limits and always correcting them for being rambunctious and curious.
Be sure to reward him for all calm and respectful moves around baby. if you label his good behaviors with a certain word like "easy" or "gentle" +reward every time he is doing it, then eventually you will be able to ask for it on your own & he will know what you want.
 
petspoiler said:
I know my post may not sound related to the baby, but it is.. very important for dogs to have good alternatives to indulge in, as opposed to only imposing limits and always correcting them for being rambunctious and curious.
Be sure to reward him for all calm and respectful moves around baby. if you label his good behaviors with a certain word like "easy" or "gentle" +reward every time he is doing it, then eventually you will be able to ask for it on your own & he will know what you want.
Click to expand...

Thank you. This is really good advice. Im sleep deprived and stressed out, its easy to fall into a pattern of negative reinforcement and incorrect discipline.

Sent from my SCH-R950 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom