A baby and jealous dogs...

[Guest Anonymous]

Well....we MAY consider having a child sometime in the near future...not SURE yet.

I was wondering about Kenzo. He's a very jealous dog. He gets jealous when we have visitation with my step daughter. He doesn't nip or growl, just butts his way in. He's the same with Kika. If Kika is laying in a spot by hubby and I, he will sit right on top of her! :o

He's NEVER been aggressive. We've had babies over and they are both good with them. If the baby is laying on a blanket on the floor, they will sniff, lick and then stay really close to the baby as if they are protecting it. The baby can even accidentally smack one of the dogs and they have no negative reaction to it.

Anyway, hubby and I have been "talking" about it since Saturday. Since then...Kenzo has been insisting on laying on my tummy, as if to say "mom, you don't need a baby, you have ME!" :roll:

Any thoughts? Should I be concerned with this jealous boy of ours?

[Guest Anonymous]

I think the very fact that you need to ask the question, suggests that you do need to be a little concerned, but I think that your dog sounds as though he'd adjust fine.

When we had our first son we already had two dogs, one was a spaniel cross, brainless and never a worry. The other was a dog we'd rescued who'd been abandoned twice because of his aggressive nature towards other dogs - we'd solved that within months and he was a brilliant dog and very loyal etc.

We did a few things to help him adjust e.g. when I was in the hospital, dh took home the baby's dirty nappies and put them in the dogs basket (obviously all wrapped up) but so that the dog could get used to the scent of the baby and in his own bed as well a few other key places in the house (newborns nappies are not smelly, more like smell of popcorn so it's not as unpleasant as it sounds). We made a point of doing things like I greeted the dogs when I cam home from hospital and my husband carried the baby, and we allowed the dogs to sniff the baby and introduced him to them slowly but immediately.

I'm happy to say that we never had any problems. I would also say though that I'd have never left them in the same room together without one of us present, just in case.

Hope that helps.

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh, I would never leave them alone, as I've heard too many horror storys.

I'm just a worrier and want to get my dogs in a row before we even decide to venture this way. I've never known of anyone's dog who DID have a problem, and Kenzo is the most laid back dog, but he is also a needy, I AM FIRST dog...He is truely our baby and we treat him that way! :o

[Hobbit]

Gigi --- just my personal thoughts here. No dog, no matter how sweet or how well adjusted, or how well mannered or trained should be left unsupervised with a child at any time for any amount of time. NOR should a child be left to terrorize the dog, like riding, slapping, kicking, hitting etc...

I know that you know this, just wanted to post for others to read.

[Guest Anonymous]

Hobbit napisał(a):

Gigi --- just my personal thoughts here. No dog, no matter how sweet or how well adjusted, or how well mannered or trained should be left unsupervised with a child at any time for any amount of time. NOR should a child be left to terrorize the dog, like riding, slapping, kicking, hitting etc...

I know that you know this, just wanted to post for others to read.

EXACTLY! I have a friend with a Basset and Lab/Pit mix and she leaves the baby with the dogs alone all the time...until I told her about the horror stories I've heard. Baby smells good, baby tastes good when I lick it....baby is playing rough so I can play rough back....and then the baby is killed. :(

[Hobbit]

Oh yeah. That is so sad for both concerned. AND cats are the same way. I'd never leave a cat alone with a child. Little fingers smell like yummy milk, they are so easily chewed off.

Does anyone remember the person that left her child alone to go buy some drugs and the pet rats got loose and chewed on the baby? The baby survived but, had terrible wounds from the bite marks.

[Guest Anonymous]

Sash, you are so funny!

Well, I'd be the only one feeding the baby at first....you know, au natural....

One thing I just thought about, the baby would sleep in our room for the first who knows how long (year??) and the dogs sleep up stairs with us....and are never locked out of our bedroom.....

[Guest Anonymous]

Hobbit napisał(a):

Oh yeah. That is so sad for both concerned. AND cats are the same way. I'd never leave a cat alone with a child. Little fingers smell like yummy milk, they are so easily chewed off.

Does anyone remember the person that left her child alone to go buy some drugs and the pet rats got loose and chewed on the baby? The baby survived but, had terrible wounds from the bite marks.

NO! I don't remember that one but that is just SICK!

[Guest Anonymous]

sashagirl napisał(a):

See that is a good example. If you think when you have the baby you will not want the dogs sleeping with you, then you may want to start having them sleep somewhere else a few months before baby comes home. Otherwise they will associate new baby with being locked out, and could get angry. Just a thought.

Kika comes to bed with me at night (hubby stays up later) and then gets kicked off when he comes to bed! :o Kenzo tries to sneak in with us at times but usually gets kicked off as well cuz he will hog the covers and make hubby sweat in bed! :lol:

[Guest Anonymous]

Presumably though your baby would be sleeping in some kind of cot next to your bed? If it's in bed with you, then the dogs would need to at least be on the floor - our dogs always slept on our bedroom floor even when we had babies in bed with us.

I've had loads of cats over the years and I have never ever had a problem with a cat and a child - yes they may have scratched once or twice in defence of a child pulling ears or something similar, but never chewed or bitten :x I'd happily leave either of my 2 cats in a room alone with any of my children, whereas I'd never contemplate it with a dog. Cats generally avoid kids anyway, and can usually move faster and of course upwards.

[Guest Anonymous]

We had two dog when we had our son, and added another when he was one. We started months before the baby came home with making the dogs start sleeping in their crates in our room rather than on the bed. Our son slept in the room with us for the first 2 months (easier when he wants to eat every 5 secs) after that he moved to his own room....but the dogs kept the same sleeping arrangements. This was due to the fact that I would have to get up and down in the middle of the night, and they make a lot of racket cause they think they are gonna go outside.....but never bark while in their crates. About the time he started sleeping through the night the dogs moved back to the bed. I guess the point in all of that was that any big changes should be set up in advance. My male Chipper was a very jealous guy like yours and with him I set up a system of "see-the-baby---treat, be calm-around baby---treat" soon enough he came to see my son in a whole different light.....as the cause of all yummy treats. The girls never cared, Lily treats him like a puppy and Val treats him like a littermate. On a side note, being mean to the animals is the only thing we spank for...I figure better a pop from me than a smack from the cat. Toddlers often have no intentions of hurting the animal, they just do not realize what they are doing. Never ever unsupervised!

We're thinking of adding another baby next year, and maybe two more dogs :drinking:


Later,
Trinity

[Guest Anonymous]

I think bringing home something of the baby's is a great idea (blanket or etc..) Something that has baby smell to let them check out... I think they will be fine with the baby..(Of course I didn't mean alone) I meant in the family!! :D
Now by in your bedroom you mean in a bassinet or crib right?? :-?

[Guest Anonymous]

NO NO BABY IN BED!! I'd be too afraid of smothering it or rolling over on it!! :o

I remember watching my 1 yr old nephew for a weekend. He would ONLY sleep good in bed with mom and dad, so he slept with me that weekend. I don't think I got any sleep, I was so worried about what could happen...

Just to clarify, Kenzo is a very well behaved (other than around male dogs), mellow, easy going guy. He just wants SO badly to be known and treated as number 1. He's quite our baby the way it is, so I'm sure it's partially our fault for that :oops: (not that I care, I love him the way his is). Even if they both weren't same sex aggressive, I don't think he could handle another dog to compete against. It's funny cuz Kika is the alpha, but it's as if Kenzo is saying to her, "you can be alpha, but I'M number 1 with mom and dad and ALWAYS will be!"...little stinker. :wink:

So, not only am I concerned for a baby we would bring in, but I'm also concerned about how HE will feel. Kika would be fine. She'd love it, I'm sure! As long as she can still cuddle next to mom.... :D

[Guest Anonymous]

SLEEP???? Oh you can forget all about that thing you once knew as sleep :lol: :lol: :lol: Cause girl once that baby comes.......it is gone.

Later,
Trinity

[Guest Anonymous]

[quote name='Trinity']SLEEP???? Oh you can forget all about that thing you once knew as sleep :lol: :lol: :lol: Cause girl once that baby comes.......it is gone.

Later,
Trinity

Uggg....don't SAY that.

That's it. No babies for ME! LOL!

[Guest Anonymous]

With my youngest I breast fed and he slept with us--it worked great. Usually mothers are quite aware of the baby being there, even in their sleep. Dad's on the other hand don't have that "sense". So, we purchased a bed rail thing and he slept between that and me. Never had to worry about him being chilled, he was always snuggled up to me. Also, no worry in the middle of the night...is he breathing? Is he ok? Is he wet? I only had to open my eyes to know he was safe and ok. He'd whimper--not even work up to a cry--nurse, then go back to sleep. I didn't even have to get out of bed. Often, I'd fall back asleep before him. I got plenty of rest, it was easy for me, and my son was always very content. An easy baby. Of course, getting them into their own bed later on is hard. :lol:

Connie

[Guest Anonymous]

It's very important to wipe baby's gums (& later teeth) with a soft damp rag now and then after nursing. Breast milk can damage teeth like formula can--though formula is even worse on teeth. Some also say if you and baby nurse lying down ear infections can develope--but I personally haven't known one case of that, and I nursed my son lying down all the time. My son was very healthy. One bad thing about nursing--when they fall asleep nursing and have teeth! OUCH!!!:o

Connie

[Hobbit]

Sleep? I didn't sleep the first 18 years after my daughter was borned! :-?

[Guest Anonymous]

:lol:

Connie

[bk_blue]

Hobbit napisał(a):

Sleep? I didn't sleep the first 18 years after my daughter was borned! :-?

Neither did my dad :D he used to read me stories every night and he would fall asleep before I did, I used to have to wake him up LOL

Sorry, don't have any baby stories to contribute, that's not going to be happening to me for a LONG time! :wink:

[Guest Anonymous]

Congratulation!

I swear, some dogs just KNOW that babies are babies. I'm hoping ours will be the same, if we go that route! :lol:

[Guest Anonymous]

Note on the baby in bed thing....Okay son slept in our bed for 1st year... He was sick baby for from 2 months to 6 months..So it was easier being up from 1am to 5am with him that way :lol: :lol: ...Well it took me 4 1/2 years to get his butt out of my bed :roll: !! So I would use a bassinet or crib in my bedroom... you could even put a small bed in the baby's room if need be...

Hobbit glad I had a BOY!!! :wink:

[Hobbit]

Jacsmom napisał(a):

Hobbit glad I had a BOY!!! :wink:

You are LUCKY. Man, the gypsies wouldn't even buy my daughter because she was so mean! :lol: :lol:

[Horsefeathers!]

Babies... *shudder* :-?

I am soooooo not good parenting material. I once gave my kid sister (several years ago) 20 bucks to knock off her imaginary friend. I was tired of sitting on, stepping on, kicking, etc. her poor imaginary friend who always just happened to be in MY space. :x

I may be the only person on earth who has decided not to procreate because 1: not enough chlorine in the ol' gene pool here, if ya know what I mean, and 2: worrying about how a baby would affect my dogs (would the dogs be jealous, be my luck I'd have a kid highly allergic to dogs, might take time away from my dogs, what if the kid didn't like Wellness food, the law has something to say about crating kids, etc.). Nope, no kids for me and none planned for the future. With all the problems I've had from my family, I sure don't want to create even more family that I'd have to live with. Yuck. I can buy a two seater, go out when I feel like it without having to find a babysitter and all that good stuff (of course, I drive a four door sedan and have no life, therefore NEVER go out, but that's beside the point... I COULD do these things if I wanted to :o ). People turn up their noses and look disgusted when they find out I have EIGHT dogs in the house (and a few cats, couple of ferrets, and a bunny). Like dogs automatically stink. Warm milk, sh*tty diapers and vomit smells better :o ? I'm just going to be an old crazy woman with lots of animals, but hopefully no offspring. *shudder*

Oh, and congrats, Kiwi.

[eggrolyn1223]

LOL, horsefeathers!!I think I'm going to b like that when I grow up!I'm ALWAYS torchured by little kids...my brother(he cut my hair off when I was sleeping, and pinches me all the time), my cousin(he bit my hand and left a fingernail scar on my wrist), and my mom's friend's kids.I think little kids are scary..no that I wasn't when I was little :wink: