Parents with large breed dogs...

I am due in August..we have a 5 yr old golden retriever....for the most part she is very sweet and mellow but gets hyper excited if there is anyone new over or if she sees new things...for example, my SIL brought her twin sons over today for the first time. They are 4 months old. She went ape for the car seats they were in, the bouncy seats...she ran up to them and was licking their feet and sniffing them all over...I could tell that in NO WAY did she want to hurt them, she was just excited and curious. One of them was sleeping in the bouncy chair on my dining room table and the minute he woke up, she started barking at him - I don't know if it was because she wanted to let us know he was awake or if she just really never heard a baby cry before....

I'm a little worried about how she will react when we bring our home soon....my DH and I are putting together some of the baby's things tomorrow (hopefully) to get her used to them (like the pack n play, stroller etc).

How did everyone's dogs react to a new baby? Like I said I don't feel like she will hurt him, she just gets over excited and the barking does concern me...I don't want her to get into that habit plus of course I want to avoid her being "barky" when the baby is sleeping...

TIA

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

It's not easy. One thing I learned was that bringing another baby around was not really an accurate prediction of how my dog would act with our baby. The other thing is that I did not have to worry about barking waking the baby. My dog is a barker and it seems like my baby was used to it from the time he was in utero. We make sure that the dog gets family time every single day but it does help that he does not mind being gated into a room by himself. Stealing toys turned out to be our worst problem.

Message edited 7/12/2009 1:35:41 AM.

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

The only mistake we made was not letting the dog near the baby the first night we were home with him-we kept them in separate rooms for the night. The dog cried all night. The next morning we let the dog "meet" the baby, he sniffed the baby and that was it-the excitement was over! Our dog wasn't even one yet when we brought our son home, and he is still a very hyper dog-he is two now. He has always been an angel with the baby. He still jumps on us a bit-but if we are holding the baby he wont jump at all. It is like the dog senses that he has to be well behaved around the baby.

We also did some things to prepare him before the baby was born-there is a cd of baby sounds and cries that we used to play to get the dog ready. I think it really helped him. My husband also brought home a blanket that the baby had used in the hospital so that the dog would recognize his scent. Good luck-I am sure it will be a smooth transition for you!

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

I have a black lab who was amazing with our DS from the start. Once his nursery was done I let her go in all the time and sniff around. I would tell her it was the baby's room. When my DS was born my husband brought home one of the blankets that they wrap the baby in. My dog slept with it for the first few nights until I came home (they say this is important to do so the scent of the baby is already familiar).

When we got home from the hospital we put our DS on a blanket on the floor and our dog laid down next to him and just wagged her tail. I made sure that they had a lot of interaction from the very start. My DS is now 2 and they are the best of friends. Baby number 2 will be here in 2 weeks and I'll be doing the same thing.

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

Our chocolate lab is SUPER hyper and is a major JUMPER ,so needless to say we were ultra worried...DH brought home a dirty diaper as well as the blanket when I was in the hospital when we brought DD home we let the dog go up to her in the car seat but the dog was more excited for me to be home.. It was honestly strange, I think the dog's instinct kicked in, bc she is beyond MELLOW with the baby, she is a barker but as a pp poster said my dd seemed to have been used to it from in utero. DD actuall lights up when she sees the dog, the dog doesn't touch her toys which is weird bc before she would take anything on the floor and go dig it into the yard I think she just knew...would I ever leave the two alone together, NO, but I wouldn't even do that with a 5 pound dog..

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

I have a chocolate lab also and she is NUTS! lol
My DH brought home a blanket from the hospital before we came home. When we did come home...we put our dog on a leash and let her smell DD as soon as we walked in the house! She's a different dog around the baby. She just knows to be gentle.
She is still crazy with other people but is great with the baby!!! lol

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

Although my dog isnt a large breed, hes only 30lbs, he has the same kind of reaction to kids that your dog does, except he just jumps to get close to their face.

A couple of weeks before I was due, we set up the stroller and carrier and i know this sounds silly but i would walk around the house with it. I came in the house with the car seat , pretending there was a baby in it and i made him sit and calmly greet it. if he wasnt calm, i took it away (put it behind my back) his reward was greeting the seat when he was calm, then i would give him a treat.

hth

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

My dogs are not large but they didn't like children much, get crazy around kids and are very hyper. What we did was have all the baby stuff up and ready before baby came home, so they could get used to that. They didn't even notice it. We would allow them in DDs room as we were getting it ready, as well. Then DH brought home baby blanket when I was in the hospital. When we came home I came in first so they could spend a few mins with me. Then DH and I brought baby in. They circled the carseat like sharks, very curious and excited, almost crazy.

As the days went on, since baby only sleeps and eats, they quickly got accustomed to her being here. At first my male would bark like crazy at her basinett or if she cried. But she never seems to notice their barks, probably very used to it from in utero. Then he started to not even notice her. They did amazingly great!

Now at 7+ mths I never leave them alone with her, but she is reaching andh grabbing for them and they do great with her. They love her, I can't believe it! But we have shown them tons of love, we allow them in her room (only occasionally when I am on the floor with her and I can't handle all at once will I gat them out but they watch from the gate), they still get their usual walks and sleep with mommy and daddy, we still take them to families houses, etc. It's so adorable the way they come to greet me and DD in her room in the am when I am getting her ready! I love it. Makes my heart melt.

I know they have adjusted great since we have made sure to keep them happy. Sure during the day I don't have the same time for them as I did before, but we make up for it when DH gets home. We all go for walks, play in the yard, etc. Almost all dogs will adjust if they are given the tools to adjust. I never thought my dogs could do it so quickly and easily, since for years they existed here before a child and don't really seem to be able to handle kids on the street.

So far they are doing great with her stuff and toys, when it's so tempting sicne their toys look just like her and sound like hers too! But they seem to listen when I say leave it! I am so proud of them. It will all work out I assure you, but I can't deny it takes work, and it does take energy!! But I love my dogs so much that it's so worth it.

Message edited 7/13/2009 12:39:35 AM.

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

i completely agree with a couple of previous posters. My yellow lab did not act the same way around DD as he did with other babies so it was not a good indicator.

we also let DH bring the baby in after me so he could see me since i had been gone (and he is a huge mama's boy). i wanted to be able to give him hugs and kisses before introducing him to dd.

Then we had dh take dd out of the carseat and sit on the floor with her and let our lab meet her. to our surprise he was less than interested in her and more interested in all our guests who came to see DD. it definitely took him awhile to get used to her...i think he had alittle post partum:) but now they are completely great together.

good luck

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

I have a larger dog. He's a pointer mix (Chevy, male 65 pounds, on his hindlegs, he reaches my head and I'm 5'6'')

He's great with DS. He's generally loves kids, but loves to kiss (ie lick) them. I don't mind (except for the mouth which my DS LOVES). I understand other parents aren't as comfortable with the kisses, but we don't mind.

They love each other. Chevy tail wags whenever he sees DS and our DS's face lights up when Chevy comes near him.

I am buying a fence to separate them though. The kissing is getting to be too much and when I go to play with DS on the floor, Chevy wants to play too.

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

We actually have 3 dogs; a small boston terrier; a medium chocolate lab mix and a HUGE great dane mutt....I was VERY leary of initially introducing DD to the big guy because like you said he would NEVER become vicious but he is so big and dopey he knocks things down. THe first few days with DD in the house he was VERY interested in her carseat; binkies, bottles etc. We NEVERyelled at hi for sniffnig of licking her feet. The vet told us if he associated being yelled at with contact with our daughter he would resent her...What an angel the dog has been. He sits at the bottom of the stairs if she is crying upstairs and lets me know she needs me; he sleeps on our bed looking into her bassinet( far enough away that he cannot put his head in); I couldn't have asked for a better transition. The dogs sit and watch her eat, play etc. I think it is VERY important to bring home a blanket with your babies scent on it before coming home and also like I said give TONS of positive reinforcement. WIsh you luck!!

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

We have a large lab who was 2 when we brought DS home and still very hyper. DH brought something home with him with the baby's scent on it for the dof to get used to the day before I came home. I went in the door first for him to be able to be hyper with me being home. Then DH came in with the baby. We left him in the car seat and let the dog and cat both come over ans sniff him. They were both very good. Then DH picked DS up and sat with him and let the dog come over and nose around a bit. After a little while, the dog sat down and all was good. Later on the dog started getting a little jealous and would bark when we held the baby, so we head to have the baby in one arm and the other hand ont he dog, but that phase lasted about a month. DH started walking him a lot more and the attention and exercise helped.

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

My lab did pretty well----I came home first bc DS was in the NICU, but our plan had been for me to come in first and see the dog then DH bring in the baby to "meet" him. He was curious, but when DS was little really only paid attention to him when he was crying. I'll admit, the hardest part was making time for the dog (and we LOVE our dog)----its easy to get caught up in the caring for a new baby and lack of sleep issue and I was resenting my dog for demanding more attention from me. We now have a good balance, but we had to work on it. DS loves our dog and visa versa, they are best buds

Re: Parents with large breed dogs...

We have a Boxer and he was just amazing with DS right from the beginning. When DS was born, DH took his swaddling wrap home with him and let Max get acquainted with the scent. When we brought DS home from the hospital, we let Max sniff him all up and he was great, never a bother.

DS is now going to be 2 in September and the two of them together are simply amazing...Max is a gentle giant with him.

Just make sure you continue to give your dog that attention.