How did your 4-legged family members react

[kath68]

when you brought home DC? Ours did better than we ever expected. I am thrilled about that, since my parents were (silently) hoping that there would be difficulties and we would have to get rid of our wonderful and big dogs.

The dogs have always been gentle and kept their distance. For his part, to date Charlie has been respectful of them. He has started poking at their eyes now, so I am having to really pay attention.

[elliput]

My Shepard mix is wonderful with DD. She figured out right away that there was a new person to protect in the house, and even let my younger cat know that it was not okay to play rough around the new baby. DD laughes and laughes when Doggie gives kisses.

My cats have done really wonderful also. My older cat will let DD crawl all over him. Of course, he is fat enough that he doesn't move fast enough to have a choice!

My younger cat has made sure that all the baby gear brought in to the house is up to snuff, but he won't jump into anything if DD is already in there. A couple of times he was attempting a jump into the port-a-crib that I had in the living room only to discover that it was occupied. He did one of those comic kitty balancing acts on the rails!

DD has pulled on everyone's fur, grabbed onto tails, and the pets have accepted this with amazing tolerance.

[nov04]

We initially had a rough time. We got Logan 8 days before I found out I was pg!!!! He's the reason I left w/ dd to go home early for Christmas at my parents last year. It was either that or find a new home for him. I just needed time away. We also found out he has a food allergy because he does so much better on hypoallergenic food. He used to be agressive and look for trouble all day, now he plays but also sleeps and lazes around. The change happened almost immediately after the new food.

Now he's an amazing playmate for dd and loves her so much. I know he would never hurt her but I still watch them both. We used lots of positive reinforcement and generous helpings of treats as bribes.

[Wife_and_mommy]

Our dog was great. She didn't really react except for wimpering whenever DD cried. It was so sweet.

In the last couple months since DD has more freedom through the house, I keep her gated in the kitchen. I don't trust DD to always be gentle. I wonder if I'm going overboard but I'm trying to avoid any issues.

She is very good with her but doesn't like to be sat on so I have to watch DD closely. Now, being beaten with a spoon? She doesn't mind that at all. ;) DD's done that as well as flapped her lips.

We worked hard on socializing her with children when we adopted her years ago but she's a very timid dog. She's been a trooper with all this "adding babies to the family" stuff. We also had very loud dissenters. She was adopted with the "forever" mindset and only extenuating circumstances would change that. Her life span is 12-15 years so having babies are not extenuating cirmcumstances! :P

Thanks for asking. I'd love to hear any tips anyone has about having toddlers and large dogs in the same household. I've been meaning to start a thread and never get around to it. Or you can tell me to start my own, Kathy. ;)


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[wagner36]

Piper was scared of Charlie at first - she would hide when he moved. Now that he can play fetch (she's a black lab) and tug, they are best friends. He pokes and pulls at her gently, but she is very tolerant of that because we've conditioned her to it (gently, of course) since she was a puppy. When he is too rough with her she growls at him a little bit, and that used to worry me, but it has only happened a few times and I think that it apparently worked since he no longer pulls her tail or her pokes at her pads.

She will sleep with him, and if there is a storm or a noise in the night she sleeps on the floor right outside his door. We sent her on her annual trip to "camp" (my parent's cabin in northern Minnesota) for a few weeks this summer, and he wanted to talk on the phone to her every day and would cry for her every night! It's so sweet. She is such a good dog.

This probably sounds crazy, but I think she knows that I am pregnant again. When I was pregnant with Charlie she used to lay her head on my stomach at night, and she hasn't done it since he was born until a few weeks ago.

[mudder17]

Our kitties (we have 4) were all curious about her, but once they sniffed at her, they pretty much left her alone. If she fell asleep on our bed (swaddled), they might lie down near her, but otherwise they didn't bother her (nor she them). When she cried for the first time, they were startled, but once they figured out it was just her, they pretty much ignored it. When she started becoming mobile and interested in them, three of them just stayed out of her way, but the fourth one always approached her and would let her approach him unless she squealed. But then he got used to the squealing for the most part and would let her pet him. Unfortunately, he is super tolerant and will let her roll him on his back while she "pets" him. We are still working on it, but she is getting very good at gently petting him instead of being so rough. I definitely wish that he would "nip" at her when she gets too rough just so that she learns she can't be so rough, but he must have the patience of a saint. Anyway, the other cats are not so wary of her unless she moves too quickly towards them. Otherwise, some of them have actually rubbed against her; I think they're watching her with the fourth and learning that she's learning to be more gentle. :)


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif , 19 months, hoping for 2 years


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[kath68]

Odin knew I was pregnant before I did, for sure. He became overly affectionate and clingy. He actually pinned me on the couch and kissed me up and down two days before I took the home test. That was way out of character (he is much more into receiving affection than giving). And he knew when I went into labor. Again, really clingy. And he is amazing with *my* Charlie -- so patient, even when his eyes are getting poked. And he was the one I was worried about, since he is kinda high strung. Annie is scared of Charlie and only is close to him when he is eating -- Charlie loves to toss food to her. She knows on some level if there is ever a problem between them who it is that we will choose.

About six months ago Odin had a seizure of some kind, and the vet said it was probably epilepsy. And that he will probably have more and to make sure to keep DS away if it looks like a seizure is coming. That freaks me out.

We have worked very hard at teaching Charlie the concept of "gentle" petting. He is good at it most of the time, but not all of the time. I am on heightened alert anytime he is in the room with them. If something happens, I will never forgive myself, and I have no doubt it will be because Charlie started something.

As pp said below, anyone with ideas about how to teach a toddler to coexist with big dogs, let us know what they are.

[Moneypenny]

We were worried about Sophie the mutt-dog because she has always been a fraidy-dog and startled easily at loud noises, so I thougth a crying baby might put her over the edge. However, she really surprised me by not only not hiding when DD cried, but by going right over to her. Now that DD is walking we are teaching her not to pet the dog unless the dog comes up to her, to stay out of the dog beds, etc.
Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
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We made it to a year!

[marcywench]

I'm hoping for the best. I got a baby doll that makes noise, and we set up the cosleeper the other night (need to keep cats from it...they are doing a good job.) It's gonna be the smell of the baby that really does it for our two beagle girls. I've packed a few extra receiving blankets in my bag so I can get her scent on them, and DH can take them home to let everyone smell.

I'm concerned about the inlaws. They aren't pet people and had already told me before we told them I was pregnant, that "You know, you don't HAVE to keep all those cats." I responded with, "What do you suggest we DO with them?" No response.