HI guys,
I've not been posting a lot lately. Dogs are all fine, Pops recall around other dogs is slipping again due to my neglect but we will get it back I'm sure. Bendog is still a fit healthy active gentle old man, Charlie is a delight, and Sash, is, well, Sash...loves to cuddle, loves to eat, sleeps a lot.
But - I'm pregnant!!!!
Which is exciting but it means lots of changes!!!! And I want to get the dogs prepared as much as I can to make life as stress free as possible for all of us.
I'm not naive enough to think that having a household of 4 terriers, and a baby is going to be easy. And Charlie can jump normal height baby gates which will also make life interesting...
I'm hoping you guys can help with things I will need to get the dogs used to, any handy things I can teach them to make managing this easier, and any other useful help, advice, support about dogs and babies!!!
I plan to go back to working afternoons as soon as possible afterwards, and OH will work mornings and stay at home to babysit in afternoons, so there will nearly always be someone at home, and we will hopefully do a dog walk each during our "shift" - weather, health, tiredness etc permitting - so the dogs should still ideally be getting 2 walks a day, they aren't on a routine as such anyway (always fed in evening but the time varies) so hopefully it won't matter if this varies a bit.
So far these are some of the things I'm starting to do, or planning to do over the next 5.5 months before the baby arrives but please add to this list if I've forgotten anything important!
Door/guest manners - The dogs already know and like most of our family and close friends, who would be the main visitors. But I want to work on door greetings being calmer for if health visitors or people like my grandparents come round (grandparents live other end of the country so dogs haven't really met them before). Most visitors after the first few weeks I'd aim to meet outside of the home, or try to arrange for one of us to take the dogs for a walk whilst health visitor comes etc but the first couple of weeks that might not be possible.
On a similar note - Dogs getting used to being in a different room from me (or outside in the garden) - Sash is fine left in kitchen, the others aren't super clingy, if I go upstairs they wouldn't always follow, but they always like having the OPTION to follow. Shut a door on them and they will want to know what is going on on the other side. This would be for SHORT periods only (garden is secure) but necessary if I want to give baby floor time, change a nappy undisturbed, or to have them out of the way when people come round, and so on.
Food manners - this should have been drilled in MUCH earlier anyway, but I don't want to be crowded whilst I'm eating if I've got baby nursing at same time. Charlie is worst for this, he will sit with his nose as close as possible to your food without actually touching it. Ideally I would like him to sit on a mat, or his bed whilst we eat so I need to teach him this. I've done it with Poppy over last few weeks, reinforcing her for staying on her bed when I've got food and she's started to do it without being cued now, but it's likely to take longer with Charlie. Sash stays in other room whilst we eat anyway and Ben doesn't bother us that much.
Loose lead walking with a pram - loose lead walking is ok in general, but I'll try to buy a pram early and practice with it before baby arrives.
Meeting friends babies - they haven't met many babies before so I'll rope in a few favours to have friends with babies come for a walk with us, or let the dogs meet them. I'm aiming for the dogs to IGNORE the babies as much as possible, rather than interact with them.
Get Moses basket, play pen, etc set up early to give dogs chance to get used to them being there before baby arrives (and introduce the boys carefully so they don't decide it's ok to mark them)
Use phone apps, dolls, etc to mimic baby crying, us holding baby, etc etc. Won't smell or sound exactly like the real thing I know, but it's as close as I can get.
Buy and prepare and freeze as many Kongs, bully sticks, bones, as I can afford to buy so that dogs can be kept busy when I need to keep them quiet and occupied for a while.
OH's friend stays most weekends at our house, so the dogs know and like him, so he would probably stay at our house with the dogs, and walk them when I go into hospital.
I'd get OH to bring baby blanket back from hospital for them to sniff before I come home.
Baby bedroom will be out of bounds to dogs (it already is, but it's just spare room at the moment so no-one really goes in there)
I've no real worries with Ben because he has been raised with lots of babies and young toddlers when we were living with my younger brother, and OH's nephews etc so he will be fine, but he is getting older, so I'l be accounting for that and not letting a crawling baby/toddler pester him, or surprise him as months and years go by. Obviously they'd never be unattended anyway.
The girls are the real worry. Sash has a history of aggression towards infants/toddlers which is partly why we ended up with her (She tried to attack nephew when he was about 8-9 months old, in his playpen, and then again through a glass door). Worst case scenario she would have to go back to OH's parents, but she's mellowed a lot, and spends most of her time in the kitchen, or asleep on our bed during the day so we might just have to keep her separated as much as possible and let her out for cuddles when baby is asleep etc. She's 10 now.
Pops is very sound sensitive and is typical terrier. High prey drive, and I don't want her to see baby screaming as a weakness or reason for her to attack. She's quite insecure and has been extra clingy lately so she knows something is happening. She will also guard food which will be more of an issue when baby is mobile, but she eats outside anyway so should be ok. She's quick to growl, but will usually choose to move away rather than snap.
Charlie is just daft and exhuberant. He is most likely to accidentally hurt baby by bouncing on it, but I don't think he will be too upset by it.
They may surprise me. But I want to be as prepared as possible.
Need help!
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: Need help!
I can't think of any advice I can offer, but just want to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
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Re: Need help!
I also have no idea.
But CONGRATULATIONS!!
I'm sure you'll be able to get everything as sorted as it possibly can be ahead of time.
Great news
But CONGRATULATIONS!!
I'm sure you'll be able to get everything as sorted as it possibly can be ahead of time.
Great news
Re: Need help!
Awesome, congrats.
And one would think life can't get more hectic than having 4 terriers. It can!
And one would think life can't get more hectic than having 4 terriers. It can!
Re: Need help!
Oh, just one thought - get training your BF! He might need even more training than your dogs to ensure everything runs smoothly. Don't let him even think of playing video games while you're feeding/training/playing with the others & desperate to sleep!
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Re: Need help!
You've put a lot of thought into that list! Congratulations! I can't think of anything else you'd need to do. If they bark often, you might want to teach a "hush" cue if you haven't already, to keep them from waking baby up when it's naptime!
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
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Re: Need help!
Congratulations!!!
I'm afraid I don't have any useful advice either... but my parents somehow managed with seven dogs at one point when my brother was tiny - so it can be done!
I'm afraid I don't have any useful advice either... but my parents somehow managed with seven dogs at one point when my brother was tiny - so it can be done!
Re: Need help!
I am sure there is a joke about spay and neuter in here somewhere but my brain isn't kicking in.....
So, congratulations.
So, congratulations.
Re: Need help!
Wooo! Congratulations!
My top tip would be - get a routine that accomodates baby and dog - it won't be the routine you end up with... because babies like puppies don't come pre trained, but switching one routine for another is far easier than getting in the habit of a routine in the first place.
I can highly recommend teaching a place/mat/crate cue for all dogs and get them all really sh*t hot at diving into a crate, and then invest in plenty to have around the house so that you can easily pop someone away without it being an issue for whatever reason (I would look for second hand crates and fabric crates on ebay etc, fabric ones will in some instances be fine becuase if the dog is crated in a room where you are, you just want the dog out of the way for a minute or two, they arent going to eat their way out in that time).
I have fixed some of our 'people have food' issues by teaching womble his 'go to your mat' behaviour and its now proving highly useful as he will go to it even if Errol is growling at him, thus avoiding a spat.
My top tip would be - get a routine that accomodates baby and dog - it won't be the routine you end up with... because babies like puppies don't come pre trained, but switching one routine for another is far easier than getting in the habit of a routine in the first place.
I can highly recommend teaching a place/mat/crate cue for all dogs and get them all really sh*t hot at diving into a crate, and then invest in plenty to have around the house so that you can easily pop someone away without it being an issue for whatever reason (I would look for second hand crates and fabric crates on ebay etc, fabric ones will in some instances be fine becuase if the dog is crated in a room where you are, you just want the dog out of the way for a minute or two, they arent going to eat their way out in that time).
I have fixed some of our 'people have food' issues by teaching womble his 'go to your mat' behaviour and its now proving highly useful as he will go to it even if Errol is growling at him, thus avoiding a spat.
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
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Re: Need help!
Hi. I would have mentioned familiarising the dogs to a pram early, but it's already part of your plan. Cheers and congratulations.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single Sit.
Re: Need help!
Big congrats to you both! I'm sure your dogs will do great, you're an awesome owner
Re: Need help!
Congratulations
I've no advice to offer but here's a website that might be useful http://www.dogsandbabieslearning.com/
I've no advice to offer but here's a website that might be useful http://www.dogsandbabieslearning.com/
Operant conditioning rocks but classical conditioning rules
Re: Need help!
Thanks everyone!
Don't worry, boyfriend training has begun already!
(Any UK folks seen the BBC3 series "Don't Drop the Baby"? It's basically a bunch of midwives whipping some "clueless dads to be" into shape. Very conveniently timed. )
I've seen that blog before WufWuf but it is excellent and I'll be getting OH to read it too!
Don't worry, boyfriend training has begun already!
(Any UK folks seen the BBC3 series "Don't Drop the Baby"? It's basically a bunch of midwives whipping some "clueless dads to be" into shape. Very conveniently timed. )
I've seen that blog before WufWuf but it is excellent and I'll be getting OH to read it too!
My Blog: www.terriertreks.wordpress.com/
Re: Need help!
What a super link, Wuf - thank you given my appalling allergic reaction to babies/toddlers, I'd never have read it otherwise, and so missed some very good writing.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: Need help!
Another thing I've thought of - might be hell to work on - but you want to make sure the dogs will be okay being woken up and you and/or BF getting up out of bed a few times in the middle of the night.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14