"When baby moves in... dog moves OUT"

[Dr Doran]

Great thread.
We have three cats, Akme, Marianne, and Speckle. (It was going to be Heckle, Jeckle, and Speckle, but that didn't work out.) When our daughter was born (see picture) my wife's Polish relatives believed that the cats would smother her. We thought it was nonsense, but I have seen Marianne and Speckle sleeping in her crib too much, and even ON her twice (!). I always chase them out. Lately they have bothered her in the night, waking her up and waking us up. This is horrible as we barely get enough sleep as it is. So I have resorted to locking out the cats on some nights. There is no way to lock only the baby room, as she is in a room without doors.

I value the baby more than the cats. I value people more than animals. (I'd be a vegetarian otherwise.) I still love the cats, but I love the baby more.

We still play with the cats but the baby takes precedence. That is just the way it has been.

 

[Lady Day]

No it may not be, this is how we got our dog (well his 2nd house their were 2 other "homes" for him between that and when we got him) the dog my not handel little ones well and to prevent problems this is the best thing to do. It all depends on the temperment of the dog in question. To this day Harpo dose not like little kids we have to watch him when the neigbor kids are out. Now we have talked to them about Harpo and what had happen to him in the past and they know how to act around him.

Oh, I totally understand, and have been in that scenario. I would hope , from any mix of the two, some evaluation would happen as to weather the dog can be around young children, and that the kid, when older will be taught as to HOW to act around a dog/cat.

From the post to me, it just sounded like, "a dog and a baby: dog will try to eat baby, because thats what dogs do, must lock dog out"

Doran scenario "Hmm...kitties are luvin baby a bit tooo much, so lets separate them till baby is much older"

As you can see, I like to read into things

LD

 

[Dr Doran]

If I woke up and the baby was dead because the cats had smothered it just by sleeping on it, I would probably self-destruct. After destroying the cats.

 

[Paisley]

**gasp* PUBBY!!!

In one of my last issues of Bark Magazine, there was an article that was all about big black dogs and how they were so hard to place. I hope you do find a match with this cutie!


LD

[huh] Why are they are hard to place?

Now that I stop to think about it, my neighborhood is full of big black dogs.

 

[Midnight Palace]

Ive know people to do that and I just cant stand it. You made a commitment to that animal, and altho you have a kid now, you still have a commitment to that animal.

I completely agree. I hate when people have children and give their pets away. It's not the pet's fault. They get emotionally attached to people just as people get attached to them. So when someone gives a pet away, they're really hurting the animal emotionally. The animal doesn't understand about the baby. The only thing it knows is that it's being taken away and it doesn't know why.

 

[Lady Day]

Paisley,

Its because in the article it was how plain they look (no shnazzy fur or eye color), their size (large dogs are always hard to place).

It was an interesting article, I cant seem to find
Here is one of the websites refrenced tothe article http://www.blackpearldogs.com/

LD

 

[Viola]

[huh] Why are they are hard to place?

Now that I stop to think about it, my neighborhood is full of big black dogs.

Because big dogs are harder to place than little dogs generally.

Also, people have psychological reactions that lead to believing that short-haired dogs are tougher than longhaired dogs (There are plenty of fairly damn territorial/protective haystack-looking dogs out there but nevermind) and the darker the color of the dog the tougher.

A Great Pyreneese may be made of nothing but pure bad@ss but he's a "fluffy white marshmallow-looking dog" and more likely to get placed.
[huh]

-Viola

 

[Rosie]

My parents had dogs before we were born that stayed with us until they died or ran away in one case.

I couldn't see myself getting rid of my animals because of an addition to the family. My animals who I went out and got, they didn't come get me, are a part of my family.

I dated this guy once who was very allergic to my cat, we just couldn't date, I wasn't going to give away my cat who I have had since I was 16 for some stranger.

I have a friend who has a daughter who was DEATHLY afraid of my four pound yorkie, she actually became angry at me because I wouldn't lock my dog in his carrier for the four+ hours she and her daughter planned to visit my home. (my house has an open floor plan on both floors and the bathroom is the only door that locks). I explained to her that my home was Sam's home, I wasn't going to make him uncomfortable for the comfort of her child. Now, my friend's daughter and my dog get along famously. When last they visited, my baby and her's took a nap on the couch together.

 

[Feraud]

I dated this guy once who was very allergic to my cat, we just couldn't date, I wasn't going to give away my cat who I have had since I was 16 for some stranger.

I applaud you for this attitude Rosie. I know of a woman who gave away her cat because she was moving in with her boyfriend. He was not allergic but simply did not like cats. They eventually broke up.

 

[Paisley]

Well, I like a big dog. I think they are smarter, there is more of them to hug, and they can play a little harder with you.

My last dog, Sasha, was an orange and white chow mix. Everyone wanted to pet him because he was so beautiful and soft. He would tolerate small children petting him for about 10 seconds and then he'd walk away; he really didn't like anyone but me petting him. Sasha made people admire him from a distance. But he could also intimidate people as well as any junkyard dog.

 

[rebelgtp]

Wow I'm so glad my parents didn't take this stand when I was born. In fact when I was born then had 2 dogs, both airedales, and 3 cats including a massive male tabby cat. All of these animals became my protectors when I was little. In fact from what I was told my dad told my mom if I ever said I was talking to the animals growing up she shouldn't tell me not to or that I couldn't. Come today I talk to my dog just like I'm talking to another person, if you have ever seen the old tv show Due South basically the exact same way he talks to his wolf.

Actually what I said about the animals becoming my protectors was no stretch either. When I was about 1 I was playing around in the front yard, you know pulling up grass and the like while my dad was working in the garage and my mom was working in the yard. Well that big male tabby was sitting with me and he noticed the neighbors german shepard got out before my parents did. The dog started coming at me before my parents could get to me or the dog, my cat met the shepard head on and turned it into hamburger. The dog needed lots of stitches and te cat didn't have a scratch on him. I have a picture somewhere of that cat sitting on my lap when I was little and he was as big if not bigger then I was.

A couple years later the airedales had both passed away and they were replaced with a doberman and a wolf. I had the same relationship with them, in fact when the wolf had pups I would crawl in the dog house with her and the pups and sleep in there and play with the pups lol . Today I still work with dogs in fact I'm certified as a detection dog handler.

 

[Archie Goodwin]

When my son was born, we had three dogs, weighing in at 80, 55, and 45 pounds. He adored them, and they adored him, especialy when he drops crumbs onto the floor for them to eat. Actually, they are geat cleaning up his little messes. By the time my daughter was born (April 9 of this year), we were down to two dogs, becuase we had lost one to cancer. Probably going to get another Boxer to replace her.

As for Hurricane Katrina, I was the guy on I59 North, turning onto I65 North the Saturday before the storm hit. You couldn't have missed me. I had an 8 month old baby, and a pack of wild animals (my three dogs) crowded into a Ford Explorer.

 

[Elaina]

I had a pekinese when I had my son that I (and yes this sounds stupid) tried to include him in the pregnancy. I'd hold him while the baby was kicking, when I got furniture and did my boy's room I had him in there and he was smelling everything possible. When I brought him home I held the baby while my dog sniffed and generally made a nusinace of himself, and just made it where the dog knew that the kid was supposed to be there, like I would have done with another animal. After that, he'd lie next to the crib, or under something out of arm's reach when he became mobile. I spent a lot of time letting my son play outside while my mop and I sat on the grass, or while we sitting on the porch. Not much of inclusion, but it worked for the dog, and the dog never did care for the kid.

Now I have a dog that adores him and thinks we got a kid just for him, a cat that tolerates kid antics (but loves the boy) and a cat that would be just as happy if the rest of the world but me died. If I were to come up pregnant now, the animals would still be here 9 months from now. You take care making sure the child is safe from the pets, and that the pets are safe from the child. It had never crossed my mind that having a baby meant I had to get rid of an animal.

 

[Paisley]

Check this out: a man was going to have his dog--a one-year-old purebred chocolate lab--euthenized just because he was moving! The dog is now at a no-kill shelter.

 

[Rosie]

Oh, that is sick!

He's such a sweet looking pup too.

I knew this man whose boss was going to euthanize his dog because the dog was older and had bladder problems. My friend told his boss about doggy diapers and then eventually helped find the dog a home where he still lives happily.

 

[rebelgtp]

We actually get a lot of dogs out of the pound and kennels around the Northwest to train them as detection dogs. Most of our work is done in conservation work, some with police. I think last year we rescued 20 dogs? The ones we look for are normally those that will not get homes as they are the balls of fire that most people couldn't handle. The ones that we get that wash out of the program end up getting into the homes of people that we work with that know how to handle such dogs.

Last year we drove out to a pound on Christmas eve to go look at a dog that we were called on that was slated to be destroyed. He was a beautiful chocolate lab with the sweetest personality and tons of ball drive. He was perfect, we took him on the spot, the rest of that weekend I spent taking care of him at my Grandparents place, including taking him for walks when it was hitting down near zero! :eusa_doh:

 

[Warden]

I hate to admit it, but my dogs no longer get the attention they used to get before our children came along.

They are regulary exercised but I used to take them really long walks at the weekend. Now that happends about once a month if I am lucky. I do enjoy walking the dogs over the fields, just dont have the time to take the hounds out for 4 hours at a time anymore.

The truth is we have a number of animals but as they die off, we are not replacing them. Hopefully when the children are older we will get dogs again.

Harry

 

[Feraud]

Check this out: a man was going to have his dog--a one-year-old purebred chocolate lab--euthenized just because he was moving! The dog is now at a no-kill shelter.

That is terrible and I know someone who did the same thing. When the discussion of hunting arises I usually consider the many cases of "decent folk" who dispose of animals becuase they are moving, have children, or the thrill of a puppy is gone.

Let us not forget the rabbit, fish, and reptiles that are neglected because parents choose to not teach their children responsiblilty.

I cringe when I walk through a mall and see the kiosk selling hermit crabs to excited children. These gaudy painted creatures have no idea what fate awaits them at the hands of the little suburban monsters..

 

[Bebop]

People are sometimes really stupid, mean or naive when it comes to dogs. I had a neighbor that would go out to the mountains and abandon his dog when it would get too old to be a watchdog or so sick they could not afford to have the dog treated. I found out through his 12 year old boy when I asked him what happened to their dog. When I confronted him, he said that is what his family had done since he was a child. He was surprised that I thought that was a horrible thing to do. I can't imagine driving away from any dog, much less my own, knowing that it will have a certain death.

There is no reason to get rid of your dog when you bring a baby into the family. You also don't have to lock them up anywhere when baby comes out. You just have to show them that the baby is as much an alpha pack member as you are. Just don't let them anywhere within about a 4 foot distance of the baby for a few weeks until they get the picture that the baby is off limits just like anything else you won't let your dog get close to. It takes a little time but much better than getting rid of a beloved dog just because you are adding a family member. Before you know it, you will have a great protector and guardian of said baby. The dog will be protecting what it percieves as yours or an alpha pack member.

 

[Warden]

Have to agree on that one, our dogs have never shown any agresson to our children, no matter how often they get thier tails pulled.

Mind you when my daughter brings a friend home from pre school, the dogs go and hide upstairs on the bed, until the little darlings have gone.

Harry