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

[scotrace]

This is a famous line from Walt Disney Pictures Lady and the Tramp.

Tramp explains to Lady that now that her people have a real human baby, they'll forget all about their dog, formerly their doted-on, only surrogate child.

In a recent TIME article, an author covered the same topic. Her basset hound went from child to pet to pest in a few days after bringing her firstborn home from the hospital.

What are your experiences? Did you find a way to continue to include the family pet after having a child?

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Right before I was born, my parents gave away a dog they had. I asked mother why they did that, she said that father was going to be drafted into the service a few weeks after my birth and mother was to move in with relatives because she could no longer stay in the house they rented. So, the dog went to live with some friends.

In recent years, one of my nieces and her husband had a chocolate lab they doted on until their son was born. They began to ignore the dog. By the time the second son was born, the dog was so miserable, he ran away. They found him later and gave him away to a family that adored him. My niece, by the way, has trouble handling her two sons, cannot discipline them, can hardly keep the household together. I imagine the dog was too much for her and her spouse. The boys are too much for them.

I've known other families who have adjusted to having a new baby and a dog or dogs. Same with cats.

I am betting that the people who neglect or decide their pets are pests after a child comes into the family, probably have the same troubles as my niece.

karol

 

[Flieger]

We have always been a cat family and both me and my sibilings had cats for pets since we where born. I think our cats was as much part of the family as anyone.

I've heard stories of jelous cats scratching babies in their cradles but it never happened to us. I guess our cats where more mellow.

Funny thing about dogs, at least here where I live - When I'm out walking I often see mothers with their newborns in the stroller AND a puppy in a leash. Asking a one of them if she didn't consider it a bother having both, she replied that she considered it a perfect opportunity to raise a dog while she was on maternity leave.

Flieger

 

[Feraud]

My family and our pets are a fully integrated group. My son's first word was 'bird' and I grew up with every manner of pet you can think of. Raising children with pets provides the opportunity to learn responsibility and empathy.

Unfortunately I have been too close to situations where parents have a child and the pet suffers.

 

[Lady Day]

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.

It drives me even crazier when I see people who move and 'give' their animal away.
I had a friend who couldnt wait to get a German Shepard puppy. Had one bread for him and everything. He read up on it, etc. I warned him of having a new puppy was a LOT of work. He wanted to 'raise it up right'. He worked a 40-60 hr work week and got pissed when the dog, well pissed on the floor while he was away.

IT WAS A PUPPY YOU LEFT ALONE FOR TEN HOURS AT A TIME!!!! In the end, he 'gave it up'

"Yeah Fluffy is living on a farm now." :rage:

You tool. But I guess that is better for the puppy.

Ive gone through three states, 5 apartments over 7 years and I still have my critters with me. I could never give them up based on convenience.

Sorry, I went off a bit there

Ill go sleep it off now.

LD

 

[HadleyH]

Raising children with pets provides the opportunity to learn responsibility and empathy.

I agree with that ! I think that pets and babies are not incompatible with each other, on the contrary. Of course a mother will give more attention to a new born, but for instance when she takes the baby out for a walk on the pram, the dog can go along , like Flieger mentioned...and many examples like that...

BTW Lady and the Tramp is one of my favorite cartoons ever!!!

 

[Benny Holiday]

My family has always had a dog as an integral part of our circle. When my daughter Ella was born three years ago, we introduced her to Daddy-o, our fox terrier, and told him she was his baby too, and that he was to look after her. We have taught her to pat him, cuddle him and be loving towards him, and being a very affectionate dog (haven't met one yet that isn't!), he laps it all up.

He is such an important part of the family, I can't imagine how anyone could just abandon a pet like that. What a special part of childhood is sharing the joy and love of a treasured pet? It's priceless. Yes, children are a lot of responsibility and take up a lot of time, but who can look at into the unconditionally loving brown eyes of a dog and dismiss all that he or she has meant to the family as though they counted for nothing?

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Look at the people in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina who refused to be rescued because they couldn't take their pets. People probably lost their lives over this and, I understand, those who rescue now have a different attitude on ensuring that pets are taken to safety, too.

That could have been me !! -- I would never leave a pet behind to suffer and maybe die while I got to safety. My dog and bird were my family.

I don't understand people like my niece, but I think part of it has to do with our brainless consumerism and throw-away society. Oh, look -- the kiddies saw 101 Dalmations, let's get them a dalmation puppy. Six months later, the dog is dumped and/or sent to the pound. Then, oh, look -- it's Easter, lets get the kiddies a bunny for Easter. Won't that be precious and cute?!

They can't teach their kids responsibility because they haven't any themselves. Like my niece.

karol

 

[CanadaDoll]

It always breaks my heart to hear about pets that were given away for trivial reasons, or even worse abandoned with no effort to arrange care, I came into the companionship of my first dog that way, his owner decided she wanted a female as well, but wouldn't spay or neuter either of them, naturally when my dog decided to get romantic she had a fit, called our local shelter and had him taken away saying she'd "found him, already had a dog, and couldn't keep him" ah well her loss my gain, he was a real blessing in my life.

Now, I can't imagine my life without a dog, I lost him last September to cancer, most likely, and went two months without a dog, and was basically insane by week twolol now I have my Tipperary, I love having him with me, so much so that I have rearranged school plans for Ireland so that I can bring him with me on more stable terms rather than stress him with multiple moves in a short period of time[huh] lol The things we do for love!lol

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

At my house it's, "When baby visits, dog gets locked up in another room"

 

[Nashoba]

Stuff like that breaks my heart too. My dog, Maverick, was a rescue. A little boy found him on a street corner with a note around his neck that read 'Free'. For some reason he brought him to my police dept and I heard the comotion from my office and came up to see. I immediately decided he was coming home with me. I called my husband (then my boyfriend) and said there's this puppy....and he's cute....and he's coming home with me. He was 9lbs that day (he's 80lbs now)and I brought him home in my field jacket. I lived in a one bedroom apt at the time that didn't allow dogs. I somehow convinced my MIL to let me keep him at her house until my husband and I got married and moved to a place we could take him ourselves. He lived there for almost 2 years. 7 years later we've moved him everytime we've moved (and we've moved alot) within Northern California to SoCal and then out to TN. He's ridiculously protective especially when my husband is deployed and only slightly more relaxed with the hubby is home. He's scared off prowlers (twice), he's saved my house from burning down (bit of a story there but he knocked a trash can of paper away from the furnace as it was igniting..my brother is an idiot) and he's been the dearest companion I could have while my husband is gone. I couldn't imagine letting him go when we have an addition (if we ever have one). As far as I'm concerned I NEED that dog. I can't imagine kicking him out.

 

[Miss Sis]

We have always been a cat family and both me and my sibilings had cats for pets since we where born. I think our cats was as much part of the family as anyone.

I've heard stories of jelous cats scratching babies in their cradles but it never happened to us. I guess our cats where more mellow.

Flieger, when I was born we had two poodles and a Siamese cat.

My mother swears that cat was the most loving animal with almost human tendancies she has ever come across. She used to curl up at the foot of my cot to watch me and run to my mother as soon as I woke up to let her know.
My Dutch Grandmother was terrified that Cindy (the cat) would smother me but my mother said, no, that cat watches the baby and never goes near her face and let her continue.

She would jump on my parents bed in the morning, waiting for them to wake up. My mother said, if you woke up but pretended to still be asleep, Cindy would gently pat her on the face with her paw, as if to say 'I know you are awake!'

Very sadly, she was killed by a wild stray dog before I was ever old enough to remember her.

Of the two poodles, the mother one was a complete beast. My first memory of her is my mother saying 'Do not touch Rachel, she will bite you'! Didn't mean they got rid of her - she had to be put down when I was 4 as she was very ill.

A dog (or pet) is for life.....

 

[Honey Doll]

i can't remember a time in my own childhood when I did not have a dog. When I was a toddler, though my parents did give away one particular dog because he became aggressive with me.

I had a lovely little Corgi before me daughter was born. Poor little thing put up with a lot of tugging and had the patience of a saint! My Corgi was diabetic at the end of her life and I was required to give her insulin shots. When she passed, we went two years dog free, as we had another baby.

We brought home a goldendoodle at the beginning of the year and everyone is cohabitating very well. The kids adore the dog...and once he stops chewing things up, I'm sure we'll all get along famously!

Honey Doll

 

[Paisley]

Look at the people in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina who refused to be rescued because they couldn't take their pets. People probably lost their lives over this and, I understand, those who rescue now have a different attitude on ensuring that pets are taken to safety, too.

My dog died of cancer two months ago and I'm looking for another dog. I saw a dog on the Max Fund site (a no-kill shelter) who was found wandering around New Orleans Parish after Hurricane Katrina. His profile says he needs to learn some manners, but he has that sparkle in his eye. I'm planning to see him this weekend.

 

[Lady Day]

At my house it's, "When baby visits, dog gets locked up in another room"

Really?
Thats a shame.

LD

 

[Joie DeVive]

Families and pets go together in my book.

My parents had a young golden retriever when my sister and I were born. I guess she was a little jealous at first, but adjusted well. She was nothing but sweet to us. Even when we were a little too rough she was good. I actually remember my Mom telling me that if I pestered the dog too much and she bit me, I was the one getting punished. lol But she never, ever bit either of us. She was actually really protective of us.

I have heard of pets that take exception to a new child, and get aggressive. If that can't be solved, I understand the need to give the animal away, but other than that, I don't really understand.
I knew a family who had 2 dogs, but gave them away simply because they moved. Now, I'm not talking a cross country move, I'm talking about 50 miles. Then when they got to their new, more high class home, they bought a designer dog to go with their new life. It honestly made me sick.

Actually, studies are showing that pets can be good for kids. Kids who live with a pet are actually less likely to suffer from asthma. I also think that kids learn a lot from pets. I'm hoping to be like my parents and get a golden retriever puppy before I have kids.

 

[Viola]

My parents had four cats when I was born. Those cats taught me a lot of things, including which cats would put up with toddler dress-up and which were like "...you're kidding, right?"

Mocha, my pitbull, is from a situation where the baby meant that her owners had no more time for her. She was never anything but sweetness with the baby, but she just can't be alone 10+ hours a day and then not even get a walk. Now she lives with my family where while everybody runs and comes and goes on different schedules, somebody's always home and there's another dog for her to hang out with. She also gets way more exercise (3+ miles a day) and she lost her pudge.

I could refuse to consider a new pet if I had a baby or small child, but I couldn't betray an animal that trusted me. JMO.

-Viola

 

[RondoHatton]

"When baby moves in... that BIRD moves OUT!"

This is pretty much how I got my flock - one given away for being "vicious" (read merely territorial). He sometimes makes a baby crying sound as part of his repertoire of charm.

 

[Lady Day]

My dog died of cancer two months ago and I'm looking for another dog. I saw a dog on the Max Fund site (a no-kill shelter) who was found wandering around New Orleans Parish after Hurricane Katrina. His profile says he needs to learn some manners, but he has that sparkle in his eye. I'm planning to see him this weekend.

**gasp* PUBBY!!!

Great looking dog. 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

 

[Paratrooper]

Really?
Thats a shame.

LD

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.