Need to good loving home for older dogs
- Thread starter TWLs wife
- Start date
Have you put an ad in the classifieds section?
TWL
Kernel panic: Aiee.......
That's what I try to tell her...but her mother is intent on us getting rid of them. We already got rid of our very loving, but somewhat pushy, Rott a few days ago. I don't know if I can go through that again.
We've had several people saying it is not a good idea to have these dogs around a newborn and others saying their crazy for saying that.
If we were to even keep one, I want Sandy and she wants Smokey. They've been together for most of their lives, I can't stand to see them seperated. I just don't know what to do.
Why get rid of the dogs? Socialize them with the baby. I have a male Chow, 2 1/2 years old. He gets a regular dose of the grandbaby, she's 15 months now. No problems.
Have the dogs been a problem around anyone else? If not, keep them as part of your family.
Have the dogs been a problem around anyone else? If not, keep them as part of your family.
And I thank you for helpingAthena1078
Social Director
Definately keep the dogs.. mom and dad had a 1 year old collie when I was born, still a pup by all means, but he was great with me, very gentle, never growled or bit. I was rough on him too.. When he was 4, my brother was born, and when he was 7 the other brother came. He was wonderful with all 3 of us, but definately my dog. There are web sites and books out there you can get about keeping dogs when a baby comes into the house, with great advice.. let the dogs into the nursery and sniff everything out before baby is born, give dogs lots of attention..stuff like that to keep jealousy from becoming a problem. Moms were raised in a different era.. some have certain thoughts about things.. I had a boyfriend's mom who told his sister to get rid of her cat when the baby was born because she thought the cat would get into the crib and suck the breath out of the baby while he was sleeping. 
I'm confused, you say they are loving, but then you say one bit the boyfriend. Which doesn't sound loving or was it that the boyfriend did something to cause the dog to act?
I understand that you want to have a safe environment for your child, and if trained and socialized properly with the new baby the dogs could make that environment safer by being additional sets of eyes, ears, and noses helping you keep watch over the expected new addition.
Dymphna
Loyalty, Friendship, Love
Ok, that's not even funny.
But Tigger & TWL
If you want to keep the dogs, why not? I'm not a dog person, I don't particularly like them, but I don't see why, if you like dogs, you can't have them and a child too.
Most dogs, as long as they recognize the child as belonging to you, will become very protective of the baby. I have heard that purebreed Chows can get territorial, but you can teach them not to be.
Never leave the child unattended with the dog or where the dog can get to him/her. Teach the dog that the nursery is off limits. It's rare that a dog would attack a child without some warning, so even if the dog sees the baby as a threat, you can always retrain or, if you must, get rid of the dog later if it's showing signs of being a threat to the baby.
slackwater514
New Member
I have to stick my nose in here - I am expecting in January, and will likely have SIX dogs at that time - four beagles (no huge threat there), a rottie mix and a lab mix - and I intend to keep them all. There was never any question that the dogs would be staying when our little one comes. None of my family would even suggest it - and two of the beagles, the puppies, have shown indications that they will nip if hurt...
My solution: The baby will NEVER be with the dogs unattended, and will probably only meet the two older, sedate female beagles in it's first year of life. The rest are relative puppies and although they might not mean to hurt the baby, that might be the end result. They will not meet the baby until they are obedience trained to sit and stay and down on command - and do so reliably.
I can understand not wanting anything to happen to a baby - but I cannot understand getting rid of family members (dogs) to ensure that that happens, UNLESS the dog is just aggressive all around and really has no business being with people in general. If that is not the case, then there are so many ways to make this work - and getting rid of family members should not be an option!
My solution: The baby will NEVER be with the dogs unattended, and will probably only meet the two older, sedate female beagles in it's first year of life. The rest are relative puppies and although they might not mean to hurt the baby, that might be the end result. They will not meet the baby until they are obedience trained to sit and stay and down on command - and do so reliably.
I can understand not wanting anything to happen to a baby - but I cannot understand getting rid of family members (dogs) to ensure that that happens, UNLESS the dog is just aggressive all around and really has no business being with people in general. If that is not the case, then there are so many ways to make this work - and getting rid of family members should not be an option!
I'll stick my nose in, too. New babies are a lot of work. Add to that the stress of making sure your dog doesn't eat your infant. Humans are worth more than animals, sorry. I'd get rid of the dogs. The risk just doesn't seem worth it.
Dymphna
Loyalty, Friendship, Love
I disagree. Unless the dogs are agressive already, there is no reason to assume that they will attack the child.
Like I said, I don't even like dogs but I had two when my first child was born (one was only 10 weeks old). They loved my son and vice versa. They died when my second child was less than a year and we got another dog about a year later. This dog is dumber than dirt. He makes me crazy. The only reason I let my husband keep him is that he loves the kids. They literally crawl all over him. The only time he has ever hurt a child is twice when my son jumped off the bed, not knowing that the dog was "guarding" him. He landed full on the dog. The dog grabbed his leg and removed it, without even breaking skin. And one time another child did something similar and he again "removed" the child without breaking skin, but causing a slight welt that lasted only a few hours.
