Need advice re: newborn and pets

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gam3rchic

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Hey all,

I am a brand new mom that has 2 dogs as well. Before I had my baby my dogs were my best friends and kept me company on days that I was home and DH was gone all day. Now that I have a baby, I find that I have absolutely no time for the dogs and they are wanting attention so badly! They are springer spaniels and if you know anything about the breed is that they are energetic dogs and require attention, play time, etc daily to be happy. Well, it just ain’t happening anymore and the one dog in particular is starting to act out because I think he is bored and unhappy.

I dunno what to do but I think I need to find them new homes. I’m always angry at them because they are always in my way (I think they are looking for attention) and not to sound silly, but they are so dirty! I never really cared about how dirty they make the house (they shed quite a bit and the one dog always is dragging in mud b/c he likes to dig in the dirt) but now with a newborn my eyes are suddenly opened to all the hairballs and dirt on the floors and I think when my baby gets to crawling, cruising, walking, etc, I don’t want the house being this filthy!!! I know what you are thinking, just keep the house clean, but I’m gonna be brutally honest, I HATE cleaning and will never keep up with the housework. Period. I thought I would once I had a baby, but the truth is sinking in and I know myself and it just ain’t happening. I’m lucky to keep up on the laundry let alone dust and vacuum.

So DH and I are asking around to see if anyone wants them. I’m kinda worried that after a while I will miss them terribly and will have made a huge mistake. They are very good dogs and are wonderful around the baby, but they are a handful themselves to be quite honest!!! Should I find them a new home? Has anyone else experienced this or have any (name removed by moderator)ut?? Thanks!!

ETA: we have been leaving the dogs with my father-in-law lately and I have to say I LOVE it when they are not home. I enjoy the quiet (one dog has a nasty habit of barking all the time at the slightest sound and would keep waking the baby up) and not having to worry about tripping over one of them constantly.
 
Google your state/town and “Springer Rescue”. You will find a group who will re-home your dogs to a person who knows and loves the breed.
 
We’ve always had dogs around our kids. Yes for the first month or two it can be challenging, but when you take on a pet, you take it on for life. Unless the dog is aggressive, it can usually be worked out.

Older siblings can be dirty, and time demanding, but you wouldn’t give one away because you had a new baby.

A little dirt won’t kill a baby, and in fact may make the baby less prone to allergies and immune problems later in life.

If you feel you must give them a new home, please be very careful who you give them to. As suggested try to find a rescue that deals with your particular breed. It is possible that some dogs will never be good around children. If your dogs are aggressive, or show any kind of dominate behavior around the baby, they should definitely be re-homed. And of course no animal should be left unattended with a baby.
 
Give the dogs away. Someone will be overjoyed to get them. They are zapping your joy and causing anxiety - as much as dog lovers do not like to hear this, your child comes first, he has an immortal soul.
 
Have hubby step up and walk the dogs…or call around and see if neighborhood children will. Dirt will always be there. Kids LOVE dirt and will live in it and eat it and play with it. They will try to eat their own poop in the tub.

Good, obedient dogs are hard to come by…give it another month or two. I nannied and having a dog and a toddler can be a joy and a pain. I’ll admit, its not like my own kids, but having a dog is SO wonderful.
 
I would try making it work. The first few months are the hardest, it gets better. Your dogs need to adjust to baby, too. I have Australian Cattle Dogs…talk about high energy and time demands! My dogs were obnoxious for a good 7-8 months after the first was born and 2 or 3 months after the next 2. Yes, my house is allways a mess…I have dogs, cats, plus a hubby and 3 boys…it’s a lost cause 😛 My boys have grown to love all animals. If you can make it work it’s worth it.
 
Hi there! First of all, congratulations on your baby! How old is he (she) ?

I know what you mean about the dirt and hair – when my daughter was born we had a HUGE yellow lab – there were always these tumbleweeds of hair rolling around on the floor! What I did was gate off one room (the living room) and kept the dog out, and me & the baby went on the floor in there for play time. Also, I had a full size playpen in the kitchen for when I was cooking, etc. I really recommend the playpen, not for extended stays in there, but it’s great to have a safe spot for the baby if you need to use the bathroom or whatever, and the dog can’t get to the baby in there. Also, it stays a lot cleaner than the floor!

Anyway, I am not sure where you live, but is it cold now? You may find it’s easier with the dogs when it gets warmer and you can go out for walks with the stroller, or just let the dogs run around the yard while you & the baby watch.

My advice would be to let your father in law keep taking the dogs for a while, until you get over the hump. Having a new baby (especially the first one) is really time-consuming and can be stressful. You’ll find that it gets easier as you get more practice! LOL, it’s like driving – at first it requires all your attention, but after a while it feels natural!

Good luck & God bless!
Maria

OK - wait - I just saw your ticker and see that the baby is very new! I also wanted to add that pretty soon, he will be taking some pretty long naps (2 -3 hours) which will give you time to see to the dogs.
 
I think rehoming them should be your last option. But I’m more of a hard-core pet owner. I’m the type who thinks that if you make the decision to have pets in your life, you should take care of them. But everyone has different opinions.

How is your money situation? If you have some extra spending money, you could look into sending them to a doggy daycare during the day for them to get some energy out, attention and mental stimulation.

What kind of toys do they have? Mind stimulating ones will help. Do they have kongs? You can stuff them with treats and peanut butter and give them to them for something to do. Or, get a treat dispensing toy. My favorite is the Tug-A-Jug. I used to feed my dog out of that when she was a puppy because it would keep her occupied for a while.
 
Well my sister in law has agreed to take the one dog and my father in law has agreed to take the other. I’m sooooo relieved they will stay in the family after all!!! 🙂 It was really breaking my heart to think of giving them away to some stranger and I was having a hard time bringing myself to that. I’m still gonna miss having them around terribly (esp the one going to my SIL, he is my buddy) but he needs a home where he can have more individual attention. He absolutely NEEDS a person to interact with, he does not like being outdoors by himself, he doesn’t like strangers, he only likes me especially and my family and he always wants someone to be near him at all times.

Thank you all for your advice, it is so appreciated!
 
Hi gam, I am glad you found new homes for your two dogs.

You made it very clear that you totally dislike cleaning up after your dogs and don’t really want to take care of them anymore.

I am a senior and I just have one small dog and she is a lot of work. I have to always wash her feet after taking a walk outside on the streets and wet grass.
Sometimes she has poop on her butt and I have to clean her. I have to groom and give her baths. I have to feed her twice per day. I have to entertain her. I let her sleep with me on my bed. There are times when she wants to bark at noises outside…etc.
I love my dog…but… she is a lot of work. I hire a dog walker at times. I also have to hire a dog sitter when I go on vacations. “WHEW”.

I don’t trust dogs with babies… I don’t care how nice and sweet they are with you and the baby. I know of some true recent stories of a large dog who was jealous of the new baby and decided to carry the baby in her mouth and take it to the near-by woods to get rid of the baby but was caught in time.

Sometimes when a baby reaches out to touch a pet dog they startle the dog and they bite back in defense of thinking they are being attacked.

There was a recent story of a gal who had a toddler and she was dog sitting her parents’ large dog. When she went outside to feed the dog… the dog attacked her child and killed the child. That was really sad.

I have also heard of cats trying to take the baby’s breath away from them.

On the other hand many people have been able to have all types of domestic animals and never had problems. Lots of my relatives have had dogs and kids in the house and never had problems.

When my grandson was a baby and they came to visit me for a few days… my doggie would baby sit the baby by keeping an eye on the baby. She would stay for hours making sure the baby was okay. My doggie would try to steal the baby’s stuffed animals and make them her own.lol. My grandson was not allowed to play with my dog’s toys. My dog would take them away from my grandson.
We had to keep an eye on both of them because my dog is territorial. She doesn’t allow any kids in her bedroom. We had to watch that too.
 
aww that’s so great that your family members can take your dogs! That way you can go for a visit whenever you would like! A few years ago I had to give my cat to some friends temporarily because I moved back in with my parents after university before getting an apartment and I missed her a lot, but it was great that I could always go see her. But even she is kind of a pest with the toddler about. If I didn’t have a pet I don’t think I’d get one until my kids were older. My cat is gentle with DS for the most part but she’s always demanding attention and I feel touched out enough at times! 😛 I think you made a good decision.
ETA: Cats don’t steal the baby’s breath, that’s a myth. They can smother them if they go to sleep on top of them cause babies are warm and snuggly but I think most parents are pretty careful not to let the cat sleep in the crib with the baby. My cat was great when DS was new but she was not as nice when he started chasing her and pulling her tail so I had to train the baby not to torment the cat and the cat not to lash out when DS wasn’t being gentle. Both took some energy but now DS is gentle with the kitty and the kitty is gentle with DS.
 
Imagine how confusing it must have been for them. First they were given alot of attention and then they became the elephant in the room. They can sense it when they are not wanted. I married into a dog show family and there would be sometimes 5 dogs in our home at once when my son was born. He actually grew up at the dog shows and learned to not only love and respect animals but I believe this is where he learned compassion and kindness towards them. Personally, I couldn’t give away my animals as I feel since I have them I am responsible for them but every situation is different and while it may seem that you have done what was best for you in reality you really have done a great service to your dogs by giving them to someone that will love them and give them the attention they crave.👍

Baby does take presidence though and so I am very glad your family has the dogs.
And I certainly agree that a baby/small children should never be left alone with a dog of any size.
 
Yay Gam3r! I’m so glad you’ve found this solution! 🙂 I, too, have *no *time for pets. Hubby’s tarantulas need feeding every 1-2 weeks and watering once a week. That’s my kind of pet! 😃 My policy at the moment is that we’ll consider getting a dog or a cat one day when the kids beg hard enough and are capable of participating in its care. But I’m hoping visiting my brother and sis-in-law who have several dogs and cats will keep the kids happy and fulfill their pet cravings for quite a while…:o
 
It sounds like you have things figured out 🙂

If/when you decide to introduce a dog into your home again, consider one of Cesar Milan’s books. I caught an episode of his show, The Dog Whisperer, yesterday, where he was talking about introducing a new baby as a pack leader.
 
1110, It is true that pets need to learn who is the pack leader. My adult son raised two kids with dogs and the dogs learned right away that the kids had the power.
The kids are the Alpha’s. At times my small dog wants to be the boss but I put her in her place right away by sending her to her room and I close the door on her.lol.

I love dogs but you never know when they will bite someone so I always watch my small dog carefully around people.

I live in a condo and someday I hope to buy me a house. I plan to get me two kittens because they are so much fun to watch them play.
A canary to sing everyday.
Two small dogs to keep eachother company and for me to have fun with.

I am a senior and I can always hire someone to come and help me take care of my future pets.

I live in Los Angeles and I have seen a video of a cat puting his mouth over a baby’s mouth
and the owners of the cat said the cat was trying to suck the baby’s breath.
They got rid of the cat right away. I am only stating what I saw and heard on t.v. a few years ago. It left an impression on me. I was shocked to see that. I think it made the t.v. news.
 
CatholicSam said:
My policy at the moment is that we’ll consider getting a dog or a cat one day when the kids beg hard enough and are capable of participating in its care. But I’m hoping visiting my brother and sis-in-law who have several dogs and cats will keep the kids happy and fulfill their pet cravings for quite a while…:o
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Yep. And maybe not even then; it all depends. Because you know, kids will beg and beg for an animal, and then once the novelty wears off, it becomes harder and harder for them to hold up their end of the bargain… 😉

My first baby was/is a high-need little one, and I cannot IMAGINE taking care of pets, and I am a former dog-rescue-person. 😃 Good call, Gamer, Honey. Good call.
 
LaLucia said:
1110, It is true that pets need to learn who is the pack leader. My adult son raised two kids with dogs and the dogs learned right away that the kids had the power.
The kids are the Alpha’s. At times my small dog wants to be the boss but I put her in her place right away by sending her to her room and I close the door on her.lol.

I love dogs but you never know when they will bite someone so I always watch my small dog carefully around people.

I live in a condo and someday I hope to buy me a house. I plan to get me two kittens because they are so much fun to watch them play.
A canary to sing everyday.
Two small dogs to keep eachother company and for me to have fun with.

I am a senior and I can always hire someone to come and help me take care of my future pets.

I live in Los Angeles and I have seen a video of a cat puting his mouth over a baby’s mouth
and the owners of the cat said the cat was trying to suck the baby’s breath.
They got rid of the cat right away. I am only stating what I saw and heard on t.v. a few years ago. It left an impression on me. I was shocked to see that. I think it made the t.v. news.
Click to expand...
From Snopes:
Murderous Moggies

Cat’s can not still a babies breath, it’s a myth. Think about it. If a cat could steal a baby’s breath what’s to stop them from doing it to an adult while they are sleeping? Cats will put their nose up to your nose and sniff around, we call those “kitty kisses”. But they can not steal your breath.
 
gam3rchic said:
Hey all,

I am a brand new mom that has 2 dogs as well. Before I had my baby my dogs were my best friends and kept me company on days that I was home and DH was gone all day. Now that I have a baby, I find that I have absolutely no time for the dogs and they are wanting attention so badly! They are springer spaniels and if you know anything about the breed is that they are energetic dogs and require attention, play time, etc daily to be happy. Well, it just ain’t happening anymore and the one dog in particular is starting to act out because I think he is bored and unhappy.

I dunno what to do but I think I need to find them new homes. I’m always angry at them because they are always in my way (I think they are looking for attention) and not to sound silly, but they are so dirty! I never really cared about how dirty they make the house (they shed quite a bit and the one dog always is dragging in mud b/c he likes to dig in the dirt) but now with a newborn my eyes are suddenly opened to all the hairballs and dirt on the floors and I think when my baby gets to crawling, cruising, walking, etc, I don’t want the house being this filthy!!! I know what you are thinking, just keep the house clean, but I’m gonna be brutally honest, I HATE cleaning and will never keep up with the housework. Period. I thought I would once I had a baby, but the truth is sinking in and I know myself and it just ain’t happening. I’m lucky to keep up on the laundry let alone dust and vacuum.

So DH and I are asking around to see if anyone wants them. I’m kinda worried that after a while I will miss them terribly and will have made a huge mistake. They are very good dogs and are wonderful around the baby, but they are a handful themselves to be quite honest!!! Should I find them a new home? Has anyone else experienced this or have any (name removed by moderator)ut?? Thanks!!

ETA: we have been leaving the dogs with my father-in-law lately and I have to say I LOVE it when they are not home. I enjoy the quiet (one dog has a nasty habit of barking all the time at the slightest sound and would keep waking the baby up) and not having to worry about tripping over one of them constantly.
Click to expand...
Keep the dogs, go to cesarsway.com He has a real gift for helping dogs and people.
 
Truly_Beloved said:
Yep. And maybe not even then; it all depends. Because you know, kids will beg and beg for an animal, and then once the novelty wears off, it becomes harder and harder for them to hold up their end of the bargain… 😉

My first baby was/is a high-need little one, and I cannot IMAGINE taking care of pets, and I am a former dog-rescue-person. 😃 Good call, Gamer, Honey. Good call.
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Thank you, this is not a decision I made lightly. Like i said, I love my dogs but I just can’t meet their needs anymore and it’s breaking my heart. But now that I know they will be with family I am overjoyed. The one dog that I’m particular close with going to SIL lives up in Michigan so I won’t be able to see him very often which makes me sad but I can’t give my baby what he needs and my dogs what they need as well. Springers, if you know the breed, do require a lot of care which I was slacking on without the baby but now with my baby that I think is somewhat high maintenance as well I know it’s just not happening. 😦

It’s ok, I know my dogs will be very happy with the people they are going with and I know they will be taken care of way better than what I can do for them anymore. 👍
 
gam3rchic said:
…] but I can’t give my baby what he needs and my dogs what they need as well. Springers, if you know the breed, do require a lot of care which I was slacking on without the baby but now with my baby that I think is somewhat high maintenance as well I know it’s just not happening. 😦
Click to expand...
When a high-need baby is involved, all other outside forces are just downright exhausting – and sometimes, literally impossible to deal with. Those of us blessed with these little ones are very humbly made aware of our limits very quickly. You put your baby first; nothing less is expected of a great mom.
 
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