https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:27:29 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-90102 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:56:20 +0000 Killer b 90102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: I feel the same as your sister. I think if you bring a dog home, you should exhaust all other options before kicking them out. Unless she gets really aggressive or injures my daughter, I think we'll try keeping them separated and letting her stay outside a bit longer each day. She's never been outright aggressive toward the baby before, it's just that she got stuck in the middle this time. We'll just have to be more vigilant! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-89389 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:31:14 +0000 mediagirl 89389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister-in-law had this problem with one of her dogs. He wasn't a mean dog, just didn't know boundaries and thought the baby was a member of his "pack." My nephew got bitten in the face and has a scar from it to this day (8 years later). They kept the dog and he never bit my nephew again but there was always that fear that he would....and many people have told my sister-in-law to just get rid of the dog. She's an animal lover, though. She could never do that. They worked through it and just never left the dogs unsupervised around my nephew and tried to keep them away from each other until he was old enough to fend for himself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-89302 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:38:02 +0000 Shutterbug 89302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, I think I would try to keep them separated until your daughter is older. When my brother and I were little our parents' dogs (an Alaskan Malamute and a Chow) were kept in the basement or our fenced yard until we went to bed at night because they were old and ornery. Once we were both 4+ years old, they became much more tolerant of us, and we were old enough to sort of know their boundaries, so they were given more free reign. I can only imagine how tough this is, especially on your husband - good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-89298 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:25:16 +0000 Killer b 89298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never really considered keeping her separated from Charlie until she's older. Our yard is a bit too small to keep her out there every day, but perhaps she could stay out there for a few hours and hang out indoors during nap time. Evenings could be supervised, perhaps? We've worked with a trainer before, but the herding instinct is just so strong in this breed that they can't help nipping. Except "nipping" is more like a very small, firm bite that is bad for soft people skin. We have to avoid swinging, spinning, and any really active play around her because of how worked up she gets. And with a baby, it seems like we'll have to take a lot of extra precautions now... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-89288 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:14:21 +0000 heffalump 89288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were 99% sure that our dog would be awesome with our baby (and thank goodness we were right!) but we did discuss what would happen if he wasn't. We both agreed that while we love our dog, LO comes first. We would probably try a dog trainer or ask the vet for suggestions, but if we thought that the dog would hurt LO, we'd have no choice but to find him a more appropriate home. However this is a very personal decision so you should do what you feel is right for your family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-89238 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:28:00 +0000 katdevargas 89238@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>if this were our dog, I think that I would consult a professional dog trainer. if it's agression :/ if it's something else, though, training, if y'all are willing to work with the dog &amp; stay on top of it, ought to take care of it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-89226 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:12:36 +0000 mrs. wagon 89226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a tough one and probably very controversial. We have two small dogs and they are both barkers, which has been tough at night and during naps, but manageable enough (if they get too out of control when I'm home alone with RJ, I just put them in the finished basement, and RJ can't hear them from there). Neither of them have ever bit anyone, but they do play fight and one of them is pretty nasty/nippy/yippy around small kids and new people. We are able to control them by keeping them in the kitchen when kids come over. </p> <p>BUT... these are small dogs... 6 lbs and 12 lbs.</p> <p>I really have no idea what I would do with larger dogs. I guess I would try and start a training program to be able to control the dogs to a point where I'd feel comfortable enough when the dogs/kids were supervised by myself or my husband, even in unpredictable situations. And I'd never leave them unattended with the kids. If I couldn't get to a point where I felt totally safe and in control of the situation, I'd probably find a place for the "dangerous" one with a friend or family member until my kids were big enough to be able to control the dogs as well. </p> <p>Our relationship with our dogs has really changed after having a kid... now they are like 1,000,000th in terms of things on our mind while RJ is awake. I don't even let them out of the kitchen when Rob Sr. is not at home with us. After he goes to bed, it's puppytime. But, again, these are very small dogs that require very little exercise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/dogs-after-baby#post-89219 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:05:38 +0000 Killer b 89219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tough dog question. My husband bought a red heeler right after we started dating 3 years ago. I've always been a little Miss Judgey Judge toward people who get rid of their pets after having a kid, and now we're debating the subject (figures I would have to eat crow at some point, among the thousand things I've learned since becoming a mom.) I'm not a huge fan of the dog, because her herding instincts have caused her to bite us in the past when playing, to the point of drawing blood. She sheds like a mofo, and I'm constantly vacuuming and de-furring Charlie's hands/face/pacis. Our home and cars are plastered in fur, she sheds that much. She's also a huge barker. Basically she's a PITA, but she's family and we love her and my boxer Rory would be lonely without her. But the crux?</p> <p>Last night, Charlie was sitting on the floor between them and suddenly Juno (the heeler) tried to bite Rory over some canine insult. She didn't get Charlie, but it really scared her and she cried so hard. Now I'm worried that she'll get hurt because Juno will bite her either by accident or because she doesn't understand Charlie is a baby. I don't think these instincts can be trained out of her, because she's a heeler, and that's what they do. </p> <p>My husband has suggested taking her to his dad's house which sits on some land, but I know he doesn't really want to, and I'm hesitant too. If we take her, we would have to get an invisible fence because most of their dogs get hit by cars, and that would be awful. I think it also sets a bad example to Charlie to send a family member away because things got tough. But it seems like there's more of a safety issue than we originally thought. I know without a doubt my boxer would never bite her, because my husband messes with her until she's practically dog screaming in agitation and has never even pretended to bite him. But the heeler frequently tussles with other dogs, has bitten house guests and doesn't seem to have a protective feeling towards my baby. It seems like she's more of a potential danger, but I honestly can't decide how large that threat is. Would she bite her on purpose? I don't think so. Accidentally? Could very well happen. </p> <p>Any advice? </p>