https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 10 May 2026 19:44:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-24000 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:30:53 +0000 AmeliaBedelia 24000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>:( I almost wish I hadn't asked! I knew the answer to a degree. Now I want to spoil my dogs. Haha. I get that it can work and that your priorities change (small defenseless person does come first over fairly independent pups) but I can't imagine cutting them out. It's an idea I have to get used to but I'm not a fan. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22850 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:01:13 +0000 pelikila 22850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have 2 springer spaniels (3 and 5 years) and they were spoiled beforehand and still are but to a different level. Pre-baby they were allowed to do whatever they wanted for the most part. We took them (and still do) to doggie daycare once a week and let them have socialization and run off some energy. Once baby came home they were not allowed in his nursery unless invited and they were allowed to smell his things but not sit on them or take them. Also, they are allowed to sniff him but not lick him except the occasional drive-by lick on the back of the head (when he is on the floor playing away and has no clue they are there). Now that my son is 9 months old he watches them and wants to grab at them. One of my dogs is very calm and will allow him to touch her but the other leaves if he reaches for her because she knows she isn't allowed to retaliate if he upsets her. Both dogs have given him a lot of space and chose to ignore him in the beginning but now that he is starting to feed himself finger foods, they have decided he is okay to be near. Toys have become an issue for one of my dogs as she loves plush toys and to catch balls and a ball popper for my son is the ultimate torture for her since she isn't allowed to touch. Our dogs definitely get less attention from us but we try to spend time focused on the dogs when my son is asleep so they still get time just for them. Both dogs have had orthopedic surgeries this year so it has been particularly hard to spend time doing what they like when they need to be on confined rest during recovery but overall, they've handled it. We've only had one incident with the dogs trying to establish their dominance (one of them pooped on my son's blanket we left on the floor in his nursery around 4 weeks old) but since then, no issue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22784 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:37:25 +0000 Lozza 22784@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A friend of mine at work had a baby a year before I did, and I remember her saying that, after having a baby, she just loved her animals way less.<br /> I remember thinking "No way! Not I! My dog is my best friend and if the dog and the baby don't get along we'll just keep the dog in the house and raise an outside-baby."<br /> (I was kidding, before anyone is tempted to call CPS)<br /> Seriously, especially during pregnancy, my dog was my best friend. But now that we have a kid (almost 8 months old), it's totally true- I definitely love my dog way less.<br /> He definitely kind of gets the shaft- he gets far less attention than he used to. But he's really been a trooper about it. He's super high anxiety, and I do worry about how he'll react to a mobile baby, but so far he's been only casually interested in the baby... he'd lick the baby all over if we'd let him (we try to limit licking to feet), and for the most part he just sniffs him and then ignores him. (The baby, on the other hand, is currently fascinated by the dog)<br /> I think a couple things helped: for one, we went from being gone really long hours pre-baby, to being home all the time. For the first three months of DS's life, there was always someone (often two adults and one baby) around, so my dog loved just having company. So it's not like we went from being gone all the time to being gone all the time and ignoring him during the few hours we were around... we may have had this little angry creature, but we were always THERE.<br /> Also, we encouraged him to hang out with us. He's sit at my feet while I nursed DS, and sleep at the foot of the cosleeper at night. We pet him while holding DS. He's allowed in the baby's room. So I don't think he feels excluded or anything.<br /> And now DS is starting to drop food on the floor, so if there was ever anything he could do to win the dog's affections, I think this is it... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22711 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:38:04 +0000 heffalump 22711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@AmeliaBedelia: luckily our pup isn't a barker, he'll only bark at my mom if she's paying attention to the baby because she's his favorite person. I think all you can do is give them the attention that you can, and just remember that they're dogs. They'll get over it. Our dog is very spoiled, he has separation anxiety so we rarely leave home without him. That means if we go to dinner, take the baby for a car ride or on a walk, etc he's always there. I think that helps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22605 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:37:45 +0000 AmeliaBedelia 22605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: Thank you for your reply! I like just hearing that it's working, if not 100% working. I'm very worried about how they would behave if they felt ignored or forgotten - one of them I think would bark quite a bit. They love children but are not around them often enough to get an accurate idea of their real feelings. Do you guys have a plan for the less hectic future? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22604 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:35:38 +0000 AmeliaBedelia 22604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@McSarah: Yes and they are so spoiled too! Lol. They sleep in our room, follow us everywhere. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22586 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:53:15 +0000 heffalump 22586@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a 65 lb mixed dog, he's 6. He's our baby, and we were also worried about what would happen when our human baby came.</p> <p>First things weren't so good. Our first night home was... hectic to say the least. My milk didn't come in, my LO was hungry, and she cried. A lot. So not only did we bring this new little person into the house, we brought a screaming little person. Our dog hated her. If we walked into a room, the dog would leave it :(</p> <p>Of course we figured things out and things calmed down a bit. My LO still screams of course, but not all night long. My dog has learned to accept her, and even love her. He tries to lick her feet every chance he gets! </p> <p>There are jealousy issues... when we have guests come that pay attention to my LO and not the dog we have to make sure to close the bathroom door or he'll go into the trash to get attention. We try to give him attention all the time, but with a new baby that everyone is ooohing and ahhhhing over, it's just not that easy.</p> <p>Also, my mom has been awesome about coming over and helping with the dog. She'll come over and take him out before spending any time with my baby girl. She'll take him on a long walk or they'll go to the dog park to wear him out. </p> <p>I do admit that things have changed. We'll let him out back instead of taking him on a long walk because we're exhausted or don't have time. And then we'll forget that he's outside :( And he doesn't bark to let us know he's out there, so it takes a while to remember. It's pretty bad. But I know it won't last forever. My LO will grow older, things will get easier, and our pup will get even more love. Until then I'll gladly accept all the help we can get! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22577 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:46:54 +0000 McSarah 22577@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm curious too. Our dog rules our house right now, we're worried about how he'll react to a baby once we get to that point... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-your-baby-affected-your-pets#post-22572 Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:32:37 +0000 AmeliaBedelia 22572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, I'm sitting here with MY babies (my 55 and 35 lb doggies) and I'm wondering. Bees with both babies and dogs, did/how did your life with your pets change after baby? Has anyone had any drastic changes (like going from inside to outside, etc) happen in your life? Do ALL your "babies" get along?</p> <p>I can't imagine having my puppies not around me all the time... I am hopeful that we would figure out the best ways to have them successfully live together. Obviously this means that the future baby wouldn't be left alone with the dogs and the baby would learn to live around and respect animals, etc. I do know that it doesn't always work out how you want it to.</p> <p>So, experiences? Thoughts? </p>