Introducing new baby to 2 much loved furbabies...

[Jennifer13]

Our two dogs adjusted pretty well to the new baby (five years ago...) but we did use baby gates to stop them having access without us being there. I'd encourage you to set them up before you bring the baby home and leave the pram and baby gear around where they can see it and get used to it.

If it's any consolation re dog hair, germs, etc, babies that are around pets end up with stronger immune systems. (FWIW DD is the healthiest kid I know - she has barely been sick in five years!) I vacuumed every day where DD would play on the floor and sleep when she was a baby, to get rid of as much fur as possible. But that was in a carpeted, small house, whereas now we have hard floors and more space, so it won't be as much of an issue.

Unfortunately one of our dogs died earlier this year (after killing a whopping great poisonous snake in our back yard), but DD and our other dog just adore each other. She's 'played' with him since she was about 7 months old. They're also great at removing food scraps from under the table/high chair when you have a toddler! I call them furry mops.

[crumpet]

our dogs were used to me being home and they were inside with me 24/7 unless i went out, so it would have been unfair for us to boot them out.

we basically let them sniff EVERYTHING new that came into the house for DD, clothes, blankets, furniture, the works...
we also let them in DD's room so they could familiarise the changes in that room as well...

when DD was born, DH bought home her worn clothes and used blankets and put some on the couch, in her swing and in her cot to get them used to where her scent was likely to be when she got home. they went crazy every night when DD got home sniffing everything for ages!

the day we bought DD home, DH carried her in and we got the dogs to lay down on the floor and DH sat on the floor with them so they could snif, i was armed with a cushion because they dont like the cushions for some reason so if they over stepped the mark i could tap them on the butt with the cushion and they were just happy to sniff her and find out what she was all about.

we always let them sniff as they wanted but they knew very quickly what their boundries were, and only one has over stepped the mark once, and even then she only tried to take DD's sophie the giraffe when it was thrown.

now that DD is 7months, they walk up to her and she gets all excited by them and we have no trouble, i often find one asleep under DD's cot and the other at her door way.

we didnt change their "routine" at all, kept it as it was and they havnt batted a eyelid

[helle]

I haven't read anyone elses post so I'm sorry if I repeat anything.

We had a german shep that was our baby for 3 years before DS came along. He was (and still is to a degree) spoilt rotten. Anyway, before I had DS we gradually made the changes we wanted and started letting him go outside more so he'd be used to it and also so that he wouldn't associate being booted outside with the new baby and get jealous. We also started making him sleep outside as well. I know it sounds mean, but you can never 100% trust a dog and until we were comfy with him being around DS we weren't going to take our chances with him doing anything to DS while we were all alseep.
WHile I was in hospital with DS, DH would bring worn clothes home from both of us for Mannix to sniff so he'd get the idea that something "new" was coming. When we bought DS home from hospital we just had him in a nappy and let Mannix (our dog) in for a good sniff. He had zero interest in baby and honed in on my boobs :rollseyes:
DS is 18 months old now and some of the things that he'll do to Mannix would make some of you cringe, I'm sure, especially being such a large dog. We have never had any issues with him what so ever, and I do believe making the changes before bub comes helped that. We didn't banish the poor guy either, never to be patted again... that's just mean

[Redhead]

I haven't read anyone elses post so I'm sorry if I repeat anything.

We had a german shep that was our baby for 3 years before DS came along. He was (and still is to a degree) spoilt rotten. Anyway, before I had DS we gradually made the changes we wanted and started letting him go outside more so he'd be used to it and also so that he wouldn't associate being booted outside with the new baby and get jealous. We also started making him sleep outside as well. I know it sounds mean, but you can never 100% trust a dog and until we were comfy with him being around DS we weren't going to take our chances with him doing anything to DS while we were all alseep.
WHile I was in hospital with DS, DH would bring worn clothes home from both of us for Mannix to sniff so he'd get the idea that something "new" was coming. When we bought DS home from hospital we just had him in a nappy and let Mannix (our dog) in for a good sniff. He had zero interest in baby and honed in on my boobs :rollseyes:
DS is 18 months old now and some of the things that he'll do to Mannix would make some of you cringe, I'm sure, especially being such a large dog. We have never had any issues with him what so ever, and I do believe making the changes before bub comes helped that. We didn't banish the poor guy either, never to be patted again... that's just mean

Thanks so much.
I agree that putting the dog outside to never get pats/cuddles again is just horrible!

[KimB]

I actually got a puppy from the pound when my DS1 was born so they grew up together. I got another one when my DS2 was born and they grew up together. We still have the same dogs and they have never even batted an eyelash about the other kids turning up. They come up for a sniff and a good lick and then wander off lol. BTW they are both outside dogs and don't come inside at all. They never have. I used to have an old shepherd too and she was such a sweetheart that the kids could climb all over her and she even used to help them start to walk. They would hold on to her fur and she would take tiny steps so they could keep up. It was soooo cute to watch them. I wish she was still with us but I had to make the heart breaking decision to have her put down when her hips went on her (age 13). I think it depends on the dogs and what their temperament is.

My older male dog is not as patient as my older female dog and will walk off when he has had enough so I make sure the younger kids don't follow him but my female will lay there and let the kids pull her ears and stick fingers in her mouth and eyes lol she has never even growled at any of my children. They love it when the kids come outside to play and they can join in

[Redhead]

our dogs were used to me being home and they were inside with me 24/7 unless i went out, so it would have been unfair for us to boot them out.

we basically let them sniff EVERYTHING new that came into the house for DD, clothes, blankets, furniture, the works...
we also let them in DD's room so they could familiarise the changes in that room as well...

when DD was born, DH bought home her worn clothes and used blankets and put some on the couch, in her swing and in her cot to get them used to where her scent was likely to be when she got home. they went crazy every night when DD got home sniffing everything for ages!

the day we bought DD home, DH carried her in and we got the dogs to lay down on the floor and DH sat on the floor with them so they could snif, i was armed with a cushion because they dont like the cushions for some reason so if they over stepped the mark i could tap them on the butt with the cushion and they were just happy to sniff her and find out what she was all about.

we always let them sniff as they wanted but they knew very quickly what their boundries were, and only one has over stepped the mark once, and even then she only tried to take DD's sophie the giraffe when it was thrown.

now that DD is 7months, they walk up to her and she gets all excited by them and we have no trouble, i often find one asleep under DD's cot and the other at her door way.

we didnt change their "routine" at all, kept it as it was and they havnt batted a eyelid

Thanks so much, I love your approach!
So good to find people who love their furbabies as much as I do!