Arrrhhhhggggg!

[Sid_Wolf]

Why are my family trying to convince me that my dogs are baby killers!?

Last night my gran (who had dogs and kids once!!) told me I needed to have muzzles in the house for when the baby is born - errr WHY!??

My 3 are well used to babies, Kira and Grey have known our nephew since he was a newborn, Keyu has known him since he was a few months old and Grey also grew up with a baby/toddler, so its not like they've never been around them before. They all love kids and have never shown aggression to a human (adult, child or baby!), so why are they all so bloody worried?

My dogs are well trained, well behaved, calm in the house, never fight between each other. I know their signs of stress and when to remove them from a situation and have crates and baby gates to do so. I've had dogs for 4 years, including a psycho staff who wanted to kill every dog (including mine) for nearly a year and managed to prevent him from doing so, I'm a dab hand at pack management

Yes I have a back up plan if one of my dogs did happen to take exception to the baby, I have places where they could go either permanently or temporarily, but this 'plan' has been in place for ages, as a back up for if me and the OH where to split/we lost the house etc etc.

I dont see the need to condemn the poor buggers when they havent given anyone a reason too, the babies not even here yet!!

[valkyries]

Their just worried and you wont/can't stop that hun, but what you can do is prove them wrong xxxxxxx

[Niber]

People, including my family, were worried about me getting Niber - we had 4 kids already, 1 of which was only 3 months old. As soon as they see the dogs and baby together they'll be more confident. They still worry a bit as the baby, now 14 months, smacks, pulls, climbs and lays on Niber, and at 11 months, Niber can knock him over in his rush to get away - but he does just that - gets away rather then retaliate. But that's why you supervise dogs with young children. People who don't know huskies judge them by their looks and to most people they look like wolves - that's what I've found anyway.

Just ignore them, not worth worrying what other people think.

[BelleBot]

Loads of people get funny about dogs and babies, not just huskies. My friend fell out with some of her colleagues after they suggested she rehome her staffy when she fell pregnant. Even I've had people question my decision to get a dog when I'm planning on having children in the next 5 years. Heck some have even said I'll have to get rid of the cats if I fall pregnant. They're crazy, people just get very over protective when it comes to babies. I'm sure your 3 will be fine when the baby arrives.

[Povodny]

I know this is totally off tangent but I was in the pub with two of ours on New Year's Day and someone made reference to them being like wolves. I was quick to correct them as politely as possible. Another woman came over and said she'd have preferred a husky to the shih tzu her daughter had been given? For Christmas? apparently someone didn't tell them, just produced the dog! She was telling me how she enjoys walking her other two Scottie dogs and thought a husky the perfect accompaniment. It was only after I mentioned prey drive and proximity to chickens, sheep, cattle, horses and anything else she was shocked and decided she had the right dog after all. Her neighbours have a small holding and have all of the above lol that was the classic example of people going for looks rather than checking breed characteristics.

[Andy]

Sid.

You know that Kells had Eden-Willow just 2 months ago.

and as you know we have 4 dogs.

Darwin & Daughtry Huskies.

Malaki Alaskan Malamute.

and

Echo White german shepherd.

Anyone who has met Echo steers well clear as her mission in life is to guard her pack.

Anyone who is not family will have seen and heard her telling strangers to politely. . . go away loudly and with teeth.

Most people meeting Echo would judge her and suggest that she is not a suitable dog to be around a newborn baby.

Before we brought Eden home we let the dogs sniff the clothes that we had bought.

We brought home used nappies from the hospital, and clothes and blankets she had been in.

ALL the dogs have been exemplary around Eden.

All like to have a sniff, and are curious.

They are all very gentle when near her as they realise that she is a Human "Puppy".

While we never leave Eden alone with the dogs we have no worries that they might pose a danger to her.

If for a single moment we had the slightest worry that any of the dogs might cause her harm then they would be gone.

As much as we love our dogs, Eden comes first.

However we honestly believe that that situation will not arise.

[Sid_Wolf]

Thanks Andy

Thats how I feel about mine, I'm sure they will all be fab with the baby, of course he'll never be left unsupervised with them but Im not anticipating any problems, I think if i worried and got stressed about it they would pick up on that and possibly act out of character.

The OH will be going home and taking them out for a walk before we bring the baby home, and taking home some worn bits and bobs for them to smell too, so they will be nice and tired when we bring him in, and we'll let them sniff through the baby gate before letting them in one at a time

[Emma]

Up until recently I was completely unaware that people have strange views like this regarding dogs and babies. I've had 2 children and it never occurred to me that people would consider rehoming their pet, or view them any differently to before, it's very hard to understand. Must drive you crazy! Lol.

Edit: should probably clarify I'm not talking about introductions, that's an important and separate thing. It's more the attitude of "ooh you have a baby, better get rid of the dog" thing that gets me stumped.

Edited January 2, 2013 by emma1979