Dog and Baby advice...
Discussion
Not the usual post of "Were having a baby and need to get rid of the dog!!!". No, were 7 months in and one of our dogs has started being weird.
We've had him for around 3-4 years now I think. Got him from a dogs home and he's always been the perfect dog. We got a second dog (a puppy) to keep him company a year or 2 ago and all has been fine. They are inseparable.
Last August, we had our first child. She's now 7 months and all has been fine really. Jeff, the dog in question has never really taken to her. He has been in no way aggressive but won't go near her and on the odd occasion he does, if she reaches for him, he runs away. If you try to sit her with him, he runs away. He doesn't shake or growl etc. Just runs for the hills!
The other dog, henry, loves her. Always has and always comes and sits with her and is great with her. She grabs his eyes etc and he just sits there and laps up the attention.
Now, what has started recently is that Jeff has started acting a bit weird. He is still the same with our daughter but he has taken to pooing and weeing downstairs during the night (which he has never done in our ownership). Not just a one off. It's been a number of times in the last few weeks and been 3 days on the trot now.
We have also found him eating her dirty nappies but just in general, he's started acting differently. Constantly under your feet, following you around the house etc. Stuff he never used to do.
First instinct was that it may be jealousy, but then the way we treat the dogs hasn't changed at all. They still get walked every day, we still play with them, give them attention, give them treats, sit with them on the sofa etc.
Our other dog, Henry is fine. No change in his personality at all.
We have no intention of getting rid of the dogs at all so don't bother suggesting it. Just want advice on what we could do?
We've had him for around 3-4 years now I think. Got him from a dogs home and he's always been the perfect dog. We got a second dog (a puppy) to keep him company a year or 2 ago and all has been fine. They are inseparable.
Last August, we had our first child. She's now 7 months and all has been fine really. Jeff, the dog in question has never really taken to her. He has been in no way aggressive but won't go near her and on the odd occasion he does, if she reaches for him, he runs away. If you try to sit her with him, he runs away. He doesn't shake or growl etc. Just runs for the hills!
The other dog, henry, loves her. Always has and always comes and sits with her and is great with her. She grabs his eyes etc and he just sits there and laps up the attention.
Now, what has started recently is that Jeff has started acting a bit weird. He is still the same with our daughter but he has taken to pooing and weeing downstairs during the night (which he has never done in our ownership). Not just a one off. It's been a number of times in the last few weeks and been 3 days on the trot now.
We have also found him eating her dirty nappies but just in general, he's started acting differently. Constantly under your feet, following you around the house etc. Stuff he never used to do.
First instinct was that it may be jealousy, but then the way we treat the dogs hasn't changed at all. They still get walked every day, we still play with them, give them attention, give them treats, sit with them on the sofa etc.
Our other dog, Henry is fine. No change in his personality at all.
We have no intention of getting rid of the dogs at all so don't bother suggesting it. Just want advice on what we could do?
My initial thought would be attention seeking. I know its recent and he's been fine up until now, but your daughter is getting to the age where she's moving around more and being more of a little person than a baby.
The pooing and weeing IMHO is attention seeking. The eating her dirty nappies is just dogs being dirty feckers! lol. One of my rotties will quite happily eat any sh!t, baby, horse, cat....
The problem is i'm not sure how you will cure it. If you're still lavishing attention on the dogs which i'm sure you still are, i don't know what to suggest.
Possibly go back to basics, and before bed make sure the problem dog is chucked outside until he's emptied himself out, puppy pads on the floor etc.
HTH
The pooing and weeing IMHO is attention seeking. The eating her dirty nappies is just dogs being dirty feckers! lol. One of my rotties will quite happily eat any sh!t, baby, horse, cat....
The problem is i'm not sure how you will cure it. If you're still lavishing attention on the dogs which i'm sure you still are, i don't know what to suggest.
Possibly go back to basics, and before bed make sure the problem dog is chucked outside until he's emptied himself out, puppy pads on the floor etc.
HTH
the same thing was on dog whisperer last week, basically the dog is more than likely afraid of the baby. basically some dogs dont understand the concept of babies. its just the dog cant understand the stiuation, thats why hes acting wierd pooing weeing etc.
if the dog wants walk away let it, and dont force the baby on the dog, as well dont leave the dog alone with the baby. on the show they recommended dog psycologist to re train the dog as it may go for the baby in fear. but doesnt sound like that in your situation.
seek professional advice would be my advice.
if the dog wants walk away let it, and dont force the baby on the dog, as well dont leave the dog alone with the baby. on the show they recommended dog psycologist to re train the dog as it may go for the baby in fear. but doesnt sound like that in your situation.
seek professional advice would be my advice.
We don't force her on him at all. It's usually that she may be on the sofa and he will come and sit there, she will grab for him and he runs away.
Plus, he wont be left alone with her, he will follow us out of the room.
Not sure what to do really, him being "scared" is fine. I'm sure he will get over it sooner or later. She will be up and chasing him around the room soon enough so he better get over it sooner than later!
It's the pissing and s
tting around the house that we don't like. We always let them out just before we go to bed so he has the opportunity. He's always been a bit weird though. He never used to poo in the garden, always saved it up for walks as if his previous owner had drummed it into him that much that he was too scared to poo on his owners property.
Poor thing, we think he had a hard life previously.
Jeff on the left, Henry on the right.
Plus, he wont be left alone with her, he will follow us out of the room.
Not sure what to do really, him being "scared" is fine. I'm sure he will get over it sooner or later. She will be up and chasing him around the room soon enough so he better get over it sooner than later!
It's the pissing and s
tting around the house that we don't like. We always let them out just before we go to bed so he has the opportunity. He's always been a bit weird though. He never used to poo in the garden, always saved it up for walks as if his previous owner had drummed it into him that much that he was too scared to poo on his owners property.Poor thing, we think he had a hard life previously.
Jeff on the left, Henry on the right.
Edited by Deluded on Friday 18th March 09:50
missdiane said:
Do they get locked in a room at night or the run of the house?
No, they pretty much have the run of the house but they have a bed in our room, which the pair of them share. They tend not to move from it all night except for Jeff who seems to sneak downstairs for a crafty dump and straight back up to bed. He doesn't wander the house all night.
Ah. He shares a bed with another dog. Are they both male? I would suggest there's been a 'gay moment' between the pair. It is making it difficult for them to share personal space together. One of them wants to get a trophy bh and a TVR to prove his manliness, whilst secretly lusting after a bit of doggy bum sex with Jeff.
I diagnose a course of Queer As Folk on DVD and a Jeep Cherokee.
Don't worry, my invoice is in the post.
h and a TVR to prove his manliness, whilst secretly lusting after a bit of doggy bum sex with Jeff.I diagnose a course of Queer As Folk on DVD and a Jeep Cherokee.
Don't worry, my invoice is in the post.
10 Pence Short said:
Ah. He shares a bed with another dog. Are they both male? I would suggest there's been a 'gay moment' between the pair. It is making it difficult for them to share personal space together. One of them wants to get a trophy bh and a TVR to prove his manliness, whilst secretly lusting after a bit of doggy bum sex with Jeff.
I diagnose a course of Queer As Folk on DVD and a Jeep Cherokee.
Don't worry, my invoice is in the post.
This sounds quite plausible...h and a TVR to prove his manliness, whilst secretly lusting after a bit of doggy bum sex with Jeff.I diagnose a course of Queer As Folk on DVD and a Jeep Cherokee.
Don't worry, my invoice is in the post.
It's obvious really. Since you've had the baby, Henry has become quite broody. Desperate for a baby/puppy of his own, he has taken to doing Jeff up the wrong 'un, instinct over-riding common sense.
Poor Jeff now associates the baby with savage late night sexual encounters and fears the child.
The pooing is because his anus is destroyed from all the intrusions from Henry...
I would day it's an attention thing.
Dogs are cleaver animals, and I think as owners we sometimes forget how sensitive they can be.
Like has been said the baby is not just eating and sleeping anymore. It's not that the dog feels left out, it's possibly more fear of the unknown. To a dog seeing a baby grow and change so much must be quite confusing.
Dogs are cleaver animals, and I think as owners we sometimes forget how sensitive they can be.
Like has been said the baby is not just eating and sleeping anymore. It's not that the dog feels left out, it's possibly more fear of the unknown. To a dog seeing a baby grow and change so much must be quite confusing.
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