Introducing a baby into the family...

Hello All! Long time no post! All the usual, been busy got distracted by other stuff etc. Anyway, I have a situation that I'm sure others have been through and can advise! Basically, Mrs. C and myself are expecting a baby early next year. Any thoughts on how Jake might re-act and/or how best to acclimatise him to the new addition to 'the pack'? Speaking of Jake, here's a link to the most recent thing I've uploaded to the web that features him. Short video clip. Enjoy. Lastly, I caught some of the posts about Shadowboxer passing on. What a loss! I'm sure the memory of her will keep us going from time to time though.

hi rich
firstly congrats on your impending arrival.
I am 8 weeks away from giving birth myself so its been in the forefront of my mind how my "baby" will react to the new one !!

i think the main thing to do first is to look at any boundaries that you want in place prior to baby coming:

ie: if you allow the dog on the sofa and are not going to allow this when baby comes then stop it NOW, not when it will be associated with baby.

If ur Mrs is the main caregiver to Jake ( ie: feeds and walks) then you should start to take over that role more so that Jake wont feel as much of a loss when mrs c time is taken up with baby.

if you dont plan on letting jake in the babies room then get a dog gate etc up now so again the association is not with the arrival of the baba.

and finally as far as introducing him to baby when it arrives, I plan to get my OH to take a towel/blanket back from hospital with babys smell on it first and allow bruno a good sniff of it and then when we come home - I am going to have Oh take the baby so that I can greet Bruno as he will be excited and may jump up etc so dont want the baby to be in the way.

SB did write a good article on it which will be in the articles section so have a read at that too.

hope this helps and good luck with the pregnancy !!

dani

Oooh thats wonderful news Rich - congratulations I wouldn't have thought you would have any problems with Jake and the new baby. I worried myself silly when I had a large GSD who wasn't too fond of small children (mainly cos he didn't know what they were) but I needn't have worried, I just let him sniff Rhianna when I brought her home and he was fine. He looked a bit worried the first time he heard her cry but he soon got used to it and I had no problem at all and when she was crawling and toddling he was fantastic with her They usually tell you to let the dog have a blanket with the baby's smell on it I think. No doubt Lucky Star can help you more because she has just been through all this

Congratulations

Can't give you any advice Rich, but just had to say congratulations on your impending addition

OMG!!! CONGRATULATIONS HONEY TO YOU AND MRS C!!!
ANOTHER DOGSEY BABY! I can't wait - I'm already looking for Dani's posts on Luca's birth .

Dani's given some great advice to you. Any changes that will take place when baby arrives (dog oing upstairs, on beds, into certain rooms, on sofas, walking routines, that kind of thing) should happen before the baby comes along.

Unfortunately I was still the main distance walker right up to the day I gave birth - what a sight that must have been! Because of that I do find I have to include daily walks - not easy with a pulling dog and a buggy. Slings help but that wasn't easy as I had a cesarean.

I got Mr LS to bring back worn baby things for washing while I was in hospital for Loki to get familiar with the smell - but I was in for a few days so this was easier.

There are tapes you can get of babies cryingto play before the birth but we didn't do that. The first time Loki heard the baby cry was so funny.

When I came out, I went in first to greet Loki without the baby, although I had to do it initially from behind a stairgate as he went mad when he saw me.

Then we worked on getting Loki used to the baby. So we let him sniff her while in our arms, being careful not to be too protective. Then from behind a safety gate or while she was in her travel cot/playpen. He'd sit by her and watch, listen, smell.

When we felt confident we let him lick her and be with me when I was feeding her. Never left him alone with her though.

Make sure he is never told off for being inappropriately rough - he doesn't know it might hurt her, we just try not to get into situations where this might happen. Always make sure he gets his attention and cuddles and involve him in things with the baby.

Soooooooooooo happy for you! How are you feeling?

I talk to him about her too, using her name, so he now knows who she is. During a quiet moment when Loki wasn't too bouncy I put a treat on her hand and we gave it to him, telling him it was from her. He was as gentle as a lamb.

Hi Rich congratulations on the expected baby ....
here is a lovely and informative article on little ones by Shadowboxer that may be of help..

Awwwwwwwww congratulations!!!!!! Wonderful news! I dont have anything to add i think everything i know of has already been covered. Hope Mrs C has a smooth pregnancy!

Thanks for the congrats! All is going well, except a bit of morning sickness. (Morning? )

I don't think anything will change as far as what Jake is/isn't allowed to do is concerned. The room we've earmarked as 'the nursery' is one he hardly ever goes in anyway, so don't suppose it'll bother him.

As far as walking is concerned, we both do that in fairly equal measures. I guess I'll just have to do a little more... BTW, has anyone got a 3 wheel 'travel system' they'd recommend for walking dogs while pushing young 'un along in?

Great advice so far! Feel free to chip in with more!