Introducing Skin Kids

[MRJ]

We are soon expanding our family to include a skin baby. We have two fur baby pugs - who are great with children but haven't been around new babies before.

We have some time up our sleeve (about 5 or so months) so I'm wondering if anyone has any 'tips' on possible things to teach the fur babies for once the skin baby comes along?? They already are aware of 'leave it' and 'off' and of course the regular sit, drop, stay etc. We don't yet have any equipment in the house and I don't envisage the dogs being averse or scared of anything (they haven't been so far).

I don't think that there will be too many jealousy issues (everyone seems to be worried but me and my husband!), and I'm planning that the baby will spend a fair bit of time on the floor of course as it grows, and of course fully supervised. I think the dogs will enjoy having someone aroung most of the time (we work currently), and will probably appreciate the break when we go out!

So - does anyone have any ideas or 'wishes' they'd done prior to their skin kid arriving??

[OSoSwift]

If you want them to get used to say being in a puppy pen, or staying out of certain rooms or spending more time out than they do now, then start now! Even though all the gear isn't in the house yet if you have a room picked as the nursery and you want to limit access start now.

Get them happy with spending time outside when you are in (if they don't already) that means that they can enjoy time out from the new baby when it is crawling moving around. I found a play pen/crate invaluable. If for any reason I had to go out of the room or where distracted ie cooking, my then puppy went into the puppy pen. that way the kid wasn't hurting annoying the puppy and the puppy wasn't dive bombing the kid!

In the beginning you will have less time for your dogs as you get used to being a mum and you both learn about each other. Prepare them for it now. I know I thought it wouldn't be much different but the truth is in the beginning youa re trying to come to grips with disturbed sleep and a little person who has a will of their own and can't tell you exactly what their problem is, so as much as you would like verything to stay the dsame it won't.

Well thought out and organised introducing a baby to the house doesn't have to be a nightmare or a major stress.

[KKDD]

Bringing a new baby home was a very positive experience for my mini dachshies. New baby meant hours and hours every day when I was just sitting on the couch with baby sleeping or feeding, rather than moving around busily as I normally would. The dogs loved it because they would just snuggle up next to me, and got to spend a lot more time in physical contact with me, or just having me home, than previously.

[mumof3]

Congratulations!

Ososwift's reply has some really good pointers.

I'll add a couple of things. Don't dismiss jealousy too quickly. It will be normal, and is to be expected that the dogs will resent losing their current status in the home. Much of OsoSwifts reply is working towards altering their status before baby arrives, which is a great idea. They will lose their sTatus. Before baby, the dogs may be your children and your world. Baby will change this, you won't feel less for your dogs, but you will find out that you are capable of feeling so much more.

New equipment. Have it in place well before baby comes so that the dogs natural curiosity is able to be satisfied without drooling on Bub.

Equipment suggestion: For my last baby I got a cradle, which rocks and can be wheeled around the house. While baby was very young, this was a great way of having him near me, able to move around to be in the same room I was in and off the floor for sleeps. It was great having it next to my bed at night (current SIDS reccommendation is that young babies sleep in the same room as their mother). It just kept a newborn baby out of reach of toddlers and pets for a few months. Of course you will want them to have tummy time on the floor too - but you can supervise that closely or put the dogs outside or in a pen or something for that. The cradle is more for the many hours of daytime sleeping that new babies (hopefully) do. The timber cradle I had lasted up until about 6 months of age (much larger than a bassinet), then we transferred to a cot.

Also great for a new baby (but not so dog related) is a sling. This is a cloth carrier, much like is used in third world countries. There are many different types - but generally the more traditional ones seem to me to be more comfortable for baby and claim that they better support baby's head and spine in the correct position. Google babywearing. The simpler the carrier the better. Ring sling is good for short periods of time - easy to put on and off. Maya wrap is great for more extended periods. Wearing a baby will help with colic, help put baby to sleep, increases intellectual stimulus, can help with body temperature regulation during illness and basically means a happy baby and a Mum with two free hands. I'd very much suggest it actually for walking dogs until baby gets too heavy. Managing leads from a stroller can be awkward. I found traditional cloth carriers MUCH MUCH better than the modern equivalent.

Good luck! and again, Congratulations.

[rastus_froggy]

I don't have kids as yet but this is just a couple of things I have heard in the past. It can be good to get a cd of a baby crying and play it before the baby comes home so the dogs can get use to the different type of sounds a baby makes. Also I have heard of people getting their partner to take a dirty nappy home from the hospital and leaving it in the house for a little while so that the dogs can get use to that smell too.

As I said I don't have kids and have not tried these things so don't know how valid they actually are.

[Exaltare]

I got my Hubby to bring home from the hospital one of the swaddling wraps that my son had been wrapped up in and lie it on the floor before the two of us came home from hospital. That way they had time to get used to the smell before bubs got home. They were great with him they would get up with me in the middle of the night to supervise me breast feeding and then go back to bed when I had settled him down again.

[Guest Willow]

So - does anyone have any ideas or 'wishes' they'd done prior to their skin kid arriving??

Firstly, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! :D What an exciting time you have ahead!!!!

You might like to consider THIS BOOK by one of WA's most respected trainers (she rocks!)

Also, the thing I wish I had taught my dogs & didn't think of until Charlotte came home was to keep off her playmat on the floor....I ended up haiving to do this in the field, so to speak, with a baby in tow.....start now so they know the baby's clean mat (where baby might have tummy time, and later might sit to play with toys) is not theirs to trample dirty feet & hair all over.

[idigadog]

You might like to consider THIS BOOK by one of WA's most respected trainers (she rocks!)

Yes, Kathy is very good and she also has a Siberian related to my boys

Congratulations MRJ We currently have 10 dogs and a 4 year old skin kid. When Caleb was born we had 6 dogs and never had any issues with acceptance. Ultimately, it's common sense that keeps issues to a minimum and so long as the routine doesn't change too much for your dogs when the baby arrives home, you should have a fairly easy time.

Like others, my husband took Caleb's clothes home from the hospital each day and let them smell them. Any changes that were foreseen were done months prior so that the dogs were already into that routine by the time Caleb arrived home. Our dogs were absolutely brilliant with him, they still are but I never, ever leave them together unsupervised because as you know, a dog is a dog and things can happen.

Enjoy this time. I know you will enjoy seeing the special relationship that your child will have with his/her dogs. It's just how it should be

[MRJ]

Thanks very much for your suggestions and congratulations everyone!

I will definitely get my hands on a copy of that book and the idea about the play rug is especially good: as you would all be aware pugs shed quite badly so this will be invaluable in time no doubt.

Thanks again!

[Guest Willow]

Another thing I meant to add, I remembered while I was on my walk this morning.....with having smaller dogs, one thing I found really handy was teaching them to jump up on an elevated surface to have their leads put on....it's massively helpful, in the later stage of pregnancy with a big bump, and also if you are trying to manage a baby in a carrier on a walk.

I taught my guys to jump up on our low retaining wall....it's only a foot or so high, but the extra height means less bending down.