Pets and the new baby...?

What a lovely boarder collie you have, we also have a female boader collie who is now 3 years she isn't huge, she is an inside /outside dog she sleeps in the entrance area she comes inside sometimes but is often on the deck during the day!!!
We gave her one of DD's wet nappies when she ws born so she would get her scent as i was away in the hospital for a long time!!! She is very good with her nice and gentle and DD pats and climbs on her!!!! She does bark when we read DD books.... she has one favourite she goes crazy when we read it !!!! She also gets a bit stressed when DD crys... she barks and whimpers ..... it's likes she wants to protect her!!!! She also jumps on adults and kids bigger than her , but shes never jumped up on DD!!! They are clever dogs and learn things sooo quickly!!!!

I have a 2yo Boxer dog who is an absolute nutcase and I was a bit worried that he was going to be too boisterous to have around when Isla was born but he has been great. I just made sure that before Isla was born, we taught him not to jump up and that he had to sit before he gets a pat. Also trained him not to go into her nursery... but he does like to lie at her door while she is sleeping. He is her bodyguard We used to have him sleep in our room in his bed in the corner but decided things were going to be a bit cramped when Isla arrived so when I was about 30wks, we slowly moved his bed every night further down the hallway until it was in the lounge. We did it before Isla was born so he didn't associate being 'kicked out' of our room with her. He now sleeps happily in the lounge, and he will stay in his bed when Isla is playing on the floor, unless I ask him to come over. If I was to pat him he would go nutty and lick me like crazy and try to 'paw' at me but he is so gentle with Isla. She whacks him in the head and pulls his ears etc and he just lies there and takes it. Of course, I'd never leave them together alone in a room cause no dog has ever bitten until the first time......
All I can really say is make sure you don't forget about the cat/dog. Treat them just the same as you always have because if suddenly you stop paying them attention and relegate them to the kennel outside, they will associate this with the new baby and end up resenting the child. If you let the pet be part of the family, they will grow to have a great relationship with the child.
Good luck!

lisajo - boxers are the best dogs ever

I had a boxer rescued from a home where she was starved and tied up so she was always a bit snappy about her food. I turned my back on my nephew for 10 seconds one day and when i turned around he was outside sitting at her food bowl happily picking up the biscuits and looking at them (thankfully NOT eating them) while she looked on patiently.

i'm also worried about my dog.. partner says we have to get rid of her but i really want to give her a chance with the baby.. she is a sweet natured dog, but very boistrous and can be hard to control sometimes.. i would never leave a child with a dog unsupervised in any case weather it was a great dog or not, i g uess its just letting her know that the baby is part of our family also and not a stranger :)

i'm not worried about our cats at all.. the older cat i'm sure will be fine, the younger one might be a bit scaredy of teh babies noise and things but i'm sure she will be fine.. she has not left me alone sine i have been preg and isnt normally overly smoochie to me at all!!