Any suggestions for multi-dog household & a baby?

[kmlcu]

Hello!
My husband and I plan to begin ttc (is this right? - trying to concieve) in the next couple months. We have three dogs, and I was curious if anyone else has a multi-dog household and can help on how to make sure the dogs still get attention once a baby arrives (they've been our "babies" to this point).

This website has been incredible with other questions, and I'm so thrilled I found it. Thanks so much for any tips you can give us!

Karen
::: and hopefully

[betsyj]

I just reccommended Childproofing Your Dog in another thread:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...reative=380553

Lots of great ideas and suggestions there. Also, how well trained are they? Do they know the basic commands of "off, place, down, stay, sit, wait?" If not I would get busy on teaching those.

Have they been around any babies? I played baby sounds for my dog to help her get used to the idea.

And also start getting them used to getting less attention, or if you are the primary caregiver get hubby more involved. No matter what you do, the dogs are going to lose a lot of your attention initially. You will not believe how much time one itty bitty baby takes!! Also, if you plan on walking with a stroller get them used to the stroller as well.

[mom0810]

For us, it was just a natural progression. It's really just like adding a puppy, at first (only this time it's YOUR puppy)!

I haven't read the book recommended above, but it would be a good idea. Our dogs had never really been around kids, but they acted like the baby had been here all along. The dogs will know you are pregnant before you do, and they will know that the new baby is one of the pack right away. It's amazing how this just happens.

[Abarat]

We have 4 dogs indoors...2 large and 2 small. You'll get the hang of it. I was worried that one of the larger ones would be trouble because he is very nervous and wary of little ones but apparently that doesn't count when they're ours. LOL

[angie7]

I had 5 dogs when my twins were born, 2 Great Danes and 3 mixes. One of my Danes died when my twins were 6 months old. They were allowed in the room with the kids when they were little but once they started crawling/walking, we gated them in the kitchen. We made sure to play with them everynite and give them TLC as much as possible. My kids are older now and know how to behave around animals but we still don't leave them unsupervised around the dogs.

We would hold the babies and give the dogs commands or throw the ball in the yard. We just made sure that the kids and the dogs were all involved together, safetly. My dogs are great with my kids but no dog is 100% trustworthy.