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Topic Dog Boards / General / A good excuse to rehome older dogs?
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- By magica [gb] Date 11.09.09 21:09 UTC
My friend had a nightmare of a time with her boxer Rodney when she was pregnant and did get worried that it would all fall to pieces once the baby was born but the opposite happened :-) Rodney now is a much calmer dog and very well behaved off lead no more running off, it seems he acted like the twit when he was the only baby in the house- now there is another he has grown up!
- By qwerty Date 11.09.09 22:05 UTC
I got my first gsd when i was aged 19 and 6months pregnant (i had planned to get her but then fell pregnant unexpectadly)
I thought long and hard before going aheah and bringing her home- my own family were supportive as they are 'doggy' whereas my OH's family were 'dont get a dog its too risky with a baby on the way' etc etc.
When my son was born my dog was 5months old, and i can safely say it was the best decision i ever made. they are growing up together(my son is now 2 1/2yrs) they each respect each other.
In the early days things did have to be planned- dog walks/training etc. I got my 2nd gsd(sadly at the bridge now) when my son was 8months old- again they got on great. And i now have a 5month old BC who again gets on great with my son, i make time for training walks etc and compete lots.
I knew i would make it work as im dedicated to my dogs, there is not one sinle reason to do with me having a child that would make me rehome my dogs- they are family members here to stay just as much as my son is!!
I guess whether having babies and dogs together and making it work depends on how dedicated you are to do so.
(id just like to add, to people that may think i have had an easy baby...i have not- he has a disability so was therefore worse than most babies.)
- By Heidi2006 Date 12.09.09 20:05 UTC
I take it you've never had a newborn colicky baby not sleeping and only screaming for weeks on end? In that situation new mums are lucky to be able to get dressed by sometime in the late afternoon, never mind caring for a dog.
Takes me back - lucky to get 2/3 sleep hours in a row for many a year + had 3 dogs at the time and did manage to keep them; luckily.  Did nearly kill me and my babies [human] though; almost fell asleep at the wheel driving through complete exhaustion
- By LJS Date 12.09.09 20:46 UTC
To me the dogs were my saviour as they were the one thing that kept me going during the day when I had my human babies. They always gave me the inspiration to keep going when I was at my lowest.
- By Jeangenie [gb] Date 12.09.09 21:03 UTC

>They always gave me the inspiration to keep going when I was at my lowest.


Mine too. Plus my son wouldn't be nearly as healthy as he is if he hadn't been taken out in his pram for the dogwalks, every day whatever the weather, from the day after we came home from hospital.
- By Heidi2006 Date 12.09.09 21:24 UTC
I agree absolutely - I'd have fallen asleep much more - not to mention going completely GaGa - without the dogs and the walks.
- By cavlover Date 13.09.09 16:08 UTC
Nobody can decide for someone else whether a new baby coming along is a good enough reason for rehoming a dog - everyone is different and everyone has their own individual set of circumstances. People can be far too judgemental.
Personally I have had a litter when my youngest (of five children!) was just under a year old and I coped but that was me. At the same time, I had very, very sickly pregnancies with all of my children and there were times during those pregnancies when I could have done without the dogs (and cleaning up after them lol) but soldiered on.
One has to assume that post natal depression may well play a part in the rehoming of some dogs when a new baby has come along and in that situation it is surely better that the new mum focuses on getting well - sadly it may be best for Mum and dog if it is carefully rehomed.
- By qwerty Date 13.09.09 20:39 UTC
I had post natal depression and really dont think i would be  hear today if it wasnt for my dog- she was what got me through the other side of that dark time.
- By cavlover Date 14.09.09 08:49 UTC
That's you though qwerty - not everyone would react in the same way. Others may not want to be bothered with a dog when they are depressed struggling to cope with their own baby (a baby  is surely every new mum's priority - not their dog ?)
- By molezak [gb] Date 14.09.09 09:10 UTC
Mine have also kept me sane - keeping my feeling of identity.  Many people would never cope with just one dog and a baby and that's fair enough (my mother and toddler group have collective heart failure when I tell them I have more than 5 dogs plus two toddlers) but I believe both my dogs and my children have a more fulfilled life for it but only because I can handle it.  Many people understandly couldn't... or shouldn't keep dogs for the sake of their children, them and their dogs.

Walking with my dogs and my children is the most satisfying thing I do everyday - everyone is out in the fresh air, we all have fun... and I personally wouldn't have it any other way.
Topic Dog Boards / General / A good excuse to rehome older dogs?
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