Hi
I have a two year old male weim(bailey). I am hoping to start a
family soon. my weim plays a huge part in mine and my husbands
life. I am worried about the dogs reaction to a baby.
Does anybody have any experince?
Thanks
Linzi, Lee and Bailey.

Hi Guest,
I have no experience with Weimeraners but I have had 2 children since getting the dogs. Dylan (dog) was only 9 months old when Charlie (child no. 1) was born. Luckily both dogs have quite easy going temperaments. we found a sensible attitude was the thing that helped us most, making sure the dogs still got plenty of attention, I went to dog training until a week before the children were born and was back 6 weeks after they were born, I had both the children in hospital so got the other half to take home a muslin with each bab's smell on it before the actual baby came home. Both dogs have been great with the children, even when they have been trodden on, climbed over and used as a baby walker - before anyone says anything this was all carefully monitored, dogs have never been hurt - there is one thing dogs learn very quickly about children, they are a Class 1 supplier of food, my two used to perform a wonderful pincer movement either side of the highchair, now they are more mobile they just follow them around, or should I say they follow the biscuit/apple or whatever the snack may be!!!
A great book to read is 'Your Dog & Your Baby'- A Practical Guide by Silvia Hartmann-Kent, as it says, full of practical guidance. It reassures you that it is the right thing for children to grow up with animals...
All the best, Hayley, 2 children aged 3.5 and nearly 2 and 2 dogs aged 5 and 4 (oh and one clever cat that knows not to come into the lounge until she has heard the last child go to bed!!!

I gather from what you say there is some time to go yet??!! When I had my son I had two dogs, and was told by the midwife to treat the dogs exactly the same as before. So now is the time to make sure you get the dog into the routine you mean to have when you have the baby, to avoid any change in his routine later on.

When I brought the baby back from the hospital, I put the carrycot down on the floor, the dogs had a good sniff at him, and from then on they accepted that he was part of the pack. Needless to say they were always supervised, but there was never anything to make me doubt their safety - I just didn't want to take any chances!

My first dobe was about 3 when I had my first baby. I knew her temperament and was quite sure she would be fine with a baby. Some family members suggested I would have to get rid of the dog now we were having a family, but I had every confidence there wouldn't be a problem. Obviously she was never left alone with the baby and we made sure she still got the same attention and the same walks and routine as she previously had. My second dobe I got as a pup when my second baby was just 6 months old and almost crawling. This was quite difficult to manage, but we did and the kids grew up with her. You should know your weimaraners temperament by now, and if you think he will be fine, and as long as you don't take unnecessary chances, I would go with your instinct. Hope it all works out well, and good luck with your baby.