Dog Mom

Before I became a mom to a human, I was a dog mom. Now, some people think being a dog mom isn’t legit, and while it isn’t as time consuming or stressful as being a human mom, it is still legit. After all, you are feeding and tending to their needs! I know people who tried and tried to have a baby but it just didn’t work out, so their dogs became their babies. Our dogs meant (and still mean) the world to me, even though things have changed since I became a mom to a human.

When we first brought our little girl home to meet the dogs, I could just tell that they were like “what the heck is that?”. Our one dog, Shiva, would run to the door to be let outside when baby would cry. Eventually though, she warmed up to little one and would relax when baby was crying, give kisses when she was calm, and just hang around. Our other dog, Majora, has seemed very protective of little one from the get-go, and always wants to be near.

In “Listing, Selling, Buying, and Moving”, I mentioned how we had to find a new home that would function for our dogs and a baby. The reason I mention this is because our dogs do NOT get along inside. When we first picked up Majora about 2 years ago (she’s a rescue - so who knows what she went through?), they got along great … for about 6 months. Then, they started getting in fights in the house (mainly in the kitchen). We think this is because Majora is resource guarding, because she must have gone through a lot being a rescue! We spent thousands of dollars on vet bills and dog training, but in the end we found it easier to have our dogs live separately. We installed a baby gate in our house between the living room/kitchen and the rest of the house, and only had one dog go out at a time. We only had one door to get out to the back yard, so we would have one dog lay on their bed in the living room, while we’d open the baby gate and let the other dog out. Then we’d have the dog on the bed go over to the other side of the gate. Talk about stressful! I almost think taking care of an actual human is easier than what we’ve gone through with these dogs.

A few times we tried to implement them back together, but each time it didn’t work out. We felt that our house wasn’t the best place to have these dogs and raise a baby. So, we found a house that had two separate access points to the backyard, one upstairs and one downstairs. We have baby gates on the stairs, too. Great for the dogs AND baby. My husband also custom built two separate dog fenced areas outside - talk about dedication! Now, you might be thinking why not just get rid of a dog? Well, like I said, they mean the world to me and to my husband. We couldn’t fathom getting rid of one - how would you choose? One was our first baby and the other had already been through so much in her life being a rescue. When you have issues with your child, you don’t just give them up. You work with them on the issue and do everything in your power to help them as best as you can - and for us, we do the same for our fur babies, after all, that’s what being a dog mom means.

Since having our baby girl, things have changed between us and the dogs. The only time the dogs can be together is when they are out running or walking (on leash). I used to take them for a run every morning from Monday-Friday. I loved this routine and time spent with them before going to work each day. But this changed during pregnancy, as I didn’t always have the energy to take them out for a run. And changed even more after having baby, as, well, you know…I was so tired that I felt like I couldn’t get them out all the time, and with my husband working at 6:30AM, I’d also have to haul baby with us!

Another thing that changed is their food. We used to feed our dogs raw food. We felt like this was the best option for them and their health. Upon talking to our dog trainer and telling her we were pregnant, she mentioned to us that we would have to change their food to kibble. Not something I had thought about, but because of the bacteria on raw food and baby’s immune system not being mature enough to handle it, this is something we had to do. At the time, I felt like I was not a good dog mom and I regretted having to do this, but I know it is what is best for our family now.

Even through the changes in my relationship to the pups and being a dog mom…there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, which is my love for them!

I follow @dogmeets_baby on Instagram for expertise on dogs and babies.

Here are a few links to articles that might be helpful for you to prepare your pups for bringing home baby! Even if you don’t have behavioral concerns about your dog, I would still HIGHLY suggest preparing them for baby as best you can! Work with a local trainer or find good resources online.

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dogs-and-babies

https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/7-ways-to-stay-bonded-with-your-dog-after-you-have-a-baby

Are you a dog mom as well as mom to a human? How did your dogs react to your baby coming home? What adjustments, if any, did you have to make before bringing the baby home?