Around the House,  Marriage Confessions,  Pregnancy,  The Dog Pound

Dogs and Diaper Genies

I have heard throughout my pregnancy that dogs have a sense about these things.  That they just know that you are in the family way.  If that is true, then my dogs hate me.

At first, I did notice small changes in them.  The big one, Molly, didn’t jump on me (as much) and the little one, Lucy, hung a little closer to me than she usually does.  But as the pregnancy has progressed, the dog seem to be less and less sympathetic about my delicate condition.  They bark at me when I’m laying on the couch.  They lick my feet when I’m trying to keep them elevated.  They try to crawl into my non-existent lap and then they get pissed when I kick them out.  And they have taken over my couches where I lay most of the time.

For the past few weeks I have been researching how to introduce the dogs to the new baby.  I’m not really worried about the big dog.  Molly’s only problem will be her gigantic paws that she insists on hitting people that she loves with.  Sometimes when she gets so excited, she just can’t help but lift her heavy paw and bring it down on you in a semi-bear hug/mauling.  But I think we can control that.  The dog that I am the most concerned with is the little one, Lucy.  Lucy’s been my real, true baby for the past five years.  She had a hard time adjusting to Chris when we got married.  And I think a baby might be even harder for her.  Babies cry more than Chris.

Most of the research has said that the most important thing is to not separate the dogs from the baby or the baby things.  You are supposed to make sure the dogs feel included and welcomed around the baby, and that begins by introducing them to the baby’s things.  So, this past week we have been letting them sniff around all the new baby equipment we’ve acquired.  Tonight though, we may have taken it too far…

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Maybe letting the dogs walk each other around in a stroller was crossing the line.  Maybe we could have just settled with letting them sniff the Diaper Genie.

But at least, for now, the dogs seem to have forgiven me for getting knocked up.  Now, they just bark at the stroller.  Though, I can’t imagine why…

15 Comments

  • jocelyn

    Hey! I read your blog all the time. And while I am not preggers, I plan to be within the next yr. And I have to say the biggest thing that scares me is my 18 pound dog. He is my baby… and it took him a while to get used to the idea of hubby. This blog cracked me up! But then again, they all do! Good luck and best wishes!

  • Emily C

    So cute! I was watching The Dog Whisperer the other day and he was with a couple that were expecting and he showed them how to create boundaries so the dog’s would respect the baby and think of her as another pack leader…then they showed an update after the baby was born and they had a cute little shirt on the baby that said “Pack Leader”…it was cute. Soooo, maybe if you get a shirt for your baby you won’t have any problems with the dogs…they do know how to read, right?!! lol

  • Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com

    It’s funny how animals change a little when you get knocked up =) Mine did too. Our dog has become more careful around and protective of me, which is AWESOME. But our cats have become more jealous and INSANE. It’s like they went from independent to please-don’t-leave-me-alone-with-those-other-creatures-who-poop-in-the-cat-box over night.

    I’m new here, so: CONGRATULATIONS!!

  • Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com

    I just read your comment and HA! I seriously LAUGHED and made my coworker come ask what was wrong with me and had I lost my mind? It’s probably a greater insult to you to compare our brains. My brain is very, um, questionable. Ask my husband. He calls it crazy.

  • Michelle

    My dogs were my babies until my kids arrived. They learn very quickly that they are not the top dog anymore. After seven kids, my dogs feel pretty low on the totem pole now.

  • Donna

    Very Funny!

    I have the same stroller and car seat and I LOVE it! Easy to use and easy to clean, babies bodily functions have a way of oozing out of the diapers.

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