GSD + baby

[samjuniper]

We are due our first baby in April. Our German shepherd Indie will be exactly a year old at this time. She is an extremely friendly dog and usually fairly obedient, but she can still be pretty boisterous and attention seeking. Does anyone have any tips on how to ensure she behaves appropriately towards the baby and doesn't get jealous.
Jen

[Janis]

hi jen....congratulations and i am sure it will all be fine when the time comes.

years ago when i had kendal i too had two dogs prior to her arrival and i just maintained pack leader status......if i said they were to be out the room then out the room they went.

i was very lucky that both my cockers were tolerant of ear pulling as she lay on her changing mat and as she got older covered then in talc but throughout they always knew their place........below us all yet still very much loved!
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Cockapoo's...a little of this, a little of that..........
the perfect combination!

[heather n luke]

we just got luke our great dane then my sister found out she was pregnant, luke was about a year when shannon was born, the only problem we had was lukes size as he was quite big at a year. but luke was sooo tolerant and still is. luke was just given boundaries and if he over stepped them he got removed from the room. now shannon lies all over him. she also loves to dress him up, luke frequently has dish towels on his head beads around his neck and bangles on. Now shannon is 3 and she is quite strict with him and just puts him in his place.

[Megan]

Congratulations Jen

If you have a look at this link it's from last year and has some good advice on it, Last time I talked to Claire the dogs were getting on good with wee Logan(their baby boy)

http://www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6061


We have my niece Crystal (2 years) and nephew Ewan (4 months) visiting all the time and usually have one of them on a Friday or Saturday night, The dogs were taught to respect their space and that their allowed to come up and have a sniff of the baby only when invited and no licking of baby but with Crystal licking/kissing hand is okay if she says so... She tells all three dogs off if they are doing something wrong and Kodi will listen to her pretty much every time(sit, down, leave, sshhh -to be quiet- etc....Kodi's her favorite)..... First few meetings between each dog with each of them was onlead and then having a short 10-12inch lead attached for a few more meetings so we could stop them if they were getting to excited or getting to much into the babies space.

Z is still learning to respect their space but he is only 9 months so still a puppy, So when one of them is here Z is in his crate or on his lead so we can give him a correction to stop him from jumping up and getting into their space to much, He's starting to get the be calmer around them and no jumping part.

With the pram Kodi pretty much realized to walk beside or behind it, Though he prefers to walk beside it so he can keep an eye on Crystal or Ewan, Rose was the same picked up walk behind on the first walk but prefers to stay behind the pram/buggy, Z however needs some more training, I've not taken him a walk with the pram or buggy but apparently when mum did take him out he walked next to it which was good but he kept sticking his head in so he could give Crystal kisses which is not so good

Think one of the most important things is to stay as calm as you can and not to worry to much as the dogs can pick up on this so easily

Don't know how much this will help as obviously we don't have Crystal and Ewan 24/7, But if there was a baby coming into the house to live 24/7 we would do everything the same but also teach them to respect babies room as well(though ours aren't allowed up stairs so that would just go hand in hand with that)
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GSD Z(4yrs old), Rotties Kodi(6 yrs old) & Quinn(2 years old) and Border Collie Rose(7 yrs old)