Expecting too & stressed!!

[Andie]

Gosh, what's in the water !! I am also expecting our first, due in March. We have had Chance for over a year & he is about 21/2yo. Here's the situation. My sister recently had a baby (may) & since she has been on maternity leave, she often comes over to the house w/ my 4yo niece & new nefew. While Chance is pretty good with her (except when he chases her down, gets her on the floor & smothers he with kissies ). It's the baby that has me worried. When she comes in with baby, he wants to jump up on her to get to the baby. I hold the baby down to let him sniff him. But the entire time the baby is at the house, Chance is hovering over him, sniffing him & trying to lick him. As much as I tell him no or to go lay down (which he does for a second) he gets more persistant. It's stressful because he is right there, in your face & it does not matter who is holding the baby..he is right there. And this happens every single time she comes over. Sometimes he gets to be sooo overwhelming I have to put him outside or in the crate. I don't want to do this. He is a big part of our family but I can't have this type of behavior with our baby. Any suggestions? Normally he listens very well to our commands. HELP!!!!

 

[scooter52398]

I can't help you here but I was in a similar situation and would also like to know how to handle this situation. I was watching my 2 month old nephew with my husband and our Scooter (1 year old boxer) wanted to be right next to the baby the whole time. He was kissing him and trying to give him his paw. I was so afraid that he would scratch the baby! If I was walking with the baby he would try to jump on me and we trained him not to jump on us. So when my nephew came in it was like he was a totally different dog!

 

[catcompany]

Congratulations Andie...
I cannot help you either, Draco is exceptionally gentle with Royina--other than kissing her ears he does nothing. I hope Chance will calm down once he realises that the baby is here to stay for good. All the best. Do remember to get the receiving blankets from the hospital for Chance to smell and once you return from the hospital greet Chance first and tell him how much you love him.

 

[wildchild]

Andie, I dont have any good advice for you , but I do want to express my best wishes ond say Congrats. We are expecting our first on Vallentines day! Take Care!!

 

[paijj]

Your nephew could turn out to be a good training device. First, as soon as baby comes to the house put Chance on a leash and correction collar. Let him sniff and say hello then use the leash to put him in a sit and stay close to but not really close to the baby. Praise and REWARD!!!!! If he gets up correct him and put him back in the same spot. When the baby gets past around,you can pass the leash. The more you do this the better off you will be. Also, keep one of your nephew's baby blankets with his scent and maybe make a recording of him crying( especially good because boxers tend to get really upset when their humans are upset!!!),play it often. It's also good to start small changes in your routine that will be similar to the changes that will be coming,ie: if he won't be allowed in nursery,don't let him in there now, introduce a blanket on the floor and teach him to stay off of it, wind or turn on baby swing, have quiet times during the day where he must lay and be quiet and calm,also include roudy time when he can run and rough house(preferably with you). The earlier you start the more success you will have. Part of the problem may be he can feel your stress about having him around the baby and he's trying to figure what that funny sounding/smelling little thing is and why it's making his people so nervous. If he doesn't have any formal obediance it may be a good time to get into a beginner class.
When your baby is born and people come to visit have them pay a little attention to him(yes,just like you would an older sibling) and give him a doggie treat. Also keep "good dog" treats(new time consuming toys{ie: hollow bone stuffed with peanut butter}) when he is being really good or it is "quiet time give him the new toy. Try to have several that are only used for this purpose and rotate them so he thinks he's always getting something new. I wouldn't be surprised if after the newness wares off and you are a little calmer about the situation he will probably chill out a lot.
I hope this helps, I used most of these tricks with my first baby and my dobi-chow mix, she was 1 1/2 when my son was born and they did fine together. Good luck!!! and Congradulations

 

[pep0987]

Well personally I think that he just wants to be close to the baby. Dogs have somekind a fifth since about people who can't depend on themsevles.Let him set close to him. I agree he should not be in the babie's face.This will be a great lesson when your baby arrives.Have your sister bring the baby over and leave him. let him smell the baby anywhere ,but in the babys face. Oh, I forget he must be on a lesh when this is done , then the second he gets in the babys face give him a firm NO,and make him go lay down somewhere wlse. THen try it again in about 10 minutes. I hope this helps. We had the same problems.

 

[RileyMom]

Congratulations!

When in March are you due? St. Patrick's Day by any chance? If so, we're slowly covering the holidays (I'm due Halloween and WildChild is due Valentine's Day ;-)

Sounds like there's s ome great advice here -- I was especially interested in Paijj's suggestion of playing a tape of a baby crying -- I'll have to try that one!

 

[MMMM]

Don't worry, he just loves the baby.
Most boxers adore children.
They are children.
My boxer is gentler with kids than he is with adults.
Teach him to sit whenever he is around the baby and reward him when he is paws off with the baby.
If I were you I would socialize him with children a little older than a baby first so that he is easier to control around a vulnerable infant and understands that it is vulnerable.
He most likely just doesn't understand the baby is delicate.
Look at the way puppies play and especially the way older dogs treat puppies. They are rough and tumble.
With persistance in teaching him, I'm sure your baby will have the best friend he/she will ever have in your boxer.

Good luck and Best wishes!