Did your dog's behavior change when you brought a new baby home?

My boyfriend's dog of 7 years is becoming somewhat progressively overprotective of me the further along in my pregnancy I get. I don't know if overprotective is the right word to use, but he has growled and lower is head if someone tries to pet him if he's sitting beside me or I'm petting him at the same time. But he's perfectly fine if say you go to pet him and he's sitting on the other side of the room as me.



If your dog had similar behavior while you were pregnant how did they react when you finally had your baby and brought him/her home? Were they still protective of you or did they then become protective of the baby?Did your dog%26039;s behavior change when you brought a new baby home?
My friend's dog became very protective of the baby, once she was brought home. If anyone tried to pick up the baby, the dog began barking crazily. He wouldn't stop until she was safely set back down. The dog essentially adopted her!Did your dog%26039;s behavior change when you brought a new baby home?
It sounds like the dog is jealous if any body gets near you. What kind of dog is it?



Our big and little dogs all became protective of my wife when she was pregnant and of the baby when we brought them home.



When the baby came home they would try to look in the bassinet to see what was there and would lay near the baby when she was out of the bassinet. Don't know what they would have done if a stranger had approached the baby if we were not there.Did your dog%26039;s behavior change when you brought a new baby home?
When I was pregnant with my 3rd child...my Pitbull Shetara did the same thing. She would sit on my feet when I was home alone and followed me from room to room... she would sleep outside my bedroom door. After he was born she was just as protective with the baby. My children are all grown up now and my Shetara is in doggy heaven. Thank you for the memories... it's been a long time since I thought about that. :)Did your dog%26039;s behavior change when you brought a new baby home?
Your dog is picking up changes in you and wants to look after you... but you must discourage any of that sort of behavior!!



When I was pregnant my dog was always around... as a matter of fact, labor came on very fast and intense for me and I remember while my husband was trying to call the hospital that the dog was jumping all over the bed trying to figure out what was wrong with me (wrong? labor pains come on in the middle of the night 2 1/2 minutes apart and lasting about 90 seconds? What could be wrong??), very excited and anxious.



But when I brought my son home, she was fine at first, very curious. Different smells, different sounds... everything was new and interesting. After awhile though, she saw that I needed to spend more time with the baby and she hated him. She actually once launched off the bed while I was holding him to try and have a go at him. A fast smack moved her away in time and she never did it again, but it's important to make sure the dog understands its place is BELOW the baby!! By the time he was a year old and moving around on his own, they were best buddies.



It can work, but you have to be totally focused and give it the attention it deserves.Did your dog%26039;s behavior change when you brought a new baby home?
Dogs are extremely perceptive, this is how they can be seizure alert dogs, they are very good at sensing changes in people. It is likely your dog can tell something is different about you and is trying to take care of you.



Do start getting your dog ready for the upcoming baby NOW. There is a lot you can do before the baby comes to make the transition easier. I have written an entire article about it here: http://companionswa.wordpress.com/2010/0



Congratulations!