Pets

Preparing your dog for the baby's arrival seems tricky. What's important is that when the baby arrives, the dog also gets plenty of attention so it doesn't get jealous. Some parents let the dog smell a dirty diaper from the baby. If you're worried that your 'busy' dog might cause problems, maybe look into a dog training course. It's better to do it beforehand than when it's too late.

I have a super busy and big dog (a Boxer). And I also found it quite scary when I was pregnant. How will it all go later on..! What kind of dog do you have?
We didn't really prepare much, the only thing we did was let him sniff all the new stuff..

What you should work on are the things you'd rather not have your dog doing anymore once the baby is born. Does he jump around a lot and you don't want that later? Start now to untrain that. Same goes for whether the dog is allowed on the couch yes or no.. Figure out what feels comfortable to you when the baby is here.
Try to include the dog both now and later! Don't push him away (literally and figuratively).

Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck with your dog!

Xkruimel

We have a cat who can also be very energetic, so I was really nervous. I also consulted the vet on how best to handle it, and they gave some tips that might also apply to dogs.

First, make any changes you want to implement later now, so your dog gets used to them before the baby arrives. Otherwise, the dog might blame the baby for the changes. So if you don't want the dog in the baby's room, don't let him in now. And put the crate in the living room early on so he gets used to it being there.

If you want to be able to put the dog in another room at certain times later (for example, so you can feed the baby without having to watch the dog), start doing that now—have him sit in there occasionally.

Also, give him slightly less attention for now... later he'll get less attention too, otherwise he'll blame the baby again. Of course, keep up cuddle time and walks, etc.—the dog shouldn't be completely ignored.

Another tip: in the beginning, give both the baby and the dog attention at the same time. That's easiest if you're two people. Especially when bringing the baby home or introducing the baby to the dog, make sure you give the dog attention right away. Don't bring the baby in and immediately put the dog aside. When we came home, the baby was in the stroller... I left it there for a moment so I could greet our cat right away, then I went to take care of the baby while my husband kept the cat busy.

Even now, the cat gets fresh water, kibble, and a pat on the head first thing in the morning before I go into the baby's room.

Of course, never leave the baby and dog alone in a room—always stay with them.

Also, your own attitude makes a big difference. When I walk through the house with the little girl and the cat looks at us, I start talking to him in a sweet, positive way. And whenever I have my hands free, I give him a pat or cuddle. That way, he doesn't feel neglected.

And you know what, he's doing so much better than I expected! At first, he'd get startled when she cried, but now he doesn't even look up. He mostly ignores that she's there. And regularly, when I'm giving the little one her bottle, he just comes and sits on the couch next to us. Sometimes he sniffs her little foot, it's so sweet... He's gotten quite used to her being in the house now.

Good luck!

We have a young female cat (7 months old) and are expecting our first baby in January.
I sometimes worry about it too, especially regarding the cat tree in the living room.
Will the cat leave the baby alone or not...

I'm curious, but I also assume it's a matter of giving the cat enough attention.
If she knows she's not being ignored, she won't feel the need to be everywhere all the time.

With a dog, I think it's important that he's well-trained in certain things like "sit" and "stay". So you can clearly establish from the start which behavior is good and when he should, for example, keep his distance.

It's mainly important that your dog gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, otherwise he'll start seeking negative attention inside the house. When we make sure our dogs get enough exercise, they're calm and easygoing indoors. Also, involve the dogs. And if you want to put the dog away for a bit because, say, your baby is crawling and you don't want the dog constantly licking the baby's face or whatever, put him in his crate or in the hallway with something fun or tasty, so he doesn't develop a negative association like, "here comes the little one, now I have to go to my bed " when he used to always be allowed on the couch.

P.S. We have 2 pitbull-type dogs. Super with kids, but energetic dogs; we're always busy with them, otherwise they get playful and hyper indoors. P.S.2 I'm 5 weeks pregnant from my LMP.

Aaaaahhhh what a bummer. I actually don't dare to post a photo here hehe because we're still a bit in the closet. But otherwise I'll send you a PM!

Oh, that won't work Can I have your FB instead?

Ohh, now we have a black one and a black and white one hahaha

That's pretty standard, right, you know that in advance That's why I think they need more movement because they can't be off-leash, at least I find it irresponsible to preventively risk it. They don't have to start, but they do finish it, and since the breed already has such a bad reputation, I don't want to risk that. I also don't even want to think about them hurting another dog. Sometimes I find it difficult; people sometimes don't keep their off-leash dogs close either, and if ours then starts to act out, you often get that look or comment. I get so angry, I find that so unfair.

But anyway, we walk, cycle, flirt poles, jolly egg in a ditch sometimes, and there are even Sunday sports sessions specifically for our breed, with wall climb and far jump and stuff. Too bad you don't have FB hihi it would have been fun