Dog Trainers? Better to find dog now or after baby?

Question

Hello World!!

I'm stuck. Me and my husband have had dogs but not in the past 5 years. Were expecting our first in September, and were not sure if we should have our baby first then introduce a dog into the picture OR have a dog in our lives and comfortable and introduce the baby into their life.

I dont even know if there really is a right or wrong answer, but we're definitely looking into a rescue dog so we may ask them, but seeing if anyone out there has past experiences.

I know its definitely going to be hard work either way. So if we end up getting a dog after it probably wont be for a good 6-8 months since we'll be new parents. Thank you in advance for any response!

Answer

I would say now. I'm a dog trainer and I have four dogs myself with a three year old. A new dog will need time to acclimate to you and your lifestyle, your home, your patterns and personalities. New baby items will be arriving as you are preparing so it gives him time to get used to those smells and items without having the baby in the mix. You will have the time to focus on him and getting him settled and also he will get you out excersisng and keeping healthy. You'll get to bond with him better. Then after the baby is born, he's there to welcome baby while already being settled. Doggy will also get you out of the house after baby is born, get you walking and motivated. It's easy to fall into post baby blues and having a dog help you get out in the sunshine, going to the park etc can certainly help. I highly recommend before. I adopted a Greyhound from Spain two weeks before baby arrived... Best decision because after baby was born I was too overwhelmed to even think about adopting a dog. 
Good luck!

Answer

I think it actually depends on the dog. We just got an older rescue that we adore. He is already house-trained, and obedience trained. He was supposed to be a therapy dog, so he is good with all sorts of people, and children. I think it depends on both you and your husband, as well as the age/training level of your rescue furbaby.

Answer

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. It depends on your comfort level. Personally if I didn't already have a dog I'd wait for a while. Having a newborn will be hard enough without having to train a puppy as well. Good luck, I hope it all works out for ya! And congratulations 😋

Answer

My husband and I had to make the same decision. We decided to adopt out puppies first (the first in September, the other in December). They are now 6 months old, so even if we conceive this month, they will be over a year old... And they'll have had a year or more of training.

Answer

I can help you personally. I don't think there's a private message system here though to give me my number?
Would give you free advice.

Dog Trainers? Better to find dog now or after baby?

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey