Coping with a new baby and dogs..

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EquestrianFairy

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I have two collies who need to be exercised fairly well daily.. I'm slightly concerned how I am going to manage this with a newborn.

They aren't able to to walked in busy places as they are rescues and don't like other dogs so I tend to take them up mountains or quiet places or at times, just very long walks on the lead- this often still isn't enough for one of the collies mind but he's not exactly normal at the best of times.

I've started to really struggle now I'm in my last few weeks, tonight for example I can barely stand up for exhaustion but I know it has to be done.. This led to be think, how will I manage it with a newborn in tow?!

Any tips? I debated a dog walker but on maternity pay they are just too expensive for me to afford.
 
I dont know about now but after your baby is born perhaps a baby sitter, it would work out cheaper Im sure and would do wonders for your sanity getting you out into the fresh air.
 
Probably time away from the baby would be good for you and the dogs. What about OH?
An hours babysitting is one option but if you have a bigger wheeled buggy you could use over shoulder leads (Training leads on the middle clip) and walk dogs & push buggy. The one that needs more exercise may be better on a flexi but some mental work might replace some actual exercise.?
 
sit on a chair in the garden and throw a ball-it wont kill the dogs to get on with it by themselves in the garden for a few weeks,then when you feel more able to do more put baby in a sling and go for walks again.:)
 
Despite a c-section I felt loads better after giving birth because I felt so huge and exhausted the last few weeks (months more like to be truthful!) of the pregnancy, so you never know how it will go for you.

When the baby arrives you will almost certainly want a few weeks of quiet time together however fairly soon you might enjoy walks with a baby in a sling. As long as you can carry the baby things are fairly easy imo, it gets harder when they start walking about but can't really do proper walks.
 
Archiepoo- I wish! The garden is tiny, large enough for their kennels and some sunbathing space (for them) and that's about it.
If I don't walk them they start to become very barky/whiney and can sometimes get a little snappy with each other.

I was just looking at the walks around here, none are really pushchair friendly aside from the main road one, that leads into a lane which has lots of blind corners.

Hmmm- baby sitter is an option, OH's mum would help during the day I think as well depending on whether she's working.
Am I right in thinking the first 6 weeks will be the hardest?
 
i walked for miles and miles when my girls were born, it kept my sanity as they would sleep for as long as i walked and if i did not walk my body was not tired.
i got up late and ate and walked for a couple of hrs the came home spent time with baby and ate and chilled then went out for another hr or two in the evening with or without baby. i loved it and mine were both born in january so it was very cold.

see how you feel babies generally sleep when on the move so it may be good to get an all terrain pram
 
Yes amymay I do, a partner that works full time and long hours and is not always able to help.
They are also my dogs and as such, I feel they should be mainly my responsibility.
 
And it's his baby. Things change when they come along. So he'll have lots of new responsibilities once baby is born (in fact from now really).

Being in a partnership means ypu share things. And of course he has 10 days paternity leave comong as well.

So put your feet up, and pass the leads to him.
 
He will help me but there will be days when I don't have the help and that's what I'm trying to organise, I spent so long fretting how I would cope with the horses I didn't think about the dogs... Maybe because its only now I'm starting to struggle?
 
You'll be fine. From now get him to walk the dogs. Once you've hadthe baby and are back up and about (and his paternity has finished) strap on a papoose and off you go
 
Before baby arrives, get out in your local area and find a footpath through a field, or quiet park, just off a road that you can park on, then load baby and dogs in the car once a day, park pram in corner of field and chuck ball for half an hour, letting dogs run like mad and get rid of excess energy. Pick a quiet time of day when there aren't a lot of other dogs around. Fresh air for you and baby, exercise for the dogs...

Another suggestion is finding a local dog loving teenager who would walk them for you on the way home from school for some pocket money perhaps?
 
My mum was on her own with me (she wasn't expecting to be!!) and two GSDs, one of which was quite aggressive/protective. As Honey08 said, she asked some teenage neighbours to help her out and my older cousins also.
 
I have 5 weeks until my due date (EEEEEEEEEEEKK!!!) and I have had to officially resign from dog walking duties, my poor battered hips just cannot take anymore :(

OH has taken over all dog walking and will continue to do so until I feel confidant I can handle baby + dog.

OP Whatever routine you decide to try it may be worth setting it in motion now so that the dogs are more settled when the baby comes home?
 
I wish I could resign from it :( I spent last night in agony because I made myself walk them (I even stuck to flat surfaces so no up or down hills). Who said walking is good for pregnancy? Pffft!

OH does help, some weeks he does majority and some weeks he can't and that's where I step in, I don't think he truly understands that the dogs cannot be left for 2/3 days without a walk. In his eyes he can't see why not, in my eyes I get stressy when I see them snapping and becoming restless. I know its unfortunate with the breed I've got and extra unfortunate that they aren't able to be socialised with others as that would make life much much easier.
Because they aren't dog friendly I think I would be on eggshells if I just had a local teenager help out, least a proper dog walker has insurance and normally enough experience to assess situations- they just charge a LOT.

No family up here that will walk them, OH's family would watch the baby but she's not due for another 9 weeks yet.

I walked them on a long lead walk yesterday and the younger one has done nothing but snap and bark at the older one because it wasn't enough exercise for him.

I can't help but find it so ruddy stressful!
 
teach them to go on the treadmill -:D:D not actually a silly remark if you are struggling and you need to rest (which you actually sound like you do) lots of dogs really like the treadmill -cesar milan recommends it so it must be good!!:rolleyes:
 
EquestrianFairy said:
I wish I could resign from it :( I spent last night in agony because I made myself walk them (I even stuck to flat surfaces so no up or down hills). Who said walking is good for pregnancy? Pffft!

OH does help, some weeks he does majority and some weeks he can't and that's where I step in, I don't think he truly understands that the dogs cannot be left for 2/3 days without a walk. In his eyes he can't see why not, in my eyes I get stressy when I see them snapping and becoming restless. I know its unfortunate with the breed I've got and extra unfortunate that they aren't able to be socialised with others as that would make life much much easier.
Because they aren't dog friendly I think I would be on eggshells if I just had a local teenager help out, least a proper dog walker has insurance and normally enough experience to assess situations- they just charge a LOT.

No family up here that will walk them, OH's family would watch the baby but she's not due for another 9 weeks yet.

I walked them on a long lead walk yesterday and the younger one has done nothing but snap and bark at the older one because it wasn't enough exercise for him.

I can't help but find it so ruddy stressful!
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First things first you need to calm down and take a step back from the situation. Stress is no good to you or the baby!

Perhaps try to have a sit down with your OH and explain that you are struggling and getting stressed trying to manage the dogs alone. He probably hasn't even realised you are finding it hard and he really wont want you to be stressing over it.

When you found out you were pregnant what was the plan with the dogs?
 
EquestrianFairy said:
I wish I could resign from it :( I spent last night in agony because I made myself walk them (I even stuck to flat surfaces so no up or down hills). Who said walking is good for pregnancy? Pffft!

OH does help, some weeks he does majority and some weeks he can't and that's where I step in, I don't think he truly understands that the dogs cannot be left for 2/3 days without a walk. In his eyes he can't see why not, in my eyes I get stressy when I see them snapping and becoming restless. I know its unfortunate with the breed I've got and extra unfortunate that they aren't able to be socialised with others as that would make life much much easier.
Because they aren't dog friendly I think I would be on eggshells if I just had a local teenager help out, least a proper dog walker has insurance and normally enough experience to assess situations- they just charge a LOT.

No family up here that will walk them, OH's family would watch the baby but she's not due for another 9 weeks yet.

I walked them on a long lead walk yesterday and the younger one has done nothing but snap and bark at the older one because it wasn't enough exercise for him.

I can't help but find it so ruddy stressful!
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Your OH needs to start pulling his finger out.

Some weeks can't walk the dogs???

Time for a little priority reorganisation.
 
Try some brain exercise with them, its amazing how much you can do round the house and it really does tire them out. You can hide toys, teach tricks with clicker training, the list is endless.

I had 5 GSDs when I had my first baby, I was lucky that they did have space at home to run round but I still walked them quite a lot. I had an old fashioned silver cross pram (not cool nowadays I don't suppose) which was brilliant, highly sprung so could go over rough ground without shaking the baby and she was super comfy, it was one of the few times she actually stayed asleep for any length of time.:p
 
Great question and hopfully you will soon sort out an easy solution. When I was pregnant with my first child, Sara I used a book called Tell Your Dog You're Pregnant: An essential guide for dog owners who are expecting a baby. It had a lot of info on how to get the dogs used to walking with prams and ways to keep them occupied when Sara was upset and kept me busy with settling, feeding, settling, burping, settling, feeding, changing.........etc lol! Maybe that will help you.
 
Also think about finding a water treadmill as this will exercise them physically and mentally. Alot of hydrotherapy centres do fitness sessions as well as rehab.

Don't worry if they don't like water as I've honestly never found this an issue at the hydro facility I work at. Also means you can have a rest while they're doing it xx
 
with OH working long hours and seemingly not that willing to muck in... and living in an area such as you do where it is not easy just to take to the hills. I would say you really have to prioritise some money here to a dog walker, even just for the first few weeks. I managed fine with a newborn and 6 collies but then, I can walk straight out into fields from my house. I hated using a sling but found an all terrain buggy a must.
 
Haven't read all the replies but don't start walking straight away. I took my dogs for a walk when I was just out of hospital and collapsed and lost a lot of blood. Take it easy for 6 weeks! Honestly it is the only chance you get - make the most of it.
 
Try talking to your OH again. I know it's difficult (my OH has similar ideas, i.e. the horses/dogs are my responsibility and need a lot less attention than I seem to think they do) but in late pregnancy and with a baby everything changes and there is no need for you to be stressing trying to do things on your own.
 
I used to take mine to a horse pool, the owner let us use it for a fiver a time, slightly cheaper than hydro, then just used to go to the river and chuck in waterproof balls for endless swimming retriever. Is there a riding school, you could use their indoor for a small fee, or a tennis court you could use at a quiet time, enclosed and you can chuck a ball or two.
 
I've not read all the replies but when I was pregnant I had 2 collies & husband working stupid hours, I used to take them to the sandbanks near where I lived with a ball chucker thing stand at the top & throw the ball down the hill dog retrieved it - rpt as necc till dogs are worn out (hard I know with collies) after my son was born he was tucked up in his off road pushchair (mamas & papas 03) and all of us went out for our fresh air & exercise. The dogs quickly got used to walking by the pram and quickly associated it with walk time! The beauty of the ball chucker is you don't have to bend down to pick the ball up around your bump!!
 
Could you try a sling for the baby. Mine went in a Moby Wrap from day 1 so I could walk the dogs. You will find you probably have a sling group nearby where you can try some out before buying (ask at your council run childrens centre).
 
We have a massive park by us which has enclosed tennis courts- a blessing if I was allowed to use them because I can close the gate behind me and not stress about them seeing a dog before I do. Unfortunately its council property and the keeper is exceptionally unhelpful and unfriendly as I asked previously before the whole pregnancy came up.

My OH has said he will help me as much as he can but there will be times when he can't and this is what I need to work around. Had the pregnancy been planned I might have had more of an idea of how I was going to manage things but life never works as you plan it I guess. My instant reaction was how to juggle the horses but only recently I've started to struggle with the dogs to start questioning how I am going to cope with them- I never viewed it as an issue until then, I don't know why, I just carried on as normal until my body started complaining and I realised.

We don't have things like hydro pools around here. In order to find somewhere quiet to chuck the ball to help exercise them I have to walk some fair distance or go up the mountain because of their unhappiness with other dogs. I had another look at the walks today, I can walk along the main road which gives a decent walk, its flat, well pavemented and as safe as main roads can get if not a tad noisy.

Whoever me mentioned that book I am going to Amazon.com it now :) thank you.

I've emailed a few dog walkers tonight, they used to have one a while back but she emigrated (and I had more money then) So I'm thinking if I can find one for two days a week that offer decent walks for them then maybe they can cope with smaller walks with me in-between and then good blasts with the OH when he can help.

It's just for a few weeks, once I'm settled with baby and we have our routine I imagine I will enjoy the walks and I have spoken to OH's mum and she said she would happily have the the baby so I can walk the dogs whenever I want.
Hopefully altogether it might work out..
 
sounds like you have it all covered, the dogs will cope for a few weeks with that arrangement. have you got things like kongs (to fill with meat/veg and freeze) and feed balls so they have to work for their food? this will keep them busy for part of the day and occupy their minds although you may have to seperate them when they have them.
 
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