Baby on the way, Jealous yorkie ahead

[wollfy]

My baby is due in August and lately I have been worried about how my yorkie, Jeremiah, will react to this new addition to the family and house. He is quite a jealous dog, since he attacks or bites any new person I give my attention to. So I am worried that when my baby arrives, he will be jealous and attack her. Is there any advice at what I should do to him at bay and care for my baby at the same time?

[ellie81]

I'm always thinking about that. I don't have a baby yet but planning on having one soon. My yorkie is jealous too.
I can't give you an advice from my experience, but I think that an important way of reducing or avoiding jealously is by giving the yorkie lots of attention. Of course taking care of the baby requires much time, but you have try not to make him feel like the baby is stealing you from him. It's like when you have siblings, and they are jealous of each other. Yorkies are furbabies, they are not just dogs, they deserve our attention. Someone said that each time you give birth to a child your love gets multiplied not divided. So multiply your love and attention towards both and you should be fine

[SladesMommy]

You need to start getting him used to baby items now. It even helps if you get a doll and show it some attention and push it around in the stroller, swing, etc. That way they get used to new things and noises before the baby comes. I believe there is even a CD of babys making different crying sounds and stuff to get the pets used to all those new and unsual sounds they will be hearing.

When you have the baby, while you are still in the hospital have your hubby or someone else take a blanket that smells like the baby to your house before baby arrives home.

If all else fails, consult a trainer or behaviorist.

[hankypanky]

I am in the same boat. I don't know how I am going to be able to share my attention with both baby and yorkie!

[Patti]

When I had my dtr I had Zorro my 6 year old male Yorkie who was my world. When I came home from the hospital I had my Mom carry Jessica in and put her in the crib while I layed down on my bed with Zorro. Although he was mad at me at first for leaving him for a few days, he soon got over it. But when she started to cry he got upset. Then the next day I was sitting on the couch with Jessica in my arms and she had to wear a little knit cap as she was a preemie and Zorro walked up to her head and snatched it right off her head. He was always a sweetheart and I never would have expected that. But he didn't hurt her and after a day or so he would lay right next to her on the floor when she was in her Kang rock a roo?. We never had any problems with him after that. He nevr really liked Jessica as he was really a one person dog. But I made sure he got tons of attentions and sat in my lap as I held the baby. Congratulations and I am sure they will all do fine.

[Anna Banana]

Uh-oh! My best advice is to totally shower your yorkie with love and attention. Hopefully he'll see that life is as good or better when the baby's there.

[wollfy]

Thanks for the great advice! I'll try those out and hopefully they will work.

[Tillys_mom]

I just had a baby last January and Tilly did really good with him. I always make sure to give her attention and at night when hubby and the baby are in bed it is mommy and Tilly time. She loves it!!!

[SJK1113]

Congratulations! When you bring the baby home, just make sure to pay lots of attention to Jeremiah so he won't feel left out.

I have two grandchildren, and Jake gets a little jealous when they're sitting with me, but he never tries to get aggressive with them or bite. He just squeezes his little butt right between us.

[paulapoo]

I have no children but I babysit an 8 month old just about every weekend. I started keeping her when she was 4 months. She usually spends 2 days with us. My boys had NEVER been around babies before. They started out pretty nervous. The were very curious and did LOTS of smelling. When she cried Otis would run back to the bedroom. But now, if she's laying on the floor playing, they walk by her, lick her head once, and keep going. She sleeps in the bed with me and they were OK with that also. Good luck, and congrats on the new baby!!!

[Gypsy & Me]

I read somewhere that when people come over to see the new baby they should make a fuss of the dog first so they don't feel pushed out.