Should I Be Worried About My Dog?

[Miaow]

Hi All,

Just a Q here - my dog which used to be inside a lot has been outside now mainly since the baby came home (hes alowed inside at night when shes in a different area of the house though) is doing something strange which I'm not sure I should be worried about.

Everytime he sniffs something shes lain on like her rocker or playmat, and sometimes when he sniffs her foot or something if holding her, he really licks his lips - last night he was doing this escessively? He isnt allowed near her when hes inside and hasnt really smelt her too much (since the 1st time I noticed this behavior).

Hes ok with younger kids though hasnt been around young babies before now - Is this behavoir something I should really worry about or would be be doing it for some 'innocent' reason?

[tickle]

Sounds like normal doggy stuff to me!:)
My dogs often do this after smelling things, especially new things.
I think they are just using an added sense (taste), to get a feel for what it is, if that makes sense?
I think they are just tasting the smell.:rolleyes:
Maybe someone else has a better explanation for you......but I've noticed most dogs do it.;)

[Shazbutt]

I agree with Happy Lady. It seems normal to me, and i think he's just checkin' stuff out. Maybe let him smell her and see her a bit more when you are supervising. He might get used to her a bit more? Just a suggestion.....

[Miaow]

Thanks for that :)- I was a little over worried I spose. I've never noticed him lick his lips like that before after smelling something (unless food) and I spose seeing him do that after smelling EJ looked a little worrying..

[Sarie]

It's a dogs normal way of communicating through touch and smell. I wouldn't be concerned, but having said that I never leave my kids alone with our dog. They can always be unpredictable.:)

[Jaileth]

Why don't you let him have a really really good sniff of her? You can hold onto her, and have your dh or partner around to control your dog (just in case).

Dogs are very curious animals - and he wants to know who his new 'pack member' is - other wise, hows he going to protect her?

[Sarie]

And it will protect her.
Our dog was attacked about a month ago and now when we're down stairs she sits by the fence on guard watching the dog that attcked her. She won't come away till we all go upstairs.

[Jaileth]

Thats pretty cool. We had cats that would do that to my sister and I when we were little - although we never tried to leave the yard.

[annsam]

We also let our dog sniff the bub when he was brought home and sniff his clothes etc. Our dog licked our lads feet a lot when he was very little. Its just their way of getting the scent and learning about the new addition.

[reAllytee]

This is very normal & if you actually let the dog lick bubs feet its something they can then understand. Licking is usually a submissive move by a dog as in saying ok your boss & above me in the pack so if your dog did this with bubs it will then know its below bubs in the pack. Which is a big thing as you dont want them to become dominant of bubs as thats when it leads to trouble.
As long as your doggy gets all the attention it needs & deserves while bubs is around then you will all live happily together as everyone knows their place in the pack.
:D

[Mamaduke]

I also let our dog have a sniff of Jesse's clothes. He was in the SCN for 21 days after he was born so when I'd bring his clothes home to wash I'd let San have a sniff of them first. I thought that by doing this San would realise 'what' Jesse was by smell when he came home.

[reAllytee]

Yep they say its a good idea to get daddy to bring home something bubs wore each nite before bubs is home from the hospital. Gets them used to the smell etc. Then its a case of bringing doggy in when you get home & introducing it while everyone is there but mummy giving all the attention to doggy so it knows it isnt being forgotten or replaced !

[Mamaduke]

When we got San we didn't have any kids so we made an effort not to have San inside too much, we didn't want an 'inside dog' to be turfed outside once babies came. San knew he could come in for a while and then he'd go to the back door to be let outside, he liked it inside but knew 'his place' was in the backyard.

[shed]

Dogs don't automatically assume a baby is below them in the pack. They actually view children and adults as separate species and you must be very careful. Even by doing the usual things to raise your children's pack position (feeding them first, walking through doors before the dog etc) your dog will normally assume a child is below them until around the age of 12.

Never ever leave a child unattended with a dog, no matter how lovely and gentle and friendly your dog is and how much they have "never bitten anyone". I am a dog trainer and my dog is as well trained, socialised and friendly as you will ever meet. She is gentle natured and accustomed to being around children and babies...and I am NEVER, EVER going to leave my baby in the same room as her or let them play outside unattended for one minute. Not because I don't trust her but because I know how she thinks. Its normal and natural and you must be aware of it.

Don't want to sound paranoid or cause a panic but most of the dog attacks by the family dog on children come as a complete surprise to the families involved but are not surprising when you understand the way a dog thinks. They are not bad dogs, they are just doing their job of keeping the underlings in line when the alpha isn't there to do it.

[Mum2Tyla]

Hi,
I am a vet nurse and also teach puppy preschool, I agree with alot of what Shed has said I have a 55kg Alaskan Malamute that is an inside dog and will continue to be once the baby arrives she loves kids and is very gentle with them, we have kids in the street that come over just to play with her but I would never ever leave her unsupervised with any child because at the end of the day she is an animal and children can be cruel, often without meaning too be, many a dog has been euthanased for biting a child I wonder how much torment the dog tolerated before biting the child.
You can cause jealousy issues if your dog was previously allowed in the house and all of a sudden they no longer are, I think you just need to supervise all interaction with children and pets, and make sure they still get plenty of love and attention it is so very easy to ignore your pets once a baby is on the scene I understand priorities change but they are still part of the family.:)
Kelly

[reAllytee]

Supervision is the key shame many parents dont realise this.

[Mother Duck]

Strongly aggree with some of the comments here

Introducing them straight away definately encourages kinship(supervised sniffing etc), licking lips is often a sign of submission and

Supervision is the key!

I trust my dogs tremendously but I just wouldn't take the risk of leaving her alone with them!

[Miaow]

I've been allowing him to sniff her now if hes near her (with me holding her of course) and he doesnt seem as overly interested in her now as he was. I agree supervision is a must with children and animals as I had 1/2 my ear bitten off when i was about 3 cause i picked up our dog's bone after repeated warnings not to to touch it - not a good way to learn a lesson :(

[reAllytee]

Ouchies about your ear :( i too got bitten on my ear by our family dog because i was teasing her with food .... Guess thats what a lot of parents dont think about kids can either be cruel with intent or just for fun but dogs dont know any better as they think a little differently.
Glad to hear all is going well :)
Sounds like you will have a happy family as long as you stick with what your doing & your guidelines.
Now i want to get a doggy i miss mine :(

[Nina]

Putting an inside dog to almost perm outside is the worst thing to do when a baby comes home, yet seems to be what happens to most dogs. :(

Dog starts to think this 'thing' is taking over and some will very jelous and want to get rid of the 'thing' that's put a mess in it's life.

Best way is to let the dog be around the baby, all supervised of course, and when baby is around give the dog lots of great attention, that way it will look at the baby as something great, cos when baby is around dog gets lots of love, so in turn it will love the baby.

Good luck with it, just don't isolate the dog, just like you wouldn't throw your first child out cos you have a second, don't throw dog out either.