Do you have animals - Did/Do you allow them around your baby?

Daniels Mommy wrote: I guess I'm just trying to figure out if we're all alone because we don't let our dogs anywhere near our son.....they spend a lot of time outside now and they used to be indoor dogs. I feel sort of badly for them, but I still love them.

Kaitlin'smom replied: you could say yes from day one I have 3 cats, i was terrified about how they would be but other than keeping her door closed at all tiems so none of them would get caught in there I just let them be. I was supprised they really did not bother her, the youngest would always check in when Kaitlin would cry but they never really messed with her and now they run from her they dont want much to do with her, but she loves to pet them and give them kisses.

coasterqueen replied: I let our cats around Kylie from day one. Now I always made sure I kept an eye on them and I did not let them sleep in our room at night because they are bed hogs and we had Kylie in there.

Our sitter had 3 great danes and 2 other dogs. She kept them locked up for a couple of weeks but then let them around Kylie. Our sitter watches very closely too.

I like the fact she's had exposure to animals so she won't be so afraid of them.

kimberley replied: from day one here too. but i only had a cat. but the cat was never allowed in the nursery for obvious reasons.

gr33n3y3z replied: We had a shepp/lab dog and from day one she was with them
She was very protective of the babies now older kids But I cant see treating the dog any diff. just because you bring a baby home thats just not right.
Unless for medical reason that the baby has.

TANNER'S MOM replied: Well I have a zoo... lol

And my children have always been around animals. If I had an animal I felt I couldn't trust around children it would have to find a new home. And I think it is important to realize that all animals aren't meant for kids.

And in mind with that... I have lots of big animals horses and cattle. And has soon as my children were old enuff to be outside and around them we started drilling them with safety safety safety.

I have a pic of Tanner when he was 6 weeks old in my arms, while we are riding horses. I don't think he would no what it is like not to have animals.

DansMom replied: Daniel was around our two cats from day one. They sleep in the bed too. They seem to love him as much as I do. Especially the calico, Juniper: she would get very distressed when Daniel cried as an infant. And she seemed to recognize him as part of the family by his smell. The other cat's not such a genius, I'm afraid, but she's a friendly lap-cat who loves anyone who'll pay attention to her.

aspenblue1 replied: All of my animals were around Isabella from day 1 and they will all be around this baby from day 1 also.

Kirstenmumof3 replied: We've had animals since before Emily as born. I've always allowed the cats to be around the babies and they just loved them. The dog has been a part of Claudias life since day 1 and she absolutely loves her Sandy Dog. She holds her hand down and feeds her from her highchair and Sandy knows this and lies under her highchair. I've never had any problems with the animals. Once Spencer was bit by the cat and I was quite shocked #1. because this cat didn't come around the kids. And #2. the cat had never scratched or bit anyone before. We found out later that Spencer had squished him.

A&A'smommy replied: When Alyssa was probably around two weeks old I started taking her over to my moms house and she had a dog I let her sniff her and from then on she was ALyssa's protector. I also had a kitten for a month and I had to give him away because she was too rough with him, and now I'm getting my friends cat because my friend is moving to texas and can't find an apartment that allows animals.

MomToJade&Jordan replied: Our dog was around Jade from day one as well. She was part of the family before the baby arrived and she still is to this day. She really didn't bother with the baby at all and would growl at everyone who walked by the window. She is protective and most nights after the baby is put to bed you will find her at the top of the stairs.

Mommy2BAK replied: Well, we have a dog, who used to be an outside dog but is now becoming an inside dog ( ). But I don't let him play around Blakely that often, so I voted for Occasionally.

jolene555 replied: We don't have animals, per landlord's requirement, but "my" dogs are at my mom's. They are little Lassa Poos, and well into their middle ages - and the love Georgia has for them is quite mutual. Because I know my dogs, and how harmless and sweet they are, I've allowed them around Georgia since the begining. They are only seperated when the affection becomes to great and she starts frenching them - it's too gross for me to take.

Daniels Mommy replied: I guess I just have this phobia of dog slobber! LOL My biggest dog likes to lick, the youngest one doesn't lick but she's schizo....Anyway I let them around our son now, but NEVER while he's down in the floor playing. I'm afraid he'll try to pull up on them and they'll get startled and nip at him. The big dog is very protective of him, though.

Our cats don't bother him and he LOVES them....his second word was "ditty!"

alice&arik replied: I voted wrong, I thought it was a question if I have animals now and didn't before... blonde moment!! I never had an animal until last April and Arik really wanted a puppy, he was so in love with dogs. But we left it with my ex-bf. It was a little hiper anyway. But now I got him a cat, since that is his big thing now. It is full grown and kinda liked Arik before we got it. I think they do pretty well here, Arik still pulls on it too hard here and there, or will throw things at it and wonder why it won't come near him for a day. So I guess it is more my cat than his.

loveydad replied: We have two dogs (border collies) who are sweeter than sweet but they are big dogs (not huge) and one's a puppy and ones about 2... or so - The older dog (Sammy) would be fine around the older kids , except he's been teased some by neighbors and such, and he bites at times. (not like - someone walks up and he bites, just if you mess with him) and the puppy, it's out of the question! He's too wild! Plus both of them have always been outdoor dogs (we don't HAVE indoor dogs) and it's just not a good idea.

Now the cats are really mild mannered - they're older and one was an orphan and beat up on some can get a llittel crazy. He's always wanting to sleep in the babies crib, the babies playpen - and i have to teach him not to because I don't want him suffocating them - and he's dirty and fat. He stays outside all night and sometimes all day. The other one it's really out of the question because he's a rough tom cat.

So I guess no, our pets don't come around the babies. The older kids yes. Some people have really tame pets -some people have unpredictable pets. I'm not slamming either way, I think you have to take it case by case.

Oh- we had turtles but they're a pain, got rid of them. Had a snake...my son..flushed it down the toliet.

bucky replied: From day one we let the cats around Jacob.. they would always jump up on our laps if we were holding him, and our one cat would lay next to his side when he would be napping on our bed (we were awake and in the room also).. we'd never leave him and the cats alone in a room. They were always curious, and one of them almost seemed to be by his side all the time - almost in a protective way.

One amazing thing is that my fiance's grandfather has a border collie who is cRaZy.. always jumping all over the place, but as soon as Jacob's in the room and on the floor the dog is calm as can be!

annafrombc replied: I waited for a while to get KOKO used to Evan since she was our BABY for 3 years before Evan was born. I never leave them unsupervised, because Evan can be a bit of a bugger and a little rough on poor KOKO, but after about 2 months, KOKO and Evan have become fast friends.


Here is a pic of both of them:

ctymom replied: Unfortunately we just had to put out cat to sleep. Poor little thing had a blockage. But he would treat Erica like one of his. Resting near her and watching her. Our dog stays in the kitchen for health reasons. But she's gentle and I would trust her around our baby. Just supervised.

Pamela