Suggestions for 9-month-old and dog

RunningGal900

My dog (2.5 year old lab) and son (9 mos) get alone great. DS loves Oxford and Oxford loves DS. But now that DS can crawl, I'm trying to teach him to leave the dog's stuff alone. Specifically, he loves to crawl over and lay on his bed (he has one one all three floors). Obviously, 9 months is pretty little, so would you suggest just picking him up and redirecting every time he goes for the bed? There is no real way to block off the bed and I really hate to move it because Oxford loves being with us and I'm worried he'd view it as a punishment for him, not a good thing (when he wants alone time, he just goes upstairs to that bed). I know DS is pretty little, buti want to be sure in laying the foundation for good interactions with the beast.

GrayGhost13

I think it's great to establish as a house rule that the dog's bed, crate (if he has one), and other belongings are always off-limits, but don't expect him to understand that for several months and don't expect him to reliably remember that rule for probably another nine to 12 months. Redirecting with a gentle reminder that we don't touch the dog's bed is the best thing to do for now, but I would also suggest that giving your dog some space isn't a bad thing either, especially if you see him showing any signs of stress (google "calming signals" for more info on those) or if you're too distracted to give them your full and complete focus. (It only takes a second of inattention for something to happen.) All my pets, even my super-duper velcro dog sometimes needs a little space from DS, but they don't always make that space themselves. Sometimes encouraging them to lie down somewhere baby-free is the permission they need to go relax and recharge. There are also some other kids and dogs tips in the FAQ (link at top or board or in my sig).

GL! IMO, the crawling and early walking phases are the toughest thing yet, but with some close supervision we'll all get through it! :-)

Mrs.Hizzo

I agree with pp. Even though your baby is too little to really understand what you're saying, if you're consistent and firm about the dog's stuff being off limits, he'll get it in time. I spent the better part of two years with my two saying "No, we have to be gentle to the doggie" and "No, that belongs to Griffin, we leave that alone" and physically removing or redirecting my kids, but it's paid off. At three and four, they're very respectful of dogs, not just our own, but everyone's.