Mummy Monday: What are you thinking leaving your baby alone with the dog?!?!?

As you all know, last week we gave our 12-year-old husky to a new home.  Our reasons were varied.  We travel A LOT, so she would spend days on end at the kennel, which is both pricey and not fair to her.  Another reason was Poppet.  We discovered when my niece started to crawl that our husky, who loved children, and had NEVER had any issues, did not like a little being crawling around her.   It meant competition for her food, her affection, etc.  I remember we heard her growl and realized it was at my niece.  Ever since, the RULE was that NO MATTER WHAT YOU THOUGHT the dog was NEVER allowed to be near the baby, whether adults were around or not.  The ONLY time was if an adult was holding the baby and Nikita could come up and smell, lick, explore, etc.  Other than that, if there was a child around, the dog was not.  She would be on a different floor behind a child gate until the house was clear.

When Poppet came home, Nikita had to be fenced in to the front entryway.  Although she loved Poppet, we were not at all willing to risk her being around the baby.  All it takes is a second.  Ask anyone who has lost a child to a family pet that never showed any signs of aggression in the past.  And it is one moment you can never take back!  They would BEG you to not leave your child alone with even the most docile dog!

Although I miss Nikita terribly, I know that it is not fair to her, or to Poppet to have them behind barriers in their own home.  I can only hope that she has settled in to her new surroundings, and will be given all the love and affection she readily deserves.  She is a gentle hearted animal, a true pet in every sense of the word.  I implore you, think long and hard, and please don’t make a decision that could have effects that last a life-time!

Warmest regards,

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