Tessa

They say that a dog is able to tell if its master is pregnant. I can’t tell one way or the other whether our hound mix Tessa has any indication that I am ‘with child’. She has always been pretty protective of me and still tries to jump up on me. Both Paul and I have tried to break some of her old habits like running up and down the stairs, jumping up on me, and setting other boundaries (she is not allowed in the kitchen). We figured that these would be positive changes. There is still some level of education that needs to happen on our part regarding how to introduce Tessa to little Pooka, how to interact around a newborn and how to discipline her when the baby comes. For instance, Paul and I babysat for a friend several months ago and I remembered learning that you shouldn’t harshly discipline your dog when a child comes into its territory for the first several times. If you do, this could associate the toddler with harsh discipline from its owners. A lot to think about, but it will be needed. This is next up on the list… For all you dog lovers, get ready. I have also heard that the birth of a new baby is one of the more popular reasons that a dog can be returned to a shelter. Sad thought :(