That's a great idea, Andrew, shedding light on that kind of environment. You make great points and your deal (...waiting until 29...) was a lot like mine.

Gene, based on your original posts and sentiments (before everybody told you what a great dog you had! ;-)) I still think you should look for a rehoming option just in case, but if you do keep the dog...

Re-read all of Ed's articles related to your situation. I still read them all the time.

Get your schedule and your body clock ready. I get up around 430am and get in my harder exercise with the dog before the kids get up around 630am. That will be the only time you have to yourself for the next 18 years. If your dog is not exercising now that is the fundamental change you have to make now and later. You don't want a pressured-up dog in the house. Hard morning exercise, walks/fun with me and usually the kids when I get home, one relaxed "obedience walk" around 1000p or so to proof commands and get ready for sleep. Wife stays at home and is able to let her out a bit during the day. I'd get a dog walker for day stuff if yours will not.

Get a really good jogging stroller (for triplets?) or at least something robust enough for long walks. I use a Wike (www.wike.com) and I think it's better than anything else out there and I can also hook it to my bike with the rig I will use for my dog when she's old enough.

I also don't have house time with the dog when the kids are up. She's confined to the crate (75% of indoor time) or the kitchen (the rest of it).

Set up the "toddler" environment now for the dog to get used to. Baby gates. Drag lines. Prongs. Teaching the dog what's off-limits, limiting free time now for later when the kids will be up and about.

I personally am a big fan of crating in line-of-sight so the dog can watch me and my wife interact with the kids. I also crate at night in the bedroom with my wife and our baby. Ed and many people here think this is a bad idea, but you'd kind of have to see the set-up of my bedroom (she's basically tucked away in a gable of our upstairs converted attic...it's a real "cave"...away from the bed). I do think that is good pack time with the family and she's a very calm dog with no separation anxiety whatsoever.

Feed your kids first where the dog can see it/know it's happening.

Figure out a way for your wife not to shut the dog out once the kids arrive. If that's you taking them for a walk for a few minutes a day while she just interacts with the dog, make that happen.

Set up the interaction plan and make sure your wife is okay with it, too. The "but I have to walk the dog now" excuse will not work anymore. I'm actually pretty serious about this...be open about what you are and are not going to do and be flexible about accomodating it. Kids and wife first.

Make sure your dog plan has a backup in case there are any problems with your wife or the kids early on. There will be.

Scope out an animal behaviorist now and walk through whatever plan you're gonna use...and have them around once the babies come. I didn't do this as my kids were first but I would if the situation was reversed. I would like a second pair of eyes on the various cues the dog was giving off if something came up.

Cowboy up and get ready to give harsh corrections if you've never done it. Read Ed's article on giving corrections, etc. You want any negative interaction the dog has with the kids to be memorable for the dog in a very bad way.

Set up a fair environment for the dog, too. When the kids get aware of the dog never let them tease. Don't be biased towards the kids if they are messing with the dog, don't let your wife, either. I think kids can learn live and let live pretty quickly (2-3 y.o.).

Just my opinions. All this stuff worked for me, none of it is new, but maybe this is just another anecdote on it working.


And we had a big moment in our house today...my 3 y.o. put my dog in a sit, then a down. First time he ever tried that, and she responded right off the bat. He's still not housebroken, though.

I deliberately typed all this crap to ask myself again why it was such a good idea to get a dog???

Oh yeah, Andrew makes another great point...petting...my kids are not good at that, either. They go for patting the head and the dog tries to lick and they jerk away and the dog gets spun up and the kids get excited and they go for patting the head and the dog tries to lick...copy paste paste paste paste

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Get your schedule and your body clock ready. I get up around 430am and get in my harder exercise with the dog before the kids get up around 630am. That will be the only time you have to yourself for the next 18 years.

A big Amen to that!

I work as a nanny. I take care of two little boys ages 16 mo. and 4 mo. The 16 m/o was a preemie. Weighing about 4# when he came home from the hospital at 9 days old. He needed to be fed every 2 hours round the clock for the first month. I think he did very well in that he was sleeping all night by 4 months old. You and your wife are going to be in a daze for the first couple months at least.
You've got to have a back-up plan in case something doesn't work. I would be looking into both a dog walker and a "mother's helper" for a few hours a week if it could fit in your budget.

I also think that if you have any doubts about how well this is going to work, rehoming could be a good choice for you and your dog.

With all that said, I now bring my dog, a border collie, along to work with me. She is 7 y/o, was previously well-trained, and has taken it all in stride. I take her out for a short walk in the morning, and a 45 min play/training/ walk time at night. And also have her outside playing ball with her when I'm out with the boys in the stroller. On weekends I am home with my family, and she does herding on our farm.

Just trying to paint a realistic picture of life with babies and a high energy dog...

We have two GSD's and are also "expecting". I had some of the same worries but came up with this solution (ahead of time like you) to make things eaiser:
After dogs breakfast they go outside into a very large outdoor dog run.
They are there until we get home at 5/6pm. (and I will do the same after baby is born).
From 6-7:30pm they get a good workout (a good break for mom or dad).
Dinner in crates 8-9:30pm
Supervised time in house (sometimes a game of tug)9:30-11pm
Bedtime in crates
The reason I like this schedule is that if you have babies in the house your dogs and babies will have no contact if you do not wish it (since by the time the dog(s) get time in the house the babies will be in bed.
Just a thought. Anything is possible if you wish it!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I like the crate idea, but it doesn't work for my dog. I tried to keep him in there, but he would pee/poop in there and just lay in it. After a while I just got tired of cleaning and the smell and out the window that crate went. I will make time to be with him when the babies will be asleep to show that I didn't forget about him. I'm also thinking about getting a dog house and keeping him outside most of the day. Although this will be much harder during the winter.

Doesn't need to be much harder Gene if you do it right....

I found some web sites detailing how to build your own dog house but I added some specs of my own (good insulation etc.) and I'd be happy having the dog live in that over winter or summer.

John

I recall Leerburg having a great layout for the dog house, one that is easy to clean, insulated, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have the link or know where it is on the site now. It was about 5 years ago I remember examining the kennel houses on the site though. Maybe customer service can help you there.

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I recall Leerburg having a great layout for the dog house, one that is easy to clean, insulated, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have the link or know where it is on the site now. It was about 5 years ago I remember examining the kennel houses on the site though. Maybe customer service can help you there.

This thread has some info and links:

http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/showf...rue#Post3472799

Here`s the link to the leerburg dog house dog house <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

"I like the crate idea, but it doesn't work for my dog. I tried to keep him in there, but he would pee/poop in there and just lay in it. After a while I just got tired of cleaning and the smell and out the window that crate went."

IMO there is some underlying management/health issue here. I'm not sure what it is. What you describe is not the normal response of a healthy dog that has its bowel movements etc. managed effectively.

Ideally you'll have your dog house in a kennel, inside a fenced yard.

rgds, andrew may