I’ve just found out I’m pregnant (very early on so who knows what can happen at this stage, if I am being realistic but I am thinking about the potential future), and I have a 6 month old Bernese mountain dog. He is wonderful most of the time, but he is incredibly strong and boisterous and he loves to play – and bite – mostly biting me over my partner. I am working on my reactions to his biting (not giving him attention, time outs, reverse time outs, distractions) and make sure he’s playing and exercised enough, etc.
I work from home so I spend the most time with him, and I know a lot of his naughty behaviour does get exacerbated when I can’t pay attention to him and I’m getting stressed because I’m trying to work. But I am trying to get better! I also recently broke my foot so I can’t take him out for his usual lunchtime walk, so he has been a bit more hyper than usual.
We’ve been doing the training ourselves, and he’s nailed a few things, but there’s definitely room for improvement. He’ll be 15 months in 9 months’ time, and we’ve been recommended not to get him neutered til 18 months. I don’t know what to expect when his hormones kick in.
Anyway, all this to say I just don’t know how being pregnant, dealing with his teenage months and then having a newborn and a 15 month old giant dog are all going to mix. My partner is being practical about how difficult it will be, but straight off the bat there’s no way I want to even consider rehoming my puppy. I want him to be the best dog he can by the time the baby arrives!
Has anyone been in a similar position and have any advice?
submitted by /u/MuffinSpecialist9076
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