We had two three-year-old rescue dogs and two old rescue cats when Baby D was born. Even though the dogs were well-trained (mostly), you never know how your pets are going to react to babies.
Well, in one case we knew. Beowoof (Woofie for short) loved everyone and everything. Especially kids and puppies. The greatest day of Woofie’s life was the day he escaped and went to Science class at the local middle school. Half the kids were on their desks, shrieking, but, as usual, Woofie was convinced everyone loved him.
Woofie had been waiting for his own boy forever. He was gonna be thrilled…as soon as the kid was big enough to play.
I expected Bat Cat and Commando Cat to be utterly indifferent until Baby D was old enough to terrorize them.
My biggest worry was Fey. Fey was half-Chinese Shar-pei, half German-Shepherd. She grew up on the streets of South Central Los Angeles, never sure where her next meal would come from. She warned Woofie off her food when she first arrived, though she did learn to share toys and bully sticks. Fey believed her job was to guard her yard from skateboarders, her mortal enemy the street sweeper, and even human would-be burglars. She was very good at her job.
Fey never bit humans, but she held the gas meter man at bay more than once, barking until I arrived and told her it was okay. Occasionally, she’d issue a soft, warning growl when a human she didn’t know tried to pet her. And although she behaved well with the schoolchildren who hung out on our front steps, Fey only adored a handful of humans.
What would Fey do with a baby?
While I languished in the hospital for days after my emergency C-section, Andy snuck home Baby D’s used swaddling blankets to get the dogs used to baby’s smell. Fey got in two sniffs before Woofie seized the blanket and tried to convince Andy to play tug-o-war.
When Baby D came home, both dogs were very interested. For about five seconds. Then Fey returned to guarding her yard while Woofie begged for tummy rubs.
The cats were more curious. As soon as they discovered Baby D was basically a miniature heating pad, they snuggled up next to him and purred.
Until they discovered the heating pad could turn into miniature banshee, screeching in frustration if he didn’t get enough food. They bolted for their actual heating pad.
Woofie was impervious to Baby D the banshee.
Fey was not. The night five-day-old Baby D went ballistic, Fey appeared next the rocker where I tried in vain to calm the crying baby. Frustrated and crying myself, I found Fey at my side, ears flatly submissive, staring at me.
“Go to bed, Fey,” I sniffled. “Go to bed.”
Fey did not go to bed.
She stayed with me for the next hour or two, until we figured out that yes, our newborn really needed three ounces of formula in addition to breastfeeding. Not until Baby D quit crying did Fey go back to bed.
So it went for the next few months. If Baby D howled at night for more than a few minutes, Fey appeared at my elbow, her eyes big and pleading. She never barked or growled. She never lay down, either. She just sat.
“What do you think she’s doing?” I asked Andy. “Is she worried about the baby?”
Andy shook his head. “I dunno. She always sits with you. Even if I take Baby D.”
I thought of Fey’s imploring eyes, and how her tiny ears were always pulled back. “Oh my God. It’s me. It’s always when I’m angry and frustrated. It’s like she’s coming in all submissive, in order to placate me. ‘Don’t kill the baby, Mom! I know he’s not behaving, but I am! Look, look how submissive I am!’”
From then on, every time Fey came and sat next to me with her worried eyes, I told her, “Don’t worry, Fey. I won’t kill the baby.”
Fey’s presence was helpful. She distracted me from seemingly overwhelming emotions. Her submissive pose always reminded me that I was sending out angry vibes that were impacting others.
Baby D couldn’t tell me that.
Luckily, he had a canine big sister looking out for him.
I love Fey. She’s a smart street dog. Not some prissy thing that gets upset over nothing. Except for the gas meter guy who could be someone impersonating him and a threat.
When people are invited in, Fey never barks at them.
Except one time, with my friend’s father–he used to be a mailman. 🙂
I like Fey too. She is protecting the family who saved her from the streets.
Right? No burglars will ever get past her and no street sweepers, either.
Whaaaaaaaaaah, I die.
Ha, can you imagine MC with a baby?
Wow, I have weirdly never pondered that. I’m pretty sure he would be supremely uninterested. Although come to think of it my friend Michelle does bring her 7-month-old over occasionally. Trixie is curious but scared and eventually runs away. MC takes a quick look at the baby then ignores him and lays down just out of reach.
MC, taunter extraordinaire.
Awwww love seeing the photo of Fey and Woofie!!! Such good babies!
The best!
ooooh. I’m a bit teary over this. I love it when dogs help.
Dogs are pretty amazing. They are so much work to train and care for, and yet they give back such joy.
Great story. What an amazing dog. I always wonder how the relationship between Nico and Baby A. would have been. For sure Baby A. would have been annoying her all the time, hahaha.
Baby D prefers to annoy the cats. Dogs are no challenge.
I love this story, since it demonstrates that even a ‘ghetto elk’ can become a beloved member of the family. Of course it took hours of patience and effort to get a well trained dog, which unfortunately many dog owners don’t realize or are too lazy to get to that point. A dog is a member of the family, usually can’t be left alone for hours on end, poor things go crazy without attention.
Well, I wasn’t always patient. And Fey often got confused during training. But she was such a good dog–she really wanted to please. And if that meant tolerating a baby who climbed on her, that’s what she would do.
Yes, training is very time consuming and sometimes tedious. And you have to know your dog and work with them. I could tell Fey to behave and she absolutely would with a baby. Other dogs might not–my sister had to use the baby giving the dog treats in order for her more high strung dog to get safely acclimated to baby. Some dogs are food motivated, and that makes it so much easier. 🙂
Fey and Woofie are super adorable. I prefer dogs than human-beings. They are way less demanding. Maybe I’ll adopt an AI baby bot. It’ll be interesting to observe my pet dog’s reaction to AI bot. I think the dog will like the bot because I saw him getting all excited with the blue light emitted by the vacuum cleaner bot.
Sometimes I like dogs better than humans, too. Nothing beats coming through the door to a dog that is deliriously excited to see you.
Even if you were only outside for five minutes watering plants.
When I came home with my son, my dachshund would whine and be desperate to sniff him. When we finally let her sniff him, she began licking him and she tried to bite him, although she didn’t succeed luckily. For her and mine son, the relationship was pretty rocky. She at least learned to tolerate him and doesn’t growl at him. He is three, brings her food, always worries about her. Perhaps it’s good that he is learning that he can’t charm everyone and that he has to work hard for people or pets to like him.
You’re right, that is not a bad thing.
Dachshunds can be tricky–bred to go into holes and battle badgers, they have to be fierce fighters, sometimes with more fight than sense.
Aw this is a very sweet story… makes me realize just how important it is to have a pet! They give a certain kind of companionship and support that can’t be matched. Fey is such a sweet dog.
I love how you described the cats though, haha… they’re only there for you (or the baby) if they can get something out of it (warmth from baby)… otherwise, they’re out!
Was Andy always into pets?
Andy always loved dogs.
He has learned to love cats. Or he lies very well.