Shikoku with a baby

edited May 2020 in General
Hello friends,

First post and very excited to be a member of the forum.

I've loved the Shikoku for years and do not have one, but am pretty set on getting one in the not too distant future. However, in contacting the breeder, the timing coincides with when my wife and I are planning on starting a family.

I would be grateful to know if anyone can speak to any experiences with a Shikoku puppy and a newborn at around the same time. Are there any concerns with the dog giving up attention? Given that the Shikoku is a prey driven dog (maybe a stupid question) are there any issues over having a small baby in the house?

I've heard that having a dog before a baby can cause jealousy and the dog can become resentful. Is there any merit to this fear? I would love to hear your experiences.

Thank you!

Comments

  • Both newborn and puppy deserve to have your undivided focus during critical early periods of their life. Regardless of breed, I would not have a puppy and an infant at the same time, because one of them will get shorted on the attention it needs to fully thrive (probably the dog). Especially if you haven't had kids before to fully understand and prepare for newborn baby hell, and just how exhausted you will be, I would hold off. You only get one chance to get infancy and puppyhood right.
  • ^ I second above!

    Most new parents I know are beyond exhausted for most of the first year: sleep deprivation knocks you out, and all your remaining energy is focused on either workong, or, focusing on carrying for an infant.

    The last thing you want to do is add a Shikoku puppy -- who are rambunctious little beings (more so than most normal puppies). If you haven't read through any threads yet, a Shikoku is fairly difficult for the first two years on its own, let alone with a new baby to take care of.

    Please also consider that puppies will be chewing and exploring with their mouths. They need time to learn bite inhibition and also won't know for instance that baby skin is more delicate than humans - you wouldn't want to risk any accidents here.

    It's best to wait until your baby is toddler or even older to add a new puppy (when you have time and energy back).
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