El Bebé y El Perro

“Until someone is breaking down the door, I don’t want to hear about it.” She calls from the couch in a weak attempt to train the dog not to bark at passersby. He’s ripped pants, chased people down the street, and barked at perceived threats (including such dangers as leaves falling in the yard and mild-mannered delivery drivers).

All of that to say, I was a little nervous about how Dallas would handle a baby. Would he also try to protect him at all costs or would he get jealous of how much attention he got?

I spent a lot of time preparing him and the house for the arrival of our new family member.

I assess Dallas’ energy level before putting them together to prevent accidents - if he’s too hyper it could lead to getting too rough with the baby, stepping on a hand, etc.

Based on Poppy’s current developmental stage, I make adjustments to ensure his safety. When he started sitting up on his own, Dallas had to be careful not to knock over The Wobbler. Now that he’s inchworming around (lying on his belly and using his arms to pull himself forward), he wants to grab the dog’s tail. Luckily, Dallas likes this and rewards Poppy with kisses.

I can’t imagine ever letting my guard down or leaving them alone together, but I’m encouraged that we can spend time as a family.