Baby on the way but I'm unsure of how my dog will react...any advice?

You would be surprised at how most dogs act when a new baby arrives. My husband and I had a rottie when i got pregnant with my daughter. She was very energetic as well and loved playing and jumping on people. she was good with my boys who were 6 and 7 at the time, but i still feared for the baby once she got home. Turns out, daisy (which was our rottie) took to her almost immediately and became protective over her. anyone that she didn't know that wanted to see the baby, she would stand in between the person and the baby's crib. it was incredible really. you need to wait before thinking about getting a trainer, because the same could happen with your dog. every dog acts differently but most are the same when it comes to babies. it's almost like an instinct that they feel they must protect the baby. she never growled or anything like that...she just stood in between anyone and the baby. i hope things go well. keep us posted definitely. God bless and congratulations on your little one

I am a dog person and I went through those concerns when I was having my first child almost 4 years ago. My dogs are not large or too powerful but I had many concerns. One thing about dogs is that they pick up on your concerns and often can 'read you' so to speak. Your dog will probably surprise you about how well he does with the baby. I recommend that you do what all the books suggest like send a blanket home with someone from the hospital that smells like the baby, etc. And then from the beginning show the dog HOW to be gentle. Dogs want their people's approval more than anything else. Keep being concerned about your dog and give him lots of attention right up until you come home with the baby...... but then, understand that the baby is going to require most of your attention, so make sure you arrange for someone to give the dog extra attention that he is used to getting from you. Congrats on your first baby. I hope you are having a good pregnancy. Best wishes.