X-Post: Q for those with dogs.

[Songbird_kay]

Have you noticed a difference in the behavior of your dogs? Usually my female dog is stuck to my side especially when we are sleeping, but for the last couple weeks she has been keeping her distance... it's really odd. And my boy (a JRT) is generally pretty independant and he has been bugging me constantly. He wants me to play with him and pet him all the time OR he is trying to sit/sleep between my legs (in my crotch) and groom my face! What gives??

[icy_kat]

With Zora, we had gotten our big dog just a couple weeks before I conceived. He went from playing rough with me to not. This time he is completely disregarding my role as master. I haven't noticed any difference with our little dog.

[CoffeeCat]

My male cat Elvis always wants to sidle up to me and lay near my stomach when I'm pregnant. He is friendly already, but he doesn't choose to cuddle with me as much as he does when I'm expecting. I have also read about animals sensing when labor is imminent by going nuts, running laps around the expectant mother's legs, etc, suggesting they respond to that hormonal shift, but I never had that experience personally.

[Suja]

Mine did nothing differently, but I've known dogs that seemed to know that something was up.

[As Is]

Mine ignored me in the beginning with Mason but as we went along and esp. towards the end they were completely attached and even more protective of the door and yard and would nuzzle me when I'd my hormone charged tear ducts overflowed, lol.
All our dogs passed last spring and I've been really missing them this week. Mason snuggles are super but there's something about comfort from your concerned 4-legged companion that's just soothing.

[HisWifeHerMom]

Bella My lab has gotten ALOT more protective over Katrina and I but our new dog loves my belly and hes 6 weeks

ETA: We have been leaving alot of baby scented items around more now too, to help adjust the dogs

[MamaMisty]

I knew that I should probably test when I added my symptoms up and that my dog a bordercollie/lab would sit and stare at me then want to put her head in my lap.

[momma_k807]

I have a male dog and every time I've been pregnant he turns into a huge lap dog. My first two pregnancies he would just lay on my pelvic area (he is like maybe 10 pounds). He tries now but it's a little hard with a two year old running around and chasing him.


Side note...
One thing I found interesting was how anti-baby stuff he was when we were bringing baby things into the house, it made him so nervous. He wouldn't even go in the baby's room or anywhere near anything baby we brought home. I thought we were going to have issues when I brought the baby home. I even had DH bring home a blanket from the hospital and our dog hid from it. And wouldn't come out into the living room which is were DH had the blanket. I was really nervous about bringing the baby home. When we brought the baby home we just put the car seat in the middle of the floor and let the dog come up at his will to the baby. He came right up and sniffing him and then started kissing his feet. From that day on there has not been a baby when DS wasn't "his baby", he is so protective and when DS cries even to this day he will start to whimper. However I will say there is nothing more annoying than a dog crying right along with your newborn all hours of the night :)

[EvaElizabeth]

I have a two year old dachshund who insists on laying/sitting on my belly at all times. She was a very clingy dog before, but now she is 10 x worse.

[Rae_1478]

So this was my in-laws dog but we get together a LOT and Tucker adored me (for reasons I still don't understand since I am definitely a cat person). He always greeted me but when we spent a weekend up North with them all early early in my pregnancy, he would not leave my side. I laid down outside, he came and laid right next to me. Even at Christmas (just barely into 2nd tri), even with all the people and other dogs to play with, he only really left to beg food at dinner time. Then he just put his head in my lap. My in-laws had to put him down New Years Eve, so I don't have any experience past this, but I KNOW small children and animals sense pregnancy in some sort of 6th sense.

[froggie83]

i have one independant pain in the butt bratty girl dog that doesn't care about anyone but herself so she does not act different when i am pg and i also have a lazy good for nothing boy dog that spends all day in his bed sleeping he is only up for feedings and to potty... then he is right back to sleep. he could also care less if i am pg or not.