Im a long time lurker, first time poster! Ive got a lot of great information from this site, and im hoping you all could help me with a few specific problems. Sorry for the long post.

Me and my partner have been together for 11 years and trying for a baby for the most part of that! A year or so ago, we accepted it wouldnt happen, and 4 months ago we adopted our boy Harvey from a resuce. Hes a gorgeous white shortcoat chihuahua, who is about 2 years old. In love with this dude! A couple of months ago, i started feeling weird, long story short - i am pregnant! A natural pregnancy, after all this time, still in shock, but obviously so happy!

So... Harvey has a few problems! He is very nervous and aggressive with other dogs and people, this has gotten a lot worse over the last month, perhaps due to Christmas visitors etc? We have enlisted the help of a behaviouralist (sp?) to get us on the right track. From reading a lot of posts on here, i understand he is scared and it may take some time before he is comfortable enough not to bark and bite when faced with strange people.

I walk him in the morning and evening, and a dog walker comes at lunchtime when im at work, and takes him for an hour, so id say he gets about 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day. He seems content with that, but still has lots of energy left to play! He loves his ballys Harv tends to get over excited aswell and can nip and bark, so we are working on that with tips from this site, but will ask the man we are seeing too.

Harv has been introduced to children, and doesnt do too badly with them. My partners neice is 4 years old, and he seems to really like her, its a nice learning curve teaching him to be gentle to her and her to be gentle to him. He does get over excited with her too and has nipped when playing (i said a loud NO and took him away from the situation), but hasnt shown any signs of proper aggression. I am confident that he will grow up nicely with our baby and we wont have anything to worry about in that respect, although obviously they would never be alone together.

So, my stepmom works with a lady who's mom has a lot of dogs! I think she is classed as a hoarder, and she is having to be moved into care. All the dogs need homes, and she has a long coat chihuahua girl who is nearly 1 year old. Well, i want her, bad. I dont want her to go to a shelter, shes just a baby.

I dont think she has been around a lot of people, but she is ok with other dogs. Obviously i dont think she will have been around children either, so i would need to do a lot of work on that? Not being ok with strangers is ok, as i would just work with her like i am doing with Harvey.

Would it be nice for Harvey to have someone to play with and hang out with, i know hes not good with most dogs, but seems to tolerate small ones better. Ive read on here Chi's like other Chi's better? When i have the baby, Harvey wont get as much attention as he gets now, thats just natural, would another dog in the house help? I have been reading up on introducing dogs to babies, and how to make sure they dont feel left out.

My partner works away during the week, so its just me at home Mon-Fri. Would i be taking on too much with 2 dogs and a baby? We arent made of money, quite the opposite, but we get by. We live in a small house but with quite a big garden - Harvey likes to chase the squirrels hehe! One of the reasons we got a small dog was becuase it was less money to feed lol. He's also insured, £16 a month, so i would need to double this if i got the girl too, right? There arent any real discounts for 2 dogs?

I need to make a decision fairly quickly - partner is no help, says its my decision... men eh

My worry about 1+ baby is compounded when thinking about 2+ baby, but are my worrys enough to warrant not saving this little girl from a shelter?

Welcome to the forum Tracy and congratulations on the baby, that is wonderful news!!!

In a way I think it could be good for Harvey to have another dog about, it would lessen his complete reliance on you for company and entertainment.

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I agree! I got Tia to keep Crackers company and he is so much happier now!

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Thanks Jan896 for the siggy!

Congrats on the baby!

Your Harvey sounds like my Honey, maybe we could marry them off!

I really dont have any advice about whether it would be too much. I know a lot of people on here say 2 is no harder than 1?

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The rescue would be good company for your boy they do tend to like their own breed, I have 5 chis and a 7 month old baby, I was quite concerned how my chis would be but they have been really good with my little girl

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www.teclo.co.uk

Hi, congratulations on your baby news. I don't have any young children as mine are grown up now so can't comment in that respect but just wanted to say that as the mummy of two dogs I do find it easier to have two as they do entertain each other a lot. Also wanted to say that I insure both my dogs with the PDSA and I pay £18 for both on a combined policy. Good luck.

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Willow, Bella & Alfie

I have 3 chis and a 2 year old daughter and they have all been fine and Im the same -they are never left alone together. We have never had an issue.
I would say its def easier to have more than one as when I am busy with my daughter they are not alone and can play and entertain each other. Then when my daughter is in bed the chis know it's their time lol.
U will kno ur self if it's too much for u but generally two or no harder than one.

Good luck and congratulations

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Hi. Welcome to the forum. That's fantastic news! Congratulations on your pregnancy. It's funny how things work out, perhaps your situation is right now for having a baby. I think things happen for a reason. I can't help a great deal but thought I would add my experience oh and say that you sound like a fantastic owner, Harvey is a lucky guy! Mylo isn't good with other dogs, he mostly runs away scared but when we got Willow he was absolutely fine with her. Being scared of dogs hasn't changed but he is fine with Willow. I've found that I actually have to spend less time on the dogs. Obviously bath time every month or two takes longer and cleaning up after them but on a day to day basis they use a lot of energy playing with each other. I have found that it's harder to train with two around unless you separate them or have someone else to focus the other one, unless you're training the same thing. I've been working on recall and Mylo is improving simply because Willow is very good at it and he follows her. I think only you know if you think you would have the time and money to deal with them but I don't suppose you would be thinking about it otherwise? Other than a few initial costs and obviously food and vet bills doubling an extra one doesn't make too much different to cost. It may also help him to have someone else to share attention with before the baby comes and he gets even less attention. I know I feel better when I have to leave the dogs alone now that they have each other.

I think you really need to think about whether you feel you can handle it or not, but I say go for it

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