| no babies or children on my side, but always been interested in this as I plan to have a family in the next 10 years - the lifespan of my dobe!
I believe it depends on your current dobe with children. is he thoroughly socialised and very confident with new people and situations? has he heard the cooing and crying and gurgling of toddlers without barking etc? has he met any young children at all?
I know of some families who wouldn't bat an eyelid placing their babies right beside their dogs, but here in asia, we tend to be a little more conservative. personally, if I had a baby, I wouldn't trust any dog with my baby, even with my supervision. a dog can very suddenly snap at a baby for whatever reason - stolen toy, sudden movement or noise, you never know, no matter how wonderful and well-behaved a dog is. and a baby, unlike an adult or even a child, is essentially helpless against a dog, what more a strong and quick dog like the doberman.
much as I love my dog to bits, I would always place human life above him, and would not place a baby in a potentially dangerous situation like this.
what I would do is to make no-go zones for my dog near the baby, so he will have no chance to bother it, lunge at it, etc. however, I will be sure not to make my dog scared of it either. before arrival of baby, I will play recordings of baby sounds - crying, loud wailing, gurgling, laughing, any sound a baby makes, and if dog is very good with it, praise and treat. make it a very good thing to hear those sounds.
baby crate and toys and milk bottles etc should all be prepared and introduced home before arrival of baby so dobe would not be put off by sudden new arrival of baby things. once baby is delivered, bring home a blanket used by baby to let dog smell, and again make it a highly positive thing.
I hear that when bringing baby home, let somebody else carry baby into the house after you have stepped in and greet your dog like you normally would. having a baby is a big change in your life, and you want to make it as 'normal' as possible for your dog to pre-empt feelings of jealousy or disruption.
once your baby has grown a little older (3 or more), have the child give the dog its dinner by making it sit and stay. use ways to establish that the child is indeed a leader and above the dog, and not for the dog to challenge its authority. it is because of this, I personally have no wish for my child and dog to meet till my child is old enough to establish its authority!
but, this is MY opinion and I like to play it safe. still, I have seen and heard that some families have no qualms at all leaving their toddlers with their dogs, and hear that japanese mothers used to leave their children with their akitas. it's your call. but it's always better to be on the safe side. a dobe, while not an akita or mastiff, is still way bigger, stronger, faster than a small defenceless infant. |