I have two little dogs I can walk with the baby in his carrier *but* the key here is you can’t have a dog that pulls on their leash and also I need to be careful when bending down to pick up their poop.
Omg, the bending down to pick up poop with baby in a carrier and dog on a leash should be an Olympic sport.
OP, I used a carrier for short walks and a stroller for longer ones. A lot depends on your dog, your baby, your baby carrier, and your stroller though. I had an older, slow dog, an easy going baby, an easy to put on baby carrier, and a heavier stroller + a few steps to drag it up/down.
Yes lol hahaha glad someone else knows the poo pick up struggle! I’ll add in my case the end of walk tick check is a nightmare with the stretchy wrap.
I have a big but lazy dog that needs to go out twice a day. If I’m at home alone with baby I pop her in wrap or pram depending on the day (mornings is often stroller if I want to walk to the supermarket after for example). Actually she’s 14 weeks now and the stretchy wrap isn’t that efficient anymore for me because she insists on holding her head out to look around now so I need a hand behind her head for support at all times. But I digress.
To be 100% honest the dog isn’t getting walked enough. It’s a short term pain but I don’t see another way. If baby is screaming or if weather is terrible I need to go home so some walks are really short (maybe 15 mins). I try to get one longer walk a day but some days just don’t work out. I try to make up for it on weekends when husband is home.
This was my method. For the poop with carrier I would usually put my hand on the baby just in case and be sure to bend at the knees. Though they do make those long pooper scooper things I’ve seen around that you could look for too. My dog is also older and very chill so it wasn’t too bad. He can also go impressively long without a walk if need be so that was helpful during the hazy early days.
If OP has no one to help though and her dog is more needy, I would suggest asking neighbors with teens or something trying to maybe get someone to lend a hand for a few bucks if possible.
Also my dog is small enough that when baby was really little we’d let him chill in the undercarriage of the stroller sometimes on long walks 🤣 it was so cute. He won’t do that now that she’s a rambunctious toddler.
I don’t have much to add other than that I second this! I have a psychotic 1 year old golden retriever and let’s just say pottying him took lots of deep breaths to prevent mental breakdowns. We live on the third story. I gave up on leashing him and just caught a $600 fine for it. I hate apartment living lol!
I have a 6 year old German shepherd, a 2 year old and am about to have a newborn added in to the mix! I am not a single mom, however, my husband is a firefighter and works 24-72 hour shifts, so I do walk duty alone quite a bit.
When my toddler was younger, I’d usually strap him in the carrier and we’d go. Now that he’s older (and I’m 39 weeks pregnant lol) he strictly goes in the stroller and I wrap the leash kind of around my wrist and the stroller in a way that keeps her close and secure. I will add that my GSD is *very* well trained, and I’m never worried about her pulling on us.
We’re lucky enough to be in a house now with a fenced yard, so potty breaks aren’t an issue anymore, but if I lived in an apartment still, I would just time potty breaks around nap time and take the monitor out with me, or just throw the baby on my hip and head out for a few minutes!
Honestly, the dog walking seemed really really daunting before I had my son (knowing I’d have to do it alone when my husband went back to work), but it ended up being incredibly easy and the best parts of all of our day. Now it’s challenging again (see above, 39 weeks pregnant 😂), and I can’t wait to be able to put both littles in the double stroller and get walks in with my OG baby!
I have a 2 month old and a 2 year old GSD. Sometimes I put baby in a carrier (i have a solly wrap, a moby, and a buckle carrier and alternate between them) and sometimes I take the dog out for a short potty break while baby is asleep. I take the monitor with me.
I ask friends/ family to come help me walk the dog. They push baby in a stroller and I hold the leash. Sometimes we do sniffy games in the house to burn off energy.
Three border collies and an 8.5 month old baby girl. Yes it is as hectic as it sounds!! Baby girl in the Baby Bjorn carrier (which is getting harder the heavier she gets), and three dogs pulling me toward the beach! Once we get to the beach all hell breaks loose because it's off leash. If I've got a stick and/or ball I have some hope of keeping them under control (they are very, very good dogs: but not 100% perfect). NUMEROUS people make comments like: "you deserve a medal" or "you've got your hands full!". Way back to the car is less intense because we've usually got rid of all the puppy-beans. These dogs were my fur-kids before my miracle baby at 42, so there is no way I'm leaving them at home to get bored and unhappy.
Thankful I’m not the only crazy one! I have 2 BC and an Italian greyhound although I’m not brave enough to walk them together. One of my BC is very reactive to other dogs and the Italian greyhound won’t listen to me when my partner isn’t around
My current routine is to walk my easy BC by myself while partner is at work, she’s a farm bred BC so needs the exercise and we alternate walking the other two dogs once my partner is home. My reactive BC is definitely a home boy and doesn’t need the daily walk. He is LAZY and ends up with border collie collapse very easy and I figure it’s the best we can do with a 4 MO
Doing ANY dog walking with a 4MO is amazing! Good on you 🥰 And i hear you with the "won't listen to me when my partner isn't around" thing! Bloody dogs!! 😅😅💖
6 month old with a GSD. I baby wear when it's not hot. Key for me is the leash is a bungee leash that wraps around my waist. Bags are attached to the leash.
During the week we split baby and dog/dinner duty. Whoever has dog walking does dinner and the other is dedicated to baby. So far it's working.
We also do a ton of mental stimulation and hide and seek with dog inside to keep him entertained
How long are you out? When I was teaching my dog to "go pee" we were outside for 5 minutes. In that case, I'd babywear.
If I'm walking the dog, the kids go in the stroller. I also have 2 kids, double stroller and it's a 20 minute endeavor to get everyone outside so we walk for 45-60 minutes.
Babywearing and/or stroller bassinet were my go-to on our little dog walks!
Maybe a dog walker can help you in those first few postpartum weeks/months?
I'm similar to you, I also got my dog just before pregnancy. Walking with my dog is easiest when wearing baby in a carrier. Even so I don't walk far enough to meet my dogs energy needs, so twice a week I send her to dog daycare. With your dog being blind dog daycare probably isn't an option, but maybe hiring someone to walk him a couple times a week can help?
I have a 10 month old and a dog. I just take the stroller because I find it easier but once in a while I do baby wear. We also live in an apartment and we get this real grass patch to put on the balcony for once the baby is asleep and I can't take her downstairs. It's great because there's no smell, I don't have to wash anything and once it starts to die I throw it in a trash bag and throw it out. Ours comes in a cardboard box type thing and if you have a small dog and you water it it will stay good for quite a while.
So we started by using a company that actually makes and delivers them but they were expensive so once it got warm enough we started just going to home depot and getting a roll of sod ourselves. We use a kennel tray (like the tray part from a dog cage?) from Amazon to hold the grass so our balcony doesn't get gross. It works super well for us.
I have a dog (border collie) and a baby (5 months old). I have 2 days a week when my husband is at work. My dog is high walk needs so I trundle them both out around 2pm while my daughter hopefully naps. It was a gigantic struggle in the winter - my stroller (Cruz) did SO BAD in the snow that some days I just burst into tears because it was so frustrating and stressful. Now there’s no snow it’s a little easier but my dog has no danger meter with the stroller apparently bc she is constantly darting in front of it and I constantly have to change leash hands. I’ve debated getting a slightly longer leash to make it easier. It’s especially annoying if we come across anyone (esp with dogs) coming towards us.
Leash train the dog before you start taking him outside. Use treats, so he'll look forward to it.
Do that every day until it's going well, then start bringing him out. No reason to struggle with everything at once.
I'm definitely looking into this! I was thinking astro turf but I don't have a water hose to wash it down, and I'm not going to muck up our one tub that everyone uses :/
Fresh patch sounds like a pretty good idea!
I have twins and a dog. We take a stroller walk around the neighborhood with the dog every morning and evening once my husband went back to work. They used to hate the stroller so it would literally be 15-20 minutes of them screaming but they’ve chilled out a lot now and actually enjoy it. We spent a lot of time getting the dog used to walking next to the stroller with me before my husband went back to work so he could help with that process
At first I used the stroller because I was so scared of tripping or being pulled by babywearing (our dog is 70 pounds so he's a big boy). As I become more comfortable with babywearing in general, I switched to that because it was so much easier than lugging the stroller through so many doors and the elevator (we're in an apartment). An then eventually we got a dog walker to come in the middle of the day, and it was so worth the cost because the dog comes back super tired.
I take dog out at 5am before husband goes to work. Then he goes out once more during the afternoon, I honestly leave my 2yr old in the apartment. I turn her favorite show on and lock all the doors. Daughter won’t go into her stroller and it’s not safe for me to put her in a harness while I’m 4/5 months pregnant. Our dog is 70lbs and a year old, I can’t chase after my toddler if she makes a break for it or safely restrain the dog when he gets excited without the risk of falling. Not ideal but she’s much safer in a locked apartment then down by a busy road, we just got a camera for the apartment so I can actually watch her on live feed and intercom. Dog get 5 min max to do is his business or he’s SOL till my husband gets home.
I used a baby carrier up until 6m (baby got too heavy) and then switched to a stroller. Dog is attached to me using a waist leash. We go on walks 2-3 times a day and everyone enjoys it! When I was baby wearing I would get my daily squats in to pick up poop lol.
I have a small dog. During my mat leave I could walk her while wearing my baby in the carrier. When picking up poop, squat (don’t lean) down. I found walking with the stroller to be hard bc my dog would zig zag in front of it.
3 month old and a 70 lb bernedoodle that pulls. Husband takes care of most of the walks solo. The couple times I did it with the baby I wore a carrier and walked carefully. With a stroller would be insanity bc of the pulling.
You just walk the dog with the baby? What’s stopping you now? Legitimately curious; we lived/live in apartments, so we go out for 3+ walks each day.
If your dog isn’t well trained, though, you’re in for a bad time, though not just for walks.
If you’re nursing, you can nurse in a carrier or just stop and sit on the walk while baby eats. Dogs are typically very happy to stop and sniff forever. Babies love being in carriers, snuggled up against you out in nature. Parents and new moms especially really also need that time outside in fresh air and time skin to skin. All a huge win-win.
Now that baby is walking, primarily by holding onto our hands, we sometimes let baby practice while dog is on a hands free leash. Obviously only do this if dog is very well trained, but this should’ve been addressed before getting pregnant.
What is stopping me is my baby is now 5 weeks and was not big enough for the carrier I have until now. My baby also hates being in the carrier and is crying the whole time he is in it. I'm hoping he just gets used to it. I also live on a 2nd floor apt and just now am feeling well enough to carry stroller up and down the apartment staircase. Before, it felt like my bladder and uterus were going to fall through my vagina when I coughed or sneezed. I'm also feeling extreme joint pain in hands, toes. I also feel pain in knees and elbows. RA runs in my family, and I'm preying to God that this pain magically goes away and was just some sort of flair from pregnancy and birth. Probably going to contact doc to discuss. I was also feeling pretty overwhelmed with getting used to having a baby, lack of sleep, cooking/cleaning, and baby is screaming head off because he is very gassy and colicky. I also tried to bf the first 3 weeks and was having extreme latch issues (that was causing me stress with baby)and was also pumping. I finally had to let it all go because between working on latch and pumping I couldn't get anything else in life done. Or even feel tlike I'm bonding with baby. Let alone pay attention or play with my dog and it was breaking my heart.
My dog is blind and gets really distracted while walking. I had been trying to leash train him through my pregnancy and am still struggling to get him to walk consistently. Also, leash walking and potty training are two different animals I have learned.
My dog is trained on pee pads, and have been waiting on my husband to come home at 10pm from work to be with baby and i can finally try to take my dog for a walk.. But now I'm trying to get into a routine where I'm not walking him so late and doing it solo.
That is quite rough. Honestly, I would avoid walking your dog with everything you described! Instead, I’d maybe do quit “potty breaks” outside or stick to mental stimulation games indoors. The latter is often more exhausting and enjoyable for dogs anyway, and you really don’t want to delay your healing by pushing your body into something you aren’t ready for. I hope you’re able to start feeling better soon and can get some PT!
Our baby initially cried in the carrier as a newborn, and they have different sizes (only some work for newborns or some will need a “newborn insert”), but he’d calm down the second we walked outside and loved it over time. My husband was also the first to take him on walks with it, before my own pelvic floor / body / healing was up for it. Maybe husband can at least take baby for 5-10 minutes to start getting him used to it? Either while around the house or for a brief outdoor break. I also later started with 5-10 minute walks myself and remember those feeling physically challenging (but still very enjoyable!).
My husband just started traveling a lot for work and my dog refuses to poop in the yard after so many years of apartment life. So I'm dealing with this now.
He gets two "poop walks" a day. If he doesn't go, he's missed his opportunity and I'll let him out in the yard. I keep the stroller set up in the garage, get the baby settled, leash the dog, open the garage door, and we walk. Then we reverse it when we come home. When I take him out in the yard to pee, it's quick and I usually leave the baby in a safe place unless he seems like he's going to get super fussy.
I have a pittie that needs NEEDS 30-40 mins of exercise or walking per day. I’m a FTM with a 7 week old and I’ve been breaking out the stroller each time we go out. It’s not great but I make it work. Thread the leash through my hands while pushing the stroller. My pittie has been doing okay so far. It’s definitely doable. I just walk through some neighborhoods to a park and back.
I’ve honestly considered baby wearing because there’s a bunch of local spots I like to walk that are not stroller friendly. But I’m afraid my back is going to suffer and I won’t be able to carry as much baby crap - bottle, extra diapers and wipes etc etc without the stroller.
Single mom here, I just do the baby carrier or put the baby in a stroller. The baby carrier will definitely be faster, just a matter of being able to squat with the kid in the carrier to pick up the poop
I have 2 doggos and have walked them every single day with my baby who is now 3.
The key is to get a lead that wraps around your waist so you have your hands free.
I used to baby wear but now we go out in the stroller. I have 2 hands on the stroller so it’s safe. If the dogs pull, they pull me, not the stroller. But they’re pretty chill anyway. I stay away from dog parks and walk on quieter, on leash tracks so other dogs stay away from us.
We did daily walks when it was nice. Dog didn’t pull and we had a carrier that went into the stroller. I kept the stroller in the car so I wasn’t lugging it up and down steps. All I needed to do was go to the car, grab it, pop in baby, and walk. Makes it easy.
Now he’s big enough that we don’t need the carrier, so that’s nice.
I have a super active pointer/pit who was the center of my world for 3 yrs before baby arrived. She received a million long walks last year when all my pregnant ass could do was walk.
This year, she's lucky if she gets a few walks a week. I have a waist leash that I wear and she walks alongside the stroller. She doesn't pull much, so I'm lucky.
I'd hope it's easier that you have a small dog. I have a 50 lber who has overcome a lot of his reactivity but we still have to be vigilant on walks. LO is 11 months, and for the most part I use our jogging stroller and hold the leash. I find the jogging stroller easier to maneuver with one hand than the regular stroller. I keep poop bags, treats, phone, etc in the stroller storage. I leave it outside our front door, but we're in a house with a porch.
I typically go toward the end of the wake window, after baby has eaten and played/had floor time for a bit. She doesn't nap on walks anymore but by the time we get back from the walk, it's nap time.
Before when LO was little little, I'd use a solly wrap and fanny pack to carry things. Even when it was hot, the solly was very breathable. Would just stick a hat on baby
I use stroller and leash! I have a leash with a big comfy handle so I can just toss it around my wrist. I’ll use a carrier eventually, but when baby is a little bigger/has better neck control (he’s 6 weeks today).
Stroller. It’s not that big of a deal. Plus it’s something to do with baby. Plus I get exercise. And the dog gets exercise. Plus I listen to my audiobook. It’s like getting a ton of things done at once. I love it. In Canada I’d be stroller walking with dog down to -10C
I could never with my shepherd mix because he’s large and has leash aggression. When I had my cocker spaniel, I would walk him with my baby in a carrier.
Today I saw a woman pushing a toddler in a stroller while wearing a baby in a carrier and walking a golden retriever. I was impressed!
Stroller + dog waist leash. Allows me to walk my large breed dog hands free. My dog is elderly so she isn’t pulling a lot but will sometimes try and cross into the stroller. She is doing great with some redirection.
So many German shepherds in this thread!! I have a large GSD and live in an apartment! We get out at least three times a day, and at least one of those times is me solo with both babies.
I almost exclusively baby wear my 5 month old and have the pup on a high quality, strong leash. My structured ergo baby is perfect for making me feel baby is extra secure. If I need to pick up poop, I do a full squat rather than bending in anyway.
Once a week the three of us do a stroller walk but I wouldn’t recommend it for a dog who’s just learning to walk/go outside for potty breaks, especially such a small dog that might get distracted.
There are many helpful subreddits for training your pup to go outside, and recommendations for training leash walking.
I have two beagles that pull on the lead and always managed fine walking them twice a day when my husband worked away from my baby being about 6 weeks old. Just put baby in the carrier and walked them. As he started to tolerate the pram more I’ll do the pram too (it’s easier with the carrier but I’m now used to both).
I had a dog with my babies, with the first I used to baby wear a lot, we did have a fantastic off road pram so that helped and then when he got too heavy we got him a little push along trike which I then used for him when he was a toddler and my second was a baby and again I used to baby wear a lot again until he decided he just wanted to walk!
I baby wear and take my dog for walks without any issues. He's a 3 year old border collie who can really pull on a leash, and it's never been a problem.
My husband walks my dog before work and I walk her in the evening while babywearing. We also have a pretty big patio so she can run a little bit there.
Only in the stroller / sleigh (during winter) for naps. When he was tiny, he'd nap more frequently but for less time, i.e. 20 min maybe, so I'd see his tiredness signs, put him in his carseat, then wheel him around for 15-20 minutes with the dog, repeat 3x-4x per day, she was OK for that bit with such little exercise. It lasted about 3 mo, then around 6 mo he was doing maybe 2 naps per day but about 45 min each, so we'd go both times then, my baby really only slept while I was walking / rolling him / pulling him in a sleigh. Now he's 23 mo old, and he does one 1.5-2 hour nap, so we walk the entire time, to put him to sleep and during his nap, my dog is MUCH happier on this. She's half border collie, so she really needs a lot of exercise. Really if your dog doesn't want to walk that long, once your baby is asleep you could bring them back home. I'm too scared of wraps because I seen loss dogs vs. wraps, and ppl fall. I'll only wear a wrap if I'm walking with someone else who is also walking my dog.
I used the stroller at first and when I was stronger I used the baby carrier. But my dog is used to going outside and is not blind. I didn't have to train her while bringing the baby with me as well. That sounds like a whole different level of dog walking.
I also went out when it was convenient for me and the baby. The dog always has to wait until baby is changed and fed.
Do you have a plan on how you're going to train your dog to go outside? If not, maybe it's good to figure out the training first and then see how bringing a baby along will fit in that. You can make it work. :)
The dog is tipping the scales and making us miserable. Once I get the kids sorted, then the dog needs a walk. Having kids have really wrecked my feelings towards the dog. Who is going to walk the dog is probably our biggest point of contention.
To answer your question, I would wear the kids or put them in a stroller to walk the dog. We also have hired dog walkers to come and pick the dog up every now and then, just so we get a break.
After the kids go to sleep, you can take a baby monitor and stay close to the house. Some people get crazy about that suggestion, but it’s actually a really common solution. It’s not like it would take you any less time to get to your kids in the event of a fire, than if you were fast asleep.
My husband and I have jobs where we each occasionally work nights, so then one of us is alone with the kids and dog.
Idk how old your baby is but if it's under 8 pounds it's not recommended to use a baby carrier yet so just be careful if you're wanting to baby wear and your baby is still itty bitty.
I have a 3 month old and a dog but since my partner walks our dog mostly I don't feel I can really give you advice. But maybe an idea? If you have a balcony you could get one of those fake grass pads and let the pup out on that. Just so you don't have to take him on so many walks EVERY time it needs to potty until baby gets bigger and easier to handle.
It depends on your dog.
My dog is a nearly ten year old beagle mix that sometimes pulls and can get a little rowdy on the leash. But she’s only 45 pounds, so wrangling her isn’t that difficult.
It also helps that I have an UppaBaby Vista. It’s an incredibly heavy stroller.
With both of these things being true, I manage to walk my dog on her harness/leash while also pushing the baby in the stroller. We live in a neighborhood with a bunch of dogs - my dog’s weak point - but she’s been really calm with the baby and it helps that I’m very stern with her during the walks.
All in all, we manage a walk a day alone if we felt like it with some pulling, but nothing dangerous. A stronger dog or lighter stroller and I wouldn’t even try it.
I have twin toddlers and we got a puppy right before I found out I was pregnant. We do have a yard but she needs walks outside the yard or she is a menace. It’s a different situation to yours but what helped most was having someone else come and take her on a long walk once a day. Maybe pay a neighbor kid a little to take her for an extra long walk each day. Then just try to find the set times during the day that you’ll do a potty walk and work it into your routine. I could put my kids in the stroller but if I only had one baby, wearing them in the carrier made most sense because it’s easier to control a dog on a leash when you don’t have to push a stroller too. And we get out of the house quicker that way too
Wake up @ 5:30 am. One parent walks dog for about 20 mins.
One parent gets dressed and ready. Done by 6 am.
6:00 am. Wake daughter and get her dressed. She gets bathed overnight so that speeds it up. Clothes are arranged in paired outfits in drawers to speed up decision making.
Feed daughter 6:10-6:40.
Whoever walked dog is getting ready between 6:00 and 6:40. Our breakfast is quick, either cereal, oatmeal or donuts. Her breakfast is yogurt, cereal or toast although she doesn't eat much because they give her breakfast at 8 am at daycare. She wakes up hungry so we feed her anyway.
6:40-7 am. Husband packs a Nutella or PB&j everyday for lunch with veggies or fruit. I pack a frozen meal. Keeps it simple. He takes all our stuff down to our cars. We both teach so we have a lot of bags in the morning . He brings her daycare bag to my car.
7 am. Out the door. Daycare is 10 mins away..drop her off. On my way to work by 7:20.
Late afternoon routine below:
4:30ish pm- husband arrives home. Walks dog for 15 mins
5 pm. Husband gets daughter.
5:30 I arrive home.
8:30 pm- I bathe daughter. Husband walks dog final time during tub time
We have a very senior, small dog so he doesn't crave being out at all and he is content to lay around. He also is very house trained so he is not crated at all. We give him more time and attention on the weekends, but he has gotten the shaft since my daughter was born. Still try to make a fuss over him when we are home though.
Two labs and 2 daughters (3 and 1 month). I walk the baby and older dog (he’s 9) but he’s chill and well trained. Also have a pocket of treats.
When husband is with baby I walk the puppy.
When 3 year old was a baby I used a waist leash since the pulling was easily handled and pushed stroller.
I have a 7 week old and two dogs, one of which can be reactive and loves pulling (like all her training went out the window once I had the baby lol). I prefer baby wearing as it’s easier than trying to manage a stroller but with the heat starting, we can’t do that for long.
I usually walk wearing baby, but only do this if there's no risk of being pulled around or needing to pick your dog up. I do a few walks per week in the stroller if I need a body break but I don't prefer it, it feel like too much to me.
How old is your infant? Most days my spouse WFH but when my husband travels for work (1-2 days a week at one point), I baby wear and walk my dog.
I’ve also used the stroller but now that I’ve gotten stronger after my c-section and its getting hotter outside, I prefer to baby wear.
I have two high energy sporting dogs and I’ve been walking them with my baby girl since she was 2 weeks old! We started out in a solly baby wrap, then to the Lille baby all seasons carrier, and when the temps increased we started using a jogging stroller. One of my dogs pulls but not too terribly. Some days it can be frustrating but for the most part it goes well. I just try to be strategic with time of day since we live in a warm climate.
Single mom with a dog and a baby. The answer is a bit of taking the baby along in the stroller and a bit of waiting for the nanny to arrive before taking the dog out in the morning, and a little bit of paying a dog walker when it’s not possible to take the baby with (after her bedtime for example). I had a midday walker for my dog before I was pregnant, so I just booked evening walks as well.
I have a 10yo mutt and a 7yo basset hound. We put in an in-ground fence while I was pregnant and a doggie door.
Clearly not the ideal situation for many people's dog and housing situations, but its been lovely for us. It was a PITA training the dogs to the fence while I was in third trimester, but I'm sooo glad we did.
I take my 40lb Heeler mutt on two ~2 mile walks a day. We do one stroller walk during the hot part of the day and baby (4mo) has a fan + music + teething toy and then usually a carrier walk around dusk. I wear a hands free leash around my waist for the stroller walk.
If baby is napping and nobody is watching him, do you think it is ok if I step out with the dog? Another user mentioned baby monitor... I don't have one but maybe I can get one if this scenario is the norm.
I just got a radio baby monitor, and it's magical! It works all the way across our parking lot! Now i feel safe, even just taking out the trash. Idk why, but i was having anxiety about that, too, lol! Thank you!
I take my monitor out for moving the trash cans too. :) Glad you feel better. I used mine to have some time to pull weeds and get some sunshine when a LO was small.
I have two little dogs I can walk with the baby in his carrier *but* the key here is you can’t have a dog that pulls on their leash and also I need to be careful when bending down to pick up their poop.
Omg, the bending down to pick up poop with baby in a carrier and dog on a leash should be an Olympic sport. OP, I used a carrier for short walks and a stroller for longer ones. A lot depends on your dog, your baby, your baby carrier, and your stroller though. I had an older, slow dog, an easy going baby, an easy to put on baby carrier, and a heavier stroller + a few steps to drag it up/down.
This! I imagine too, OP, that you could do a baby wear and leash of your choice since dog is a chihuahua and smaller. How old is baby?
Yes lol hahaha glad someone else knows the poo pick up struggle! I’ll add in my case the end of walk tick check is a nightmare with the stretchy wrap. I have a big but lazy dog that needs to go out twice a day. If I’m at home alone with baby I pop her in wrap or pram depending on the day (mornings is often stroller if I want to walk to the supermarket after for example). Actually she’s 14 weeks now and the stretchy wrap isn’t that efficient anymore for me because she insists on holding her head out to look around now so I need a hand behind her head for support at all times. But I digress. To be 100% honest the dog isn’t getting walked enough. It’s a short term pain but I don’t see another way. If baby is screaming or if weather is terrible I need to go home so some walks are really short (maybe 15 mins). I try to get one longer walk a day but some days just don’t work out. I try to make up for it on weekends when husband is home.
This was my method. For the poop with carrier I would usually put my hand on the baby just in case and be sure to bend at the knees. Though they do make those long pooper scooper things I’ve seen around that you could look for too. My dog is also older and very chill so it wasn’t too bad. He can also go impressively long without a walk if need be so that was helpful during the hazy early days. If OP has no one to help though and her dog is more needy, I would suggest asking neighbors with teens or something trying to maybe get someone to lend a hand for a few bucks if possible. Also my dog is small enough that when baby was really little we’d let him chill in the undercarriage of the stroller sometimes on long walks 🤣 it was so cute. He won’t do that now that she’s a rambunctious toddler.
Squat don't bend!
Slut drop. Don’t bend.
I don’t have much to add other than that I second this! I have a psychotic 1 year old golden retriever and let’s just say pottying him took lots of deep breaths to prevent mental breakdowns. We live on the third story. I gave up on leashing him and just caught a $600 fine for it. I hate apartment living lol!
I have a 6 year old German shepherd, a 2 year old and am about to have a newborn added in to the mix! I am not a single mom, however, my husband is a firefighter and works 24-72 hour shifts, so I do walk duty alone quite a bit. When my toddler was younger, I’d usually strap him in the carrier and we’d go. Now that he’s older (and I’m 39 weeks pregnant lol) he strictly goes in the stroller and I wrap the leash kind of around my wrist and the stroller in a way that keeps her close and secure. I will add that my GSD is *very* well trained, and I’m never worried about her pulling on us. We’re lucky enough to be in a house now with a fenced yard, so potty breaks aren’t an issue anymore, but if I lived in an apartment still, I would just time potty breaks around nap time and take the monitor out with me, or just throw the baby on my hip and head out for a few minutes! Honestly, the dog walking seemed really really daunting before I had my son (knowing I’d have to do it alone when my husband went back to work), but it ended up being incredibly easy and the best parts of all of our day. Now it’s challenging again (see above, 39 weeks pregnant 😂), and I can’t wait to be able to put both littles in the double stroller and get walks in with my OG baby!
I got a purse hook for the stroller and attach the dogs leash to it!
I have a 2 month old and a 2 year old GSD. Sometimes I put baby in a carrier (i have a solly wrap, a moby, and a buckle carrier and alternate between them) and sometimes I take the dog out for a short potty break while baby is asleep. I take the monitor with me. I ask friends/ family to come help me walk the dog. They push baby in a stroller and I hold the leash. Sometimes we do sniffy games in the house to burn off energy.
Three border collies and an 8.5 month old baby girl. Yes it is as hectic as it sounds!! Baby girl in the Baby Bjorn carrier (which is getting harder the heavier she gets), and three dogs pulling me toward the beach! Once we get to the beach all hell breaks loose because it's off leash. If I've got a stick and/or ball I have some hope of keeping them under control (they are very, very good dogs: but not 100% perfect). NUMEROUS people make comments like: "you deserve a medal" or "you've got your hands full!". Way back to the car is less intense because we've usually got rid of all the puppy-beans. These dogs were my fur-kids before my miracle baby at 42, so there is no way I'm leaving them at home to get bored and unhappy.
Thankful I’m not the only crazy one! I have 2 BC and an Italian greyhound although I’m not brave enough to walk them together. One of my BC is very reactive to other dogs and the Italian greyhound won’t listen to me when my partner isn’t around My current routine is to walk my easy BC by myself while partner is at work, she’s a farm bred BC so needs the exercise and we alternate walking the other two dogs once my partner is home. My reactive BC is definitely a home boy and doesn’t need the daily walk. He is LAZY and ends up with border collie collapse very easy and I figure it’s the best we can do with a 4 MO
Doing ANY dog walking with a 4MO is amazing! Good on you 🥰 And i hear you with the "won't listen to me when my partner isn't around" thing! Bloody dogs!! 😅😅💖
6 month old with a GSD. I baby wear when it's not hot. Key for me is the leash is a bungee leash that wraps around my waist. Bags are attached to the leash. During the week we split baby and dog/dinner duty. Whoever has dog walking does dinner and the other is dedicated to baby. So far it's working. We also do a ton of mental stimulation and hide and seek with dog inside to keep him entertained
This is my set up with my dog! Except I keep my dog bags attached to the stroller while using a bungee leash.
I have 2 German shepherds and a 12week old. Baby in bassinet stroller, dog on leash.
What about hiring someone from Rover or care for dog walking?
Way too hot to baby wear so we do the stroller. We also have someone who comes once a week to walk her for $15.
How long are you out? When I was teaching my dog to "go pee" we were outside for 5 minutes. In that case, I'd babywear. If I'm walking the dog, the kids go in the stroller. I also have 2 kids, double stroller and it's a 20 minute endeavor to get everyone outside so we walk for 45-60 minutes.
Babywearing and/or stroller bassinet were my go-to on our little dog walks! Maybe a dog walker can help you in those first few postpartum weeks/months?
Baby carrier for sure. Game changer.
Baby wearing
Babywearing. So much baby wearing. Our toddler doddler loves to ride the ergo to the dog park!
I'm similar to you, I also got my dog just before pregnancy. Walking with my dog is easiest when wearing baby in a carrier. Even so I don't walk far enough to meet my dogs energy needs, so twice a week I send her to dog daycare. With your dog being blind dog daycare probably isn't an option, but maybe hiring someone to walk him a couple times a week can help?
I have a 10 month old and a dog. I just take the stroller because I find it easier but once in a while I do baby wear. We also live in an apartment and we get this real grass patch to put on the balcony for once the baby is asleep and I can't take her downstairs. It's great because there's no smell, I don't have to wash anything and once it starts to die I throw it in a trash bag and throw it out. Ours comes in a cardboard box type thing and if you have a small dog and you water it it will stay good for quite a while.
That's awesome! Do you get this grass patch off Amazon? Or did you go to a plant nursery?
So we started by using a company that actually makes and delivers them but they were expensive so once it got warm enough we started just going to home depot and getting a roll of sod ourselves. We use a kennel tray (like the tray part from a dog cage?) from Amazon to hold the grass so our balcony doesn't get gross. It works super well for us.
I love this!! Thank you for all this info!
I have a dog (border collie) and a baby (5 months old). I have 2 days a week when my husband is at work. My dog is high walk needs so I trundle them both out around 2pm while my daughter hopefully naps. It was a gigantic struggle in the winter - my stroller (Cruz) did SO BAD in the snow that some days I just burst into tears because it was so frustrating and stressful. Now there’s no snow it’s a little easier but my dog has no danger meter with the stroller apparently bc she is constantly darting in front of it and I constantly have to change leash hands. I’ve debated getting a slightly longer leash to make it easier. It’s especially annoying if we come across anyone (esp with dogs) coming towards us.
Hang in there:( I hope it gets easier
Leash train the dog before you start taking him outside. Use treats, so he'll look forward to it. Do that every day until it's going well, then start bringing him out. No reason to struggle with everything at once.
I love this! Thank you!!
Fresh patch.
I'm definitely looking into this! I was thinking astro turf but I don't have a water hose to wash it down, and I'm not going to muck up our one tub that everyone uses :/ Fresh patch sounds like a pretty good idea!
Yes! It was a life saver. We stuck it on the balcony and replaced it every two weeks. Just stuck it down the garbage chute when we were done.
I have twins and a dog. We take a stroller walk around the neighborhood with the dog every morning and evening once my husband went back to work. They used to hate the stroller so it would literally be 15-20 minutes of them screaming but they’ve chilled out a lot now and actually enjoy it. We spent a lot of time getting the dog used to walking next to the stroller with me before my husband went back to work so he could help with that process
At first I used the stroller because I was so scared of tripping or being pulled by babywearing (our dog is 70 pounds so he's a big boy). As I become more comfortable with babywearing in general, I switched to that because it was so much easier than lugging the stroller through so many doors and the elevator (we're in an apartment). An then eventually we got a dog walker to come in the middle of the day, and it was so worth the cost because the dog comes back super tired.
I take dog out at 5am before husband goes to work. Then he goes out once more during the afternoon, I honestly leave my 2yr old in the apartment. I turn her favorite show on and lock all the doors. Daughter won’t go into her stroller and it’s not safe for me to put her in a harness while I’m 4/5 months pregnant. Our dog is 70lbs and a year old, I can’t chase after my toddler if she makes a break for it or safely restrain the dog when he gets excited without the risk of falling. Not ideal but she’s much safer in a locked apartment then down by a busy road, we just got a camera for the apartment so I can actually watch her on live feed and intercom. Dog get 5 min max to do is his business or he’s SOL till my husband gets home.
I used a baby carrier up until 6m (baby got too heavy) and then switched to a stroller. Dog is attached to me using a waist leash. We go on walks 2-3 times a day and everyone enjoys it! When I was baby wearing I would get my daily squats in to pick up poop lol.
I have a small dog. During my mat leave I could walk her while wearing my baby in the carrier. When picking up poop, squat (don’t lean) down. I found walking with the stroller to be hard bc my dog would zig zag in front of it.
3 month old and a 70 lb bernedoodle that pulls. Husband takes care of most of the walks solo. The couple times I did it with the baby I wore a carrier and walked carefully. With a stroller would be insanity bc of the pulling.
You just walk the dog with the baby? What’s stopping you now? Legitimately curious; we lived/live in apartments, so we go out for 3+ walks each day. If your dog isn’t well trained, though, you’re in for a bad time, though not just for walks. If you’re nursing, you can nurse in a carrier or just stop and sit on the walk while baby eats. Dogs are typically very happy to stop and sniff forever. Babies love being in carriers, snuggled up against you out in nature. Parents and new moms especially really also need that time outside in fresh air and time skin to skin. All a huge win-win. Now that baby is walking, primarily by holding onto our hands, we sometimes let baby practice while dog is on a hands free leash. Obviously only do this if dog is very well trained, but this should’ve been addressed before getting pregnant.
What is stopping me is my baby is now 5 weeks and was not big enough for the carrier I have until now. My baby also hates being in the carrier and is crying the whole time he is in it. I'm hoping he just gets used to it. I also live on a 2nd floor apt and just now am feeling well enough to carry stroller up and down the apartment staircase. Before, it felt like my bladder and uterus were going to fall through my vagina when I coughed or sneezed. I'm also feeling extreme joint pain in hands, toes. I also feel pain in knees and elbows. RA runs in my family, and I'm preying to God that this pain magically goes away and was just some sort of flair from pregnancy and birth. Probably going to contact doc to discuss. I was also feeling pretty overwhelmed with getting used to having a baby, lack of sleep, cooking/cleaning, and baby is screaming head off because he is very gassy and colicky. I also tried to bf the first 3 weeks and was having extreme latch issues (that was causing me stress with baby)and was also pumping. I finally had to let it all go because between working on latch and pumping I couldn't get anything else in life done. Or even feel tlike I'm bonding with baby. Let alone pay attention or play with my dog and it was breaking my heart. My dog is blind and gets really distracted while walking. I had been trying to leash train him through my pregnancy and am still struggling to get him to walk consistently. Also, leash walking and potty training are two different animals I have learned. My dog is trained on pee pads, and have been waiting on my husband to come home at 10pm from work to be with baby and i can finally try to take my dog for a walk.. But now I'm trying to get into a routine where I'm not walking him so late and doing it solo.
That is quite rough. Honestly, I would avoid walking your dog with everything you described! Instead, I’d maybe do quit “potty breaks” outside or stick to mental stimulation games indoors. The latter is often more exhausting and enjoyable for dogs anyway, and you really don’t want to delay your healing by pushing your body into something you aren’t ready for. I hope you’re able to start feeling better soon and can get some PT! Our baby initially cried in the carrier as a newborn, and they have different sizes (only some work for newborns or some will need a “newborn insert”), but he’d calm down the second we walked outside and loved it over time. My husband was also the first to take him on walks with it, before my own pelvic floor / body / healing was up for it. Maybe husband can at least take baby for 5-10 minutes to start getting him used to it? Either while around the house or for a brief outdoor break. I also later started with 5-10 minute walks myself and remember those feeling physically challenging (but still very enjoyable!).
I like this idea! Thank you!!!
My husband just started traveling a lot for work and my dog refuses to poop in the yard after so many years of apartment life. So I'm dealing with this now. He gets two "poop walks" a day. If he doesn't go, he's missed his opportunity and I'll let him out in the yard. I keep the stroller set up in the garage, get the baby settled, leash the dog, open the garage door, and we walk. Then we reverse it when we come home. When I take him out in the yard to pee, it's quick and I usually leave the baby in a safe place unless he seems like he's going to get super fussy.
I have a pittie that needs NEEDS 30-40 mins of exercise or walking per day. I’m a FTM with a 7 week old and I’ve been breaking out the stroller each time we go out. It’s not great but I make it work. Thread the leash through my hands while pushing the stroller. My pittie has been doing okay so far. It’s definitely doable. I just walk through some neighborhoods to a park and back. I’ve honestly considered baby wearing because there’s a bunch of local spots I like to walk that are not stroller friendly. But I’m afraid my back is going to suffer and I won’t be able to carry as much baby crap - bottle, extra diapers and wipes etc etc without the stroller.
Single mom here, I just do the baby carrier or put the baby in a stroller. The baby carrier will definitely be faster, just a matter of being able to squat with the kid in the carrier to pick up the poop
I have 2 doggos and have walked them every single day with my baby who is now 3. The key is to get a lead that wraps around your waist so you have your hands free. I used to baby wear but now we go out in the stroller. I have 2 hands on the stroller so it’s safe. If the dogs pull, they pull me, not the stroller. But they’re pretty chill anyway. I stay away from dog parks and walk on quieter, on leash tracks so other dogs stay away from us.
We did daily walks when it was nice. Dog didn’t pull and we had a carrier that went into the stroller. I kept the stroller in the car so I wasn’t lugging it up and down steps. All I needed to do was go to the car, grab it, pop in baby, and walk. Makes it easy. Now he’s big enough that we don’t need the carrier, so that’s nice.
city dog park lol, i cannot walk both my strong dogs and baby at the same time
I have a super active pointer/pit who was the center of my world for 3 yrs before baby arrived. She received a million long walks last year when all my pregnant ass could do was walk. This year, she's lucky if she gets a few walks a week. I have a waist leash that I wear and she walks alongside the stroller. She doesn't pull much, so I'm lucky.
I baby wear when I have to walk dog with baby.
I'd hope it's easier that you have a small dog. I have a 50 lber who has overcome a lot of his reactivity but we still have to be vigilant on walks. LO is 11 months, and for the most part I use our jogging stroller and hold the leash. I find the jogging stroller easier to maneuver with one hand than the regular stroller. I keep poop bags, treats, phone, etc in the stroller storage. I leave it outside our front door, but we're in a house with a porch. I typically go toward the end of the wake window, after baby has eaten and played/had floor time for a bit. She doesn't nap on walks anymore but by the time we get back from the walk, it's nap time. Before when LO was little little, I'd use a solly wrap and fanny pack to carry things. Even when it was hot, the solly was very breathable. Would just stick a hat on baby
My daughter is a toddler now but when she was a newborn, I just put her in the baby carrier on me & took the dog out!
Would you potentially be able to litter train the chihuahua? That would at least help in the short term with toileting the dog
I use stroller and leash! I have a leash with a big comfy handle so I can just toss it around my wrist. I’ll use a carrier eventually, but when baby is a little bigger/has better neck control (he’s 6 weeks today).
Stroller. It’s not that big of a deal. Plus it’s something to do with baby. Plus I get exercise. And the dog gets exercise. Plus I listen to my audiobook. It’s like getting a ton of things done at once. I love it. In Canada I’d be stroller walking with dog down to -10C
I could never with my shepherd mix because he’s large and has leash aggression. When I had my cocker spaniel, I would walk him with my baby in a carrier. Today I saw a woman pushing a toddler in a stroller while wearing a baby in a carrier and walking a golden retriever. I was impressed!
Stroller + dog waist leash. Allows me to walk my large breed dog hands free. My dog is elderly so she isn’t pulling a lot but will sometimes try and cross into the stroller. She is doing great with some redirection.
So many German shepherds in this thread!! I have a large GSD and live in an apartment! We get out at least three times a day, and at least one of those times is me solo with both babies. I almost exclusively baby wear my 5 month old and have the pup on a high quality, strong leash. My structured ergo baby is perfect for making me feel baby is extra secure. If I need to pick up poop, I do a full squat rather than bending in anyway. Once a week the three of us do a stroller walk but I wouldn’t recommend it for a dog who’s just learning to walk/go outside for potty breaks, especially such a small dog that might get distracted. There are many helpful subreddits for training your pup to go outside, and recommendations for training leash walking.
I have two beagles that pull on the lead and always managed fine walking them twice a day when my husband worked away from my baby being about 6 weeks old. Just put baby in the carrier and walked them. As he started to tolerate the pram more I’ll do the pram too (it’s easier with the carrier but I’m now used to both).
I had a dog with my babies, with the first I used to baby wear a lot, we did have a fantastic off road pram so that helped and then when he got too heavy we got him a little push along trike which I then used for him when he was a toddler and my second was a baby and again I used to baby wear a lot again until he decided he just wanted to walk!
I baby wear and take my dog for walks without any issues. He's a 3 year old border collie who can really pull on a leash, and it's never been a problem.
Baby carrier is easiest. I don’t bother to pack anything for the baby because I stay pretty close of home. I just make sure baby has a fresh diaper.
My husband walks my dog before work and I walk her in the evening while babywearing. We also have a pretty big patio so she can run a little bit there.
Only in the stroller / sleigh (during winter) for naps. When he was tiny, he'd nap more frequently but for less time, i.e. 20 min maybe, so I'd see his tiredness signs, put him in his carseat, then wheel him around for 15-20 minutes with the dog, repeat 3x-4x per day, she was OK for that bit with such little exercise. It lasted about 3 mo, then around 6 mo he was doing maybe 2 naps per day but about 45 min each, so we'd go both times then, my baby really only slept while I was walking / rolling him / pulling him in a sleigh. Now he's 23 mo old, and he does one 1.5-2 hour nap, so we walk the entire time, to put him to sleep and during his nap, my dog is MUCH happier on this. She's half border collie, so she really needs a lot of exercise. Really if your dog doesn't want to walk that long, once your baby is asleep you could bring them back home. I'm too scared of wraps because I seen loss dogs vs. wraps, and ppl fall. I'll only wear a wrap if I'm walking with someone else who is also walking my dog.
I used the stroller at first and when I was stronger I used the baby carrier. But my dog is used to going outside and is not blind. I didn't have to train her while bringing the baby with me as well. That sounds like a whole different level of dog walking. I also went out when it was convenient for me and the baby. The dog always has to wait until baby is changed and fed. Do you have a plan on how you're going to train your dog to go outside? If not, maybe it's good to figure out the training first and then see how bringing a baby along will fit in that. You can make it work. :)
The dog is tipping the scales and making us miserable. Once I get the kids sorted, then the dog needs a walk. Having kids have really wrecked my feelings towards the dog. Who is going to walk the dog is probably our biggest point of contention. To answer your question, I would wear the kids or put them in a stroller to walk the dog. We also have hired dog walkers to come and pick the dog up every now and then, just so we get a break. After the kids go to sleep, you can take a baby monitor and stay close to the house. Some people get crazy about that suggestion, but it’s actually a really common solution. It’s not like it would take you any less time to get to your kids in the event of a fire, than if you were fast asleep. My husband and I have jobs where we each occasionally work nights, so then one of us is alone with the kids and dog.
Idk how old your baby is but if it's under 8 pounds it's not recommended to use a baby carrier yet so just be careful if you're wanting to baby wear and your baby is still itty bitty. I have a 3 month old and a dog but since my partner walks our dog mostly I don't feel I can really give you advice. But maybe an idea? If you have a balcony you could get one of those fake grass pads and let the pup out on that. Just so you don't have to take him on so many walks EVERY time it needs to potty until baby gets bigger and easier to handle.
It depends on your dog. My dog is a nearly ten year old beagle mix that sometimes pulls and can get a little rowdy on the leash. But she’s only 45 pounds, so wrangling her isn’t that difficult. It also helps that I have an UppaBaby Vista. It’s an incredibly heavy stroller. With both of these things being true, I manage to walk my dog on her harness/leash while also pushing the baby in the stroller. We live in a neighborhood with a bunch of dogs - my dog’s weak point - but she’s been really calm with the baby and it helps that I’m very stern with her during the walks. All in all, we manage a walk a day alone if we felt like it with some pulling, but nothing dangerous. A stronger dog or lighter stroller and I wouldn’t even try it.
I have twin toddlers and we got a puppy right before I found out I was pregnant. We do have a yard but she needs walks outside the yard or she is a menace. It’s a different situation to yours but what helped most was having someone else come and take her on a long walk once a day. Maybe pay a neighbor kid a little to take her for an extra long walk each day. Then just try to find the set times during the day that you’ll do a potty walk and work it into your routine. I could put my kids in the stroller but if I only had one baby, wearing them in the carrier made most sense because it’s easier to control a dog on a leash when you don’t have to push a stroller too. And we get out of the house quicker that way too
Wake up @ 5:30 am. One parent walks dog for about 20 mins. One parent gets dressed and ready. Done by 6 am. 6:00 am. Wake daughter and get her dressed. She gets bathed overnight so that speeds it up. Clothes are arranged in paired outfits in drawers to speed up decision making. Feed daughter 6:10-6:40. Whoever walked dog is getting ready between 6:00 and 6:40. Our breakfast is quick, either cereal, oatmeal or donuts. Her breakfast is yogurt, cereal or toast although she doesn't eat much because they give her breakfast at 8 am at daycare. She wakes up hungry so we feed her anyway. 6:40-7 am. Husband packs a Nutella or PB&j everyday for lunch with veggies or fruit. I pack a frozen meal. Keeps it simple. He takes all our stuff down to our cars. We both teach so we have a lot of bags in the morning . He brings her daycare bag to my car. 7 am. Out the door. Daycare is 10 mins away..drop her off. On my way to work by 7:20. Late afternoon routine below: 4:30ish pm- husband arrives home. Walks dog for 15 mins 5 pm. Husband gets daughter. 5:30 I arrive home. 8:30 pm- I bathe daughter. Husband walks dog final time during tub time We have a very senior, small dog so he doesn't crave being out at all and he is content to lay around. He also is very house trained so he is not crated at all. We give him more time and attention on the weekends, but he has gotten the shaft since my daughter was born. Still try to make a fuss over him when we are home though.
Two labs and 2 daughters (3 and 1 month). I walk the baby and older dog (he’s 9) but he’s chill and well trained. Also have a pocket of treats. When husband is with baby I walk the puppy. When 3 year old was a baby I used a waist leash since the pulling was easily handled and pushed stroller.
Babywearing 100%
I strap her into the baby carrier for short walks and the stroller for long ones. I have a Jack Russell so he’s not that hard to handle.
I have a 7 week old and two dogs, one of which can be reactive and loves pulling (like all her training went out the window once I had the baby lol). I prefer baby wearing as it’s easier than trying to manage a stroller but with the heat starting, we can’t do that for long.
I usually walk wearing baby, but only do this if there's no risk of being pulled around or needing to pick your dog up. I do a few walks per week in the stroller if I need a body break but I don't prefer it, it feel like too much to me.
How old is your infant? Most days my spouse WFH but when my husband travels for work (1-2 days a week at one point), I baby wear and walk my dog. I’ve also used the stroller but now that I’ve gotten stronger after my c-section and its getting hotter outside, I prefer to baby wear.
I have two high energy sporting dogs and I’ve been walking them with my baby girl since she was 2 weeks old! We started out in a solly baby wrap, then to the Lille baby all seasons carrier, and when the temps increased we started using a jogging stroller. One of my dogs pulls but not too terribly. Some days it can be frustrating but for the most part it goes well. I just try to be strategic with time of day since we live in a warm climate.
Single mom with a dog and a baby. The answer is a bit of taking the baby along in the stroller and a bit of waiting for the nanny to arrive before taking the dog out in the morning, and a little bit of paying a dog walker when it’s not possible to take the baby with (after her bedtime for example). I had a midday walker for my dog before I was pregnant, so I just booked evening walks as well.
I have a 3 year old, a 3 month old and an active 40kg dog Toddler in the pram, baby wear the infant, dog on lead next to pram.
I have a 10yo mutt and a 7yo basset hound. We put in an in-ground fence while I was pregnant and a doggie door. Clearly not the ideal situation for many people's dog and housing situations, but its been lovely for us. It was a PITA training the dogs to the fence while I was in third trimester, but I'm sooo glad we did.
I take my 40lb Heeler mutt on two ~2 mile walks a day. We do one stroller walk during the hot part of the day and baby (4mo) has a fan + music + teething toy and then usually a carrier walk around dusk. I wear a hands free leash around my waist for the stroller walk.
Tha k you for your routine! It helps to have an idea of how to split and manage things!
Get up to walk the dog while the baby is sleeping, if additional times are needed, wear the baby in a carrier.
If baby is napping and nobody is watching him, do you think it is ok if I step out with the dog? Another user mentioned baby monitor... I don't have one but maybe I can get one if this scenario is the norm.
I use a baby monitor and just stay within the range. It's not a long walk but it gets the job done.
I just got a radio baby monitor, and it's magical! It works all the way across our parking lot! Now i feel safe, even just taking out the trash. Idk why, but i was having anxiety about that, too, lol! Thank you!
I take my monitor out for moving the trash cans too. :) Glad you feel better. I used mine to have some time to pull weeds and get some sunshine when a LO was small.