Dog licking baby - wwyd?

[changedname]

My Sil has a 2 week old. It's her first baby. She also had a dog who is completely crazy and who has been known to bite/nip. Sil is a bit of a notorious know-it-all so everyone is a bit hesitant to offer advice/suggestions because she will have a meltdown.

Yesterday she was telling DH and I how the dog is so good with the baby and gives him little "licks" on the face all the time. :-|

Surely a 2 week old hasn't even had their shots yet? Aside from the danger of the dog biting the baby.

Sil is super defensive about the dog because we all said to get rid of him before the baby was born because he is not trustworthy - I almost feel she is trying to make a point of how good he is with the baby but this is a bit far to go to "make a point".

I don't have kids so maybe I am overreacting? I don't know anything about shots etc.

[w2w]

Setting aside whether the dog might bite, I wouldn't be worried at all about licks. I have a preemie and I specifically asked the neonatalogists about our dogs, and their strong opinion was that dogs are beneficial. I would be much more concerned that the dog is crazy.

[gibbinator]

The licks themselves wouldn't bother me, although I'd feel compelled to keep a damp wash cloth nearby for any frenching. We're not germaphobes though. IL's dog always greets ds with a big ol' lick

The possible biting would be my concern.

[arch01]

the possible biting is a concern, but not the licking. we've always let J lick DS, even when he was a bitty baby.

[changedname]

Oh, Thank God I asked. I was getting really worried about the baby catching something. I have no clue about baby stuff. This is why I love MMM.

[Saudade]

I try to limit it because our one dog likes to face/ear rape with her tongue and it gets annoying.

I'd be more concerned with the possible biting and therefore would probably limit very close contact like that.

[celiacmom]

We have 3 dogs that have licked my son since he came home at 2 days old. I think it's fine! Now that L gives kisses (he opens his mouth) he kisses them all the time which ends up being a French kiss

[soozy87]

That is gross!

[pamela]

None of the baby's shots are going to protect against what the dog might transmit. If the dog has been known to nip, that's a whole different problem. Of course they need to keep a watchful eye and stay very, very close, but it sounds like dog and baby are doing well and possibly that dog is accepting and will be protective of the baby.

[Deleted]

Our dogs lick our guy all the time - if I was concerned about biting i would be a bit more wary about it though.

[glitzy07]

I've always heard that dog's mouths are actually much cleaner than humans, so I couldn't be concerned. The biting risk would obviously be concerning though.

[Brie]

If I'm judgmental about anything in this post, it's you telling them to get rid of their dog.

[kangaroo11]

My dog licks everything and everyone. I'm fully prepared to just let her do it to the baby within reason. It's just what dogs do.h

[MadamePresident]

Biting would concern me, but animals seem to sense that a baby is different than an adult.

My dog will try to lick the baby, I discourage it, because who knows what else he has licked. I don't think his licking will get her sick or anything, its just gross to me.

[changedname]

Dec 3, 2012 9:59:03 GMT -5 Brie said:

If I'm judgmental about anything in this post, it's you telling them to get rid of their dog.

Haha well I never told them that, it was actually FIL and other sil and it is a longer story than just because the dog is crazy but yeah most of the family told them to get rid of it before the baby was born because they were worried the dog would end up crated 24/7 which wouldn't be fair on it. Even before the baby, the only time they let the dog out of the crate was to poop in the garden for 5 minutes so FIL/BIl were concerned that the dog is too much for them plus a baby would add to that.

So far it seems to be fine though but she is definitely in a situation where she has to prove (to FIl mainly) that the dog is great with the baby.

My only concern was that maybe dog licking was bad and she didn't know/didn't realize. I'm glad its fine.

[aspentosh]

We let our dogs lick DD 2-3 licks before telling them to stop. Pretty much always been this way and she is super healthy