Am just pondering this. Just to clarify its me not the dog that is pregnant (!), but my dogs seem to have become a real handful recently (hence the recent posts asking for advice) and I have just been thinking about the fact that I have not found them a problem before. I thought it was simply that I was slightly less calm and rational which was making things more of a struggle as this impacts upon their behaviour in a feedback loop. However, I have been thinking about how I stil feel very calm and rational and have no problems managing an emotionally demanding job, but how my male dog is so boisterous and defensive aggressive when our bitch is in heat which got me wondering how much my hormones were impacting on the situation.

Then I found this article from a dog trainer on the net: "It's common for dogs to go on alert and become overprotective of their expecting owner from the very beginning of her pregnancy. I've worked with dogs that growled, barked, or blocked doors with their bodies"

"Pregnant women often unconsciously place their hands over their stomachs, and dogs read this closed-arm posture as saying "I'm unavailable" or "step back."

Interesting? Anyone any personal experiences of pet behaviour changes when someone in the house was pregnant? :confused:

Well I haven't had any personal experience... but was going to log onto this thread and say 'yes, I believe it's common for dogs to pick up on an owner's pregnancy'!

Dogs pick up onowners pregancy due to women secreting a hormone through the sweat gland (if I remember correctly) Its the same as when women are at thier most fertile, they attract men by it :hihi:

Apparently someone just told me its the same hormone as given out by mating cats :hihi:

I met a beagle who had been a nightmare since his owner became pregnant - he'd decided it was his job to look after the whole family single handedly. Every dog in the neighbourhood needed to be sent packing (not something beagles usually do, so quite a confusing sight)

Basically, he had been allowed to rule the roost, always dragged his 'dad' round the block, and I t hink they were too nice to ever admonish such a cute dog, but this gave him the idea he was in charge

He came for a walk with me and Brude for over an hour, and we were able to convince him that he didn't need to see off strangers and dogs, just by taking charge, making him sit to cross roads, and making him sit when strangers approached whilst talking to him calmly - obviously I don't need as much looking after, so I had a head start ;)

There's also a spaniel I know of who's become a noisy guard dog of late for the same reasons

It's basically a pack instinct to protect the pregnant 'queen' - but with an understanding of why the behaviour occurs and what the dog is trying to achieve, you can manage the situation :thumbsup:

I was lead to believe this and when I was pregnant I waited for a change in my three.......nowt ;) They were exactly the same

I also thought they would be stressed when I went into labour but they didnt give a hoot they obviously dont care :hihi: I didnt want a home birth as I think that they would have been stressed by that and so would OH. :help:

Has anyone noticed any difference in cats behaviour when their human is pregnant?

Not that I am, but its worth looking for as an early sign ;)

Has anyone noticed any difference in cats behaviour when their human is pregnant?

Not that I am, but its worth looking for as an early sign ;)

My female deaf cat was a sweetie when i fell pregnant and felt sick constantly. I was so miserable as you may remember ;) . She used to come and lie close to me in bed and purr which was really comforting. She is also doing a lot of howling recently which may be the hormone issue as above.....:blush:

I met a beagle who had been a nightmare since his owner became pregnant - he'd decided it was his job to look after the whole family single handedly. Every dog in the neighbourhood needed to be sent packing (not something beagles usually do, so quite a confusing sight)

Basically, he had been allowed to rule the roost, always dragged his 'dad' round the block, and I t hink they were too nice to ever admonish such a cute dog, but this gave him the idea he was in charge

He came for a walk with me and Brude for over an hour, and we were able to convince him that he didn't need to see off strangers and dogs, just by taking charge, making him sit to cross roads, and making him sit when strangers approached whilst talking to him calmly - obviously I don't need as much looking after, so I had a head start ;)

There's also a spaniel I know of who's become a noisy guard dog of late for the same reasons

It's basically a pack instinct to protect the pregnant 'queen' - but with an understanding of why the behaviour occurs and what the dog is trying to achieve, you can manage the situation :thumbsup:

Thanks Strix. I think this may be what has been happening. We went to a new dog trainer on Tues who is giving similar messages about us taking more charge so the dogs dont need to. Some of it seems a bit harsh and makes me feel a bit cruel (poor dogs dont know what has hit them!) but it seemed to have an effect instantly. He walked our terrible terrier right up to a big hairy GSD & she didnt so much as squeek though she looked rather scared. He is suggesting that most of her aggression is fuelled by fear (as we suspected) and that she needs to be exposed to her fearful situations in safe hands so that she learns to feel safe and doesnt have to create such a fuss. Fingers crossed. She was spayed yesterday so is v sorry for herself :(

Has anyone noticed any difference in cats behaviour when their human is pregnant?

Not that I am, but its worth looking for as an early sign ;)

All of the changes that I know of with cats come in two categories- either the empathic 'I know you aren't feeling well so I'll love you and make you feel better' response from cuddly cats, or the 'you're my lovely fertile queen and don't you forget it' response from entire toms.

I just don't think that cats get the whole 'protective' thing.

On the other hand, Arthur understands that there's a new man moving in on his queen, and is decidedly un-cool about it, so maybe there's some subtle response that I've not seen.

well.. as we have an 'aloof' and a nonentire tom I'm expecting cuddles from boy cat (nowt new there) and 'aloof' from girly cat... :roll:

ah well, i guess they'll tell me nothing ;)