'You never want to allow your baby to just go up to the dog': Mom films her crawling baby getting into her French Bulldog's personal space and asks the canine community for help; the response becomes a guide every dog-owning parent needs

Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor

Jul 12, 2026 6:45 PM EDT

Pets are always their humans' babies, even when actual babies enter the picture.

I have two babies of my own - a cat and a baby. You know, the human kind of baby. But my cat was there first. She's the older sister, and just like an older human sibling - she's had her own difficulties with accepting her baby sister into our growing family. Now, when it comes to our pets - cats, dogs, or otherwise - there are plenty of guides and methods to introduce them to a newborn who's about to enter the door. And I've used them all with my cat - for example, my mom transferred clothes my baby wore in the hospital to my cat's favorite nap places, so she's familiar with her smell before we bring her home.

But newborns don't stay in a potato state that long, and there are quite a few years before they understand language (like, "pet softly, stop grabbing the fur") and develop enough muscle control to actually be gentle. So what can pet pawrents, who are also parents, do in all this time in between? That's a big question many parents have to deal with, unprepared, once their baby's and pet's desires start clashing. Just like one mom on r/DogAdvice describes: her baby becomes more mobile - crawling, grabbing, touching - and that's a big problem for her French Bulldog. I get it, my baby is in the same stage, and I bet she's going to start walking in a couple of months - and my cat is running out of safe places. But at least my cat can jump to higher places. I'm not sure a dog can do that.

But luckily for this one mom, the online canine community is always up and ready to help dog pawrents in need. Dog people are the best, really. They know that by lending a hand to a dog pawrent in need, they actually help a dog. And what's better than helping your favorite animal? And honestly, I think every pet pawrent, who's also a parent, needs to read this comment section - because it's actually quite a robust guide for how to deal with this baby-pet clash, and avoid potential calamity.

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