Fear of animals

[Karen]

Find someone with an older, very calm dog that can be trusted to sit still, and let her get used to being around it. A sweet old Golden, maybe, that will just look at her with those meltingly soft dark eyes. Or even a smaller dog, a snorty older pug ... do you know what kind of dog attacked her mom? If she can get used to being in the room with a dog, a little more each time, she needn't even interact with it at first.

My dear friend Robin was chased by a Doberman on her way home from school several times when she was a child, barely escaping twice when the dog broke its chain. She eventually got used to dogs, but was just petrified of Gracie, our big love of a black Great Dane. Gracie literally wouldn't hurt a fly, but when Rob came to my parent's house to help me address invitations once, we crossed a couple fishing poles in the kitchen doorway, so Gracie could still see us, but couldn't get into the room, otherwise Robin just couldn't sit. She knew it was silly, but that's just how she felt!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Gracie, our big love of a black Great Dane...we crossed a couple fishing poles in the kitchen doorway, so Gracie could still see us, but couldn't get into the room

I love that she "couldn't" get into the room

I agree the the first step is to get her to agree to meet with a dog. Like Karen said- start with a sweet, calm dog. I'd suggest a smaller dog, it would probably be a little less intimidating. Then you can move up to a larger dog. Something cute and fluffy, like a pomeranian, may be a good place to start.

I also agree that they shouldn't try to rush to get a dog before the baby is born. The baby won't have any memory of growing up with a dog until it's a little older anyway.