I had a Cocker Spaniel whom I had for about 10 years before my first baby came a long. He was about 2 years old at the time I got him. He was the most gentle and friendly dog anyone could have. I was told at the time of the adooption that Cocker Spaniels are very good with children, but I was skeptical about it.
We were living in an apartment so by the time my son started to walk and became more curious about the dog, it became very stressful for me having to constantly making sure the gates were up, and taking the dog outside to go to the bathroom. One day, I was in the kitchen cleaning up, and my husband came franticly running to me and furious with the dog for biting our son. It happened just the day after our son's first birthday. He got bitten just above the corner of his eye. Although this happened in the same room where my husband was in, he was watching t.v. and did not see it happened. I can only guess two possibilities - 1) the dog was sitting face back, and perhaps my son came by closely and spooked him biting him out of defense or 2) the dog was already in the cage, and my son wanted to pet him when the dog was backed into the corner of the cage, and did not want to be touched. At the time of the bite, it didn't look bad. I had to put my feelings aside knowing I should be mad at the dog and upset that my son was bitten, but my husband was so furious at the dog, I had to protect the dog, and calm my husband down. He was just an old dog and didn't understand child's curiosity of dogs, and possibility didn't understand why all of the sudden he's not getting as much attention as he was before the baby came along. The next day, when I came to get my son from his crib, I bawled my eyes out because his eye had swollen up and was black and blue. I felt such tremendous guilt for not taking it seriously. When I told my mom this, she made it worse for me saying that I could be in trouble for this, and that the doctor may decide to put the dog in quarrantine. We took our son to the doctor that day which was on a Saturday, and the dcotor was very understanding and knew this was not meant in harm. So he did not request our dog to be put in quarrantine. My son's eye healed within a few days.
However, the next three months, it became clear to me that I just could not keep up with this - dealing with the dog and a toddler in a small apartment, etc. It was just too much for me because I was doing most of the work. My husband didn't help out very much because he was either working or was too tired after he got home from work. I contacted my vet clinic, and they said because of my dog's age, to contact Cocker Spaniel Rescue place. I contacted the rescue place, and the woman who ran the place already had so many dogs, but I told her I just could not keep the dog any more and I was desperate. She decided to take our dog so we we drove half way to meet (it was about an hour and half drive south of Dallas), and we met with the woman (the owner of the rescue place). The day that we drop off our dog was the hardest thing for me to do. Both my husband and I cried and cried when we handed our dog to her. She said she would be sure he would be well taken care of. It was also the day when I felt such tremendous relief off of my shoulders when I returned back home what a great feeling it was. My clueless husband had NO idea how stressful it was for me. He even asked me if we could get another dog, and I said NO! not until the LAST child is 5 years old !!! We now have 3 children and the youngest one just turned 2 years old in May. We continued to keep in touch with this woman for the next two years until our dog died in his sleep due to congestive heart failure. I was at peace knowing that he spent his last years at a "retired home" for elderly dogs. He had many other dogs to play with and run in a large back yard area.
Whatever you decide to do, it will only be the best decision for you.