Thinking of getting another dog. Advice please?

krlyr

I think the "don't breed your dog" bit has been covered. In regards to the best age to get a second dog, I would say think about the stage your girl is at in terms of training and behaviour. Does she have any behavioural niggles that need working out first? Is she pretty well trained, and are you able to split your time between her and a second dog that possibly needs some intensive training?

Many behavioural issues can be aggravated by a second dog. E.g. both of mine are fear reactive, and walking them together was a big problem for some time (it worsened the behaviour of the first dog with reactivity, a few steps back from all his improvements). After a long period of walking them separately and working on their issues, I'm now able to walk them together now as long as we're in a relatively low dog-traffic area. But there's not just this, but other issues - a dog with poor recall may be even less likely to return if it now has a canine friend who bogs off with it, separation issues may be helped by canine company to some degree but if the separation anxiety hadn't been addressed, it may then be that the dog becomes even more distressed if the second dog is taken out without them, and so on.

So not a set age, as such, but I would say wait until the first dog is as well trained and free from behavioural issues (or you have a good grasp on those issues, if it's likely to be a long-term problem) before commiting to a second dog.

mossstitchmama

A bit of good news (hopefully). Family down the road have just adopted a neutered male Jack. I have offered to take him for walks occasionally when they are at work. I thought it would see how my puppy copes with another dog in close proximity. Sort of trial run.

I would hate to take on the commitment of another dog and it possibly go wrong which would not be fair on either dog.

bugslet

This is just my experience.

I have been a multi-dog household for about 20 years, with anywhere between 2 and 5 dogs. I've had all boys, a mix of boys and girls, and my current pack of 5 are all female.

I've had primarily Papillons, schnauzers and klein spitz, plus a border collie and a bitzer, puppies and rescues.

TBH and maybe to the shock of the better organised/well-informed, I've just gone and got a dog without regard to the ages of the current crew, their gender or their breed type. So far, they've all worked out fine.

I think it's good for a dog to have another dog companion and I'm guessing that if I had only one dog, I'd get another one sooner rather than when the first dog is settled. Possibly that's why I have had not problems introducing another dog into the house, they are so used to having other dogs about anyway.

I don't know if that is any help.:o

PS Pleased to hear that you are unlikely to let her have pups - there's too many of them and not enough good homes.:(

yorkshire_terrier_owner

Sensible move to walk your dog with another one to get them used to being around other dogs.

I have to be honest, I don't give that much thought to when I bring new dogs into my home. I currently have 6, and number 7 is imminent. My lot are very very used to new dogs coming in and adjust within a few days. I do, however, give a lot of thought to whether the new dog will fit into my pack. I was recently asked to foster a chihuahua rescue with some major behaviourial issues. The issues I could have dealt with, but there's no way she would have fitted in with my lot, so I declined.

Pink_Fairy_2

We had a JR x Corgi female (won't let me put the recognised word for a female dog)whom we adopted from a rescue, aged 2. When she was 10, we adopted a Border Collie x Saluki dog who had been picked up as a stray at 8 weeks old. Jodie lived until she was 16. After about a year, we adopted a former puppy farm breeding female Scottish Terrier, aged 4. After another 3 years, we then adopted a 9 week old Border Collie so we now had 3 dogs in the house, 2 females and one male, all neutered and all very friendly. Sadly, at the end of that year, after anaesthesia for dental work, we lost Flora (the Scottie) at only 8 years old. After that, we have had a total of 9 foster puppies, no more than two at a time, all getting on very well together. There are plenty of dogs of all ages and breeds needing rehomed. You could even offer to foster for a resfue for a while to see how your dog accepts them. There is little truth in the accepted rumour that you should let a female have a litter as it is better for them. It isn't! It is better for either gender to be neutered unless you are a recognised breeder as there are so many problems they can develop, and there are far more dogs than homes available. Sadly, we lost the Collie/Saluki January 2013 - he would have been 18 in February! We currently only have one dog as we travel to Ireland frequently where our family have another dog and we don't want to upset the mix. However, Star gets on well with Daisy the Golden Retriever, Bonnie the Staffie (who intensely dislikes most other dogs and would kill any other Staffie), and Jack the Staffie - all belonging to family members.

bugslet

yorkshire_terrier_owner wrote: »

I have to be honest, I don't give that much thought to when I bring new dogs into my home. I currently have 6, and number 7 is imminent. My lot are very very used to new dogs coming in and adjust within a few days. I do, however, give a lot of thought to whether the new dog will fit into my pack. I was recently asked to foster a chihuahua rescue with some major behaviourial issues. The issues I could have dealt with, but there's no way she would have fitted in with my lot, so I declined.

Good point YTO. I'm currently debating about re-homing a Gross Spitz who is 10. I haven't seen her yet, still at the thinking stage and I am aware that her history is not well known, though she is reported as getting on with other dogs and no issues.

I keep looking at her every day - you know where this is heading