we would like another dog... advice please!

[OracleInaCoracle]

we have a 3yo de-knackered JRT/westie dog. he has calmed down a lot, but is still rather excitable. we have just moved to a small village with a larger garden, surrounded by fields. dh and I are talking about getting another pup. not a big one, but maybe a beagle or spaniel. Ive spotted a cocker/lab cross for sale near us and am trying to win dh round to getting one sooner rather than later.

first, should we get a bitch or another dog? my instinct tells me a bitch would be better, but not sure.

secondly, should we take Benji with us to view and until he/she is ready to take home take him a few times to get them used to each other?

[OracleInaCoracle]

Hully, the damage is done, have left page open all day!

Chick, I'm the same, some of them have reduced me to tears. The poor, mites!

Beertricks, we only have one dog, otherwise I would have snapped her up

[chickchickchicken]

does anyone else feel they 'owe' it to the dogs to read each and every story? i do this and then feel so sad

[Hullygully]

careful, lissie, there are now eight on my list. Look away, look away now!

[OracleInaCoracle]

I also love crispy and patchy.

[chickchickchicken]

yep gordon is lovely. he looks a cheeky, fun chappy

they all are was trying not to look into Story's eyes as would love to rehome her

[chickchickchicken]

not yet. i will be brave and go and look now

[OracleInaCoracle]

did you see Gordon

[OracleInaCoracle]

a couple of things, we go on holiday at the beginning of august, I dont want to put ourselves under any extra pressure financially. plus, we wont be around as much. Benji is coming away with us, as will any future dog, but it'll be hard to organise right now.

also, carmarthen is a long way from us, and we dont drive. we need to work out the logistics

[chickchickchicken]

yes i do know what you mean. what are you waiting for then?

[OracleInaCoracle]

he is about 2/3s of the way down, a two year old tricolour beagle who has been rescued from the pound. I dont know what it is, I can just "see" him here with us iykwim.

[chickchickchicken]

a friend adopted a dog from spaniel breed rescue. she is very pleased. they matched her with a suitable dog (she has a ds with severe autism). think dog was about 2 or 3 when they adopted him

[chickchickchicken]

ooo you mentioned gordon before i think? i did click on the many tears link but found it all too upsetting the other night so only got about a third of the way down the page. what do you love about gordon? what type of dog is he?

[OracleInaCoracle]

I love Gordon and madeleine. I also love dotty on the lurcher site. my niece is called ruby, but I call her dotty. I do think dh is pretty set on a spaniel though, although I may be able to persuade him that an older dog is a good idea!

[Hullygully]

I want Giles and the two pairs of dogs, Spoof and wotsit and the sisters.

[chickchickchicken]

lissie - found any dogs you are going to follow up on? not that i have a soft spot for benji and bluebell honest

[OracleInaCoracle]

ooooh wildfig, but I just love them soooo much! lady and the tramp is one of my favourite films.

[wildfig]

lissie don't adopt a Basset if you don't want a giant cwtch-junkie lapdog! (typing over the top of a five-stone beanbag of love on my knee) They are the sweetest, gentlest, funniest dogs, but precision-trained lightweights they aren't.

Many Tears breaks my heart and makes me so angry at the same time.

[OracleInaCoracle]

He is browsing the rescue sites as we speak...

[OracleInaCoracle]

Haha hully, me too. Poor dh doesn't stand a chance. Ds has already picked his new dogs name: lucy.

[Hullygully]

I plan on getting another dog to be company for mine after the summer, now I want one of those poor blind dogs that no one wants.

[Hullygully]

Oh my god. Just been on that ManyTears site - bloody hell, many tears all right!

[Scuttlebutter]

DBF - Yes!! He also gets confused when I say "sospan" instead of "saucepan" and various other variations - hours of fun!!

[OracleInaCoracle]

lived with, lived with!

epiphany, buffy and helga were the same. gorgeous big bears. rubbish guard dogs though.

we go on holiday in 3 weeks, for 10 days so we really need to wait til then. that will also give us chance to spruce up the garden and make sure its secure ready for any home visits. Benji is pretty good, but a new dog is a different thing altogether.

having said that, I really, really want Gordon!

[DogsBestFriend]

"Tuh-th" to rhyme with the first 3 letters of "woof", ScuttleButter? :o