So who has successfully introduced a second dog into the household?

[MrsJasonBourne]

We are thinking of getting another dog this year. Our lovely spaniel is getting on and we want another dog to work as a gun dog. If we get a puppy this year it will be ready to work the following year, by which time my Boy will be 10 and probably slowing down. He's had fits in the past so we don't work him much anyway so his workload is only going to decrease, so we need to be thinking about another dog. He lives indoors, as a new one would also.

He was our baby before the dc's came along and he's never really been very enamoured with them. I wouldn't want a new puppy to upset him, but I'm also wondering if he would enjoy some canine company for a change. My parents always had lots of dogs about the place but as far as I remember they always just muddled on together. My Boy is our first dog.

Anyone got any happily ever after stories of canine best friends?

When I say unenamoured, I just mean he's loyal as hell to us but completely ignores the dc's. He's a very well behaved dog, he just scoots out the way of them!

Anyone?

I have done it seven times, it all works in the end:) two spaniels look better than one.

Not gundogs, but we have a terrier X who is about 9 now and we got a BC pup in the summer. They don't hate each other, they play fight a lot but will curl up in the basket together as well.

Old dog gets quite pissed off with him though, as she is a lazy madam who like plenty of quiet time, the odd walk if it isn't too wet or cold or windy or sunny and he is so lively and wants to play all the time. It's like a mad 3yo child with an arthritic deaf old grandparent.

The collie isn't really into other dogs much, only has eyes for a ball. Or food.

Thankyou so much for answering me, I was beginning to think my thread hadn't shown up!

You hear horror stories about new puppies upsetting the status quo and having to be returned. Awful. Just can't bear the thought of upsetting the Old Boy, the kids were enough of a shock.

My experience:

Parent's JRT aged 12, they got a Standard Poodle pup. SP was a bugger to JRT. JRT would hide at the top of the stairs where SP wouldn't venture we think JRT may have caused SP to 'accidentally' fall down stairs

All in all, they got on very well. JRT died a year later though, old age got the best of him

Parent's SP was 7 when I got my pup. Wasn't keen at first, but gradually put up with her hanging from his ears/nipping his tail. They became firm friends. We didn't live together, but wherever I go, dog goes, so they soon became very close.

Parent's SP PTS last July My Dbro got a puppy Collie. Introduced my dog (aged 5 1/2) to puppy and took a little while, a few visits, but they are now firm friends. Puppy is in charge though, which surprises me as my dog normally has to be the dominant one!

I know we aren't living together, but we spend a lot of time together so it's important the dogs get on well. We also have a large extended family, we go to see them 3 times a year and it is mayhem - last count 30 people and 6 dogs! The dogs have to be sociable to cope.

I think introducing a puppy would be easier than introducing an older rescue dog. Your current dog will automatically become the 'boss' and the pup will learn boundaries from him (this is definitely the case with my dog and DBro's pup).

That's what I'm hoping, Old Boy will automatically be in charge and there won't be any power struggle! And I had heard that I ought to get a bitch as opposed to a dog but that might not matter so much with a puppy.

He doesn't like the farm dog but that's because Old Boy regards the farm as his territory!

Done this twice. First when our darling Beau, a Golden retriever was 10. Had another Goldie pup, and everything was fine.They had nearly 5 fab years together and were the best of friends.

After Beau died we wanted another dog,partly keep Indie company but we all loved having 2 dogs.Got Noah when Indie was 4 and again they totally love each other ( they are also half brothers )

I would highly recommend it ! Before this I had always only had one dog but two is twice the fun! Good luck xx

We have never had any dominance problems despite being all males and intact.

Getting quite encouraged now!

Plan of action is to introduce Old Boy to the puppy smell, then perhaps introduce him to a puppy on neutral territory, then introduce the puppy to the household. And warn the dc's that if it doesn't work out puppy will have to go back! although not if I can help it

More or less. :) When our sheltie was 9 last year we got out JRTx puppy.

No trouble for a long time. Sheltie seemed to accept puppy pretty much straight away and all was very well.

When puppy got to about 9 months, she came into season and then the fights began. Real stuff, not just noise, both were coming away with injuries (minor stuff, but still). She seemed determined to be top dog and he wasn't going to let her.

In the end we got in a behaviourist and she did some work with them. We did a lot of positive reinforcement of them enjoying each other's company, and it worked.

Nowadays they basically get on although young dog is very much top dog. I think the fights were them working this through. I can feel a bit sad about this - she snatches treats off of sheltie given the chance, and will rebuke him if she thinks he steps out of line. It seems wrong to me when he was here first for 9 years - but I am not a dog and I realise that what seems "fair" to me will be different in a dog's world. He seems to accept his lot that she is the dog in charge. In some ways he is calmer because if people come to the door he thinks it's her job now to guard, whereas he used to get much more stressed.

I'd go for it. As long as you are prepared for the small possiblity of problems arising, and that you would work to overcome them, there's no reason why not. I really enjoy having 2 dogs. :)

It'll be fine! We have 4 working labs and every time we bring home a new dog, we just arrive with it iyswim.

Take it into the house with no fuss, pop the pup into a crate and make yourself a cup of tea. Say hello to existing dog as normal, let him out for a wee and back in in his own time. He'll sniff around the crate I expect.

Drink your tea, wait until existing dog has got over you coming home and has finished sniffing and when all is calm, let out the puppy.

To no small extent, the more you think about it and the more you try and manage the reaction of existing dog, the more he'll feel the vibe from you that something is happening he should be worried about.

It's worked for us every time.

By the way, we were told if you already have a boy, to get a girl dog and this reduces fights/ competition. Not entirely sure it has with us, mind you :)

from 1 dog to 6 in 6 months!!!!!!!!!?

Mad

I had one dog. I promised one dog would be enough. He believed me

We then introduced a Whippet puppy, very sucessfully. We thought Devil Dog would not be happy, he is leash aggressive and cannot always be trusted with strange dogs in the park. He sniffed her, realised she was not edible and then spent much of his life ignoring her.

The same happened when we introduced the next dog I promised we would not get . Whippy adores her. Devil Dog generally ignores her but he has recently learned that she likes tug games so she is allowed to play with him sometimes. Last night he even slept with her tail touching his foot without growling at her

I think I may be a little in love with Devil Dog after reading so much about him this past few days

He's getting a bit boring lately. He is turning into a well adjusted, well trained, socialised dog. He doesn't even hump the neighbour's child anymore. I have waited for over two years for this day to come, now after putting so much energy into him I am not sure what to do with myself.

My mum has a dog just like he used to be. I covet her, but they won't give me her

I am thinking of enrolling in him in obedience classes with other dogs , with a view to starting flyball or agility with him. I never thought the day would come where I would seriously consider taking him into a room full of other dogs and not break out into a cold sweat at the mere suggestion

Dh actually called him "a good dog" last night [faints]

Aw, that is brilliant - I bet he'll love agility or suchlike and he'll get even more boring well adjusted

First we had one dog, then a year later another. It looked like love at first sight, and these days the two oldies get on like a long-married couple. We introduced a youngster into the mix 18 months ago. The elder dogs took very little notice. We've had a few scraps and some behavioural things with the newbie to sort out. As long as everyone has somewhere to be and as long as they all feel things are fair it's fab having lots of hairy love.

I can't wait now!

Just got to move the fridge into the pantry to make space for the puppy pen, and we're probably away. I think we actually need to re-wire the pantry first but dh is a dab hand at that sort of thing.

Am getting quite excited at the thought of starting training again and all that adventure that comes with showing the world to a new pup!

We have a 10 year old Westie - fine with other dogs, but a little nervy around children (he's fine with ours now, 6, 4, 2, but very headshy and strange children seem to ALWAYS want to shove their heads into his face ). He's neutered.

We got our Staffy 5 weeks ago, he's 12 weeks tomorrow.

First day the Westie growled if the staffy so much as brushed him when he was sleeping. Seriously - even the poor pup stretching in his sleep was frowned on.

5 weeks later - Staffy was asleep on top of Westie today

They play and 'fight' beautifully - it's given the Westie a new lease of life!

I usually have 2 dogs in our family, sometimes do a bit of emergency fostering so have 3. Last year I had my 2 GSDs and an Italian Mastiff for a couple of months. They all got on fabulously, although my girlie was only a pup then.

As long as the dogs are introduced properly and they all have their own space everything is fine.

I have a dog and a bitch and to be honest, its my girlie who isnt keen on having other dogs in the house. She adores Loofa, who is her brother (same parents, different litters) and she is only the 'boss' when Loofa lets her. To be fair, Loofa is so laid back he is horizontal, mostly a good thing.

My parents have a tiny yorkie and both my two play really gently with him. It is very funny to see.

Go for it. Do you remember how much chaos fun it is to have a puppy?

I posted on here (under a different name) about a year ago about adopting a year old (male) whippet, which we did and who has settled in to our house so well that when I saw our local rescue (where we got whippetty boy from) now has his female doppelganger, though now a 9 month old, I can't resist. Despite declarations before we got whippetty that "I can't understand why anyone would want more than one dog", we are seriously considering matching whippetty-girl .

We saw her this weekend, though from a distance as they had not finished her assessments and I am in love. She seems much more waggy and less scared than whippetty-boy did (who just looked forlorn in his kennel), when we called her, she answered her name and came and jumped up at the bars and wagged. Btw, she was found as a stray, but whilst she was microchipped, when she was found the previous owners said they'd given her to someone else, who had apparently "lost" her. Noone wanted her back . Is there anything we should consider though with respect to having two dogs and young children? (DS1 is 7, DS2 is almost 4 but small for age).