Second dog advice

[halfgirlhalfturnip]

We have a (spoiled) 7yo Lhasa apso and my 18yo dd is asking for another.
I had always planned getting 2 but much closer in age. Somehow it never happened. I love having a dog but am not wild about the puppy stage.
Has anyone any advice for me, pro or con, mainly regarding how my established much loved boy will cope?

Every so often I've thought of getting a second dog, but I know that my 5 year old dog would probably be very unimpressed.

How is your dog with other dogs? I think that's the issue. If he loves being around other dogs I would imagine he'll be fine, but if like my dog he has no interest in other dogs, I'd think very carefully before introducing a second dog.

My DD's dog (older than mine) comes to stay sometimes and they pretty much ignore each other, although unusually for her, my dog would be quite happy to play.

Can't imagine going back to the puppy stage tbh, although mine was pretty easy, I just wouldn't want to do it again. I'd be worried I'd have the puppy from hell this time. Not a risk I want to take :)

Is 18 year old DD going to be willing to step up and look after the training etc or is she likely to be be off doing her own thing soon, in which case you will be the one taking care of dogs needs.

Two lots of insurance and vets fees is also something that needs to be considered too.

If daughter wants another pup, she can wait til she's stable in her own home to care for one.

Not sure it's just the dog that's spoilt. Surely an 18 y old knows they don't get everything they want.

I get all broody thinking about a second dog too and then remember the puppy days and that sorts it pretty quickly tbh Eric likes playing with other dogs but I think he'd struggle with sharing our attention. He gets jealous now if he thinks we are being too friendly with someone else's dog. Do you think your dog would happily choose to share you? At 18 your dd will be leaving home soon enough anyway, what does she envisage happening regarding a second dog when she goes?

Thanks everyone for your comments - the spoiled dd is a bit distraught at brighton's comments
All food for thought. I could have written your post pigsDOfly.

I can only speak for our situation but getting a second dog (the poodle puppy) worked for us. Rescue girl was 8 when we had the standard pup, and she took to him immediately. She's just learning to play with him (we saw her play bow to him for the first time recently) and they play tug together. She's never snuggled up to another dog before but they sleep often touching each other.
Having said that, even though our puppy was a really easy boy, you do forget how much time and effort it takes!

I got a second dog last year, she is now 10 months old. My advice would be: get a second dog if that's what you want in YOUR life. Never get a second dog to keep first dog company. Never get a second dog for your child. Dogs are a huge amount of work. I always wanted two and we all love having two around, but that's because I am happy to do the work.

If your daughter leaves home, she might leave the dog (and work) for you. Or take the dog which might be an emotional upheaval for first dog and possibly yourself.

A 7 year old lhasa should be young enough to accommodate a puppy unless he / she is not very fond of the society of other dogs.

If you are not fond of the puppy stage, you can look into rescue too. If you want a specific breed, breed clubs always have breed rescues too.

I have a six year old shih tzu. She's a rescue dog and doesn't really like other dogs. I really wanted a pnither dog but given my dogs issues, I thought a puppy would be best. Everyone told me not to, it wouldn't work, disaster but I threw caution to the wind and got a puppy, another shih tzu. I can honestly say it's the best thing we did. My resident dog absolutely loves her, took to her straight away. They're best friends! Resident dog still doesn't like other dogs but she loves her new friend. Resident dog has a new lease of life and has become so playful.

If you do decide get a second dog, I suggest you get the opposite sex to the one you have at the moment. It will help them settle down.

A dog/bitch combination will almost always be a cosy one.

Two dogs will generally get along but won't always be friends - by that I mean they won't want necessarily to play and sleep together etc.

Two bitches usually get along very well (and when they do, they generally bond wonderfully), but if they decide they don't like each other, then they may quite literally fight (seriously fight) every time they meet. I have known people end up keeping two dogs in separate parts of the house, because every time they saw each other they went in hell for leather. It isn't just that you may end up with a badly injured dog, but you or other people may get bitten separating them.

Speaking for myself, I like 3 dogs (I don't know why, I just do) and find thatchy are great comfort and joy to each other. I would always have more than one, personally.

*that they, not thatchy

Thank you all for your comments - I will update in a few weeks.