Is a second dog twice as much work?

[WarningOfGails]

For some reason I’ve been thinking about having another dog… currently have a lab/pointer who is 5 years old.

I really didn’t enjoy having a puppy, I found it quite stressful, and I work more than I did when our current dog was a puppy… on the other hand the children are older. I guess the practical reason for another dog would be to keep current dog company. But am I being daft? Would it be twice as much work or does it just slot in? We look after friend’s dog sometimes & it makes no difference, just taking 2 dogs on a walk/letting them out for a goodnight wee instead of one…

A 6-7 month old dog is nowhere near fully trained btw, most dogs go through a tricky teenage stage and “forget” everything they’ve learned.

You also don’t yet know whether a puppy that age is going to be dog social or not and other things like that - they’re still puppies and it can all change.

That's exactly what I'm hoping for

I highly doubt that as socialised daily and family come round have other dogs at home if they grow up together would be good too

So should I just wait 3 months till he's one?

Nothing as your dog is way too young.

But he will be on his own he misses when my partners mum dogs when they go home and he loves dog company I want something he can grow up with. I have a three bed house and massive garden? I do want something so not left alone when not used to it 3 hours is so long I thought about getting a rescue an older dog too but he's too energetic for them

I have the time to train them, as trained rescues in the past

Also very unpredictable. I don't know what would keep up and be good for him

Nope, I'd wait until your older dog was about 2 or even older - you want your older dog to have grown up properly and have solidly established training and good manners.

Another gundog breed would be a good mix with a spaniel - I know a lot of spaniels who live with working-line labradors, or one of the hunt-point-retrieve breeds (HPRs - Vizslas, German pointers etc). But as I said, I'd wait. See how your spaniel pans out in terms of recall and walking on the lead and behaving around the house as he grows up.

Your spaniel should be able to cope for three hours ocassionally if you build him up to it. I understand wanting to get him a buddy, but there is the risk that they won't get on.

Enjoy this dog until he's matured. I understand the impatience to get another puppy (been there myself) but honestly, it is worth waiting.

Squishy do wait til your current dog is older. You’re romanticising the idea of a companion because he likes your mum’s dog. It’s too soon, your current dog isn’t an adult and hormones / character / training are not settled yet.

You could end up with dogs that can’t stand each other and draw blood (this is awful and upsetting as you would likely love both) and would need to be kept physically apart permanently when alone.

Try to be patient for your dog’s sake.

Around 2 is what is usually considered fully adult - and it’s what most people advise.

if you like the biddability of a spaniel but not the energy level you’d be as well researching other gundog breeds and finding a good breeder, then waiting for a planned litter from them around the right sort of time.

Have had multiple dogs in the past I just didn't know much about collies and online many mixed reviews. I've been looking for 2 months maybe should have got one when I got him at the exact same time. I'm used to having lots of dogs and I guess maybe, I just thought it might have helped him cos dogs are much happier when multiple usually and I don't want to do it too late either. And I want him to have company as we both won't be home for 3 hours and a dog never really been left other than when he went puppy classes and loves being with my partner parents dogs when we went cinema once and thought it would help cos he could play and be less stressed

Okay thank you, I will wait just two to three hours is long do you think he'll get bad separation anxiety

Can't leave at my partners family dogs Monday to Friday that's unfair on them, idk what to do or do you think he'll get used to it?

Two isnt twice the work but it can be more work depending on the dogs. Defo worth it though imo, two or three is fab. I have four which is probably madness but I don’t care…

Do you think there's a good breed that will go with a feildx sprocker spaniel?

It said collies and setters...etc. so I could only find farm collies as I want something fully Vaccinated and both flea and wormed and seemed fair as accidental mating as I don't like a lot of breeders as they just let them go at 8 weeks and puppy farms. But idk much about collie there's really mixed reviews. I have time the funds and space.

I have had dogs since I was a kid,lots of collies... the first one was,a few rescues..a lab/red setter cross, and a Phalene. As an adult have always had 2 dogs. When I had lost my dog,DH had a cross breed,no idea what, she was 17 but incredibly fit healthy,we had the RSPCA inspection. She said we had to have a dog,as we already had a bitch, quarter acre garden, with a stream, bridge over into fields, edge of a village. She put medium size garden! We bought a border collie puppy,farm bred,DH dog didn't particularly like her, but she didn't like other dogs. I had 2 cats,DH said she hated cats, she curled up on the sofa with them! DHs dog had to be PTS,we got another farm stock BC puppy,so we had 2 BC puppies,6 months apart! Completely different personalities, first blue,was soppy, the second b/w wasn't particularly interested in people, including us. They got on fine. A few years down the line we got a Phalene, male,he was my cat substitute (one died one run over) he was besties with the blue,cuddled up to her,b/w not interested in the whole, but would play ball with her. Toy boy wouldn't settle in the utility room after blue died, ended up on the bed. B/w died at 18, toy hated being alone, when I went to work (night shift) he sat crying at the door. 7 months down the line, got another BC puppy, they were besties,we lost him last year at 18, thought long and hard and in September got another BC puppy.

No. He needs to be at least two if not older - you haven't even been through adolescence yet and you have absolutely no clue what he'll be like as an adult.

The 2 border collie puppies 6 months apart were both bitches.

Okay I will wait. I just dont want to cause either stress and I have thought about pros and cons I was considering older for him but my partner wants a puppy he knows I have enough time and patience and trained dogs in past.
I do have separate rooms if that is case when there older but I don't want that to be the case. It's just wondering as I've never really left him idk what his reaction will be and always be left with dogs when had to leave him so. And didnt know much about collies only collie x but my partner choice as well as mine and we both depends how dog gets on anyways that's the main decider as older dogs find him too much and grumpy. I will get the dogs done when old enough if there antsy, as mine has one ball anyway still hasnt humped and practly 7 months and might not. I have time and patience and training. But if you think not old enough I'll talk to my partner I thought be easier grow up together. Take him to see whatever dog in future and walk both together changing who walks in front and see what there like at home that's what matters my dog doesn't care what's in his home still young enough to just see play time, thought training both maybe easier together and both given equal attention.
Idk I just wanted to learn about the breed and if farm collie would be alot harder than rescue but I guess just got an answer which was to not get one. I'll tell my partner I think that has really changed my head about things, neither will be used for breeding or anything like that. May take them to proper training as to retrieve and things as do like working training. Won't send collie to do the herding training if I got it as it makes them nippy. And do have parks and things and have the funds. I am usually home they'd be left 3 hours together, think would help bond them. But maybe not. I'll see what other strategies I can do when he's never been left in the mean time and if we can't I don't want my partner to miss out being a manager at his dream job because he won't like that dog is left for 3 hours. And I don't want to quit mine I literally go for meetings a few times a week for a 2 hours.

10!

Are you a farmer? Do you live in a large house? How do you manage them?

A few things from your updates

Another dog doesn’t always mean no separation anxiety - if they want a human, they want a human… and you can end up with two stressed dogs

training 2 dogs at the same time is not easier, it’s harder, you have to do it separately, together just doesn’t work.

Collie specific stuff

Are they harder than a rescue? Depends on the rescue tbh, but… they’re very very intense, they’re bred to work all day and think for themselves, so they’re not really suited for the average pet home, mine goes to work with my DP - that’s on top of a couple of hours walking, training and play.

and herding training doesn’t make them nippy, the herding and hippiness is there already - that’s why you hear so many stories about pet collies rounding up children playing or chasing traffic. Mine herds my other dog 🤣

Going introduce straight away and let them run in the field together they've both had vaccinations and the owner would be happy and see how both cope in the car and if they don't get along, then would be an instant no, that if not just putting eachother in place. And I don't mind losing the money as it was at least an experience and would be home with them both for next 5 weeks them not being left so no issues will occur untill my partner has that position as that will be his training time is 6 weeks.

And if within that time we go out for half hour see how get on and slowly increase time see how it goes