Tips for bringing in a puppy when your have an older dog

[TeenLifeMum]

I think this is happening, but we have a while to decide as mating only just occurred and puppies won’t be ready until spring.

Ddog is a gorgeous 4yo cocker spaniel with leukaemia. We were devastated but he’s on chemo and you wouldn’t know anything was wrong except the weekly vet visits. His treatment goes on until early March. We know he doesn’t have the 12 year expectancy he should have but cherish every extra week. The gap he’d leave would be horrific. We’re coming round to the idea that a puppy would be able to settle and have his support to do so (he’s very gentle and patient with puppies), and a friend of a friend is hoping for a litter.

i am keen to use this time to prepare and read up so we get this right with number 2. I do remember the puppy stage and it wasn’t my favourite part but leads to a lovely family dog so I’m willing to put the time in. All tips gratefully received.

Having a puppy and another dog is not the mega issue you are all talking about.

We're not talking about a healthy, young adult dog, though - if we were, the responses would be very different.

This dog is terminally unwell and at some point soon will need palliative care with the view of being PTS. Balancing those needs with those of a bouncy adolescent that pushes boundaries isn't going to be easy, and it won't be fair on the older dog who will need as much peace and quiet as possible.

I know loads of multi-dog households and have absolutely no objection with bringing a puppy into a home, but not when there's a terminally unwell dog in the house who has always been an "only". It's not fair.

Do I have to make all decisions around what’s best for my dog over what’s right for the wider family?

Honestly, especially given the context, I think this is one of the most selfish things I've ever read on here.

You also keep talking about your dog being in remission. You don't know at this stage that will even happen. It's actually quite rare in dogs with leukaemia I think.

The dog in the situation being discussed will not have a long period of distressing palliative care. Been there myself.

A dog having chemo is a million miles away from a human on chemo. They will either be coping and fine (as the OP says they are now) or a big decision will need to be made and the dog will be pts. The dog will not suffer the owners will but not the dog.

The OP will not have a dog lying on the sofa under a duvet yearning for a quiet life for months on end.They will have a dog coping and living life or a dog that needs to be pts. The only blessing of a dog with a terminal illness is the owners know when to step in and stop any suffering.

You’ve obviously never lived with a terminally ill animal.

BeatriceAndLottie you are wrong. I have nursed a dog with leukemia and am speaking from experience.

The dog was a young collie 5 years old. The dog was never in pain.

Initially symptons were lethargy and vomiting. Blood work showed leukemia.

The dog had 8 months of chemo and ran around and noone could tell she was ill.

Eventually after 1 year the leukemia could no longer be treated. She had an amazing week with the other dogs on a beach in Scotland and was put to sleep eating ice cream in her bed at home. We knew at a certain point she could not recover and did not let her suffer for one single momennt. She had a peaceful and wonderful death.

@KeenOtter - you seem to have missed the part where OP said she would prioritise her families wants over her existing dogs needs.

Regardless of anything else, that mentality towards a living, breathing, creature that has a limited life expectancy and deserves the world - not to be cast aside because OP wants a shiny, healthy, new version - is just despicable.

I can not argue for the OP. I do not know them or their intentions unlike everyone else on this post that seems to know the dogs health and needs more than the OP.

All I do know is that the conclusions that you are jumping to may not be reality . They are cetainly not the reality that I have experienced with terminally ill dogs and a multi dog household.

It may not be negative for the existing dog to have a new dog in the family.

and the part where OP actually said word for word she’d prioritise her wants over the dogs needs?

Literally. Word. For. Word.

What @KeenOtter has described is what the vet has said. When cancer comes back after remission period it’ll be 2 weeks max between symptoms and pts so not a long palliative situation you and others seem to be describing. As stated, on chemo he has no side effects and is behaving normally with energy, you wouldn’t know he was ill. This isn’t a suffering dog.

I will ALWAYS consider my dogs welfare to be hugely important and one of my priorities but I will balance that against the other priorities in my life. I don’t think a dog is more important than a dc or me - I love my dog but I have to be pragmatic and once the insurance is maxed out we have made a £2k additional limit, I won’t spend my dc uni fund to save a dog. It’s a really hard decision but I cannot only think of the dog as a single priority.

I have said that on balance, the dog is well in himself and he will not be a sick dog by end of March so long as treatment goes to plan. Therefore I do feel the ddog will be able to cope.

I’ve said, if ddog isn’t well in March then we wouldn’t go ahead. When I say I’ll prioritise my family wants, I mean that ddog likely works prefer to be king of the household. Dd1 probably wanted to be an only dc rather than have her siblings but she loves them now. I’d ddog was suffering I wouldn’t consider it.

Nobody is suggesting you spend your life savings on your dog though? We're saying it's selfish to get a puppy just because your family want one at this point in time. And how an earth can you compare children having siblings to a puppy and a sick dog? If you're going down that route, would you have got pregnant whilst another child was having cancer treatment? Probably not.

But he’s not expected to be “sick” by the point I’m talking about. He’ll be post treatment. It’s similar to getting a puppy when you have an old dog (which people often successfully do) except my younger dog has far more energy. Knowing my dog doesn’t have 10 years ahead prompted this thought but he’s not on end of life care and has so symptoms currently. Vet expects this to continue through treatment and then he’ll be in remission (so not sick) for an unknown period of time.

Yes, you do have to make the decision around whats best for your dog.
Slightly shocked you need to ask

How do you know your dog was never in pain?

I think this comment has been massively misinterpreted. I think the decision needs to consider multiple factors including my dog’s welfare… but people think my dog is limping around on his last legs. I cannot stress enough, he’s 2 months into treatment with no side effects and all his organs are reduced back to normal size. He’s totally well in himself and is expected to stay this way through treatment and beyond.

Most of us know our dogs and can tell the signs. My dog’s initial symptom was slightly faster breathing than normal. Anyone else wouldn’t have noticed but I know him and it wasn’t normal for him. Took him straight to the vet and that led to the diagnosis. He vomited a small amount once.

What about the puppy. We got a second dog when our first was still very young. They adore each other. The youngest pines for the oldest if left at home without him if we have to take him to the vets. The puppy could find it very hard when your current dog dies.

OP will just get another dog. They as easy to replace as a broken mug, after all. Not like their sentient beings or anything

What a ridiculous comment.

So noone gets another dog when their dog dies........

How many dogs have you had Killing?

Over 20. And I 100% prioritise their well being over my own selfish desires - that means not getting other dogs if they’re not 100%, PTS before I am ready to say goodbye and making sacrifices to ensure they have the best possible life I am capable of providing.

Ops dog isn’t dead. It’s dying. She should be making the most of the time it has left - not replacing it whilst its still alive.

Dog ownership is a responsibility and a privilege - not a right, despite what OP thinks.

I've always had 2 dogs with a gap of about 5 yrs between them . Never had an issue adding in the new pup .However we are now a 1 dog household .Our current dog made our older dogs life much harder culminating in a full on fight a few yrs in the older one came off the worst.Life got very complicated after that and they were never left alone together after that.

Do I think either dog appreciated each other ?, no they tolerated each other
Every time I even think about a 2nd dog I remember the blood and horror .I know it works for many dogs but if you add in a terminal dog that's just a risk I wouldn't take .

I was on your side until I read this message, yes you absolutely should do what’s right for your older dog until he is gone, anything else is selfish. I’m feeling very sad for your dog now that you do genuinely consider them replaceable.

Also, fyi, remission means the cancer isn’t detectable, no one can say now that the dog will be in remission in a year, that’s just rubbish.

Wanders off to walk the dogs as slightly bored by the ridiculous direction this thread has taken......

I agree with @heinztomatosoup

• there's no way I would inflict a puppy on a sick dog (or even a mature dog over 6).

You have no way of knowing that your poorly dog will be feeling like inside, during his illness. Dogs are so stoic and often don't show a hint of pain. I'm so sorry for your predicament.

So noone gets another dog when their dog dies........

But OP hasn't lost her dog - it's terminally unwell and nobody, not even the vet, can predict what the last year or so will be like in terms of energy levels and quality of life.

I'm all for having multiple dogs but not when the only other dog in the home is a) unwell and b) has never lived with another dog before. Young puppies can be incredibly demanding and take up huge amounts of time - time and energy that should really be spent on giving the existing dog the best time possible, imo.