Puppy or re-home adult dog?

[WillowKnicks]

Hi
We have a 7 year old small poodle cross dog, who has been the happiest, easy going dog but sadly we lost 2 dogs in the last 9 months & she is struggling...a LOT.

We would love to get her a companion & don't really want to start at the puppy stage again but are willing & happy to, if that's best for her.

We've looked at lots of rescues but we've also got 2 cats & that seems to rule out the vast majority. There's also adult dogs for rehoming but I worry they come with issues that the owners won't disclose & won't have the back up of a rescue.

Will a 7 year old dog adapt to a puppy better? Also don't want to be in this situation again in 7 years time with the puppy!

Sorry for the long winded post but I'm trying to put down all the scenarios going through my head!

Surely you're not genuinely thinking of rehoming her??!!

Just give her lots of extra love and attention and she will adapt to the new situation.

Sorry about your other dogs.

Dogs grieve for other dogs, of course they do. But it doesn't mean they want a new dog. It means they miss their friend.

I know when Hen goes, the rest of my gaggle will grieve for her. Does that mean they'd welcome a new puppy or a new adult dog easily? God no.

There was a regular poster a while ago who had to keep her dogs separated for about 18 months when she got a puppy and added it to her home - even though the existing dog was used to her fostering other dogs.

When it works, it's wonderful. But it doesn't always. Give it time and do whats best for her and your cats - not what you think they want.

No, we're absolutely not & NEVER would even THINK about rehoming her!!! I'm asking would she adapt better if we got a puppy or re-homed an adult dog.

We have given her lots of extra love & attention, we can't possibly do more for her than we are doing but this has been going on for 3 months & after consulting our vet, he thinks, as she's always lived with another dog, she would be happier with a companion.

There's lots of dogs in rescue at the moment, most are crying out for fosterers as they are full to capacity. There's breed specific dog rescues if you have any particular breed in mind. I have fostered twice for a spaniel charity and sadly neither got on with my existing spaniel. But nothing lost as I was able to care/train, get neutered (at rescues expense) and get to know the rescue dogs to enable them to go onto the most suitable homes. They are both doing really well in their new homes. It's the most rewarding experience and you get first refusal if it all works out well.

I think the first poster misunderstood your title. It can be read as get a puppy or rehome your dog.
As long as the second dog is for all of you and not just for your dog, then that's fine. Don't get one just for your dog though, as it might not work out as you hope.

As for which would work out best, there is no way to tell. It depends on the personalities of the dogs involved.
I had a dog that loved and wanted to play with every dog he met. When I got a puppy, he hated her and I had to keep them separated for the first three months.
This time around, I had a 3 year old and added a puppy. They get on really well and always play together.
To complicate things, I then added a 9 year old foster dog. She gets on absolutely brilliantly with the puppy - they play and sleep together. The 9 and 3 years olds get on, but don't really interact with each other much.
Also, my 3 year old didn't grieve when my other dog died, so don't worry about what might happen in 7 years time.

If you do get a rescue dog, go to a reputable rescue that offers life time back up and preferably uses foster carers for their dogs, so they can be properly assessed in homes. Your dog would get the opportunity to meet the other dog then to see if they were compatible.
There are nice, well behaved, cat friendly rescue dogs out there. I have one on my sofa . 😊

Ah - apologies; I misunderstood your OP

We’ve adopted many, many times and never have any issue integrating a new dog into the existing crew, irrespective of ages. And we have adopted for the exact reasons you state. 10 yrs ago, we lost a dog and her “bff” was devasted. We had other dogs at the time, but she was particularly bonded with the one that died. She became lethargic, lost her appetite, didn’t want to do anything. Vet could find nothing wrong and suggested she was grieving and perhaps a new friend might help her. So we adopted a 2 year old of the same breed. Without hours of her arrival, they were curled up in bed together, original dog returned completely to “normal” and 10 yrs later they are still thick as thieves.
Go to a reputable rescue where your dog can meet any new companion first and you’ll be fine……