[sven100]

I adopted a new dog recently. He's not my first dog, but he's my first new dog in 12 years. My senior dog passed away earlier this summer. I'm kind of amazed at how different this experience is shaping up to be and just how unique each and every dog is.

I have some question that I'll get to eventually. Just wanted to introduce myself for now and spend some time reading the forum before I jump in. Thanks for having me!

 

[LMH1012]

Hi. . Welcome to the forum.

 

[pandora]

Hi there.. do tell about your previous fog and this one...

Im on my second beagle and the differences between two male dogs of the same breed is amazing but also the similarities..I don't suppose it's really in the breed standard but both of them had set times to go to bed and they get quite indignant if the door isn't open to let them go off to bed when they think it's time.

looking forward to hearing how you are coping with the new dog.. I know when we had our first pup in 25 years it was quite a shock.

 

[sven100]

Oh, hey! I wasn't ignoring you. I just didn't realize until just this minute that anyone had responded to this post.

Yes, it's amazing how different they can be. My first dog was a hound/bully mix and she was so confident and independent, not to mention stubborn. She was just kind of self sufficient I guess. She despised other dogs and we never even tried to do anything about it. Just spent 12 years keeping her away from other dogs. Given the option she avoided them herself so it wasn't a big effort. There were a couple of ugly incidents in 12 years, but nothing disastrous.

This new guy, he loves other dogs. Wants nothing more than to socialize and just catch up on the neighborhood happenings with whoever crosses his path. His enthusiasm is a little problematic to be honest, but we're working on it. He's only 2 and he's new so I'm being patient. He's more anxious than Lucy was. More needy and often seeking approval. It's very sweet. He tugs at my heart in a way I hadn't experienced before.

I honestly didn't think I was ready for a new dog, but my husband wanted one badly and he had never had the experience of choosing a pet and naming it and getting to know it (not even a childhood hamster), so we went ahead with it. He found a dog (a lab/coonhound mix) and we adopted it. I wondered if I would be able to bond with the new guy. I expected to feel indifferent really, but the reality is far from that. He fills a whole new spot in my heart.

So happy to have him.