I would wait till your current dog is an adult but thats just me.
When will it be best to have another dog?
I have a Great Pyreness/Golden Retriever mix right now.She is almost four months old.I would like to get another dog sometime in the near future.My wife likes one dog at a time.Snowball is a friend to everybody,dogs & all.I don't want another male dogs,especially right now.And do not want puppies at all. When,and if I get another one,what breed or mix would go good? I was thinking maybe a border collie mix.I would like a smaller one,around 30-50 lbs.I would like to have one around fall,this would put her at one year old.Is this right timing?
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We're in the same situation as you. We have a 6 month old lab/terrier/newfounland mix, and have been thinking for a couple months now that we should get her a playmate. So we will probably be getting a smaller adult dog in the next few months. Hopefully it will go well!
I would actually wait a lot longer, till your current dog is about 2 years old. 4 months old is very young... you ain't seen the worst of the puppy days yet. Adolescence is when they start forgetting things they know, testing their limits and generally turning into teenagers. And to be honest, it's not easy to deal with while juggling a second puppy on the side.
If you're very anxious to get a second dog, wait till your current dog is 1 year old.
If you're very anxious to get a second dog, wait till your current dog is 1 year old.
I like to wait at least a year or two between dogs....just so I have the time to concentrate on there training...but that is just me...
I couldn't agree more.I would actually wait a lot longer, till your current dog is about 2 years old. 4 months old is very young... you ain't seen the worst of the puppy days yet. Adolescence is when they start forgetting things they know, testing their limits and generally turning into teenagers. And to be honest, it's not easy to deal with while juggling a second puppy on the side.
If you're very anxious to get a second dog, wait till your current dog is 1 year old.
When Callie was about 10 months old, we got her a playmate; Susie is about 3 yrs. They're BFF. It worked for me, but idk if it'll work for you.
The best time to get a second dog is when your first dog is fully trained, with no bad habbits. That way, you can enjoy each dog to the fullest. The nice thing about bringing a puppy into the home with a well trained adult dog is that it makes training the puppy a whole lot easier! The puppy learns much from the older dog.
Well said Poodleholic. Snowball tends to have a stubborn streak in her training.Right now when I let her go to the bathroom at night she doesn't want to come back in.She is getting housebroken and will sit by the door when she needs to go potty,which is a good thing.I guess I wanted her to have a playmate on days that I don't feel good.The people I got her from had her in a pen with two other dogs,but I forget the one who took her under her wing was ten years old.The best time to get a second dog is when your first dog is fully trained, with no bad habbits. That way, you can enjoy each dog to the fullest. The nice thing about bringing a puppy into the home with a well trained adult dog is that it makes training the puppy a whole lot easier! The puppy learns much from the older dog.
Yeah, but remember, there will be days when BOTH dogs are getting into the trash... BOTH dogs are peeing indoors... BOTH dogs are in noisy and restless moods (probably spurred on by each other) and need an extra long walk... BOTH dogs are having diarrhoea... that sort of thing. There will be many more days of double the work than there will be days where work is saved because of the second dog. If you're looking for ways to burn off Snowball's energy on days that you're not feeling up for a walk, look for a doggie daycare or a good dog park near you. Or else, make friends with a neighbour or friend who has a dog and organise play dates. Getting a second dog isn't just getting a playmate for your first dog... it's getting another mouth to feed, another training regime to start and work on, another dog to exercise, double the trips to the vet.
Also, as I said before, dogs can start acting out when they reach about 6-8 months of age. This is known as the adolescence period and it's when it seems like everything you've taught her just flew out the window... I would wait until this period was over with Snowball, at least, before thinking about getting a second dog.
Also, as I said before, dogs can start acting out when they reach about 6-8 months of age. This is known as the adolescence period and it's when it seems like everything you've taught her just flew out the window... I would wait until this period was over with Snowball, at least, before thinking about getting a second dog.
Yes,I've decided to wait at least a year.
We just got our second dog. Our first one was born in September of 2005. This one was born in December of 2008. Right now they are about the same size. They just got done running after each other. Nice raining day indoor fun. This is my first time having two dogs. The other time doesn't count since the old one died two months after we got the first one so I can't say they had a chance to be best friends.
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