A few 'getting a second dog' questions...

Hi all,

Ok- so I it's pretty much been decided that Zara needs a little canine pal.
She doesn't get the opportunity to play with other dogs very often, due to her size, breed and general gobbyness. With adult dogs, she is a barker not aggressive, she just doesn't know how to introduce herself properly, but she is getting there.

We would love for her to have a friend to play with. She ADORES puppies and is very gentle with them. Depending on when the right pup turns up, we would like to get one within the next few months, so plenty of time to get sorted etc.

Probably the most important question: What breed???

This is something we have been thinking about since last September . We need something that will be small to medium in size, high energy (so it can keep up with Zara), very robust and preferably minimal shedding (although this isn't strictly necessary). We have a few breeds in mind, but we are still undecided. Any ideas?

Also, I have some introductory questions:

I have read that when introducing a new dog to the house-hold, to take both dogs somewhere completely new to meet each other, so there are no territorial issues. However, if the pup hasn't has it's vaccines yet, then I can't see how it would be possible? Would the garden be Ok?

Another question regarding toys, Zara has a huge (and I do mean huge) basket of toys that she plays with every day. It is just left under the stairs for her to go and choose from when she wants a game/chew. Should we allow the pup to play with these toys? Or just Zara? Or neither of them and put them all away?
Also, we will need a few teething toys for the pupster, should Zara be allowed to play with these?

Also, Zara doesn't need her crate any more as she can be trusted without it. She was weaned off it in about November of last year, if we take it out of the shed and re-build it, is she likely to remember it being hers? I would probably put it up about a week prior to the arrival of the pup so she gets used to it, but would she be jealous of the pup sleeping in her old bed?

I don't really have any worries about Zara accepting a pup into the house, she has done so before with a friend's 12 week old Bichon frise just fine. I just want to make sure I do everything right!

So any answers to my qestions and/or breed suggestions would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi

Oooh how exciting getting a new pup. As the owner of a Golden Retriever, I cant praise them highly enough, reared correctly they are very biddable, love to play and have loads of energy, however, they do shed alot its no biggie for me as having 2 dogs and 2 messy kids Im hoovering constantly anyway If your dog is great with pups, then I wouldnt worry about introducing them outside. My BMD was 7 when I got Ruby and he was fine even though he's very territorial, that could be due to them being of different sex, I dont know but it was fine he didnt see her as a threat at all. I never seperated the toys, they are all lying around and if Floyd picks one up, Ruby takes it off him, its a shame but I just let them get on with it, he doesnt put up a fight and I dont interfere, although how your current dog would react to her toys depends on how possessive she is of them

I wouldnt have thought she'd be jealous of the pup in her bed, esp as she's been out of it since November, I just wouldn't let her go in it at all.

Saying all this, I don't have any experience of GSDs, although that will be changing next year when I get my own So I guess it all depends on the character of the dog you already have.

Let us know when you decide what to do! Good luck xx

Having had GSDs since 1958 with a mixture of other breeds from Cavaliers to Beardies as well as an older rescue X breed, I've never had a problem with my GSDs with the other breeds.

Lots of GSD owners have a smaller "other"breed like Cavaliers & as Cavaliers are both energetic(well mine are) & clever they fit in well. My BCs have always mixed well with my BCs & our last GSD(a rescue bitch)was a brilliant "nanny"to all the puppies we brought into the house. She also loves all the cats as well.

Also, I have some introductory questions:

I have read that when introducing a new dog to the house-hold, to take both dogs somewhere completely new to meet each other, so there are no territorial issues. However, if the pup hasn't has it's vaccines yet, then I can't see how it would be possible? Would the garden be Ok?

I always do my introductions in the garden or indoors and never had any issues but then my dogs are very tolerant of others. They should be fine if you say she is fine with puppies as a rule.

Another question regarding toys, Zara has a huge (and I do mean huge) basket of toys that she plays with every day. It is just left under the stairs for her to go and choose from when she wants a game/chew. Should we allow the pup to play with these toys? Or just Zara? Or neither of them and put them all away?
I'd invest in a few new ones before the pup arrives and bring them out for both of them when the put arrives but generally speaking mine are taught to share from a very early age, although never allowed to bully or steal from the others unless the others are not bothered. You could keep the existing ones out of the way and introduce them gradually when you see how they tolerate each other around toys etc.

Also, we will need a few teething toys for the pupster, should Zara be allowed to play with these?
If designed for a puppy the older dog could well destroy them so have something handy to give to the older dog while the pup has his.

Also, Zara doesn't need her crate any more as she can be trusted without it. She was weaned off it in about November of last year, if we take it out of the shed and re-build it, is she likely to remember it being hers? I would probably put it up about a week prior to the arrival of the pup so she gets used to it, but would she be jealous of the pup sleeping in her old bed?

Mine have been known to fold themselves up incredibly small to fit inside a puppy crate I just ignore them and once they come back out keep the crate locked until the pup needs to go back in. They're not likely to be jealous if when the pup is crated you have some one to one with the older dog.

I don't really have any worries about Zara accepting a pup into the house, she has done so before with a friend's 12 week old Bichon frise just fine. I just want to make sure I do everything right!

To a certain extent you have to play it by ear and go with the flow.

So any answers to my qestions and/or breed suggestions would be really appreciated.

What breed did you have in mind?

Hiya

If Zara is as good with other dogs/puppies as you say, I personally wouldn't worry about introducing them on neutral ground. That is an excellent idea for introducing two unknown adult dogs (if, say, you were introducing an older rescue to your home) but probably won't be necessary for introducing a dog to a pup. Introducing them in your garden should be fine. I know I didn't do anything special; just plonked the pup down and let the older dog have a good sniff.

As for toys, is Zara possessive over them? if she is, you'll want to supervise interactions. Pups can be pesks with regard to stealing toys until they learn appropriate manners. If she is generally ok with other dogs near her toys, it probably won't hurt to leave them out for them to use. Again though, maybe just keep a watchful eye at first.

No, she won't be jealous of the pup in the crate. If she liked the crate when you had it up for her, the odds are she may join the pup for a snooze.

As for small-medium breeds, you have lots of choices. Beagles, Border Terriers, French Bulldogs, Whippets, Miniature Schnauzers, Norfolk Terriers, Jack Russell's, Springer and Cocker Spaniels all come to mind when I think of good small/medium dogs.

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your replies! I'm all excited now!

To answer your questions R.E toys: I don't *think* Zara is toy possessive, she has never displayed any sort of guarding behaviour around her toys at all and has certainly never growled/barked/snapped/bitten when taking a toy away from her (we only do this if it has been ripped, but will swap it for another etc).
With other dogs, she has let a pup take her green ropey toy off her with no problems, but other than that she hasn't really had the opportunity to be around other dogs as a lot of people dislike the GSD breed, so prefer not to let their dogs play with Zara.
For part of this reason, Zara can be a little 'rude' in her introductions to adult dogs, she has been bitten on four separate occasions (unprovoked), but has never bitten back. However, with puppies or very playful dogs, she is fantastic. Any dog under the age of about 6 months, she will absolutely love and will play when the pup wants to. A dog older than 6 months she just wants to play with non stop! She is going to 1-2-1 training currently, but will be starting at classes this Saturday, so we should hopefully brush up her social skills in time for the arrival of pupster!
I'll probably get some brand new toys for both of them and keep Zara's toys out for them to play with and just monitor them.

Regarding breeds, we still aren't absolutely certain. We are leaning towards the idea of a Cocker Spaniel? Size and energy-wise, they are perfect, but I'm keeping my options open at the moment!
What are your thoughts on Cocker Spaniels? I would love a little golden boy (from show lines, not working!) I have re-searched some breeders and have found a few whose dogs are gorgeous and they do all of the relevant health tests etc.

Any more ideas appreciated!