UPDATE!

My man and I finally came to a decision that we would really like another dog.

Last weekend we adopted a border collie puppy who we have called Jasmine.

We are trying to take it slowly with our other two dogs and they have been so good. We have had one incident which was a little scary, but perfectly natural I think. Jazz walked over to Max's bone that he was eating and he had a go at her. Luckily, she has good reactions and squealed and squealed even though he barely touched her. She was clearly scared, but she's a confident little thing and seemed to be back to herself in no time.

It's only been 3 days, and I am so proud of my boys for how tolerant they have been. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't stressful and extremely demanding but I think it will all work out well.

I just don't know when to start pushing the mixing. We are trying to be sensible and make sure that there are no toys around when they are all together, after what happened a couple of days ago.

Jazz has a crate which she has already taken to, we don't shut her in it for log periods of time, but want her to have a safe place where she can sleep and eat and won't be bothered by the others. We are trying to keep the day as normal as possible for Ben and Max, but make sure they know she is around. They don't seemed stressed out and have probably ended. Up with more attention than normal!

As Jazz is getting more confident, she is becoming more playful and I worry that it will wind up Ben and Max. I just don't know how much to try and push them as I'm scared she will get hurt.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can progress? I don't have a good feeling about leaving them all to it. Ben and Max are so close and I worry that they may gang up on her even though hey haven't shown any sign of doing so. I'd rather take it slowly and build the acceptance levels, but maybe I should just let the, get on with it and hope for the best. I just don't know.

Any advice or thoughts would be gratefully received!

You were wise getting a girl definitely. I don't know about the dynamics of her and your boys, I believe they say to pay more attention to them than her right now until they figure out the pecking order. We've had both good and bad experience with new pups. Sophie was very accepting of Callie when I brought him home sight unseen. He is much younger and backs off if she challenges him on anything. We tried adopting another girl last year and it was a disaster. Callie was fine with her but Sophie attacked. No more pups for us until Sophie buys the farm.

It all sounds perfectly normal to me!
You want to give it 3-4 weeks before you look for signs of bonding between Jazz and the older dogs, so don't expect too much too soon.

Set up a puppy play pen for Jazz - you can buy wire ones fairly cheaply (don't bother with the fabric ones as they tip up when the puppy pushes agains the walls), or just barricade off a section of room with furniture and flattened out cardboard boxes - and put her own toys, crate and bowls in there. It will be somewhere you can quickly pop her when you can't be supervising. Also, try making a barricade that your older dogs can jump over but Jazz can't, and put it across a door way - that way your older dogs can escape if Jazz gets too bothersome for them.

Don't ever feed them in the same room - not yet at least! - and toys should stay separate. You can keep a toy reserved for only when all 3 are playing under your supervision, which should be brand new - keep it back when the game is over so nobody can claim it as theirs. A ball is great, they will be too focussed on chasing after it to focus on each other!

Take Jazz out by herself frequently - for socializing, training, puppy-classes, etc - and also spend time with your other dogs when she's asleep.

Hope it carries on going well for you!

Thanks guys. Your replies are much appreciated.

The crate I have is the biggest one that Savic do (or did, she I bought it 5 years ago) so she has quite a lot of space in there. Her food bowls are in there and some bedding and her toys. It's not quite a play pen, but while she's so small it suits.

She has worked out that she can go in there when she wants, and when she does, we make sure to play games with the older two. They have been getting lots of fuss.

Jazz sleeps in a small fabric crate in our room at night as that's where the other dogs sleep. She slept from 9.30 to 5.00 last night before crying for the toilet. I have also had her on the bed with the other two and there have been no grumbles from any of them.

At feeding time, Jazz goes in her crate while Ben and Max have their dinner out out, then she gets hers in her crate.

Max and Jazz were nose to nose this morning in the kitchen, Max started the sniffing the all of a sudden tried to nip her so she did the puppy squealing thing again!

I've been on a canine first aid course today and they let me take her with me which was great for her. She got to socialise with a non grumpy dog and meet new people. She's flaked out now!

I spoke to 3 people there who all said that while we should not push too hard, we must expect these snappy/squeaky moments but just step in if it seems that it will go beyond one snap.

Thanks again for your advice, it really is useful.