Still researching 2nd dog, just a bit of advice needed.

Ok so still researching on 2nd dog next year or possibly year after, now weve decided on a rotty, so this is the bit of help i need. Now sammy sleeps in the kitchen as from a pup and always will do, now then when we decide were ready to buy a rotty we need to know about sleeping and going out time ie shopping ect, as this will be our first time having 2 dogs, dont want to leave alone together and something happens. what do you's do with more than 1 dog ect, as we'll be getting a rotty puppy bitch not a dog as sammy is a dog.

When I have a new puppy, the puppy is always kept in a crate when I am not there to supervise interraction at home.

If and when I go out and leave them alone together, the puppy is in the crate and the other dog is free.

I will not leave them free together until the younger one is at least 6 months old but I also judge their relationship, it is more about one dog being LARGE enough not to be at risk from the older one.

You can leave dogs alone together - you just have to know your dogs. If they have never given you reason to doubt leaving them alone then it is rarely a problem. If there is any doubts about safety then separation is probably best.

With puppies I tend to leave them crated in the room as the adult dog. That way they are safe, they have company and you know that they won't be annoying the older dog (puppies can be a pain in the backside!).

Thanx smokey hun for your reply, i just didnt want sammy being crated as he's brill anyway, will buy a crate though when we get the new puppy. He's not aggressive to other dogs in fact he's perfect, weve been doing some doggy meetings near us, and 99% are bitch's, the only thing he does do is sniff the hell out there behind thats as far as anything goes really, but he's being castrated in the new year.

thanks labradork i knew 1 would have to be crated but as i said to smokey didnt want sammy being crated, but thats put my mind at rest now.

I am paranoid or very careful about this too (depending on your point of view!).

Cherry and Parker had always been together since Parker was 8 weeks old and Cherry a year so I could leave them together when I went to work and not worry (we rehomed them at 2 and 3 years of age).

When Cherry had her eye problems I separated them as I was concerned re Parker (clumsy oaf) accidentally knocking into her and damaging her eyes-she was on a very intensive programme of eye drops/creams after her cataract surgeries.

Now sadly we no longer have Cherry I still leave Parker alone and Izzy separate. They get on fine and don't growl or fight but Izzy used to do this staring thing at Parker when we first had her and then she would prod him if he didn't respond. I don't want her doing this if I am not around to give her a "time out" though the behaviour has practically extinguished itself now but I would rather be safe than sorry and Parker is such a softie he wouldn't retaliate if Izzy started on him.

see sammys like that all bitch's put sammy in his place and he never grumbles, he's like me just do it lol and dont argue back. thats why were going for a bitch.

Yes-I think that is commonly thought of as the best combination. I did have 2 male dogs with no problems -best of friends and never a cross growl between them but I don't think I would deliberately have 2 males-we just took on my Sister's male Cairn terrier when she could no longer cope with him and 3 children and we happened to have a male Cairn too.

When we had Gemma as a pup she was crated and the boys left loose in the house. At about 6 months I think we took the crate away and since then they've all been together with no problems

yeah my missus always wanted a bitch and after seeing a couple of posts from smokey it was right to say yes to a bitch. missus happy now pink collars leads bed's ect lol.
thats what were going to do crate her till there ok together.
if everything that could go wrong be eliminated then we'll be happy, hence why were waiting till sammys 2 and fully ok with his training, financially able to do everything insurance ect. rather than jumping in do it all by the book.

That was the bit of advice I was going to give you. A bitch will almost always keep a dog in his place. My Tibetan Mastiff knows his place, bless him. Most male dogs are gentlemen, but not all female dogs are ladies.

And I agree with what Labradork said as that's what I've always done. Puppy gets crate trained and older dog is left loose until you know they can be trusted in every way.