Introducing a second dog to the home...

Hooked

Hi all.

Later this year we are looking at getting a second Siberian Husky.

A bit of background info... We already have a very well behaved, crate trained, twice daily exercised 2 year old who is neutered and part of the furniture. We have no kids, I work 5 mins from home and the longest our current dog is alone is from 9-1.30 or 2.30 - 5.30. Walks take place in the morning and every evening. He goes with us weekends and holidays. My two brothers and parents live nearby (all dog owners) and Hugo has never seen a boarding kennel in our 2 years together as they help out if we are at a wedding or day out for example.

He has a large crate (this could fit 2 dogs) and is outdoors during the day (with an outdoor kennel) and is in the house at lunch and in the evenings. He sleeps indoors in a locked crate at night and never utters a sound. He's asleep in his open crate as I type.

I have an older BMW touring / estate with a sizeable boot (so both could be accommodated on weekend trips/holidays) and we have no kids so its just gonna be us and the dogs. For now.

So... With one very well behaved Husky, who knows his 'place' in this little pack - what advice could you offer in the following areas... I'm up for doing all the work again with a second dog, my main fear is that I upset an already very good dog by introducing another.


1. Another dog or a bitch? Any advice on this... Pros/Cons - or is it pot luck as to how one behaves over another when together? They'd both be neutered. See point two also...

2. Introducing the two. Hugo is very welcoming of other dogs into his home and loves playing with my dads bull terriers, and other dogs - especially huskies - when on walks. He has been known to show his dominance with older males - and vocally and physically exert this. But it has never escalated to a fight. He loves younger dogs and all the 'ladies' he meets especially.

3. Sleeping / living arrangements. Have a separate crate and outdoor kennel for each or allow the new pup to share Hugos 'spaces' after he/she is crate/toilet trained and old enough?

4. Toilet training, general training and walks... Should one learn from the other? Or should we lead by example and train the basics separately with the new pup learning only from us?

To summarise, we have had long talks, and this dog is not a companion for a bored or troublesome dog. We love the breed so its a husky we're after. We have active lives, no kids, great support from both our families and the dogs would only be alone for 4 hours at a time and well exercised and cared for.

All advice very much appreciated. Best take Hugo out for a pee before bed.

mirekb

I have three dogs, so have done this twice now!

If you are getting a puppy then I would think there would be very few problems. As you are already thinking get the pup his own crate at first, both for Hugo's sake, but also for the new chap to have somewhere safe to go if overwhelmed.

Training wise I would do both separate and together training. As far as toilet training goes etc Hugo will have the puppy trained in no time. But lead walking could become a competitive issue so it's worth making sure the puppy knows the rules by himself as well as together.

My last puppy was a border collie and she pretty much learned everything from the older two, such as going to bed at bedtime, she just follows them.

I would suggest getting a bitch to get rid of any kind of gender competition (neutering doesn't get rid of this completely).

A bit like having children you can't imagine loving another one as much as your first, or picturing them fitting in to your home. But, after a week, it will seem like they were always there and it will just fall into place!

borderlinemeath

As far as gender is concerned a bitch should get on better with your male. Particularly if he's shown himself to be a bit narky in the company of older males.

I did something similar to yourself but with Irish setters. Our first dog Coco we had since she was a puppy, not troublesome at all, very settled into the routine, and in fairness we hadn't intended to get another dog but there was a young little setter who was rescued when he was in a fairly bad way who I had been keeping my eye on and he was coming up for foster/rehoming. Prior to this we had our friends male setter stay with us while they were involved in a protracted house move and had to move in with relatives for 6 weeks. This worked out brilliantly and it was due to this that it was even a consideration for us.

When Benson arrived there was a small bit of adjustment, but nothing major. It was only then we got a crate, just in case there was any friction. He was a very nervous, insecure little fella, with zero confidence but from day one he began learning from Coco. He looked to her for everything, signals for food, for walks, for getting up for cuddles. She even helped with some of the issues he had with simple household items like brushes and mops (basically anything with a handle, he may have suffered from a beating or something in his previous life).

Anyhow, it was the best thing we ever did! For us as a family and for Coco for company, and for Benson to give him a new lease of life. He was young when he was rescued, they estimated maybe 6 months, and it took a further 5 months of recovery before he was well enough to come home to us.

You know yourself, there's lots of dodgy husky breeders out there, you could go back to Hugos breeder if you were happy with them or you could go the rescue route as there's a LOT of Sibes in pounds and rescues around the country. People get them and don't realise the amount of work that's needed and give up, or don't put in the training and end up with an unruly dog, or some simply don't adequately contain them and they stray. If you go the breeder route make sure you get a guarantee from the breeder that you can return the pup if things don't work out. You should get similar from any good rescue. As stated before, we went the purebred puppy route first time around but sourced our second from rescue, and to be honest there's so many good dogs in rescues and pounds that I wouldn't go the puppy route again. It's a lottery both ways.

fifib

<snip>
we spent alot of time pondering over getting a second dog as a companion for our own 2yr old female dashundxstaffie. we were watching her in the park and how she interacted with other dogs etc. anyways months later still talking about it, thinking a puppy may be best and we find a stray. a small terrier (parson/jack russell we think) female, approx 2 yrs. few spats the first few days and now they get on like a house on fire! no joy finding owners and I think we'll be keeping her now! funny how you can over think things and then your pushed into a situation and its the best thing to happen! would still love a staffie so just gotta work on OH for dog 3!!
hope it all works out OP!

ISDW

Hooked, I'll pm you, I know you said you're looking for the future, but have been asked to help with an 8 month old sibe bitch, gorgeous girl

Hooked

Thanks all. While my heart breaks for the amount of Huskies in pounds and adult dogs scattered all over done deal... I'm very black and white in that, we will be going to Hugos daddy for puppy number 2 as I believe 'an ounce of breeding is worth a ton of feeding'. He is from an excellent line and is worth every cent. We are in constant contact with the breeder, meet at shows and exchange emails - so will be waiting on their next litter.

A bitch it seems will be the better option for a number of reasons... And we had pretty much settled on that. She will be spayed as we are not in the backyard breeder brigade, not do we want to add to the already overflowing numbers of huskies out there.

I guess I am I over thinking it a bit. I am just afraid of upsetting Hugo, but as he just LOVES all the 'ladies' he meets, and is generally very welcoming and playful to dogs in his home / yard - bar the odd show of dominance with ONLY older males, I know he'd love company. But more importantly, we would love another dog.

I'll keep an eye out for another crate and we have a variety of leads and harnesses from when Hugo was a pup so we're pretty much set to go.

What about an introduction of the two? I've been reading that this should take place on neutral ground and after they've played and settled, then introduce them to the house and yard, Hugo first off lead... And the new pup following behind on lead / introduced room by room. Hugo is not allowed on furniture or upstairs so there really only is an open plan downstairs, deck and yard.

Any other advice welcome.

Thanks again.

Hooked

ISDW wrote: »

Hooked, I'll pm you, I know you said you're looking for the future, but have been asked to help with an 8 month old sibe bitch, gorgeous girl

ISDW - I just saw your PM thanks and never saw this reply above originally. I'm sorry to be so black and white on this - but I do want a pup from a particular breeder - and not a rescue or re-homed dog. I know that sounds harsh, but I've been in touch with the breeder, who herself has offererd a bitch that needed re-homing but we want a pup, so that we can avoid any problems or pre-existing behavioural issues.

But thanks for your PM all the same.

ISDW

Hooked wrote: »

ISDW - I just saw your PM thanks and never saw this reply above originally. I'm sorry to be so black and white on this - but I do want a pup from a particular breeder - and not a rescue or re-homed dog. I know that sounds harsh, but I've been in touch with the breeder, who herself has offererd a bitch that needed re-homing but we want a pup, so that we can avoid any problems or pre-existing behavioural issues.

But thanks for your PM all the same.

Thats absolutely fine, I complete respect your decision, its great to see someone willing to go to a reputable, responsible breeder