Wheaten cross - adding new puppies to household?

Aimeee

Ok so we have a lovely wheaten cross female. Lovely dog. Was a stray once upon a time but she's been with us about 5years now. At beginning had a few issues especially with me & the children. Used to get very jealous esp with my daughter. We overcame this and all happy now.
Have been thinking for a while about getting another dog(s) and some puppies are looking for new home. They are collie cross (not sure of Dad dog).
We have neighbour dogs visit daily and they all romp around together. Never a problem really as long as wheaten is petted the most by me. (Or i ignore the visiting dogs).
So am I mad to think about adding puppies to our mix? I'd take two puppies if we going ahead.
I suppose one of my reasons for more dogs are company for the wheaten plus the fun & games with new puppies. Plenty space and kids a good age for helping now though I know it'll be me doing most of it. Love dogs more than people if I'm honest so I'd have twenty dogs if i had nothing else to do!

Ashbx

Personally I think taking on two puppies is a lot! Have you had a puppy before? To say they are a handful is an understatement. In terms of training etc. its quite difficult and time consuming to train one dog. But to train two at the same time can be a bit much. I would also worry that two puppies might be a bit too much for your current dog. You say he is at least 5 years old and may play with the neighbours dog, but may find two puppies in HIS house a bit overwhelming.

Where are you getting the puppies? I would be a bit concerned in the fact you don't know what the dogs father is. Doesn't sound very legit to me and you have no idea what kind of dogs you will be getting if you don't know both parents. Personally, I would avoid this and go to a breeder if you want to get a puppy. I have a border collie and collies are quite temperamental dogs anyway....can be quite timid and weary of everything!! This alone can be hard to deal with. When its crossed with another dog you don't know, god knows what kind of dog you will end up getting.

Also, I think you are usually advised not to have to dogs of the same litter in the house. It could cause problems amongst eachother and especially with your current dog.

Finally, the last point that worries me is your dog gets jealous. You said you overcame this with your daughter but the Wheaten still gets jealous with the other dogs. If another dog (puppy especially) comes into his space, judging by your post, im not sure how well your wheaten will deal with this. And trust me, the puppies will not let you ignore them!

If it were me, I would look to get one puppy first and wait till that dog is at least a year and then look to add a third dog if you still feel you want one.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

LirW

For the love of your own sanity do not get two puppies. Had two pups at home for a while, one of them I only minded.

I can pretty much sign the post above.
If one puppy is going through puberty and shows some phase of stubbornness... it takes exactly 4,7 seconds that the other dog joins with that. Especially if you've never had a puppy before, training one is a full-time job, training two is madness if you don't have the experience with puppies. Don't underestimate the challenge of a puppy just because you already have a dog.
I'd also only get one pup and if after that you still wanna get another one wait until the first one is out of the worst, like a year or even better, two years old.

Bunnyslippers

Don't take two!!!!!! Two doesn't mean twice the work it means TEN times the work and you will have two dogs who are bonded to each other and will ignore you - google littermate syndrome!!
I've had siblings from two litters over the years - one a rescue litter and we ended up with 4 brothers - lab x rotties - I knew how much work I was letting myself in for plus we had no other dogs at the time and I worked at home and lived on a farm - it worked out well and they didn't fight but each needed training on its own plus in a pack - it took an awful lot of work!!
The second pups we had we kept a brother and sister ridgeback from a litter we bred ourselves, lovely dogs but it took two years before they could be left off as a pair as they would just bugger off!!

So I would definitely say DON'T get two, by all means get another in a couple of years time if you are really wanting 3 dogs. It sounds like you will have huge issues with your existing dog if you bring two onto her patch at the same time, one will be hard enough for her! Also I'd advise getting a male pup not another female especially if your bitch has issues, which I know wheatens can have anyway but males and females tend to get on better than two bitches.
I'd also make sure a collie cross is suitable for what you want - as Ashbx said collies are very high energy, if its a terrier cross or something you could have a nutball with a high prey drive so think carefully before buying the first pup you see - you're stuck with it for the next 12+ years so not a decision to make on a whim!!

Aimeee

Guys thanks so much for replies. I've had puppies before so I completely know what work they take. Like human babies only condensed and multiply.
I think I've come to my senses a bit over the last few hours.
Reading back over my original post I'd walk away thinking is she mad if it was another poster.
Thanks folks. Common sense has prevailed. I'll be sticking with the status quo for the foreseeable.
Edit: I've had a collie before too, another rescue and I know the energy they have. Common sense is back in the building.
:-)