Introducing a puppy to 11 Yr old lab

Julia68

We have a wonderful 11.5 year old lab that has a number of health issues, atopic dermatitis, arthritis, stiff joints so slowing down a lot. She is not up for long walks, around the block will do but still eats well and is generally content. We are considering getting a puppy but this is in the very early stages, no pup sourced yet and it needs to be chosen carefully. One of our daughters(adult) is severally allergic to the lab especially as she oversheds due to her skin condition. Youngest at home is 16 so no young children to consider. I suppose I am looking for advice on the best breed to be as hypoallergenic as possible (I know no guarantees) and where to look for one. Also some tips on introducing a puppy to the lab. We obviously wouldn't want to stress or upset her. Thanks

mymo

I would think very carefully about this.
I introduced a pup 3 years ago to my then 9 and 10 year old dogs. The 10 year old was loosing his sight but otherwise fit and healthy.
While it worked well and they all get on great, it took lots of supervision. If it was now, with him getting a little stiff and pretty much completely blind I wouldn't do it to him.
The pup was a bit much for him at times, and even with the two dogs taking turns with her she tired them out. I worked hard giving them time apart and watching for stress and knowing when pup was getting too much.

Buddy Bubs

I have 2 labradors, the older one was 4 when I got a new pup and she was fine with him. But an 11/12 year old lab that is content and happy with the pace of life at the moment might not be. Lab pups are nuts, as are most pups. I wouldn't do it. Leave your dog to enjoy quiet family life.

As for hypoallergenic dogs, I'm a confirmed labrador lover so if I needed to get a breed of dog because of allergies I'd be looking at labradoodles.

tk123

I’ll hopefully be adding a pup in a few months - my boy will be 12 by then. We did have a second dog but she died almost a year and a half ago and was 6 He really misses having another dog for company. While he’s extremely patient with puppies I’ll be using a crate / baby gates as needed so the pup won’t drive him mad. And will have one on one time with him away from the pup like before. I have a buggy for him so we take a longer walk at lunchtime and he rides some of the way to get a rest.
Yes puppies are playful and full of life but they’re not all hyper and bouncing off the walls - I found last time round the pup would take her cues from big bro so snooze when he was snoozing etc etc. In our situation I don’t really mind if it’s a boy or girl but I want the most relaxed puppy. BTW my neighbour had a doodle and he shed more than my two put together!

Julia68

Thanks for the replies. There is certainly a lot to consider. One advantage is that I will be home all summer so if we do go ahead, I will be here to supervise and pay both dogs lots of attention. More thinking to do first though.

Ashbx

Just to note on the allergy issue, your daughter is most likely allergic to the dog dander and the saliva of the dog...not the hair. Having a dog that doesn't shed will only be minimal help to your daughter. Depending how bad her allergies are, I would strongly consider whether another dog is the right idea right now. May be worth waiting till your daughter is older and permanently out of the house.

Saying that, I have very badallergies to dogs (developed in my 30s while already owning dogs all my life) and there is no way I am going through life not owning a dog. Anti Histamines are my best friend!

alroley

What size dog? A standard poodle if looking for a larger dog might be a good shout due to the low shedding.