Thinking of getting another dog

gazzer

Guys.

I have a dog for the last 18 months.. she is a cross between a pomeranian and a cocker spaniel (I think).. anyway she is a mental case.. full of energy and always happy and playful and i love her to bits. She is alone in the garden from 9 - 5 each week day but always gets a least an hours walk every day and then has me or my partner in the house at weekends so she is not neglected.

Anyway i was thinking of getting another dog so that she would have some company during the weekdays and also the fact that there is a hardly any other dogs in the area i live in so even when she is out for walks she has no interaction with other dogs. On the rare occasion that she does see a dog she is always barking and excited and naturally wants to go over to them.

Do you think i have left it too late to get another dog or has anybody else here had the experience of introducing another dog into the house and what where the good/bad reactions.

Thanks for your relplies in advance.

luckat

Not too late, not at all. But maybe bring her along when you're getting the other dog, and choose the one she pals up with?

My local vet had three gorgeous collie mix pups when I was there a couple of months back (gone now to good homes) - good place to ask, your vet.

Oryx

Got our Retreiver after having a terrier mutt for years. Because the new dog was a puppy, there were no real problems (I think in general mature dogs wont fight with a puppy) apart from one or two times when the older dog had to show the pup some manners. They get along grand now and miss each other when apart. I 'babysat' a friends alsation for a couple of months too and the two big dogs were great company for each other. That said my dog HATES my brothers alsation so I think the personality of the dog will matter!

koneko

Depends on your dog, but from the sounds of it she'd be okay, unless the barking she does when she hears another dog sounds angry/upset

I'd say take it slowly if you can, see how they respond to eachother, introduce them on neutral territory, see how it goes. Having 2 dogs is usually better for the dogs themselves (they love company).

MogwaiFearSatan

Zoink! http://www.ashanimalrescue.com/Adopt.html
lots of dogs here.

Our man in Havana

Going to a rescue or pound this time of year will be tough as they won't give away dogs near to xmas - I took in my sister-in-laws puppies I could not bear to think of them in a pound & more than likely put to sleep If you are interested I have the 3 terrier pups - pm me if you are interested - they will be ready in a week or so - have just wormed then & want to worm then at least once more if not twice more before they get rehomed - I have 9 dogs & they have accepted the puppies.

Faye-Bond

tovalee

I have a female german shepard. When i decided to get another dog at the pound, i just took her with me. that way i could get a lok at how the dogs reacted to each other through the safety of a kennel door first. I picked a male dog about the same size as my german shepard. They did bicker alot at first but i asked a trainer and he said it was normal and things would settle down as soon as they figured out their new positions in the "pack". There were a couple times when i was sure they were gonna kill each other and i had to seperate them to cool down , but it did settle down after a couple days and now they're inseparable.