Getting a puppy ‘for’ a senior dog?

fiwen30

fiwen30

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 May 2014
Messages
3,179
Visit site
Opinions, as title states?

Context: partner believes that a senior dog would ‘teach’ a puppy - he gained that belief from his parents who introduced their now senior golden to their household with a previous sheltie, as a pup, when the sheltie was a senior.

Partner is low-key angling for a puppy to introduce to our senior rough collie cross. This isn’t going to happen for financial reasons, but I’m questioning the theory behind the idea.

I have no experience, but am of the opinion that a senior dog, who has aches and pains, is on a cocktail of medicine and carefully managed exercise to keep him well maintained, does not need a puppy bouncing all over him. Our dog also adores (read: can sometimes resource guard) partner, and while senior dog has greatly enjoyed the company of other dogs in the past, I don’t believe he would adapt well to having to share partner with another dog. Or perhaps, our senior boy would absolutely adore the company of a puppy, and it would give him a new lease of life.

But back to the question - those of you with greater doggy experience, would you or would you not get a pup when your dog was in it’s twilight years? Any good or bad experiences?
 
CorvusCorax

CorvusCorax

'It's only a laugh, no harm done'
Joined
15 January 2008
Messages
59,301
Location
End of the pier
Visit site
My older dog (11.5) hates his daughter and she tortures the middle boy (10). I don't actually think it's fair on a lot of older dogs, especially one in pain. It's your job as owner to teach manners. I love my oldies and in my opinion they deserve a nice relaxing time in their later years rather than being annoyed by a youngster.
They're both outwardly fit and sound but I imagine will have aches and pains after their workload in youth, the same as me ;)

I hate anthropomorph...you know the word, but you wouldn't expect an elderly, infirm person to babysit a toddler. You know that saying about kids, they're great but it's even more great when you hand them back to their parents. Enjoying their company doesn't = love living with one.
 
Jenko109

Jenko109

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 July 2020
Messages
1,746
Visit site
I doubt I have more experience, but i think this is entirely dog dependent, alongside the capability of the owner to enforce boundaries on the puppy so that the older dog is not overwhelmed; an adult dog is not there to teach a puppy anything, that's the owners job!

I wouldnt personally introduce a puppy during an elderly dogs final years though in the circumstance that you are describing.
 
P

Pearlsacarolsinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
46,962
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
fiwen30 said:
Opinions, as title states?

Context: partner believes that a senior dog would ‘teach’ a puppy - he gained that belief from his parents who introduced their now senior golden to their household with a previous sheltie, as a pup, when the sheltie was a senior.

Partner is low-key angling for a puppy to introduce to our senior rough collie cross. This isn’t going to happen for financial reasons, but I’m questioning the theory behind the idea.

I have no experience, but am of the opinion that a senior dog, who has aches and pains, is on a cocktail of medicine and carefully managed exercise to keep him well maintained, does not need a puppy bouncing all over him. Our dog also adores (read: can sometimes resource guard) partner, and while senior dog has greatly enjoyed the company of other dogs in the past, I don’t believe he would adapt well to having to share partner with another dog. Or perhaps, our senior boy would absolutely adore the company of a puppy, and it would give him a new lease of life.

But back to the question - those of you with greater doggy experience, would you or would you not get a pup when your dog was in it’s twilight years? Any good or bad experiences?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't get a pup for one in its 'twilight'
years, I dont think it's fair, they often don't want to be bothered but definitely middle aged dogs can thoroughly enjoy a pup joining the household.
I was 12 the last time we had pups with no older dog, until about 10 yrs ago when we 'ran out' of dogs and got the Rottweiler pups. When we had to pts the 6 yr old we got 2 Lab pups and the remaining Rott enjoyed playing with them, showing them how to behave when out and about and generally bringing them up. They looked up to her, as they would to their mother. They gave her a new lease of life and cheered her up in her grief.


Eta, we did a very gradual introduction over about 4 weeks, with cages for all concerned and certainly didn't expect the Rott to train the pups but she did reassure them and set a good example.
 
splashgirl45

splashgirl45

Lurcher lover
Joined
6 March 2010
Messages
16,099
Location
suffolk
Visit site
My collie cross loved other dogs but I was going to wait until she had gone before I got a companion for my terrier but she met a friends puppy and seemed to enjoy the interaction so I changed my mind and got a very small terrier puppy. My collie cross was 13 and still spritely and the puppy was very respectful and very small and it worked out well, it gave my other terrier a playmate so neither of them bothered the collie cross.. if my collie cross had been an only dog I wouldn’t have risked it ..
 
Nicnac

Nicnac

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 May 2007
Messages
8,332
Visit site
I always did this but waaaay before the senior dog was doddery/in pain etc so when "senior" was around 5 yo and usually when previous "senior" had died. Yes the senior taught the puppy and made training easier. It also meant than when senior died we weren't left in an empty house. This all worked brilliantly until last year when both died at a relatively young age within 6 weeks of each other.
 
PapaverFollis

PapaverFollis

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 November 2012
Messages
9,560
Visit site
My older boys, at 10 and 11, have been quite happy with Henry arriving at 9 months old. A younger puppy might have been a bit easier for them than a bolshy teenager and it did take a while and some management but they're all good buddies now and the older boys seem to enjoy having a dingbat youngster around. I'm not going to inflict another youngster on them though... Oscar is 12 now and I think idiot boy is enough to deal with. I'm not sure how much an older dog actually teaches the youngsters. Maybe a steadying influence? Maybe.
 
blackcob

blackcob

🖖
Joined
20 March 2007
Messages
12,376
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
I introduced a new pup when my existing dogs were 9ish, only just retiring from their sports and still active, and it worked very well at that time. Although teaching manners was primarily my job and there were boundaries in place, the bitch naturally kept the youngster in line and even now can stop him in his tracks with just a look.

As they get older things change and although I have a vacancy now I wouldn't inflict a puppy on the remaining 13 year old, not least because she is not well - she deserves peace, not being bounced on by a rude puppy.
 
Christmascinnamoncookie

Christmascinnamoncookie

Fais pas chier!
Joined
6 July 2010
Messages
36,335
Visit site
Bear was 11 when we got the pups. He was lost without his brother. Whilst it was a snap decision to go to get them, there had been hour upon hour of discussion.

I absolutely do not believe it’s a dog’s job to teach others. I think the only thing he helped with was toilet training because he responds to the phrase we use. He was frankly a bad example on walks so has only recently been allowed to go with them and they seem to stick with each other, which makes me think he’s happy. He used to follow Brig on walks.

I think if I had an older dog on pain meds, I wouldn’t do it. My lot don’t play rough and tumble with him, but they do stand on him, barge past him and snuggle with him.


PapaverFollis said:
I'm not sure how much an older dog actually teaches the youngsters. Maybe a steadying influence? Maybe.
Click to expand...

Oh gawd, if only! ? ?
 
S

SilverLinings

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 August 2017
Messages
3,170
Visit site
I have done this a few times, but the older dog has never been older than 8, and they have always been in good health. They have all seemed to enjoy the introduction of a puppy into the house, and the doggy companionship they get from it, but to different degrees. One, very independent, bitch had no maternal instincts so didn't groom or 'nanny' the puppy, but would join in with everything the puppy did and choose to sleep as close to her as possible.

The other extreme was a bitch who had had a phantom pregnancy a few years before, which she seemed to find quite distressing- she was OVERJOYED by the buying of a puppy, absolutely doted on her and treated her like her own offspring (would groom her, and manoeuvre into position to suckle her). I swear she actually looked like a proud parent when she watched the younger dog doing something. She seemed to think that the puppy was the best thing in the world, and they were besotted with each other until the older dog died aged 14. For that dog, buying a puppy was the best thing we could have ever done for her and it enriched her life enormously, but I think she was an unusual case.

As others have said, I wouldn't introduce a puppy into the house of an older dog with health issues, particularly pain or mobility problems as it will hurt when the playful puppy knocks into them, and they will struggle to meet the puppies demands to play. If the older dog is healthy though
I think most dogs benefit from living with one of their own kind, but they are individuals so that can depend on the dog.

I think the older dog provides the puppy with training in how to be a civilised dog (if they are one themselves!) but the human training (recall, 'sit' etc) is still the work of the owner. Be warned that puppies can also pick up unwanted habits too like barking at the door, or CT's Bear not being the best example on walks etc.
 
AmyMay

AmyMay

Situation normal
Joined
1 July 2004
Messages
66,617
Location
South
Visit site
Jenko109 said:
I doubt I have more experience, but i think this is entirely dog dependent, alongside the capability of the owner to enforce boundaries on the puppy so that the older dog is not overwhelmed; an adult dog is not there to teach a puppy anything, that's the owners job!

I wouldnt personally introduce a puppy during an elderly dogs final years though in the circumstance that you are describing.
Click to expand...

Absolutely this.
 
A

Aperchristmas

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 November 2008
Messages
5,343
Location
South-West
Visit site
We did it with a 10 yr old Westie who had started to look a bit older. She wasn't elderly yet, but definitely slowing down. I have to say it gave her such a new lease of life, I think it added time for her. However, I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing the same with others as I've seen it backfire too. I would definitely be cautious with a dog that is in pain, as pain tends to make us crotchety and more likely to snap.
 
JoannaC

JoannaC

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 June 2010
Messages
860
Location
Staffordshire
Visit site
We always have two or three dogs and tend to have seven year gaps which I think that's a good age difference as the older dog is still full of energy but will teach the pup some boundaries whilst enjoying playing. Personally, I think once the older dog is properly old with special needs it's a bit unfair and I would wait before getting a pup but a still active dog who maybe is used to having a companion as said above can get a new lease of life.
 
P

P3LH

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 January 2017
Messages
1,024
Visit site
As others have said, it depends on the dogs. Keep in mind they might start off loving each other and then turn into dicks. My eldest (nearly 12) and youngest (just turned 1) of the pack were besotted for the first few months. Now, although there’s no bad blood between them - the youngest really pees the eldest off just by breathing half the time.
 
MurphysMinder

MurphysMinder

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 November 2006
Messages
18,138
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
I have known a pup give a new lease of life to a middle aged dog that was slowing down a bit but would never get one if I had an older dog that was beginning to fail and had medical issues. I have this week got a 4 month old GSD pup, my 2 Lancashire heelers are 11.5 years and nearly 2 years, the older dog is very fit and has just retired from fully height agility at his peak. So far the pup has been on lead when they have met, they have little walks round the field together but she won't go off lead with them till she has settled more. I know she will bounce at them, and they would tell her off, but that is my job not theirs. I don't want them to feel threatened, so until she has learned to be calmer, I will be taking things very slowly.
 
CorvusCorax

CorvusCorax

'It's only a laugh, no harm done'
Joined
15 January 2008
Messages
59,301
Location
End of the pier
Visit site
MurphysMinder said:
I have known a pup give a new lease of life to a middle aged dog that was slowing down a bit but would never get one if I had an older dog that was beginning to fail and had medical issues. I have this week got a 4 month old GSD pup, my 2 Lancashire heelers are 11.5 years and nearly 2 years, the older dog is very fit and has just retired from fully height agility at his peak. So far the pup has been on lead when they have met, they have little walks round the field together but she won't go off lead with them till she has settled more. I know she will bounce at them, and they would tell her off, but that is my job not theirs. I don't want them to feel threatened, so until she has learned to be calmer, I will be taking things very slowly.
Click to expand...

MM, this is a RUBBISH way to make an announcement on HHO ?
 
blackcob

blackcob

🖖
Joined
20 March 2007
Messages
12,376
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
P3LH said:
As others have said, it depends on the dogs. Keep in mind they might start off loving each other and then turn into dicks.
Click to expand...

A good point to consider. My testosterone-fulled pain in the arse almost four year old is now less tolerant of family and friends' dogs that I used to be able to take for granted that he would get on with in all situations; I have to be a bit more selective and watchful. He will also dictate the sex of the next one I bring in because I don't imagine another male would go down well. I know a few multi dog households with stairgate/double door/one in one out type protocols and it's not easy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top