How to convince OH to get another dog...? Or why not to?

Lintel

Lintel

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Now we have a 5 month old GSD pup and he is lovely and we love him to bits but my heart really does lie with terriers I fear! I would love to get the pup a playmate too! So I've been thinking about the possibility of getting another dog or pup but OH is unconvinced to say the least. Having never had two dogs though am I being naive? Surely it's not double the work?
Walk together...
Playtime together- can keep each other entertained or equally get up to mischeif together!
Clearly food bills double as do vets and insurance.

Anyone care to put me off.. or assist me in convincing OH?

Couldn't post without a pup pic.. he is gettig rather large!
 
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Google littermate syndrome!! That might put you off :p

Getting puppies close in age can be really tough, they do need separate training and walking times. They can get too attached to each other if not and then not respect you. It can work, I'm sure lots of people have stories where it has worked, but it is something to be aware of before you get two pups close in age!

Having two dogs, when one is an adult and one is a pup, isn't really double the work as you already have one established. But having two pups, can be double (if not more!) the work. You haven't hit the teenage years with your GSD yet which can be testing as they push boundaries and training can take a backwards step. Honestly, I would wait until your GSD is a couple of years old before adding another puppy.

Sorry! Probably not what you wanted to hear.
 
Wouldn't be without my 2nd dog now but if I could go back I might not have done it, at least not for another couple of years (mine are about 18 months apart). 1 well socialised dog is much more "take anywhere" than 2. Two can be a handful and not quite as easy to manage in cafes and pubs etc. You still have a puppy who is yet to go through the teen phase (do not underestimate the teen phase).

I would say wait until your OH does not need persuasion because it'll take investment from both of you to manage the different needs of pup and older dog and it would be horrible for resentment to build up. Put your time, energy and enthusiasm into making dog 1 the most awesome, easy to manage dog you possibly can so that if and when dog 2 does happen you can concentrate on pup without older dog still needing lots of input.
 
he is a fluffy bundle of loveliness!

Two dogs are good company for the other-they won't necessarily be best mates for a while though-or even ever, alot depends on characters.

For example (if you were thinking of another pup)- I got Quarrie (GR) as a pup. I then got Fitz (smooth) at 7 months-Fitz is one month younger than Quarrie they are both now coming up for 2yo. The only reason I got two so close together is that we unexpectedly lost out middle aged rescue dog a couple of weeks before we picked Quarrie up-and because smooths are so rare it seemed daft to pass up on Fitz when we found out about him later. They always got on ok and play well together but its only really a year later that I would describe them as really good mates. Quarrie is very much my dog-he doesnt really care if Fitz is there or not tbh. Fitz would rather we were both there but is also quite happy to hang out with the OH. Quarrie is high energy, Fitz not so much. Quarrie is quite a bold dog, Fitz leans towards the anxious. I also had a couple of weeks before we picked Fitz up when Quarrie went through a fear period but luckily it was over before we got him.

It was and is alot of work training two dogs close in age as they are mostly trained separately but of course also walked together as well-the horses have really taken a back seat for the last year (other reasons as well) and the dogs have taken up my spare time. The other thing I am not looking forward to is two elderly dogs at the same time.

Ideally I'd have had an older dog and a younger one. If you are really set on a puppy, I would suggest you wait until your current pup is older. ime puppies are often fabulous until 6-8months when hormones kick in which is when you really need to keep training that one without having to house train the other. and yes, double the insurance, hair, more food, extra kennel fees etc etc etc
 
I was desperate to get another dog when Daisy was younger. But tbh am quite glad that we didn't now. I absolutely get that they're great company for each other and I don't believe that two is any more work than one. But she's rarely left alone, gets to walk with with other dogs every day and her best buddy is here for the day several times a week.

OH was very against a second dog and I had to respect that.
 
I would always wait until older one is at least a year old and has the basic training in place - a solid recall, excellent manners around dogs and people and safe and happy to be left.
I train seperately twice a week but also training is an ongoing thing that happens on every walk, when they are all together. When Pen the lab was young she was such a PITA we had to walk her seperately from the adults just to give them a break. She is only 15 months now but has settled. When we do our short walk that puppy (3 months) can come on her and Pen play quite a lot but we still expect instant stop and recall from them. You have to be very strict both with yourself and with them!
 
Lintel said:
Thanks all may not be what I "want " to hear but probably what I need to year!
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LOL! They always behave as well as the lowest common demoninator as well, if you have a good dog and a naughty dog they both end up naughty. We cannot walk MIL's terriers with our gundogs as they lead them astray. :-)
 
Something I didn't appreciate before we went to two was how portable a single dog can be. Days out, holidays, taking them to work, pubs and cafés, travelling in a normal sized car, trains, buses, touristy stuff, all more easily achievable with a single dog than with two or more (finding a holiday cottage to take four was interesting!)

It's taken an arthritis diagnosis and the incipient retirement of one of mine to persuade OH to let me have another, because I don't know what I'd do with myself if I have a gap in training/competition, but the compromise is that it can't be another big one. :p
 
Since I was 12 we have always had at least 2 dogs, usually litter mates, as a family. That is more than 50 yrs ago and we have never had any problems with them. The only difficulty was one which joined us as an adult and just didn't get on with any of the others.
I find that 2 are less work by far (except for house training). They play together, exercise each other, are company for each other when the owner goes out - and yes can egg each other on to greater naughtiness. Pairs are great fun!
 
my friend has recently taken on 2 puppies, got the first pointer girl at Christmas then breeder got a boy returned and she asked to have it! they are both lovely and she is taking training seriously. but.... honestly 2 puppies is too much. I love dogs and I currently only have 1, 3 yo rescue collie, and OH won't let me have another (I'm pregnant with second child and have 1.5 year old son but don't think that is relevant!!!!) but I don't think you can focus and really enjoy more than 1 puppy at a time. if anything, I think often they lull you into a false sense of security at about 5 months- toilet training going well ect., but then they hit their 'teenage' age around 1-1.5 and start misbehaving. now imagine that times 2?! (I'm sure some people will say it didn't happen to them but I have seen it in many friends dogs and with rescues 6 months in when they feel settled enough to be too confident)

I really want a second, and now we've had current dog for 1 year, but personally I would not get a puppy as well as a 5 month old puppy. wait a year.

but...... please can I have your German shepherd? you can post them to me. I miss having a giant shedder in my house (no offence to my collie, she just isn't a shepherd!)
 
I've got four - pah, two are nothing ;) But seriously, as BC has said, two will have far more impact on your lifestyle than one in the ways BC has described - personally I would never have a single dog as I believe they like canine company, but I have had multiple dogs all my life so it is no big deal for me. If you aren't used to it, it will be a bit of a culture shock! :)
 
You know that old saying, “It’s me or the dog?”

Turn it on it’s head.... “It’s you or another dog.”
 
Go on, two is fine! At 5 months, your GSD’s training/recall is probably reasonably established. A very wise old gamekeeper I knew always had a 6 month gap between pups saying that the elder pup would teach the younger one the way.
 
This is going to sound sooo argumentative, but I have had a glass of wine...
Those of you saying two puppies is no trouble have all got dogs with issues - dog aggression, recall, whatever...perhaps if you only had one at a time (I mean puppies, not adults) this would not have happened?
 
I'd wait until your current dog is up a good bit. He'll go through the horrors at any age between about 8-24 months. I've had two of similar age at the same time, once with different breeds and once with litter mates (who had been apart for a good while) and will not be doing it again if I can help it.
 
cinnamontoast said:
Go on, two is fine! At 5 months, your GSD’s training/recall is probably reasonably established. A very wise old gamekeeper I knew always had a 6 month gap between pups saying that the elder pup would teach the younger one the way.
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At 5 months a shepherd pup is just coming up to the challenging stage. I have never had just one dog but I would not have 2 youngsters together. OP I would let your lovely lad mature and enjoy working with him as a single dog for at least a year before you look to getting another one.
 
cinnamontoast said:
Go on, two is fine! At 5 months, your GSD’s training/recall is probably reasonably established. A very wise old gamekeeper I knew always had a 6 month gap between pups saying that the elder pup would teach the younger one the way.
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at 5 months? At 5 months I thought I had recall nailed. At 8 months I realised I didn't. I now do lol.
 
Nothing is established in a 5mo GSD lol. They're just lulling you into a false sense of security.

I actually rehomed the non GSD (JrtxLabxFoxhound) to an urban home as she wound the GSD up into showing interest in livestock/running the fence at our goat. On her own she was a dope on a rope, half dog, half sofa, didn't even look at the goat, but would have been the one to cause damage.
 
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Mine are the same age but neither came to me as puppies and there was a two year gap between them. That was difficult enough. :p

I thought littermate syndrome was a reasonably well known thing but going by the pups I see at work it's extremely common to get two. I'd argue that common doesn't equal sensible.

I am also a bit tickled by everything being established at 5 months. Mr Cockerpants who is now the most slavishly obedient, lovingly velcroed to your leg spaniel had a recall blip at just shy of a year old when he discovered that pheasants were a thing. More than one bogging off over the horizon at a time would have driven me to drink.
 
Floyd is 18 months and horrid! He was a dream puppy, sailed through the 6 and 12 month phases with no issues at all. Clearly he was saving it up for now. Dylan is 7 and very established. He definitely helps keep Floyd in check. I cant imagine what it would be like if there were 2 Floydys disappearing over the horizon!
 
Clodagh said:
This is going to sound sooo argumentative, but I have had a glass of wine...
Those of you saying two puppies is no trouble have all got dogs with issues - dog aggression, recall, whatever...perhaps if you only had one at a time (I mean puppies, not adults) this would not have happened?
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Fair point, Clodagh, but I don’t think being part of a pair has anything to do with his aggression. (Who else has littermates?) He’s fear aggressive, has to get in there first. He’s stupidly clever and needs a job/entertaining. Had I chosen both puppies, we’d have had 2 easy dogs, I think. I chose Bear because of his willingness to be snuggled in and he’s a piece of cake. Zak was the only one who escaped the pen, not one of the other ten managed it.

We had two puppies before Zak and Bear, neither of whom were problematic. They were easy to train, dog neutral, a dream. Brig still is. When the time comes, we’ll get 2 more, but I’m choosing both!
 
Morning all, late to this thread, I was at Crufts yesterday, yah!

I have for many, many years had more than one dog. I like them to have canine company as long as they are bonded to me too. The established dog(s) teach the pup a lot.
I think a good age gap is essential. 5 months is nothing, it’s still a pup, a lot of separate work would be needed.
I currently have a 10 and a half year old, a rising 6 and a nine month old.
The older dogs have taught my pup so much about how to behave. I had no house training issues, recall brilliant, car travel , just everything she learnt from her elders. They still need work alone so they are not dependent on the older dogs.
It works for me.
 
I would say don't be hasty. Appreciate him for who he is. He is very different from the terriers you are used to.

He is only a baby, enjoy this time with him as he learns and grows, both mentally and physically. He will look to you for permission and guidance and you will develop an unbelievable bond where just a glance between you is understood. Let him become the best version of himself and then see if you still want another dog.
 
I'd wait until a year old also - I have 10yo, 3yo, 2yo and 10 months here currently and the spacing for the younger ones has been good, the youngest not arriving until the older dog was well etablished
 
I'm going to sound argumentative too (no wine at this hour of the day lol) but I am really not a big fan of the whole 'they exercise each other/train each other' thing....it's up to me as an owner to exercise and train my dogs, not the dogs themselves. Yes it's lovely to see dogs hooley around together but to my mind that isn't 'exercise', it's just dogs hooleying around together. Purely my opinion and no one needs to justify themselves lol.
 
CorvusCorax said:
I'm going to sound argumentative too (no wine at this hour of the day lol) but I am really not a big fan of the whole 'they exercise each other/train each other' thing....it's up to me as an owner to exercise and train my dogs, not the dogs themselves. Yes it's lovely to see dogs hooley around together but to my mind that isn't 'exercise', it's just dogs hooleying around together. Purely my opinion and no one needs to justify themselves lol.
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Mine don't exercise or train each other, although a steady one is useful in helping a pup learn to honour other dog's retrieves and hunt in a brace.
 
Sorry late to the thread but having recently had my daughter's young vizsla to stay with Stan the BT puppy I had to comment. The size difference was a real issue, big adolescent dog + small tenacious puppy was a nightmare. We couldn't walk them together unless we put one on a lead and even then they wound each other up. They were only sensible around each other when they were both dog tired and tbh that took some doing. Would they settle and be OK together when they are older? I hope so as we share holidays and have the Viz to stay quite frequently. I used to pop into a neighbours, they have a lovely red fox lab who is nearly the same age as Stan, that is also a toxic mix, so I don't go with Stan anymore. I was so pleased to wave goodbye to the Viz (who is a really super dog) and to have my lovely stan back, he was a completely different dog for the week and not in a good way!
 
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