Should we get another dog?

Spit That Out

Spit That Out

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Hi, Sorry it's another "should we get another dog" post...but...

As some of you may already know (and thanks to those for their continued advice and patience!!) but we have a 11 week old Border Collie that we adore but we were thinking if it's a good time to get another to keep him company, to play with etc?

We want to get another anyway but we didn't know if we should wait until he's older or do it now while he's young?

We want a smaller/same size dog...no bigger than a Border, is there a breed that goes well with a Border?

Do we get another pup or do we go for a slightly older dog?

Any advice you could offer would be great...Right, i'm off to P@H to get some treats and after reading the Dry Food thread...new food!!!

I'll read your replies when i get back :D
 
NO!

Wait until your puppy is older and trained at least.

Then i would go for an older dog at least over 1.

I would wait until your dog is at least a year.
 
11 weeks??

You have an 11 WEEK old puppy and want to get another one?!!!!

I wanted to jump infront of a bus when B was 11 weeks! I cant imagine anything worse than 2 puppies. B has a puppy friend (mums pup) that she gets to play with afew days a week but then gets to be CALM at home. I would lose the plot if i had to put up with both of them for more than a day.

If you really want another one I would suggest getting an older rescue.
 
My pup is 10 months and we (read I) have decided to think about getting another. we will be waiting a couple of months at least and if i get my own way we will be getting a rescue NOT a puppy.
 
Ive got a 10 month old puppy and a 5 month old puppy and its the best decision ive ever made, They are the best friends ever! They play together, eat together and sleep on top of each other. My older one is a german shepherd cross old english and at 10 months is already a giant...!! so i got the new pup (he was sort of given to me but long story over rescue type) hes a husky cross lab so he wont be massive; i couldnt have two that size!! But they are amazing together and its so nice to watch, it hasnt affected my 10 months old training at all if anything his training has rubbed off onto the younger one. They are both boys i just like them better.

I think if anything wait until hes got his basic commands down to a tee, but i think it makes it easier as they wear each other out making it easy and calmer to train.

Any pics...:) i love border collies my first ever dog was a collie called Skidda :p

Heres my two...

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no no NO!!!

i had 1 pup out of the litter - someone else took 2....big mistake - they rely heavily on each other and tank off all the time an djust dont listen to the other!

wait 12/18 months - get the pup trained and then consider it then.... dogs brought up on their own get used to it!.... so don tfeel sorry for them!!

mine dosent have a playmate... and she grew up withe 2 other dogs!
 
NO NO NO NO ......and NO again! :D

It has been done, and some people get away with it.....I think it depends on the breeds involved, the amount of time and dedication that the owner puts in and the level to which they want the dog to be trained.

I think someone once said that for every hour the pup spends with his playmate he needs to spend at least two on his own with you.

In my book you should wait until your current pup is a mature adult (2 years) before bringing another pup into the household. That way you know that your first dog has no problems/issues as you will have dealt with them and therefore don't run the risk of the newcomer picking up bad habits from the incumbent. You will also have a good idea of your current pups mature personality and be better placed to pick an appropriate pup to complement.

You should also be aware that it is not uncommon for a mature, supposedly trained dog to regress in its behaviour when a pup is brought in!
 
:o Yes :o

Jake and Brig, brothers, got at same time. I admit, they were easy dogs, Jake being the brains and very quickly trained.

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Creatures are 7 months tomorrow: they are not as easy but looking at them snuggled together, I can't complain. They are really remarkably well-behaved. There are two of us training them and I don't see the bother really, two being as easy as one, IMO. They listen and don't play together out on walks, Bear preferring to shadow Brig. Zak is naughty/cheeky but Bear would rather snuggle than join in the naughtiness.

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In my opinion, let your pup grow up a bit first, put in the groundwork, dogs of a similar age can and do focus on each other rather than you - obviously different people have different experiences but there are exceptions and rules, and all that!

An older dog will be a much better teacher for a younger one, if you have all the bonding and basic training done.

I have a brother and sister who arrived at 6 and 8 months and even thinking I knew what I was doing, it has been harder work than usual.
 
i would say no,having two is rarely twice the fun!!enjoy the pup you have & build on that bond & relationship,there is plenty of time for your well trained,obedient dog to have a friend later.those people who have had 2 pups of a similar age & say it worked well are few & far between,it is far more common for it not to work out which makes for a very unhappy time for all.
Of all the collies i have had,the best relationship/bond i had was with my first dog as we were eachothers bestest friends.enjoy yor pup & have fun:)
 
As a rule I'd say no, and I'd recently been considering having a puppy and getting my OH one at a similar time. However, I kept Bridget and my mum kept Pea (litter sisters) and because we were able to put the training in individually and not together, they're not dependent on each other although close. Bridget has always been very independent though. That's the 2nd time we've done it and the first successful time, we did have Todd and her brother Rupert and as youngsters they were a nightmare.

If you've got time for two it can work
 
Personally I wouldn't. I got a new pup 3 weeks ago and have two older dogs (3 & 4) and she is learning so much from them, they are really helping the training process! However she still gets ridiculously over excited around them at times but they don't pander to her, if they want to play with her they will and if not they will tell her! If I had another of the same age it would be a nightmare, I don't think she would ever stop and I could see it going horribly wrong if they were egging each other on constantly. However it could be a completely different situation for you and could work out fine, based on other peoples experiences.
 
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