Thoughts/Advice please. Sorry, long.

cbmcts

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My little JRT died very suddenly last week at 13 years old. It was a huge shock and both I and my other two dogs are missing her lots. RIP Mo.

But it has left me with a dilemma that I wasn't expecting to face just yet. I have a very old JRT (who I've posted about on here a few months ago) and a 7 year old Rottie. I had always expected to lose the 20 year JRT long before either of the other dogs and again, always planned to get another rescue but the type of dog I would have wanted in those circumstances is completely different to the type of dog that would work out/fit in now.

Callie (old dog!) has always been a benign dictator - always top dog but without having to make a fuss about it - and her place was never challenged by the other two as both arrived as pups. Mo liked to give it large on occasion but was actually a wimp and always backed down to other dogs very quickly and without fuss and the rott, Conan has always had thug tendencies with other dogs - there is good reason why he is known as the hump meister :eek:

The original plan (when will I learn the danger of plans????) was to look for a rottie bitch after Callie went, if you like the hard to re-home bitch from hell.Conan only tries to hump/harass a bigger dog but once he's been put in his place hard once he will never try it on with that dog again. My thinking that Mo wouldn't challenge a more dominant dog like that so no obvious problems there. Time wouldn't have been an issue and from looking around and talking to a few rescues casually, they can struggle to find suitable experienced homes with no children for the slightly more difficult dog.

The problem now is that I realise that
1) I have to be realistic and accept that my beloved old girl won't be around forever - she really should be called Lazarus as she has been so near deaths door on more than one time in the last year or so - but at the moment is happily bumbling around behaving disgracefully at every opportunity. Long may it last
2) Conan will not be a happy dog as a singleton. I really noticed this during the bad weather when he was the only one being walked as both terriers refused point blank to have leads put on if there was snow or ice on the ground. He was miserable going out without one or both. I also work and don't like the idea of him being home alone regularly.

So, finally to the point, I was thinking of looking for a middle aged terrier bitch, fairly submissive who won't try and push Callie off her perch as boss and while not much of a playmate for the hooligan will provide company. He has never ever tried to hump a smaller dog and while I may make him sound like a ASBO dog is actually very good with other dogs except for the humping. He's not aggressive with other dogs, even when they attack him he won't retaliate....just bark at them! his best friends are GSDs, a bull mastiff and a couple of staffies - playtime is loud and liable to take any bystanders off their feet but nothing like that is suitable to live with Callie IMO.

However I now feel really guilty as if I'm looking for a dog for the wrong reasons - a companion for my boy rather than the dog I always wanted, also as if I'm replacing Mo far too quickly. On the other hand, I'm afraid that if I leave it until I'm in a rush IYSWIM I will get the wrong dog as it's the only one available at that time......

So what do you sensible lot think? As I'm aware that I'm probably not thinking completely straight at the moment - I still keep on dishing up 3 dinners and looking for my cuddle pup while we're out (she had a tendency to get stuck in things!)
 

splashgirl45

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HUGS FOR YOU!!!!!! What a shock to lose your little dog last week....you must do what is right for you, but maybe give yourself a little more time before getting another dog. you are thinking of your rottie, but im sure he will be ok while you come to terms with your loss, we all know its not easy but does get better in time....good luck
 

CorvusCorax

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I would also give it some time, see if the pack dynamic changes, even if, God forbid, your old girl does go, even if he has to be a single dog for a few weeks or months while you make the decision that's right for you, for him and for your future dog, it won't be forever.

Just out of interest, what are you doing when he is humping and why is he continuing this behaviour at his age? I've said this before, but he does that to the wrong dog one day, and it might not be pretty. I'd be working on that if you can, too x
 

cbmcts

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Just out of interest, what are you doing when he is humping and why is he continuing this behaviour at his age? I've said this before, but he does that to the wrong dog one day, and it might not be pretty. I'd be working on that if you can, too x

I couldn't agree with you more plus other dogs are entitled to be out and about without being molested by nearly 50kgs of OTT rottie.

The humping started at about 3/4 months so on vet advice he was castrated at 6 months in the hope of putting a stop to it.....well, that didn't work!

Luckily his manners are good enough that the humping isn't a huge problem - his recall is established and reliable so he doesn't bother random dogs and if the chin goes over a dogs back in a certain manner during a game he is told to leave, if it happens a 2nd time during the same game - that's it, game over. I've found that once he gets going with the humping it's next to impossible stop it without putting him back on lead so I aim to nip it in the bud, so to speak.

He has never even tried to hump a person or a toy - it's always been dogs and always ones bigger than spaniel size. He grew up with my 2 terrors and my YO's 5 who never hesitated to put him in his place....

Btw, I think both you and splashgirl are right about waiting for a dog so I have put the word out to various people/rescues that I may be interested if the right dog shows up and I'll leave it to fate for now.
 
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