2nd Dog

nichen

I have a 10 month old German Shepherd shes great very playful loves people and other dogs. I am considering getting another dog as a campanion for her. Is this a good or bad idea? Anyone have 2 dogs that can give me advice.

Irish-Lass

It would be a great idea especially for your first dog. A second dog will be great company for her. It is normal that if you have a female dog that you look for a male dog as there is a better chance that they will get on. In saying that we have 2 females and yes there was a little tension at the start but now they love each other.

nichen

Thanks for your reply. Are 2 dogs harder to handle, Jess looks for alot of attention, will she need as much attention with another dog around.

Danes

She probably will look for as much attention and maybe even more to start off with as they can get really jealous when a new dog arrives in their house. Sometimes its a good idea to introduce them on neutral ground - say take them both for a walk before you bring the new dog into the house for the first time. Although two dogs will usually get along well together, its not a given so you might need to have a back up plan in place should your dog really have a problem with a newcomer. If they do get on well they can be great company for eachother and they can get very attached. Two dogs arent really any more hassle than one, I have four dogs, all female which most people would say is asking for trouble but they all get along fine - most of the time! Good Luck with your second dog, if you decide to go ahead and dont forget that a rescue is a really good place to start your search.:)

Irish-Lass

I was never really a doggie person I was more a cat person. Our first dog Jess we got as a pup so we went through the whole house training business. Jess is a live wire and craves human attention. When we got Sheba she was about 4/5 months old. We didn't really have to house train her she more or less picked it up from Jess, and if I am honest no 2 dogs are not more work they are actually less, cause they keep each other entertained.

peasant

will she need as much attention with another dog around.

That also hinges on your behaviour. Worst case scenario you will end up with two "needy" dogs.
But if you don't pamper them too much and attend to absolutely all their demands for attention, they would usually turn towards each other for fun and entertainment ...giving you a bit of breathing space.

At ten months your shepherd is not yet fully mature, the rebellious "teenage phase" is probably yet to come. Take this into consideration before getting a new dog, possibly a pup. You might end up with your hands very full, trying to keep a rambunctious adolescant in check while at the same time trying to look after a pup.

Might be a better idea to just wait another six - seven months or so ...


If you decide to get a slightly older second dog, it is important that your current dog has a say in the decision. Introduce the two dogs to each other on neutral ground to see how they get along, before you make your final decision. Dogs are a bit like people: some individuals just don't get along ...ever. And you definitely don't want THAT in your home:D