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Fair to get another dog?

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  • 02-05-2006 9:43am
    #1
    joejoem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,424 ✭✭✭


    I have a goldne retriever that is around 10, and very healthy. She has a very very placid temprement and is perfectly behaved.

    My garden is about 40 feet long and 15 wide, mix of concrete and cement. I work irregular hours but I have two tenants so there is usually someone in the house after 6 for the evening. My dog will get attention when people first come in, then she lies down and sleeps in the middle of the floor. If I am there she comes over and sleeps by me.

    I have allways wanted two dogs, I was at a friends house inthe country yesterday and a neighbours dog that looked identical (but near to a pup) came down and my dog had great fun playing around. you could see she was older as she started to loose energy while the other one went mental. I would love to give my dog a companion though, maybe what I have in my head is idealic? Would it be mean to my dog? Would it be mean to the new pup? Would it make my dog age faster?

    My dog has had two litters in her time if you think that makes any difference.

    Cheers!


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    #2
    Irish-Lass
    Registered Users Posts: 363 ✭✭Irish-Lass


    would you not look at an older dog as a companion for your dog say 2 or 3 years. Personally I think it would be a lot for your older dog to take on if you got a pup.

    There are plenty of older dogs our there, that have great personalities and at least if you got a male dog that was as lad back as your girl is that they might get on. Bonus would be that they could come house trained etc.

    I do agree with getting a friend for your dog as thats why we got a second dog to keep our first dog companion but there is only about 6/7 months in the differnce age wise so they get on great.


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    #3
    joejoem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,424 ✭✭✭joejoem


    Irish-Lass wrote:
    would you not look at an older dog as a companion for your dog say 2 or 3 years. Personally I think it would be a lot for your older dog to take on if you got a pup.

    There are plenty of older dogs our there, that have great personalities and at least if you got a male dog that was as lad back as your girl is that they might get on. Bonus would be that they could come house trained etc.

    I do agree with getting a friend for your dog as thats why we got a second dog to keep our first dog companion but there is only about 6/7 months in the differnce age wise so they get on great.


    I would just be worried of not being able to teach an old dog new tricks etc, plus weather my dog could establish dominance over it or not (as I said very placid and playful)


    My dog is house trained, as I said she is trained well, obeys commands straight off etc. I had thought of a pup so I could train it like her.

    MAybe a 6 month old one?


    But then I miss the early months!


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    #4
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,679 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    I say go for it and get the puppy.


    The best thing we ever did was get our Samoyed(11 years old ) a companion.We got a Labrador puppy(10 weeks old) 18 months ago and to be completely honest our Sam has got a new lease of life since the day she arrived.

    They play all day as if the 2 of them were pups,but the Sam is still the dominant one even though the Lab tries her best to dominate him.


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    #5
    joejoem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,424 ✭✭✭joejoem


    God I'm all excited now! yay puppy!


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    #6
    joejoem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,424 ✭✭✭joejoem


    God I sound like a girl


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    #7
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    It really depends on you because your dog sounds contented. Puppies have buckets of energy and your older dog may get a new lease of life or might just get fed up with the pup wanting to play. You need to have someone home a lot with a new pup the older dog can't be expected to babysit it while you are away not saying the older dog might not take on that role but it might also turn out that puppy is too much of a handful for her.
    Best thing to do is work out who will be home during the day to let puppy out for pees etc if no one is then you might have to get someone. Next thing try a rescue because a good rescue will take the time to find a dog or pup that suits your needs and if it doesn't work out they will take the dog back and offer advice etc.

    Older dogs can get on with younger ones like a house on fire but just keep in mind that it may upset your dogs routine for a while and that the older dog gets fed first, gets the most attention etc.


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