Getting a second pup

slookie

We have a 5 month old boxer cross, Ollie, and would love to get a purebred boxer pup. He has his own run in the garden, with his kennell inside and loves it in there. We take him for walks everyday and when we're at home we let him out around the house...he always stays around and plays and never goes out on the road. He is a bit hyper and always jumps up on people and gets really hyper around other people's kids (we have none yet)...can't seem to knock this out of him.
Anyway, do ye think getting another pup would be a problem. If I got a bitch would it make a difference (would love to breed eventually)...going to get the one I have neutered soon anyway. Would the both of them sleep in the kennell or would Ollie feel it is his territory and not bond with the pup. I just think it would be great company for him when he's in his run while we are at work. All advice appreciated.

seamus

There shouldn't be any major territorial issues if you introduce another dog, but you should do it slowly and keep an eye on them for the first few days. You shouldn't try bundle them into the same kennel at first - let them get comfortable with eachother and after a few weeks they'll almost insist on sleeping togther.

Aside, if you think that one puppy is an energetic handful, then two will be complete bedlam.

Magenta

slookie wrote: »

We have a 5 month old boxer cross, Ollie, and would love to get a purebred boxer pup. He has his own run in the garden, with his kennell inside and loves it in there. We take him for walks everyday and when we're at home we let him out around the house...he always stays around and plays and never goes out on the road. He is a bit hyper and always jumps up on people and gets really hyper around other people's kids (we have none yet)...can't seem to knock this out of him.
Anyway, do ye think getting another pup would be a problem. If I got a bitch would it make a difference (would love to breed eventually)...going to get the one I have neutered soon anyway. Would the both of them sleep in the kennell or would Ollie feel it is his territory and not bond with the pup. I just think it would be great company for him when he's in his run while we are at work. All advice appreciated.

First off, you might be better off waiting til your boxer-cross has grown up a bit and lost his bad habits.
Second, are you planning on breeding him with a purebred boxer? No offence but there are so many cross-bred dogs looking for homes already, the country is overflowing with them, so really there is no need to breed any more.

Graces7

I may be misreading what you wrote re "he never goes onto the road"?

But please make sure he cannot get to the road and is always behind a secure gate.

Puppies are so unpredicatable; one sudden excited dash is all it takes

lorebringer

Personally, I would wait a while - get your current chap neutered and do some more training with him. I'm a big believer in the more the merrier with dogs but making sure your own dog is at a decent level of training before getting a second is a good plan. Also, if you do neuter you shouldn't have any problems with either gender of second dog so if you wanted a male or female it wouldn't really matter (esp if you get the second dog snipped too). Boys tend to be fine with pups, it's bitches that can be a problem with pup (and even at this it isn't too common).

I know you said you would like to breed eventually (I'm presuming it's not with your current dog because you mentioned neutering him) and would like to get a pure breed Boxer but please check out rescues around the country for another pup. There are loads out there, some pure breeds, that would be suitable for you. Always worth a look and you would be giving an unwanted pup a home.

mymo

Please make sure your pup is well trained before you get another, any bad behaviour he has now you will have times 2 when you get another. I left a year between my two and they get on fine. The older dog was pretty well trained by the time the pup arrived but it much harder do anything with two.
You have to train them apart and together, walk them apart(pup will need very little exercise to start) and together and there's twice the vet bills, food bills, toys, bedding and equipment. If you go away there's twice the kennel fees too.
As for the breeding, have you researched the breed? Are you willing to pay for all the medical tests you need to do before breeding? Boxers are prone to lots of health problems.
Do you know how much it costs to do it properly? Whelping boxes, vets bills, food, vac's and chipping, and if anything goes wrong?
Don't get me wrong, having a second dog is a great idea, but it takes a lot of work. And please make sure its safely fenced in and safe from the road.