Your Knowledge....

[YvonneC22]

Hi guys,

I think a lot of you can help me regarding getting a puppy number 2

In the new year I would love to get a friend for Alex

Question 1.... Is 10 months old a good time to add a new little pupster? Don't want jealousy etc

Question 2...... As Alex isn't neutred, would it be a no no to get a female?

Question 3..... On first meeting will Alex always mother the puppy?

Thanks in advance

[Holly2009]

Personally I think 10 months is fine if your confident he's well trained etc (we've got two 7 month pups & mum) it's hard work as you need to do lots of stuff separately with them both. Walking, recall, basic training, play time etc and then do it with them together. I've been very conscious of the fact I don't want them relying on each other & be confident happy dogs individually as well as together.
I think I'm lucky in that my two are very focused on me always (never hubby   or each other) when I'm about so training and obedience hasn't been a problem....but if you have two dogs that are more than happy to play with each other than listen to you I don't think it would be much fun & very hard work to train/ walk etc.
If your planning on getting Alex neutered at a later date or the female neutered I cant see a problem, personally I think any combination can work but its down to each individual dog, family & circumstances.
I doubt Alex will ever mother the pup (Holly the mum to our 2 doesn't even mother them)  

[Cayley]

I wouldn't have another puppy with a young one, we had issues with our two girls that had a 15 month age gap. He could get worse behaviour wise as this is when they test you again by possibly forgetting to go to the toilet outside and not doing what you tell them. If you don't plan on neutering your boy then you need to know whether you can cope with an entire male and bitch, if not, have her neutured or get a boy instead  .

[Nicola]

Personally I would wait until he's older and you're sure he's well out of adolescence and you've got his training to the level you want it to be. As already said it's best to do lots of separate walks/training etc. with a new puppy, and that's easier if you have a well-trained adult dog rather than another youngster/adolescent who also needs a lot of time and input.

If you're going to get Alex neutered then a bitch would be fine but if you don't want to have him done and you get a bitch you'll have to either have her spayed before her first season or be extremely careful when she does come in and possibly look into sending Alex to stay elsewhere at that time. They can be extremely determined to get to each other and it's easy to accidentally leave a door open. I have an entire dog and an entire bitch and although he's very good about it it's not particularly fun for any of us when she's in season, it's stressful for them and for me as I'm paranoid about keeping doors shut etc. and I generally opt to send Rodaidh off to stay with a friend for at least some of it to make it easier on all of us.

It's pretty unlikely Alex will 'mother' the pup as said; he may like it, he may not be all that keen, there isn't really any guarantee how they'll get on until you do it. My dogs get on ok but every time I've brought a new one home the older ones have spent the first month or so doing nothing but growling and keeping out of the new arrival's way.