Pros and cons of getting a 2nd cocker

[kerryrobb]

Been thinking about getting another cocker spaniel for a while now, coco is 4. We found a breeder and hoped she would give birth to some girls, she did 2 but 1 was promised to the stud and 1to someone else. We decided then that it was fate and coco was going to be an only child and accepted it. Now the breeder has come back and said one if the people wanting a girl has decided to take a boy and we can have the girl if we want it.
Now I am In a dilemma!! Is 4 years a good age to introduce a puppy to coco? She never bothers with other dogs just ignores them! Is it easier to train a 2nd dog? What are your experiences of 2nd dogs? Any help would be appreciated as I don't want to go into this lightly. Thank you.

[Ruby Tuesday]

I'd say 4 is fine, Coco is young enough to adapt.

We got Jem in February when Ruby was 5, they are fine together. Training a second dog can be easier in some ways, if Coco has a nice nature she will help teach and discipline the pup. But in some ways it is harder because you do have to make time to train the pup alone sometimes, as otherwise Coco may interfere!

But I don't regret getting a second dog at all, I love seeing them running along together, it just looks right.

[karen488]

I love having 2. From what I've read here they might get on they might not, but think it's nice for them to always have a companion. Good luck with your decision. 

[kerryrobb]

I want her to have a companion as she seems to take herself off to bed a lot?? I have an image of them curled up together, running in the woods, swimming etc but then I get scared and wonder what will happen if they don't get on as I believe a dog is for life.

[Honormum]

We had our lab from a puppy, and got a Springer when she was 18 months old (there was exactly a year and a day between their ages).

Our Springer had to be pts last summer, and we are about to get a show cocker puppy 
Our lab is 11, so we'll have the extremes - old and young.

One thing I would say is maybe reconsider and get a dog, not another bitch. We had some dominance issues with our Springer, even though she was younger, smaller and arrived later.

We're getting a boy this time for that reason - and I would imagine it might work better for Coco if she's not bothered about other dogs (just wondering whether a bitch might upset her more).

[elaine.e]

There are quite a few threads on here about getting a second Cocker and most of the answers on them are positive and the new puppy and existing dog have bonded, sometimes immediately, sometimes after a few days, weeks or even months. But it doesn't always work perfectly.

I have William and Louis. William was 5 years old when Louis came home. William's a very confident dog and his body language around other dogs is very good. He's non confrontational and gives lots of calming signals. He prefers human company to other dogs so I didn't expect him to fall head over heels in love with Louis but I didn't expect him to be completely horrified and become withdrawn. But that's what happened and while Louis was young and needy (exceptionally needy in his case) poor William spent most of his time on his own, taking himself off upstairs or in a different room, anything to be away from Louis.

I made special time for William of course, but it pretty much broke my heart at the time and didn't get me and Louis off to a good start in our relationship because I felt resentful at times, as well as being exhausted from having such a needy puppy to look after.

3 years later and the boys tolerate each other and seem to live companionably without causing each other too much stress. There's the occasional brief outburst of jealousy, usually if I'm sat on the floor playing with one and the other approaches. Then there will be growling and maybe a 2 second scuffle. I just get up and walk away and ignore the behaviour, no point in shouting or doing anything that might escalate it.

I can honestly say that they have never played together and never share a bed. Louis would love to play or snuggle up but William just walks away. I think he's still hoping that Louis is just a visitor and will leave soon

As Ruby Tuesday has said, when you get a second puppy you need to make time to walk and train it on it's own some of the time. That helps you to build up a bond with the puppy and it won't become overly dependant on your older dog. I hoped that Louis would learn some good behaviours from William but it's turned out the other way and William has picked up on a few of Louis's anxieties

I'm not trying to put you off at all, just to make you aware that sometimes, despite all the hard work, you end up with a less than perfect situation. I'm just very grateful that mine have learned to tolerate each other well enough that I feel they're OK living together and it's not causing them endless stress.

[Bluebell]

I love having more than one dog  Alot of it is down to the individual dogs personality, so there is always a gamble involved   
I think that Coco is a good age to introduce another dog.
Be prepared to give them both their own space and time with you, and away from each other...... having said that, they may be the best of friends.
Mine are ( not all cockers ) Boy age 9, Girl age 6, Girl age 2 and Boy age 17 weeks. After initial huffing and puffing from the older dogs, I have been lucky with each introduction.....the most difficult being No 3, who arrived at 8 weeks old with very sharp teeth, and a strong desire to get her own way ( she is definitely the boss in our house  )
Go for it 

[redlottie]

Like Elaine I don't think my 2 will ever be best friends.  I too imagined they would snuggle up together and be best of friends but with my 2 it hasn't happened.  Otto was 15 months when we had Albie and he really didnt like him in the early days and they still have a somewhat love / hate relationship now.

They are more tolerable of each other now and play well together away from the house but spend most of their time in seperate rooms at home.

All that said if I had my time over I would do it again but would wait until Otto was much older so your Coco at 4 will hopefully be better placed to welcome and put a puppy in it's place.

Again as previously mentioned if you are prepared to put the time and effort in to allowing both dogs to be individuals and have their own time then 2 dogs are great.  

[Nicola]

There are lots of threads on this topic if you do a search, here's another recent one:

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=97040.0

I would second what Elaine said about not necessarily expecting them to be best mates and/or cuddle up together, Rodaidh gets on really well with both Tilly and Caoimhe but they don't snuggle up or share beds - the girls rub along ok but aren't overly keen on each other at all; and also what Honormum said about considering a male dog as opposite sex combinations are generally speaking the least likely to have issues (in terms of how they get on).

[kalami]

Bella was 4 when we got Molly, Bella didn't like molly initially but within a fortnight all was good.
I'm so glad we got Molly, Bella used to be quite timid around other dogs but your couldnt tell now. They follow each other around, lovely to see them playing together. Bella isn't as needy. I don't think I could just have one dog now.

[Linda B]

We had concerns about having two girls as we had always had one of each, it does work most of the time,
from the moment Emma at 6 months old walked into the house she took over all of Sophies toys and made it obvious she was going to be the boss, Sophie is very easy going and was quite happy to accept the situation. I wouldn't say they are best buddies, they never cuddle up together, they do sometimes play together but, one does get very concerned if the other is taken to the vets for example, so they have bonded up to a point. We do love having two as they are company for each other if we go out and they do seem to look out for each other.

I don't know if this has helped with your decision, if you do decide to go ahead I hope you have many hours of fun and enjoyment with them.

[kerryrobb]

Gosh even more confused now!! I am just worried that they won't gel, I couldn't bear to have to give the puppy back or to someone else. Like I said its like coco is human if a dog comes around her she will just move on, she has only snapped a couple of times if they have sniffed her too long. I was hoping with it being a baby she might tolerate her more?? Confused

[Max X 2]

Max was 4 when I got Harry at the age of 6 months.
Max is the most laid back cocker, not wanting attention 24/7 & happy to spend time on his own.
The 1st couple of weeks Max would guard things like his bed, settee, our bed but gradually Harry was allowed, 1st in the dog beds then the settee but our bed took the longest  

Harry has taught Max to play & show more affection too,  I think.
Personally, after seeing how they interact, given the choice I would never have just 1 dog again.

Harry would love to cuddle up with Max, but like I said, Max likes his own space, but occasionally we see them snuggled up together  
Harry is besotted with Max & really looks up to him like a big brother, Max secretly loves Harry but isn't so obvious about it   but has been known to stand between Harry & a.n. other dog if he suspects trouble

[kerryrobb]

link to my potential baby
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151179416294921&set=a.10150476335414921.386262.606064920&type=1&theater

[twiceover2]

I don't have two cockers, mine are a fauve and a cocker.  They love each other, play together, snuggle up together on the sofa and pine when they are apart.  Barney, my fauve, was 1 when we got Pippa.  He doesn't like all dogs.  In fact apart from Pippa, he only really likes a beagle he has known since they were both puppies and another COL cocker.  He doesn't dislike other dogs, but doesn't really play with them.  I think it really helped that our breeder let us take Barney with us when we went to choose our cocker puppy and he and Pippa chose each other.  We didn't have a say.  Barney ignored the other two puppies and played with Pippa the whole time we were there.  I have since found through COL that many breeders wouldn't have allowed us to bring Barney to meet the puppies even at 8 weeks, but if your breeder will let Coco go with you it might give you some idea whether they like each other.