Getting Another Puppy

[Mick]

I'm right now living with my mother, and she has meantioned getting my 11 year old brother a puppy in January. By then my brother would be 12 and ale to accept the responsibility of his own dog. My puppy would be about 9 months old by that time. Is that to old to try and bring another dog into the house? I'm only asking because i know certain breeds dont get along. Would someone like to explain to me about the whole puppy befriending dog/puppy?

[Mick]

I want to thank the members of this board for helping me with my question. I didnt think it was too hard to answer, but maybe all of you did. Again, thank you, and have a nice day.

- Mick

[IcyHound]

I'll answer even with the snarky post.

Raising two young dogs is hard. One is a good bit older then the other which helps. However, how everyone interacts with each other, each dog, and the dogs with each other considering the various levels of possession will create an interesting social structure in your household.

The dogs will probably be more then happy to meet each other. Some breeds are dog aggressive but that tends to be well documented. This is a good time to do some background reading. Books such a A Dogs Mind may help a bit with the orientation.

Also, everyone has to be in on the attempt for this to go well.

It is actually a very complex question, not knowing the two of you, your dog, what he is getting, schedules, and how everyone wants to approach the situation.

[Maxy24]

I just saw this today and was going to answer it but after the rudeness of your post I don't think you deserve an answer. Sorry we all can't rush to your aid when you need a question answered, sometimes we just don't know.

[Mick]

Look, i'm sorry for my rudeness. I apologize. If you dont know or you arent sure, all you had to do is say it. I'm not looking for a Boxer, a Rottie, a Doberman or a Pittbull. My mom doesnt like those breeds. She says they're too unpredictable and can turn out to be dog aggressive. I'm looking more for history on a dog that my brother can handle and take care of. One that will get along with my puppy.

[Max's Dad]

Just because a dog is of a certain breed doesn't guarantee the temperment of that dog. Each dog is unique in how it will react with other dogs/humans/animals. While there may be some breeds that are more prone to aggressiveness, every dog has the capacity to be aggressive to some degree or another.

I'd say your best bet is to take your current puppy with you to meet any potential puppies for your brother. That way the two can meet, play, whatever, and you can see how they interact. If you're getting the new puppy from a breeder, ask the breeder lots of questions about the puppy's behavior, attitude, socialization, etc.. That will give you a better picture of what you'd be getting yourself into.

I can tell you from personal experience that my puppy knows who it likes and doesn't like. He's a Welsh Corgi, so he's short in stature, and he doesn't like taller dogs - but he'll romp and play with dogs his size. Around taller dogs he just cowers and hides, until they meet nicely, and then it's all good between them.

And make sure your brother knows what he's getting himself into. A puppy is a 24/7 commitment, and a BIG commitment for a 12 year old. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I got my puppy, I had no idea they'd be this demanding, and I'm 25 years old and home all the time. But I've learned from my mistakes, and it's all gravy now.

Lastly, there's no need to get upset and be rude with anyone on this board for not answering your questions right away. You asked a very open-ended, broad question, that will take some time to answer. Not everyone has the time to sit down and give you a detailed response. If you're not getting the responses you want, or responses fast enough, try narrowing down your question, or doing your own research on the web while you wait for a response to your question. Besides, you've got several months before you even get the new puppy, so you've got plenty of time to research and learn before then. And encourage your brother to do the same, so he has an idea of what he's getting into, and what he'll be looking for in a puppy.

-Tim

[Mick]

My brother wants the Golden Retriever he saw on the one vaccuum commercial. He's been diagnosed as Special Needs, so we went through our local paper. We called various breeders that breed the Golden Retriever. We found out that yeah its a good family good and great with kids. But we arent convinced that he's ready for a dog that size.

[bubbatd]

I'm sure that he can handle a Golden ....Nash was 5 when he got his puppy /

[Mick]

Okay cool. I'll talk that over with my mother then and see what she says.

One more question if you guys are up for it. My older brother brings his puppy over on occassions to interact with mine. Well his was hurt playing in the yard the last time she was here, and she had a severely sprained left front leg. Well during the healing, he was bringing her over everyday while he was at work so she could be looked after incase she had any problems. Just today, I had bot puppies in the livingroom and I was petting my brother puppy, and I called Zane over. He didnt seem like he liked the idea of me petting her. I said Oh no you dont. We're gonna bite this in the ass now before it turns into something else. Any ideas on what I should do to help them both get along better? Because I mean they play but its alotta biting all the time and I have to separate them to neutral corners.

[Max's Dad]

Bear in mind that puppies bite a lot as a part of playing. Maybe the two just need some more time together to sort things out between them. It could also be that Zane is just jealous because you're giving the other puppy attention, and not Zane. I know my puppy gets that way with me if I'm petting another dog - he'll jump up on my legs and whine while I'm petting the other dog. Once I turn back to Max (my puppy) and pet him, he knows everything is ok and goes back to playing around.

I'd say just give them more supervised time together. Make sure things don't get too rough, and hopefully Zane will come around to the idea of having your brother's puppy around.

-Tim