Questions About Adding a Puppy to a Single Dog Household

[Elrohwen]

It's possible that we will get a puppy in late spring, but I'm not sure if it will be enjoyable or horrible. I'd love to hear from anyone who had an only dog and added a puppy. I really enjoyed Watson's puppy months, but I didn't have a needy adult dog at the time either.

I have no concerns with him enjoying the puppy and getting along long term. In some ways it might be easier with two, as it could lessen his SA, and they could tire each other out. My main concern is just getting through the puppy stages with my sanity. He has minor SA, but is mostly a needy spoiled brat dog who wants to be with us all the time, and barks when he's left behind.

How did you handle separate walks and training sessions for the puppy? Did you older dog protest? Did they get over it quickly? How often did you keep them separate vs letting them be together? I'm afraid that every time I take the puppy out for a walk or a socialization outing that he will bark and carry on and make all of us miserable. I'm also not sure how much people tend to separate their puppy from their adult dog around the house (assuming separation isn't necessary because the adult dog can't stand the puppy).

 

[CrystalGSD]

How did you handle separate walks and training sessions for the puppy? Did you older dog protest? Did they get over it quickly? How often did you keep them separate vs letting them be together? I'm afraid that every time I take the puppy out for a walk or a socialization outing that he will bark and carry on and make all of us miserable. I'm also not sure how much people tend to separate their puppy from their adult dog around the house (assuming separation isn't necessary because the adult dog can't stand the puppy).

When I had a puppy, I would always walk Crystal and the puppy separately, mostly because I didn't want the puppy to pick up on any behaviors Crystal has, and also because the puppy was off leash walks and Crystal was on leash. I would usually take the puppy first and Crystal after, so that the puppy could sleep while I was gone, but you may want to do the opposite to tire Watson out if it might help curb SA (although I know nothing about it so that tip might be wrong lol). I was lucky enough that Crystal didn't really care, so I don't have any tips for that. The dogs were together all the time in the house, except during training. Me and puppy would go on outings without Crystal, so that the puppy wouldn't get too attached to her and he could remain independent. The only real time they were separated inside of the house were if Crystal was trying to sleep and the puppy was insistent on bothering her.

 

[Elrohwen]

When I had a puppy, I would always walk Crystal and the puppy separately, mostly because I didn't want the puppy to pick up on any behaviors Crystal has, and also because the puppy was off leash walks and Crystal was on leash. I would usually take the puppy first and Crystal after, so that the puppy could sleep while I was gone, but you may want to do the opposite to tire Watson out if it might help curb SA (although I know nothing about it so that tip might be wrong lol). I was lucky enough that Crystal didn't really care, so I don't have any tips for that. The dogs were together all the time in the house, except during training. Me and puppy would go on outings without Crystal, so that the puppy wouldn't get too attached to her and he could remain independent. The only real time they were separated inside of the house were if Crystal was trying to sleep and the puppy was insistent on bothering her.

Thanks! I figured they would be together most of the time while they are in the house, but I wasn't sure if others were more structured than that. Of course, time outs may need to happen here and there no matter how well they get along, but it would be hard to keep them separated a lot of the time.

I want to spend as much one on one time with the puppy as possible, but that's why I worry that Watson might make the whole thing a miserable experience. I'm sure he'll adapt eventually, but it might be a long couple of months.

His SA mostly happens when he's left at times he doesn't think we should be leaving him - anything off of our schedule. So leaving for work is fine, but coming home and then leaving an hour later is weird and not ok. And he is also just an ass and will bark if he's tied up 20ft away from us while we do yard work or something. I guess getting a puppy will be a good learning experience for him on how to be patient.

 

[release the hounds]

it's been a while since that was the case, but I had a 6 year old only dog and got a puppy. At first the puppy was crated anytime I wasn't actively doing something with her, which was when making dinner, or working, or sleeping basically. otherwise it was supervised time with the adult dog and any training was done separately, but that only lasted for a few minutes a couple times a day.

I would take time a few times a week for a separate walk, but often it was together. My older dog was trained though, and I'd have her hold a down while I did stuff with the puppy, or just leave her in the house and go outside.

 

[PerformanceDog]

In the past when I introduced angel to my dog bailey, they were around each other all the time. No separation was necessary. I would take them separately to certain things as I can work with them more or focus on things I wanted to easier with one dog. However, for the most part, they were both together at home or with us.

My next puppy, I will probably be separating more from my current dogs as I do not want certain things to be learned. So walks/outings will be separate. In my experience, dogs do just fine with this. I also may separate in the house for awhile depending on what I see to make sure the current dogs warm up to the puppy. But they tend to be just fine once having a slow introduction, providing the dog/puppy takes cues to leave them alone when they have had enough.

 

[Elrohwen]

it's been a while since that was the case, but I had a 6 year old only dog and got a puppy. At first the puppy was crated anytime I wasn't actively doing something with her, which was when making dinner, or working, or sleeping basically. otherwise it was supervised time with the adult dog and any training was done separately, but that only lasted for a few minutes a couple times a day.

I would take time a few times a week for a separate walk, but often it was together. My older dog was trained though, and I'd have her hold a down while I did stuff with the puppy, or just leave her in the house and go outside.

Watson is a good boy, and he doesn't have many bad habits that would be passed on to a puppy, but the barking when left alone is a PITA. He would be fine crated or holding a down stay while training the puppy, but leaving him for walks and outings might be ugly unless a person stays behind with him. I wouldn't have a problem walking them together, but I do worry about a puppy becoming too dependent on his presence, just knowing the general temperament of the breed, so I'd like to keep things separate for at least the first few months.

 

[Elrohwen]

My next puppy, I will probably be separating more from my current dogs as I do not want certain things to be learned. So walks/outings will be separate. In my experience, dogs do just fine with this. I also may separate in the house for awhile depending on what I see to make sure the current dogs warm up to the puppy. But they tend to be just fine once having a slow introduction, providing the dog/puppy takes cues to leave them alone when they have had enough.

Knowing Watson, he will not be fine with this. :rofl1: I mean, he will be fine, he's not going to die from being left alone, but I might feel the need to strangle him. Though it's good to know most people's dogs just get over it.

I'm not worried about introducing them. He loves puppies, and I'm experienced at giving time outs when required from when he was young and didn't take cues from other dogs. If we don't get a puppy now it won't be until he's an old man dog, so I'd rather do it now while he's young and will enjoy having another young dog to play with.

 

[FransterDoo]

Sounds like you are aware that while there's some barking that could be a separation issue, Watson can also be a bit of a special snowflake spoiled only dog.

So my suggestion would be to start working on it now. Come home and leave again because you are taking the imaginary puppy on a training walk or to a training class. Sometimes have him eat in a crate, or a separate room because imaginary puppy is training with their dinner in the living room or kitchen.

All of those things people do to prep older kids for a new baby - do those!

Around here, puppy is crated unless one of us is working or playing with them and they get short, supervised play sessions with a grown-up dog. And my wife and I often do jobs separately. So she will be in the backyard with the adult dog training or playing and I'll have the puppy inside doing something.

 

[Elrohwen]

Sounds like you are aware that while there's some barking that could be a separation issue, Watson can also be a bit of a special snowflake spoiled only dog.

So my suggestion would be to start working on it now. Come home and leave again because you are taking the imaginary puppy on a training walk or to a training class. Sometimes have him eat in a crate, or a separate room because imaginary puppy is training with their dinner in the living room or kitchen.

All of those things people do to prep older kids for a new baby - do those!

Thanks! Yes, he is a special snowflake spoiled dog. :rofl1: Some of it is legit SA, but it has made us more likely to bring him along or not leave him alone in the evenings to avoid the barking. When we started nosework he had to wait in the car when it wasn't his turn and he barked the whole time. It took about 10 weeks of classes, but then he never barked in the car again. So maybe getting a puppy would be a good thing for him and an opportunity to learn not to be obnoxious.

I should definitely take more opportunities to go out in the evening without him so he can get used to me coming home from work and then leaving him again for a bit. That's always been the hardest thing for him

ETA: He has gotten much better about being kept in a separate room while we do things with the rabbits, so I could do things with them more often. I'll just train the bunnies as if I were training a puppy.