Getting a second dog- same breed or different?

[hey_jude]

When you got a second dog- did you go with the same breed or a different breed? And are you happy with what you decided to do? I would like to get a second dog this fall while I am still at a point in my life where I have lots of time to introduce a new dog into my life, and while Jude is 1 years old. His birthday is in July so I'd like to bring a new dog home anywhere from August on- but preferably before he turns 2. I kind of want them to be similar ages so they age and pass at similar times.

I can't decide if I'm going to get another border collie- which I adore- or if it is a fun journey to try again breed.

I would love to hear your own experiences.

Thank you!

 

[Upendi&Mina]

Not sure how much help I'll be because I have two mixes. But when I added Mina I added a different mix, I adore Upendi but really she's more independent than I wanted in another dog. So when I got Mina I got an aussiexlab mix and I surely did get my velcro dog. :rofl1: I'm not sure if this will help at all, but my next dog is going to be a purebred aussie. Mina has very much the aussie personality and drive and I love it. Really the aussie has pretty much everything I love in a dog.

 

[PoodleMommy]

I went with the same breed and am glad I did... I love yorkies and because both are similar size, have similar temperament, etc. they play well together and get along great. Part of the reason I added a second dog was so that Armani would have a playmate both when I was home and when I was gone... therefore adding something larger that he couldnt be unsupervised with wouldnt have made sense for my situation. When I started looking at other small dogs I realized I just kept coming back to the same one.

 

[xpaeanx]

All of my dogs up until Wash have been Rescues... so they were all different. It's def fun getting to know new breeds.

That being said, any new dogs after Wash(at least for a while) will be corgis.

 

[Fran101]

Id probably get another chi if I was getting another dog.. thing is, Chihuahuas are small lol you can have like 10 of them and it really doesnt make much of a difference

if i had a border collie and was looking for dog number 2, i would probably still get another BC. you know the dogs will grow to be the same size, same energy level and they can play/interact without hurting eachother lol

 

[elegy]

my first dog was a miniature poodle (i wouldn't have chosen that but she needed a home and i fell in love with her somehow), followed by two pit bulls a year apart, followed by a third old man pit bull, followed by a crazy border collie.

i think it primarily depends on whether or not you want another dog of the same breed, and then whether or not that breed (or specific dog) would be a good match for jude.

although i have to say, having a 16 month old border collie, i could never ever survive adding another puppy. i'd go insane. completely and thoroughly insane. steve by himself is quite enough work, thank you very much. i'm so glad that my older dogs are pretty much routine and low-maintenance at this point.

 

[Laurelin]

I obviously am stuck on a breed... I don't think breed matters. I think picking a similar size and energy level is easiest although that's not required either. Some people enjoy having two very different breeds. My next breed will be larger and a working breed definitely (although i waiver on which one exactly). I enjoy having both a herder and a companion breed because they bring two different things to the table.

Sometimes I wish I'd gone with another herder. Before I'd had a sheltie and a papillon, which i feel is a great combo. Sometimes I wish I'd tried a sight hound. But let's face it, Mia is great for me too.

I do like having variety though, ironic as that is for my situation currently.

 

[vanillasugar]

It would be hard to get the same breed when I have no idea what Sierra really is

But on that note, I look forward to having a variety of different types of dogs in my life!

 

[Southpaw]

Nope, we had a Boxer and then we got Lucy, who's a bichon/poodle mix. I don't think breed matters so much... like when I move out and get a dog, the dog I get after that will most likely not be the same breed.

 

[OutlineACDs]

It's a personal choice. I stick with ACD's. That's my breed that I show and love. While I admire other breeds from afar, I know that ACD's really fit my lifestyle and personality. I <3 them.

 

[Dekka]

I love JRTs but want to exp other breeds (which is why we have a BC and whippets lol) It depends on what YOU want for another dog.

 

[hey_jude]

Ahhh great feedback guys- thank you! That Ibizan thread is giving me 'wants'- i need to stop opening it....

You know surprisingly, elegy, jude is as easy as pie. It really shocks me that he is- but he's high energy when I want him to be- and chill when I don't. I don't know how I lucked out so well. He never chewed, never destroyed anything, and we crate trained the day I got him. We did have a long potty training process but other than that he's a pretty easy dog. Now I know I wouldn't be so lucky again... but hey- ones not bad!

I think I would definitely go with a similar size- 25-50 pounds ish- and most likely will get a second border collie knowing me. Haha I just don't want to close the door to other breeds so I'm really researching them right now.

Any groups you think would not work with a border collie? Obviously another herding dog might be best, but any you would narrow out completely?

thank you!

 

[Maxy24]

It's really a personal thing, if you think BCs are your ideal breed, fit you to a tee and you're happy with that then stick with it. If you think there are other breeds that would fit in well, that you are attracted to, and think it would be fun to have something different then go that route.

 

[AllieMackie]

I'm in the same boat as you, Erin - I adore Finnegan and I know BCs are my breed. But at the same time I honestly don't know for sure if I want my second dog to be a BC. I love a lot of breeds - I've really been eyeing corgis and aussies, too. I'm also unsure at this point if I'd get a puppy again or go for rescue - everything is up in the air!

 

[Lizmo]

Lately, I've been wondering the same thing. Though, mine is a lot longer away than yours!

I adore Border Collies and can't wait to have many more. I know I can handle multiple Border Collies with no problem. But I've kind of had an itch lately for a small dog, lol. Of course pet sitting a little cuddly fur ball for the past couple of weekends isn't helping at all, haha.

Knowing me I'll probably end up with another Border Collie, haha. Which is cool too.

Erin, if you decide to go with a breed other than the Border Collie, I would try to pick one that is similiar to the Border Collie if your plan is to have another dog that will enjoy the activities you and Jude do now. For example, I wouldn't get a Beagle type dog because Beagles love love love to smell things out rather than go for long walks, ball chases, or swims like a Border Collie does. So you might want to keep those things in mind.

 

[Bigpoodleperson]

Im not much help. Im getting another standard poodle soon. They just fit me and i know the breed well. At this one point in my life i want that. I will try different breeds later when i have the house/space/no roommates/life is not up in the air.

 

[Toller_08]

I enjoy having two different breeds. I think I'd get bored if I had just Tollers or just Dobermans. I love the differences between the two. If I'm going to have multiple dogs, I'm probably always going to try and have a couple of different breeds.

 

[Phoenixangelwyngs]

I know this has been commented on a lot but I'm giving my two cents anyway....

I started off with BCs because that's what I was raised with and I knew they were easy to train and wonderful to work with because of the intelligence.

I added a pair of Aussies... The Aussies have a similar energy level but are far less fixated and drivey than the BC boys. They also tend to have a much more developed sense of humor and often have me laughing my arse off.

I didn't think it'd work out as well as it has. I think in my personal situation, I'd avoid smaller, lower energy dogs. My crew is high energy and high drive. Anything smaller would become the herding animal du jour. But I also don't like little dogs. I don't think anything particularly aloof or aggressive would work well with my hodge podge.

I do notice that the Border Collies tend to play together and the Aussies tend to play together. There tends to be two different games going on with not a whole lot of intermingling.

Just my couple a' cents.

 

[theresa92841]

I like getting different breeds. I grew up with a Miniature Schnauzer. Had a Siberian Husky. A terrier/pit bull mix. I now have an affenpinscher. Got a Brussels Griffon. And then got another Affenpinscher although that wasn't pre-planned.

What I found mattered for me was really looking at my lifestyle and choosing breeds that work with my lifestyle and preferences. I know that I want an English Toy Spaniel sometime in my future. I will probably have a yorkie at some point.

I like the variety. And for me, I feel that by choosing a different breed, I don't come in with any preconception that the new puppy will be like my previous dog . . . since it is already a different breed and look. If that makes sense.

 

[PlottMom]

I grew up with a standard poodle and was convinced they were the greatest dogs in the world (actually, I still am. lol). Wanted a pit bull *so badly* for the LONGEST time... met my boyfriend, ended up with a basset. lol

granted she's horribly atypical for the breed (loves to work(!?!), hike, and goof off at 10 years old...) and I'm not sure I'd go with another BASSET per ce, but then my boyfriend got the itch for a coonhound (ok he'd always had the itch, but we were in college, could afford it, and his parents couldn't really say 'no')... we went with the Plott 'cos theyre different from the other breeds, and just haven't looked back! I'm consistantly amazed with how well they've responded to training and how well behaved they are. Long story short, if you love the breed, do you really want anything else? heh. I kinda like having a matching set