[Puggleman]

Hello! This is my first post and I must say I am very excited to learn from all of you.

I have a 3 year old Puggle named Tucker who is great. He's trained, great with people and other dogs and is looking for a new friend. I have been playing with the idea of adding a new member to the family. So far it is mostly bigger dogs with labs and goldens winning the race.

My questions for you are:
What are the best (and worst) breeds for puggles to be paired up with?
Would a puppy lab or golden be suitable for my Puggle, assuming they met and got along?
Would you recommend another type of dog for any reason?

I appreciate all feedback and am excited to be a part of this community!

Thanks,
Chris :thumbsup:

 

[RoughDiamond]

Just to start off, because it's good to say in any addition situation (not because I think it particularly applies to you) it's important to understand that adding another dog honestly isn't likely to make your Puggle much happier. I can honestly say that my Pug would be happier if she were my only dog, not because she doesn't like other dogs, but because she simply adores human attention and there would be more for her. Dogs don't need canine family members to be happy.

So that said, if you want a Labrador or a Golden Retriever, get a Labrador or a Golden IF you are ready for a massive increase in training and excercise needs compared to a Puggle. Those are both pretty athletic breeds that will need lots of physical and mental activities on a daily basis. I'm talking hours of outdoor activity, not a 30 minute jog once a day. Sporting breeds like retrievers are the outdoorsmen of the dog world and come with a completely different set of expectations and needs compared to a Puggle. So it's important to keep in mind that you will probably be taking a Retriever places your Puggle may not do too well, such as swimming--a famous pastime for water-bred Retrievers, not so much for Pugs (and many Puggles) who have stocky, chubby bodies, smushed noses/air tracts that can't breath too well and short legs.

Ultimately you need to get the dog that fits you, not your Puggle. If Tucker likes other dogs now, chances are he'll get along fine with whatever breed you decide to bring home. Definitely don't discount rescue dogs--often rescues give you a trial period so you can make sure your new family addition will work!

Above all, RESEARCH. Ask on forums like this, look up the AKC descriptions of the breeds you are interested in, find owners and breeders of the breeds you are interested in and ask questions, talk to breed-specific rescues, read books at the library or bookstore, find trainers in your area and have their contact information ready in case you encounter serious issues with your new dog (yes, they CAN happen to anybody, at any time. Issues like dog reactivity, timidity, resource guarding...the list goes on. You can raise the puppy as well as possible and these issues can still crop up as the dog matures).

Check out these threads:
http://www.dogforum.com/new-additions/how-choose-right-breed-11760/
http://www.dogforum.com/new-additions/puppy-mills-pet-stores-back-yard-11761/
http://www.dogforum.com/new-additions/one-loneliest-number-multi-dog-households-78106/


Good luck!

 

[traciek88]

Dogs generally don't care what breed their companions are. Go to your local shelter and see some dogs you like. Then see if your dog gets along with them. Maybe he likes just small dogs or just females or just adults. Maybe he's ok with anyone! But like the above poster said you must be careful where you go, so no stores or internet orders! And depending on your dog's personality, be careful about a large breed puppy. That puppy will be your dog's size at maybe 4-5 months and might start to piss him off and cause conflicts. But if you've seen your dog with other dogs you know his tolerance level.

 

[mathilda]

generally you shouldn't get a dog, because you think it wil be a companion for your dog.
Dogs don't think "Oh, i'd like to have a "little brother" to play with every day".
Dogs are not humans they think in status quos not on "what if"s.
when thinking about getting a dog, you should find a dog/breed that generally meets your taste and fits your life. You should get only a dog if you want another dog.

Neither beagles nor pugs are extremely small dogs, and they're usually relatively robust, so i think most of them would not suffer from having another dog.
However depending on your dog, i'd chose an adult animal that is well socialised with smaller dogs. A big, clumsy Puppy can hurt a smaller dog, without wanting it. Labrador Retrievers for example tend to play very rough and sometimes act like drunken bulls in a china shop, so i don't know if a puppy would work so well with your smaller dog. An adult may ork though.
the pugs I know are more people fixated though...they don't really need another dog in their "pack".
there are also breed that tend to be a bit less rough in their play style and social behaviour, poodles for example or some smaller shepherd breeds (Sheltie perhaps).
These breeds however bring also their own requirements with them, that you have to meet as their owner.

 

[timber]

Some dogs do love the company of another dog. For instance, 2 of my dogs are extremely close and I know for a fact they enjoy having each other. While they also love us humans, I see them together most of the day. Tynan is protective of Timber and has blocked other dogs he thought may have been a threat to Timber. What about when dogs grieve after the loss of a companion? To say that dogs don't need a companion is too black and white. Some dogs do prefer to be an only dog while others thrive on living with other dogs, in other words to lump them all together is inaccurate.

Traciek88 suggestion of going to a shelter with Tucker will help you decide what dog is a right fit for both you and Tucker. I like that idea.

If you decide to get a large breed puppy, it is possible to teach the pup to play gentler with a smaller dog. Just takes a lot of supervision and consistency. I have a smaller dog, about 40lbs living with 2 - 110lbs dogs and 1 - 170lbs dog with absolutely no issues. It did take training as 1 was 7 weeks old when I got him and the other was about 4 months old, but he was much more laid back pup.

Different people can handle different levels of challenges when raising a puppy with a smaller breed dog. It's up to you to decide what will work best for you without making you doubt your decision.

As for breed suggestions, what about another puggle or a Beagle. Beagles are pretty social dogs.