[Samson5261]

I currently have a almost 2 year old gsd mix Rocky. I will be moving out of my moms place next month and would love to get a second dog once I am settled in. The only thing that gives me second thoughts is rocky.

He gets along ok with dogs. He currently lives with 2 females that he grew up with but is not always crazy about strange dogs. He is also super clingy to me and can get jealous with some dogs but not all. He is not aggressive but tends to be a bully with dogs who have little confidence and won't stick up for themselves. If the dog is cofident he has no issues with them at all. He also gets better the more time he spends with the dog and the longer the dog is in the house.

I was thinking about adopting a young adult so that i can do a meet and greet to see there personality. I would also like to have rocky meet any potential dogs that I think he would get along with. I can tell from his body language and attitude when meetung another dog on leash if he will get along with them.

I also do have experience with keeping 2 dogs seperated if things for some reason down the road do not work out between rocky and any future dog i get. I was also thinking about maybe fostering or like a trial period with the dog to see how it goes.

So does this sound like a good plan or like i should even be considering getting another dog? Thank you for any advice on this! ? And since he so cute heres a pic of the rock star!!

 

[Samson5261]

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[Esand]

I'm very happy I have two dogs, they're best friends. When they're home alone they will play with each other, even chase each other around the yard.

Your reasons for wanting a young adult dog make sense but in my experience most dogs seem to tolerate puppies to a greater degree than adults. Its instinctual.

 

[Samson5261]

A puppy would be ok with me in all honesty but not sure how rocky would react to one but can treat the same as the young adult. I also have a friend that has a puppy so could maybe have them meet to see how he does with him? Im really just looking for a dog that will get along with rocky so he is the deciding factor. I dont care about anything else!

 

[Tilden]

One thing you haven't mentioned is cost. If you get another dog, the costs for food, basic vet care (like shots) etc. doubles. It could more than double if one of the dogs ends up needed some additional vet care due to illness or injury (or ends up requiring special food or medications due to a condition that develops later). Maybe money isn't an issue for you, and if it's not, well, lucky you. But if it is, be sure you've got room in your budget as well as your heart and home before taking on a second dog.

 

[Samson5261]

I have thought about the added cost of a second dog. I figured i would wait a few months after i move out to make sure it is something i can afford just to be sure but as it stands i should be able to no problem but will wait to be sure.

 

[Tilden]

I think waiting a couple of months after you move out to make a final decision on a second dog is a good idea. That way, you'll have a better idea about your work commitments, time constraints, disposable income etc. and whether you feel like it's the best time to add a second dog to your life or not. An even if you decide no then, it doesn't rule out the possibility later on.

 

[SusanLynn]

He is also super clingy to me and can get jealous with some dogs but not all. He is not aggressive but tends to be a bully with dogs who have little confidence and won't stick up for themselves.

I wonder if you would really enjoy having a second dog if your first dog wants to monopolize your attention.

I've been there, done that. Two years ago, I adopted two shelter dogs within a month of each other: Jesse and Miles. Although they came from the same shelter, they had had no previous contact with each other until I brought them together. The honeymoon period lasted a month, and then Jesse started resource guarding me. I could not approach Miles and Miles could not approach me without Jesse putting himself between us. There was never any fighting, but there was a bit of growling and snapping. It was very stressful, and I stopped showing affection to either dog. None of us was happy.

We were all very fortunate that I could rehome Jesse with a good friend. He's now very happy as a much-loved single dog, and Miles gets my full attention. I would not introduce a second dog if the first dog is, by nature, super-clingy and jealous. I know that you mentioned two other dogs in your current household, but they seem like family dogs. What you are proposing doing is adding a second dog for yourself. That's different, and I don't think Rocky is likely to warm up to that idea.

If you're going to do this, have a back-up plan. Go through a rescue that will let you have a trial period and would take the second dog back if it doesn't work out. If you adopt through a kill-shelter as I did, it will be a lot harder to rehome that dog. I was just very fortunate that my friend fell in love with Jesse and offered him a permanent home.

 

[travelingswift]

I work from home with a 1 year old rescue (adopted at 8 months and we've had her for about 8 months now). Right now we have a second dog that is a foster. It is a GODSEND having two dogs. Pixel (my pup) is quite active and high energy, she was constantly bugging me for attention/out of boredom while I was working (despite over 2 hours off-leash running every day PLUS 30 min training spread throughout the day).

Now that we have Fred here, they just wrestle together and I get so much more work done. Plus I actually spend less on toys (more on food though obviously) since I'm not having to give her chews/puzzle games every couple hours to keep her happy. I think the savings on toys is balanced out by the higher food expenses though so probably evens out. I don't pay vet bills as he is a foster.

Now, I'm very lucky that Pixel and Fred love each other and get along super well. Both are friendly dogs though. They do get a little jealous of each other for attention, but nothing aggressive. More just if one is getting pets, the other comes straight over and shoves their heads into my hands We had some minor resource guarding (of toys and me) in the beginning from Pixel but that was quickly addressed within a couple training sessions and we havent had an issue since.

Now the bad of 2 young dogs: training. It's SO much harder to train both as our apartment doesn't really have a set up where one can be kept out of the room. Pixel is pretty good about lying down and waiting for her turn, but Fred wants in on everything. But that sort of training is manageable. It's the leash walking/outdoor training that is harder. Especially since we don't have a yard and I work full-time, and both dogs need LOTS of exrecise -- I don't have the time to walk each dog separately. So tryign to work on leash manners/recall with both dogs present and managing two dogs on long-lines is a bit of a dance. Luckily both dogs are quite well-behaved/eager to learn so we are makign progress, but it's definitely slower progress then when I just had Pixel.

I'll probably wait to get a permanent second dog until Pixel is really where I want her leash/recall wise.

Hope that helps!

 

[Samson5261]

The rescue i plan on working with will take the dog back if it does not end up working out. He does not mind me showing affection to either of the dogs that live with us or my grandmas dog. He will try to get in on it though lol. I have actually worked with two dogs at once before since i trained my step dads dog Jules. It is harder and i usually work one on one with them still. Rocky is use to waiting his turn.

 

[SusanLynn]

It's great that you are planning ahead. My last suggestion would be to give yourself and Rocky plenty of time to settle in before you bring in a new addition. Living alone with a dog requires a bit more thought than living with other family members who can always let the dog out or feed him if you're running late.

 

[Samson5261]

The soonest i would get a second dog would be sometime after August but i will probably wait until next year just so i have plenty of time to make sure its something i can do. I want to be sure i am prepared for any new furry members to join my family!