Sadness, a new guy and hoping for some advice

[tabula_rashah]

Three weeks ago I lost my Cane Corso mix Gessato to bone cancer just a few days after his 6th birthday. It was so fast. He had TPLO surgery 8 weeks prior and we went in for xrays to make sure all was healing well and came out with a bone cancer diagnosis. Within a week, he was clearly either in too much pain or needing to be drugged half comatose so we made the very hard to decision to let him go. I have never missed any of my animals more and I am honestly still a wreck over it.

The day after we lost him, my husband had to leave for an expedition race and was gone 10 days without me being able to contact him at all. That was really, really rough because the 3 of us did everything together- Gessato even went to work with us daily.

A good friend who runs a rescue then called me and said that she had a puppy that she was going to have a difficult time placing (Boerboel x Pit mix supposedly) because of course he’ll be quite large and need someone experienced. I feel like it was kind of too soon but we were a dog empty house and there are too many that need homes… so of course I said yes

Enter Duibhne or Dubs as we’ve been calling him. He’s super sweet and such a love bug- very opposite from my other guy which I appreciate. He’d been fostering with my friend at her house with a million cats, several other dogs, chickens and horses so he’d been well introduced to all of that. He is smart and stubborn and doing really well with his basic learning.

So here’s my question- we would like to be a 2 dog home eventually (ha I’d probably be a 10 dog home if I could manage it lol). When do you think is the optimum time to get a 2nd dog? We tried it with my last dog but I think we waited too long and he was very established as an “only dog” and it didn’t work out but I also don’t want to have 2 handful puppies (I’d prefer any dogs we get to be a puppy).

Also photo of Dubs because I know I have to pay the “puppy picture tax”

[tabula_rashah]

that’s weird I could have sworn I posted this in the Menagerie ? @Moderator_1 can we move this?

[OverandOnward]

More pictures? I can’t remember a thing without more pictures.

[tabula_rashah]

[Djones]

When we lost Soap dog at 16 we got Stella the yellow lab/shepherd mix from a friend who was fostering her. One week later we got Fozzie. I would do it the same way today. They learned food manners and such together and 7 years in they are still besties.

[luvmyhackney]

What a doll! You are going to have so much fun with him.

Anytime is the right time to add a second or third dog. Just do proper introductions and move along. JMO.

[OverandOnward]

He is adorable!

Dubs aka New Guy would probably like to have another dog to be his dog friend, to speak to in dog language, and discuss dog things. Like the great smells in the barn. How to get the owners to give more treats. Things like that.

[Mara]

I’m sorry about Gessato. If I got to choose which canine health problem could get an overnight cure, it would be osteosarcoma.

Dubs is adorable and he has landed in the perfect home.

[GoodTimes]

Sorry about your Gessato.

If you decide to get another puppy within the next few months I would be extra careful about crating and making sure they get individual time with you guys and individual training sessions. Littermate dependency isn’t limited to actual littermates.

Personally I would spread them out by at least one year. The older dog will still be immature enough that he’ll still be up for playing with a puppy, even when they’re being annoying. But you won’t have to worry about doing all of your housebreaking and foundational obedience at the same time.

[OTTBs]

My BO got another Great Dane puppy when the first one was about a year old and they are besties.

I’ve never had a puppy but if they aren’t puppies at the same time it seems to me that you are drawing out the period where you have to let a pup out every few hours.

[Mosey_2003]

They say it takes about three months for a dog to really settle into a new home, so I’d probably say sometime after that. He sure is a cutie

[Mango20]

I’m sorry you lost your special dog, and your new guy is cute!

I’ve always been a two dog household. I’m on dogs 4 & 5 now. I think the best way to do it is to have a few years separating the two dogs, so that you don’t have to deal with old dogs and dying dogs all at once. Think of it as the dog, and the emergency backup dog. Close enough together to play when they’re playful is good, but you’d be crazy to do it before you have this puppy trained to a decent level of training, including rock solid housebreaking.

For me, when I had an old dog die, a few months later I’d get a new one, so the age gaps varied considerably. Right now they’re 4 & 12. My lab-like mixes have lived between 13-15.5 years so far. My first pair had a 3 year gap, the second a 10 year gap, the third a 7 year gap, and now an 8 year gap (1992, 1995, 2005, 2012 & 2020). I think my ideal age gap would be 3 or 4 years.

[Bearx2]

He is adorable!!!

[tabula_rashah]

Thank you everyone for your kind and thoughtful responses. I think I am leaning towards waiting about a year. He does still get a decent amount of playtime with other dogs at the barn etc. My DH pointed out we’ll have to get me a new car - I drive a 2 door Fiat and 2 mastiffs won’t fit in the backseat

[Ericthegreat]

What a stunning animal. If it were me, I’d start to invite visitors over just to get Dubs used to having other dogs on his property. Eventually, just have one stay.

OR, introduce him to a potential new arrival on walks, etc and eventually just walk to your house. He’ll be either used to a new dog on the property or used to another dog outside of the property by then.

[OverandOnward]

@Mango20

I think the best way to do it is to have a few years separating the two dogs, so that you don’t have to deal with old dogs and dying dogs all at once. Think of it as the dog, and the emergency backup dog. Close enough together to play when they’re playful is good, but you’d be crazy to do it before you have this puppy trained to a decent level of training, including rock solid housebreaking.

My friends (a couple) do this. A two-dog family, with staggered dogs in terms of dog lives. As mentioned, they deal with puppyness and old-dog-ness one at a time. And while one needs more work, the other dog is able for itself.

In their case the dogs are about 5 years apart in age. A 5 yo dog is energetic enough to have fun with a youngster for a few years.

They have had periods with one dog at a time when the lifespans get out of whack. But overall dogs have long enough lives that they are only at cycle #3, with young dog (2 1/2) and a mature-ish dog (7) who is young enough to enjoy the highly-energetic youngster. Dog 1 at 7 yo is so healthy, energetic and full of life, I think this one will live long in good condition. They probably won’t be getting another dog for many years.

[S1969]

@GoodTimes

Personally I would spread them out by at least one year. The older dog will still be immature enough that he’ll still be up for playing with a puppy, even when they’re being annoying. But you won’t have to worry about doing all of your housebreaking and foundational obedience at the same time.

I agree - this dog has to settle into your routine before you add another for a lot of good reasons. But a good part is that he deserves a solid start with no other dog’s to divert your attention to him. He is young but still has to undo what he’s learned about the world to some extent so far and relearn. And dogs of that age are challenging regardless of birth circumstances anyway.

I’ve put about 3 years between dog additions and my dogs have always done well with a new puppy, but they would definitely have been ok sooner. It was more for my own sanity that I spread them out.

[thatmoody]

Right now we are a little out of whack age wise. Our old dog is 14, and our young one is 18 months. I like them about 7 years apart. Of course you can’t predict the future, but I like feel like the younger one keeps the old dog active and the older dog (assuming they have the right personality) helps teach the young one manners.

[OverandOnward]

@thatmoody

… I like feel like the younger one keeps the old dog active and the older dog (assuming they have the right personality) helps teach the young one manners.

I agree, have seen that in action, too, with friend’s dogs.

One friend’s cattle dog gives herself full credit for having raised the Aussie puppy, who came when Dog #1 was about 8 years old. It was really cool to watch Dog 1 putting the Aussie’s toy deep underneath a large thick bush, in summer. The pup had been shy to crawl under all of those branches to get a cool nap. Dog 1 showed her a few times, and the pup finally got it when she became desparate to get her toy. They are barn dogs and outside for much of the day, so summer heat has to be managed!

It was just as fascinating to see Dog 1 decide that Aussie pup had ‘graduated’ when pup was about a year old. Dog 1 just stopped nannying! It’s like the kid was raised and on their own, so Dog 1 could go back to her old life, politely ignoring Aussie to make her own way with her life. lol

Maybe that is how dog mothers naturally separate from their pups. They certainly don’t kick the pups out of the den when pups are 6 or 8 weeks old, and helpless to care for themselves, as many humans do with pups.

[shiloh]

That’s sad about your Gessato but welcome to Dubs. He is very cute. I like his eyes.