[Pineapple Princess]

Soooooo.........

We're exploring the idea of getting a 2nd dog. We don't have kids, don't plan on it, and we're thinking it might be nice for Hobie to have a permanent 4-legged companion.

If we go through with it we'd like to do a rescue. We had tried to do that the first time around but at that time our hearts were set on a Vizsla and the few rescue Vizslas we located fell through.

We're now open to a Vizsla, Weim or GSP. We would hope for a dog that will match Hobie as far as energy level and temperament.

Some questions for anyone who may have advice:

1. When is the right time? Our breeder had suggested that if we planned on bringing home a 2nd dog to wait until Hobie was closer to a year but not older than 2 to ensure that she would bond with us (not just the other dog) but also that she would still be open to having a new sibling to share things with. Hobie is currently nearing 10 months.

2. Am I going to turn my house into a 3-ring circus?

3. When you leave 2 dogs at home in the house, do you crate them both separately, together, or not at all? And do they freak if you take one for a ride without the other?

Besides the obvious changes (double the medical and food bills, etc.), what else do you think I need to know before we make the decision to start researching further?

I appreciate your honesty, this is a major decision that we're not taking lightly.

 

[gunnr]

Having two dogs is a lot of work for a time. If you have control of one already it is much easier.

To answer your questions;

1. Only you can determine the right time. However I would caution that you make sure you have a good handle on Hobie first.

2. I hope your house gets turned into a 3 ring circus. It means you have two happy healthy dogs. It is very controllable though, so no worries.

3. You crate them seperately, and yes you can have jealousy if one dog sees the other leaving without them. However it has to happen at times, so they need to learn to deal with it.

Rescues can be a very rewarding experience, but they can also be frustrating. Having a dog that you don't know the history of can be difficult at times, and an adult dog with issues is going to involve a lot more problem solving on your part. You may be dealing with neglect issues, improper training, and behavioral issues, etc. You can't take anything for granted. Most rescue organization try to place the adults with people that have a lot of experience with dogs in general, and hopefully the specific breed. Some dogs though are just so happy to be part of a family that they just slide right in. It's as if they understand on some level that they're being given a second chance and make the most of it.

 

[Big Rick]

We've been married for 40 years and have almost always had at least two dogs in the house. When our male Rottweiler died in Feb 2009 we opted to get Dexter to be a companion to our female Rottie, Sophie. That didn't work out well because Sophie was 8 1/2 when Dexter came into HER house. Unfortunately Sophie succumbed to cancer last Thanksgiving and we decide to get Scarlet, our second V.

Honestly, we believe that was the smartest move we've made in a long time. As you can see by the picture below they are very close. Dexter's behavior has improved significantly because he has Scarlet to keep him busy and vice versa. They go out in the back yard (fenced) and play a couple dozen times a day and most of the rest of the day they are inside chillin'. We believe have two has made them both better dogs. We love them more than can be put in words.

We say, "Go for it!".

 

[Pineapple Princess]

Thanks for your input!

I've been spending a good amount of time looking at available dogs online. There are hundreds of Weims available (but not many Vs at all).

It seems that most have come from the "we had a baby and now there's no time for the rambunctious dog" or "we didn't realize what the breed was really like" situations. Looks like many are typical untrained adolescents.

As far as Hobie, we're now on our 2nd round of obedience training with her, this time individual. She is making progress but we still have about a month to go. The trainer sees great potential and can't believe how smart she is. It's her manners that we're working on - counter surfing, stealing and recall.

I think if we decide to go for it December/January might be a good time. My husband and I will have time off for the holidays to spend at home with the new addition and we'll both have fresh vacation banks starting Jan 1.

I think we both really WANT this, for Hobie and us. We're just trying to visualize what it will be like.

 

[gunnr]

Pineapple Princess.

I should have clarified in my post that I have 2 female Vizslas, and I wouldn't want it any other way. They knock each other around, steal toys from each other, mooch food together, compete for our attention, and at the end of the day, they curl up together on the same pillow, lay on each other, and go to sleep.

The work is worth the reward.