Keep your fingers crossed...

[Samantha Puppy]

Just look at this little girl...



Her name is Chloe and she's an Aussie Shepherd 8-9 months old mix. Here's her write-up:

Name: Chloe
Status: Available for Adoption
Species: Dog
Breed: Australian Shepherd / Mixed
Color: black/tan
Sex: Female
Current Size: 35 Pounds
Potential Size: 40 Pounds
General Potential Size: Medium
Age: 8 Months (may be a rough estimate)
Activity Level: Highly Active
Good for New Dog Owners: Yes
Good with Dogs: Yes
Good with Kids: Yes
Housebroken: Yes

My name's Chloe, a bright little button who's full of charm. I'm an aussie mix girl, 7 months old, healthy & 35 lbs. I'm an affectionate puppy who will cover you with kisses & grow up to be your best friend. Aussies are intelligent & responsive dogs & I'm no exception. I'd love a family who would train me & give me lots of fun attention. You see, I haven't had much love so far, but that hasn't dampened my outgoing, gentle nature one bit. My brother Pippin & I need new homes because our people are moving & won't take us with them. This make us sad even though our people kept us outside & didn't give us much, but we're hoping for families that know that a dog is forever. I'm a very sweet girl & I could be yours by contacting Pound Pals.

I am going to talk to my husband in the next day or two about adopting her. Samantha didn't react well to getting a young puppy a couple months ago, but Lila was only 8 weeks old. This puppy is past that "annoying" baby baby stage... I think my husband is scared of what will happen if this dog didn't end up working out either though so his initial reaction every time I mention adding another animal (dog or cat) is NO.

I have to admit, I'm nervous at the prospect of it too. I don't want to let another dog down like I let Lila down... But look at those eyes. What if she'd make a perfect companion for Samantha? What if she'd complete our little family? How do I convince my husband to at least give it a shot (and meet the dog, etc.)? Any words of advice?

Thanks.
Jaime

[sammy101]

Well,you should still try!When we got Kodie,he was 3 months,and my RB dalmation Sheena didnt like him for the 1st weeks or so,but after that she warmed up to him!She's adorable,and good luck!

[Samantha Puppy]

I am going to try. I was just looking for advice from those with more than one dog that were acquired at different times. How did your first dog adjust? How long did it take? How did you handle going from one dog to multiple? Did you have doubts or fears?

Just stuff like that...

[sammy101]

Originally posted by Samantha Puppy
I am going to try. I was just looking for advice from those with more than one dog that were acquired at different times. How did your first dog adjust? How long did it take? How did you handle going from one dog to multiple? Did you have doubts or fears?

Just stuff like that...

We had alot of doubts because Sheena was so aggressive with other dogs,and we had to keep an close eye on her almost constantly.We kept him on a leash for a while,then i would let them outside together and if she started to growl,then i would put Kodie back on his leash and let him follow her,with ihs leash on.But it took a while before i felt comfortable with him off the leash,and when he could be around her.Samantha will be dominant,i can tell you that,so make sure that she stays the dominant one in the house,or there will be come compitition in the house,which you dont want.Just make sure you let them play together,and if she starts to get rough or whatever,just take the little one away.i gotta go...so if you have any thing you want to ask just pm me or just post here.

[aly]

I dont know if you'd consider getting a male, but that might work better. In general, female/female relationships are the worst. Thats not to say it would never work, but you might have a better chance of it going more smoothly if you got a male.

Maybe the rescue group will let you meet with Chloe a few times before you decide. Hopefully you could bring Samantha too and see how it goes.

Since Chloe is a heeler mix, she might potentially be annoying to Samantha too. They are high energy and nippy and tend to act like puppies their whole lives. The mix in her might make her a little more calm though.

But you know Samatha best and I'm sure you'll make the right decision for her. I was just offering some thoughts in case you hadn't thought of them yet If you do adopt Chloe, just be sure that Samantha doesn't feel replaced. Get Chloe her own bowls, toys, beds, etc. Try not to change Samantha's schedule and keep on spending quality one on one time with her so she knows she's still your baby!

[Samantha Puppy]

So Aly... would you suggest it or would you advise against it? I do NOT want to get hurt again, or cause another dog confusion or sadness - you know how upset I was over the Lila situation... I gave myself hives!

This rescue is where I got Lila from and they are very obliging as far as letting you bring your dog to meet the one in their care before you just up and bring a new animal into your house. I know that wouldn't be a problem.

As for how heelers act... it sounds a lot like Samantha. She has "calmed" in the last few months but she is still extremely playful - all the time. I don't know. How *do* I know what's best for Sam? She didn't seem happy with Lila, but I thought maybe it was because Lila was *so* much younger than her, and at that age, the age difference made a huge difference (you know, like it's a no-no for a 14 year old to date a 20 year old, but when you're 30, it's completely acceptable to date a 36 year old...). I don't know. I just want to make Samantha happy. I know she already is, but I just think that having another dog around the house while Daddy and I are at work would brighten her day. Plus, I've always wanted more than one dog at once. I've got a billion things running through my mine - the biggest one being her happiness... so how do I know?

The thought of bringing another pupper into the house is exciting but also really scary. I'm not a smart dog person like you or Kfamr. I can't train like you guys can. I just... I don't know. I'd love to save another pup from a shelter/foster home, but I don't want to cause my current angel pup any sadness or confusion.

I dunno... I'm anxious, excited and scared, all rolled into one. Any more help/advice/suggestions would be really appreciated!!!

[Samantha Puppy]

*bump*

[pitc9]

I agree with Aly about the female/female combo being the most likely to NOT to work out.

Sierra (female) was a year old when we adopted Buddy (male), Buddy was a year old as well. We were lucky because it took all of about 3 seconds for them to hit it off! It's been love ever since.

[Jods]

Maybe the shelter will let you keep her for a weekend before you officially adopt her then you can see how they get along...

[chocolatepuppy]

Samanthapuppy, I can't remember how old Samatha is . I do know I have two cats and two dogs and have very little problems. All four of them are female.( And Mandy isn't fixed because of a heart ailment.) They all are close in age though where I believe you've had Samantha for awhile. The main thing to me is you really have to work at it and a lot of close supervision is essential, especially at first. I never considered what type of breed my dogs had mixed in them I just went to the shelter and picked out the pup! Call it luck? Don't think so, I've had multiple dogs before with no problems. I have to pat myself on the back for it working out Good luck with whatever you decide to do and I'm sure many others can offer more advice. and btw, Chloe is cute!

[4 Dog Mother]

From some of the stories I have heard on Pet Talk, I guess we have just been lucky. All of ours get along great.

Oreo was our first dog. She was 11 when a friend gave us Dazzi because he was getting divorced and moving into an apartment that wouldn't allow pets. They were some difficult moments and occasionally they still get into it because they both want to be Alpha but overall it has turned out very well. Oh, by the way, Dazzi was 1 1/2 when we got her - she was a calm dog and didn't try to play with Oreo which was good.

About a year later, we added Taggert who was 6 months old when we got him. He became Dazzi's "baby" and she is still very protective of him over 2 years later. He teases Oreo but she just growls at him which only makes him tease more.

Snoopy was next - he was 7 months old and by then Taggert was about 10 months old. He is a hyper boy but he seemed to just fit in but that is partially because he is extremely friendly.

Jack was our next addition. We got him a year and a half ago. He was 4 then. He's kind of a funny guy. He gets along okay with the others although at first he scared them because he is quite a bit bigger than the rest (he's an airedale). He used to growl and get upset everytime they played but we let him know it was not okay. He still growls at them occasionally when they invade his space when he is sleeping but to be honest they all get along great.

The biggest problems we have had are with Oreo. She is the smallest of the bunch but she is also the meanest. She and Dazzi get into it but I have yet figured out who started it - I used to blame Dazzi but lately I have noticed that Oreo can be quite snippy with the others - I would like to say it is her age but it wouldn't have mattered how old she was. It is mostly just a lot of growling and wrestling around and the worst injury was to me one time when I pulled them apart and Oreo got my hand instead of Dazzi!

We have individual bowls for each of them but they eat out of whatever bowl they want and there doesn't seem to be any trouble - we have 2 or 3 water bowls down. They share toys. Rawhide is our biggest problem. Taggert and Snoopy tend to want whichever one someone else has. They don't really fight over it just bark and whine at each other until they make me mad.

I guesss I would first take Samantha to meet the other dog. Give them a chance to sniff each other over. If everything goes okay I would go for it. I wouldn't give up even if they have a few scuffles because it does take a few days of adjustment. Do you use crates? I wouldn't leave them alone together until you have had them together for awhile. Keep a squirt bottle close to break up fights without getting your hands involved. I think probably the most important thing is to let Samantha know that she is not going to lose anything to the other - that she is only gaining a friend.

I think the one mistake people make is that when the dogs fight they think they hate each other or they (the people) have made a mistake in adding another dog. How many human siblings do you know that haven't fought? I just look like it as that - in any family they will be fights over toys, food etc. You are the parent - you have to make sure they know that fighting is not acceptable.

Was I anxious, doubtful - of course. Having another child makes you doubtful and anxious. It is just normal but vey worthwhile.

[aly]

I had a long post typed up in this thread last night and one of the cats turned the computer off

It is completely normal to feel nervous and anxious when adding a new dog to the household, especially when you're worried about how your baby girl will handle it.

How old is Samantha? I was thinking she was around 2 yrs, but can't remember for sure. If you do end up adopting a female dog, I would try to be sure that there is a considerable age gap (about 2 years) and size difference between Samantha and the new dog. The more the dogs have in common (gender/size/age), the less clear their ranks in the pack will be and the more they will have to struggle to work it out. They would be the same gender already so f they have a good age and size difference, their positions on the hierarchy will be clearer to them and there will be less of a chance of them butting heads and fighting for the same rank. In general, the older larger dog will be higher ranking than the younger, smaller one. You always have a chance of getting a really dominant puppy though so you have to watch out for that. It is usually apparent pretty quickly.

I think an older puppy is a great idea. Sometimes a young pup will be submissive, but once it hits adolescence, they will start to challenge the other dogs for a better spot in the pack. If you get an older puppy, you will have a better chance of knowing the personality and it will be less likely to change.

I don't know how you feel about male dogs, but maybe Samantha will be more comfortable with a male.

Of course every dog is an individual so when you fall in love with a dog, I'd just be sure to spend some time (a few different visits) with the dog so you can get a good feel for the personality and judge how you think Samantha will react. When Samantha does meet the dog, it is best if done on neutral territory.

Crates are always helpful in the process of introducing a new dog to the home. The dog should learn how to be comfortable in his/her crate alone. Then you can give Samantha periodic breaks so she won't be bothered constantly by the new dog.

I wish I didn't lose my first post, I had a lot more written.

Anyway yes, I think you should try for an older puppy I don't know about Chloe. I know a herding dog like that would drive my dogs NUTS. But I'm not sure about Samantha. If she'd be fine with that, I'd go for the introduction.

[Samantha Puppy]

Samantha was born the end of June 2002, so she's 2 years and about almost 4 months old right now. Chloe is approximately 7-8 months old.

I have to admit, when I first took Samantha, I didn't realize how important socialization was for dogs so she wasn't around other dogs for awhile. That's my fault. I don't know if it's a direct result of that, or a result of her past prior to me, but she is very nervous around male dogs, especially ones her size and bigger. That's why I thought a female might be a better fit. But you, aly, and 4_dogs_mother, have brought up some great points - which is exactly what I was hoping for.

[aly]

I'm sure you can find a female who will work. To be on the safe side though, I'd try to choose one who is pretty submissive. I'm sure the foster moms have several other dogs in their households so you can find out how she is with other females.

Whatever happens, there may be a rocky start to it. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to work it out so that you, Samantha, and the new dog are all happy!

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by aly
I'm sure you can find a female who will work. To be on the safe side though, I'd try to choose one who is pretty submissive. I'm sure the foster moms have several other dogs in their households so you can find out how she is with other females.

Thanks for bringing that up, Aly, that's exactly what I wanted to say.

My two girls get along wonderfully. They've never had a big fight, but then again, they're both pretty easy going and submissive breeds. We brought Daisy in when Molly was a year old, so they were both puppies, and got to grow up together.

Good Luck. She's adorable!