Need thoughts on adding another furry friend

[KidzNAnimals]

Hello I am new here.I look forward to getting to know you all.

I have a golden lab named Spenser he was tragically trapped in a snare in Dec just before christmas.. after 40 grueling hours he managed to chew himself free and crawl home through the snow.. We rushed him to the vet and he was in ICU for 2 weeks during this time they tried everything to save his leg.. Unfortunately Dec 29th Spenser had his leg removed and shoulder bone.. It was his left front leg. Spenser physicaly is doing terrific and is sometimes still emotional but coming along.. I did notice however that when he is with other dogs he is so much more vibrant.. ( I have 6 children whom all play with him in spurts but he just seemed soo happy to have another furry pal to play with that I Have made arrangements for play dates for him)
My question I am struggling with is should I get him a permanent friend.. or am I just feeling overly guilty? he "seems" fine; He is 2.5 yrs old and is really putting on weight since his injury and although he is active and does not really show much of a change in his mannerisms etc he is not running or getting as much exercise as before... otherwise his heath is fine ( sorry if this is convoluted but all the kiddos are home and I am rushing LOL)

My spouse says we should not get another dog.. I am waivering I think it would be a great addition for spenser if nothing else.. I do have 5 cats as well but they just like to sleep with spenser not play...

Any thoughts??

Thank you for your time.

Be Well and Belly rubs for your furry friends.

Erin

[taurusxtwo]

I am sure your dog would really appreciate having one of his own kind around especially after the ordeal he went through. Bless you for all you did for him. I vote that you get him a new friend immediately if you have the time and space for another.

[sabies]

Perhaps if you have a good shelter nearby you can find the right type of second dog - one that provides exercise and companionship for Spenser. Maybe try fostering a dog for now if you or your husband is unsure?

It sounds like Spenser's been thru so much, I'm glad he has such a caring family!

[Mary101]

Welcome to PetTalk. It has been a very helpful site for me and our extended family of dogs and cats. I am the owner of three rather young dogs and one rather old cat. From my experience, I think that getting a "friend" for your dog is a good idea, but also keep in mind that the two dogs will need some time to adjust to each other and that your "new" dog will need time and patience to cope with the new surroundings. Just like people, you can't expect the animals to become best friends over night. Within my pack, two of the dogs are still hashing out their differences after three years; the third dog was added about 3 months ago and as "the kid," he is constantly challenging the hierarchy which leads to some interesting disagreements. The only one who seems completely happy with all animals and people (including a 2 1/2 year old boy) is the cat. Again, welcome to this most informative and intersting forum and let us know what you decide.

[ilovehounds]

I would get him a furry friend, I found Hannah was happy just having Simba my cat around and when I rescued Copper she really fell in love with him and they are the best of friends. When Im busy they keep each other company.

[Cincy'sMom]

We decided to add a second dog, when Sadie (now 17 months) was about a year old. As much as she loved being with us, she seemed to enjoy playing with other dogs even more. Although at first it took her awhile to get used to the idea of sharing attention, she and Cincy get along great and are always looking out for each other.

Do think seriously about it, if you are going to get a second dog, and what kind of dog it will be. Perhaps a just weaned puppy isn't the way to go. With Spenser's injury he may not want to have to fight off a puppy that is constantly chewing on him. Also consider Spenser's personality and make sure a new dog's would be compatible. If he is submissive, you probally don't dog that is overally dominant. Sabies had a good suggestion about loking into a shelter, or fostering a dog.

Good luck, whatever you decide!!

[mruffruff]

I would definitely recommend fostering.

Most shelters are desperate for foster families. They have a variety to choose from. And if you want to keep the foster dog, they will be as thrilled as you are. If it just doesn't work, you're not committed.

Mary

[Crikit]

We got Winter on the recomendation of a friend who is a dog trainer and thought that it might be good for Smudge to have a sister. It took a couple of months of pleading with my mom and stuff but then the same friend knew of someone that was giving a border collie away and thought she would be a good match with Smudge and myself (she was right )

Having Winter around has really helped Smudge his issues are slightly less, he has a friend to play with when we aren't home and both of the dogs are completely in love with each other.

[anna_66]

I think that would be a great idea. And I don't think a little puppy would be the way to go either. But a friend, I'm sure, would be appreciated