New to site! Question...

[Lady Dal]

I have a gorgeous Dalmation, who may be mixed with Lab, but we're not sure. His name is Pete and he is 3 years old. I have been toying with the idea for a while of getting a companion for him. He is a happy dog, very sweet, mellow, but at the same time he loves other dogs especially puppies. And I love dogs, and feel another dog would be fun for him and me! But, I want the right dog. Pete is 88 pounds and I'm thinking I want a medium dog, like 40-50 lbs. SO, my questions - are two dogs a ton more work than one? Will the puppy learn more or less quickly to be socially graceful with Pete in his life? Will Pete like the new puppy for a week and then get bored? I have many more questions, but I guess I'll stop there for now. Also, I love the Australian Shepard- does anyone know anything about their basic demeanor?

Thanks!!

[wolf_Q]

Hi and welcome to Pet Talk!! :D Pete sounds like a great dog! Do you have any pics of him?

Some questions to ask yourself........Do you have the time it takes for another dog? Do you have the money for food/vet bills/etc.? Do you have room for two medium/large dogs?

I think it's great that you want to do the research before you take the big leap into getting a new family member! I bet if Pete likes other dogs, he would like a companion, and I don't think he'd get bored...just make sure you take some time introducing them, and spend some quality one-on-one time with Pete so he doesn't become jealous.

As far as Aussie's...I've met a few, and most have been very sweet! They do shed quite a bit, and will require more brushing than your short-haired dog does. They also have that "herding" instinct built in! Are you anywhere close to Utah? I know the lady who runs Australian Shepard Rescue here, and she has lots of *great* dogs! :)

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Welcome to Pet Talk! My name is Julie and I am owned by 2 dogs, Daisy a golden retriever, and Molly, a sable and white rough collie. I also have 2 cats, a hamster, a cockatiel, and 6 desert tortoises. :D I would follow wolf_Q's advice.

As far as aussies, I used to have one. His name was Bandit. Heres a few pics of him...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/p1f0704696c02053a9b0b0e17f7f0b650/fbd7f148.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid67/pef9b3400801c3f187f66957546e0db4b/fbd7f147.jpg

They are very sweet dogs, Bandit just had a lot of behavioral issues. They are definately not for everybody. They can be very active, and go nuts if left for longs periods of time. They do need grooming, but not demanding. So if you have the time, money, and dedication for one, I would say go for it! :D

When I first got my golden, Daisy there was some jealously issue with Molly. But after about a week, she got used to her and now there best buds! :) I personally, think 2 dogs are lots of work. Two times the vet bills, food, grooming, etc... I'm sure Pete would get along great with another dog from your description! :)

[binka_nugget]

I'm sure Pete would love another buddy around as long as you have the time, money and space for another dog. Like mentioned, aussies are herding dogs and will most likely have some sort of instinct. Some will have really high instincts while others...would rather be cuddled than herd. Here's a site with some info on aussies.. http://dogbreedinfo.com/australianshepherd.htm

[wolfsoul]

Hi, welcome! :) Your dog sounds cute, any pics? :D

Two dogs are alot more work than one. But it's not that much trouble. ;) Just double the food bill, double the vet bill, double the amount of dishes, leashes, collars, etc that you already have. And if it's a puppy that you are getting, than double the time that you'll have to take off from anything else.

Australian shepherds are wonderful dogs. They are great family dogs, they love kids and are very sweet natured. They don't make good watch dogs or guard dogs however. They take alot of time and grooming. They are high energy dogs, so they need lots of daily exersise. Also, this breed can have puppy problems -- chewing, peeing, and many other destructive behaviours if they aren't mentally and physcially stimulated each day. If you don't think that you can be there all the time, I'd get an adult dog. Where do you plan to get the dog? I'd go to a reputable breeder or a kill shelter. :)

[Lady Dal]

Wow! Thank you guys so much for your responses! I guess I'll keep thinking about this- I spend tons of time with Pete- so time is not a problem- my real hope is that when we do have to be out of the house, maybe the two dogs will keep each other company. But how can we really know if they keep each other company when we're not there to see them? Another thing-- I would want to crate the puppy at least for the first few months. And I know PEte would go nuts if the puppy was in the crate inaccessable to him. But I guess he'd have to learn that sometimes the new dog is going to be inaccessale, until he/she is more socially graceful...Ok! thanks again- I am already love this site!!

Lady Dal

Pics to go up soon.

[wolfsoul]

Good idea to crate train! Keep in mind that an aussie might need to be crated for more than a few months -- it's the first two years that can be trouble. But if you spend enough time with the pup, and the pup and Pete keep themselves company, I'm sure you won't have to worry about it at all. You sound like a good owner. :)

Good luck!

[Cincy'sMom]

Welcome to PT Lady Dal!!! Can't wait to see pics of your pup..I love spotty dogs!!

I am owned by three wonderful pups, Spot, a 3 year old Dal/Lab mix, Sadie a 3 yr old Lab/Dal mix and Cincy a 2 yr old Lab mix.

Having more than one dog has worked out well for us. They are able to play together and it is easier to send 2-3 out to play, than one alone. They also play tug together in the house, snuggle together and get along great. It makes it easier for me when I get home from work, to get dinner started and the like, while they play together.

That is not to say it is always easy. Multiple dogs cost more, takes more energy and more space. it is sometimes hard when allthree want attention and there is only two of us. It can also be a challenge to walk all three alone (although as they are getting better on leashes, it gets easier)

We have found that having 3 of similar mix/personality, they all get along wonderfully. Sadie and Spot are huge runners and play chase all around the yard. Cincy loves to wreslte and Spot has made a great partner for her. They are all snugglers and lay all over each other. More often they choose to be together rather than in different parts of the house or even the same room.

[Lady Dal]

I have been trying to get Pete pics up, but I am sort of a moron when it comes to computers (mostly because my husband is a computer genius and I let him do everything)-- so, as soon as I can corral him into helping me, they will be up. I feel much better about adopting the second dog with all of your help- There are a couple of shelters with adorable pups who need homes, so I'm going to meet them-I think I am going to go for an Aussie mix, a border collie mix or a lab mix, and if they happen to be mixed with each other, thats even better!
Right on!

Lady Dal...

[clara4457]

Always nice to see new people joining us! I am relatively new myself only been here a few months, but I absolutely love it. :)

As far as posting pictures. Here is what you do:

1. In order for pictures to appear as an image they need to be on some sort of website. I use imagestation.com. Joining is free and it is pretty user friendly.

2. Once you have uploaded the pictures, find the picture you want to post and right click on it and select properties. Highlight the url. It should look something like this: http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid74/p49353c957d5d3e4c135c972da2581849/fb5fe096.jpg

3. Start a post here and type in [***]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid74/p49353c957d5d3e4c135c972da2581849/fb5fe096.jpg[/***] substitute the *** for img on each end. This is what it should look like:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid74/p412a7ab550f99468ad58f010f9dd9b62/fb5f9c36.jpg


As far as having two dogs instead of one - I recently adopted a companion dog for Leo (Penny Lane in my sig below) and after a few weeks they ended up having problems getting along. I still truly believe that two dogs are better than one, but I wish I had done a little more research on what dog would be best for my household. I got an older dog with severe anxiety problems. Because of this, they have gotten into several tussles and I have to keep them seperated most of the time. I should have gotten a dog that was younger than Leo and one that didn't have as many issues. I also should have made sure Leo was a little better trained. With two dogs instead of one, behavior issues escalate and having total control is a must.

Good Luck - I'm sure you are going to love it here.

[ParNone]

Hi LadyDal!

Generally speaking, Aussies are quite protective, so they can
have aggression issues. I did quite a bit of research on the
breed when I was looking to add a dog to my family that I
could participate in dog agility with. Also, my cousin has an
Aussie and it's very protective of its family and has bit several
people and is not trustworthy with children outside of the family.

If I was going to get an Aussie, I would either go with Wolfq's
suggestion of a rescue, where its temperament would have been
evaluated or I would go with a reputable breeder where I could
interact with the parents to see their temperament.

Par...

[binka_nugget]

:D You sound like a very responsible owner. I just wish more people would take the time to research before going out to get a dog.

When you go visit the puppers, make sure you bring Pete with you to see how he is with the possible new addition.

[Foam]

Pete sounds great. I agree, we need pics! :)

Maybe consider going to the pound. Mutts have little health problems, and usually can be trained well. Plus, you'd be saving a life. :)
If you must have a purebred though, Golden Retrievers are great dogs. I had one, and there's not a mean bone in their body if treated right. They do require grooming, and are kind of open to getting cancer..Mine died of cancer at only 4 years, however this is not the case with most Goldens.
If you don't like grooming, maybe something like a Lab, or even another Dalmation! Good dogs, but Dals are kind of agressive sometimes. Labs can be to, but there's a lesser chance of it.
Hmm..Aussies are definetly going to have a hearding instinct, and will probably heard Pete sometimes. I used to have an Aussie as well, and she hearded my cat aound the house alot out of instinct. We had to give her away. Aussies cannot be lazy, couch potato dogs, and definetly are not for a first time dog owner. She was a first for us, and we didn't have a clue about them. She needed a job to do.
If you do decide to get an Aussie, consider enrolling him/her into agility, flyball, tracking, or even herding classes. It's a good way to keep a healthy happy Aussie! :)

[Layka3000]

I think all dogs, always love having another companion. Atl east that is what I think.