My husband and I had a similar dilemma with our 10 year old mini schnauzer. She's not usually very accepting of new people or other animals. We learned of some beagle mixes that needed homes and really wanted to adopt one. We decided to take the chance and have been very impressed with the transition. I read that older dogs, in general, tend to instinctively understand the vulnerability of puppies and are more accepting of them. That has definitely been the case with our dogs. We ended up adopting two of the puppies, which I think may have been a help as well. The pups play with each other rather than bother the older dog. Our schnauzer usually sits back and watches them with interest. She has even started to "mother" them a bit. We've had a few instances of growling, but nothing has come of it. The vet tells us that is a natural occurence to determine pack order. Overall, I'd say go for it... I think the older dogs can handle more than we give them credit for. Good luck!!


Originally posted by JKRJG24:
My neighbor's dog just had puppies! They are boxers. I'm so excited. I may be able to get one but my problem is I have a thieteen year old Yorkie and I'm afraid it will put him into depression or something. Some people say it was good for their old dog but some say it wasn't. What should I do?