Advice - getting another pup

Whilst I am TOTALLY aware that it is not ideal to get another pup now with Hiccup only being a year old, I have weighed up the pros and cons and decided to get a female Irish Terrier pup. Unfortunately, I start work in February next year and will be working at 8-6pm and without another dog, Hiccup will be left alone (in an albeit massive garden with access to the house) for that period of time. (I am going to work on taking him - and then her - along to work with me but I do not know how long it will take me to find a job where this is possible)

Since he has never been alone for anything longer than 4 or so hours (having always had a play mate to visit), I do not feel that it is fair to expect him to be alone for so long. And as we are moving to a relatively remote area, the chances of finding a play mate/dog walker/dog minder/dog day care are zero (we're moving out to a farming area). It is also the longest period (2 straight months) that I will be home for the next 5 or so years (until I have kids as I'll be getting a max of 18 days leave a year).

So what I am after is any hard earned advice from those who have gone through this before, what did you wish you had learnt/known before hand, what helped make it easier. I am fully aware that is is not ideal and that I'm in for a hell of a rough time (thankfully I'll have lots of helping hands from my family for it), so please, only positive advice/words of wisdom/warning - please do not tell me that it would have been ideal to wait another year, I know that!

I'm not sure it's a good idea to leave 2 dogs alone together all day , regardless of ages but possibly promoted by them both being young and feisty. What if they have a big fall out and nobody there to control it. Not being negative just throwing a thought in

Dave, I appreciate the thought and will obviously be keeping a close eye on them in the months preceding that and if needs be, will separate the garden into two. Obviously I would prefer not to do that, as it will negate the company factor but if necessary I will.

Hiccup has been left on his own with either his playmate Abby (a one year old English pointer) or Karel (same age as Hiccup, Mexican hairless) for the same amount of time, no problem. Abby and him occasionally have a small tiff but its usually caused by a human presence (both wanting to play with the human and the toy at the same time) or food. If when they have had one on their own (watching from inside the house whilst the dogs are locked outside - it rarely lasts long and they both go their separate ways to cool off.

suppose like you say if the garden is big enough then they have the space to get away from each other. Generally with my 2 we let them have the run of the garden whilst we are in but if we go out I always lock Tommy in the Kitchen and let Tilly have the run of the rest of the house (she doesn't chew) . There's only a kiddy safety gate separating them though . As you say you have witnessed , ours have spats too and they are over quickly but just more concerned with monitoring as Tommy gets more older and ballsy whether he will become more stubborn, I would hate to come in to a bloodbath

My girl was 12mths old when we got our boy Tank.
But I'm a stay at home mom.

They are rarely left and if they are, they are separated and for no longer that 3hrs.

If u think u can give the dogs what they need, exercise, company, love, safety etc, then go for it x

Okay nutter as you insist on joining the crazy club here goes.
I live alone and work 8am to 6pm and here is my story.
When marley was 10 months i got laska a bouncy baby girl to keep him company.
Plus side is they wear each other out...and thats it. Now the rest..
Get ready for toilet training again. Not just your new guy but your current one as he thinks its okay for them its okay for me...marley * up everything for two weeks.
Chew chew chew and chew its like a compatition.
Showing fuss...get used to fussing two dogs at same time at same amount.
Big one this...make sure junior sees you as boss and not dog your leaving him/her with...hard work and best if you crate them and train older dog so they see you comanding them.
Walking each dog are going to be different for a year. Get used to lots of walks.
Food..get scales and keep them away from each others bowls
I walk them in morning drive 20 mins home at lunch walk them and drive 20 mins back again. Finish work drive home take both out come home drop laska off and then walk marley again.
Eat around 9 and then walk again.


Watch tv and drink and smoke as much as possible in final half hour befire going to bed

axam102 wrote:Okay nutter as you insist on joining the crazy club here goes.
I live alone and work 8am to 6pm and here is my story.
When marley was 10 months i got laska a bouncy baby girl to keep him company.
Plus side is they wear each other out...and thats it. Now the rest..
Get ready for toilet training again. Not just your new guy but your current one as he thinks its okay for them its okay for me...marley * up everything for two weeks.
Chew chew chew and chew its like a compatition.
Showing fuss...get used to fussing two dogs at same time at same amount.
Big one this...make sure junior sees you as boss and not dog your leaving him/her with...hard work and best if you crate them and train older dog so they see you comanding them.
Walking each dog are going to be different for a year. Get used to lots of walks.
Food..get scales and keep them away from each others bowls
I walk them in morning drive 20 mins home at lunch walk them and drive 20 mins back again. Finish work drive home take both out come home drop laska off and then walk marley again.
Eat around 9 and then walk again.


Watch tv and drink and smoke as much as possible in final half hour befire going to bed

So you found it quite quiet time then

Dave wrote:
So you found it quite quiet time then

Not sure if its the same with you but its just starting to quiet down a bit. I can take laska on two of marleys walks now. they are both house trained again. the chewing has got better since she got her adult teath and I can get a full nights sleep again alot of the naughtiness has gone and they both react well to commands and I think its the training that has helped soooo much.
My only problem now is flying dogs...when they play she has a habbit of vaulting of the sofa arm and landing on me and he follows. its something she picked up off him and stay doesnt work in mid air