Another dog?

All through my life I have  had several dogs, always 2 at a time usually getting a puppy as the other dog aged, 2 border collies, doberman, golden retriever, staffy, all now gone to the bridge, and now have just one staffy and a cat, they get on well together......However. .....l am hankering over getting another dog, but what breed, I don't know if l could walk 2 strong dogs and was thinking of a smaller breed.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to which breed, and would Duke be happy alone or with a friend?

It's so personal. I much prefer having more than one, I just love seeing them interacting together.

As for breed, I actually don't think they mind all that much. We have some odd couples in at Danaher, the oddest at the moment being a huge (seriously huge) Malamute who came in with a JRT. I would go for individual temperament - possibly something a little quieter but that will still work well with a young staff. A crossbreed, staffie or not, maybe, or back to your golden retrievers and such like.

Were you thinking of a puppy or a rescue? You do sometimes get cat friendly rescues. The advantage of an older dog is that you don't have two lunatic youngsters together but cat friendly ones can be hard to find. We only have rescues, they are so rewarding, but I appreciate they're not for everyone.

I have looking at rescues but most say not good with cats, and it's introducing a rescue to my other animals and the livestock in the next field so l thought a puppy would fit in better. Although l would love another staffy l don't want to have to split them up if ever they started to fight.
It's a big decision and and l want to make the right one.

Fighting is less of an issue than coping with two playing! It can get very noisy, very rough and your house can get turned upside down in the blink of an eye! If you don't mind that and have space, then another staff is wonderful.

With all multi-dog households, though, the key is in training so that you can say 'enough' when you want them to stop, and setting some clear boundaries on things like whose bowl is whose, etc.

I'll be keeing my eye out for any cat friendly dogs we get in now!

I know it's a bit of a treck, but we do happen to have some very cute 5 week old staffie puppies in. They not on the website yet, nor is mum, as they're too young. I understand Dad is Patch (bottom left, already reserved).

http://www.rspcaessex.org.uk/adoptadog.html

There are 3 girls and 2 boys. The boys are a bit of a handful! Of the girls, one is tiny and already getting in to all sorts of trouble . One of the others was very quiet yesterday but it was their first day outdoors (in a rabbit run) and I think she was overwhelmed. The other girls is somewhere in the middle.

Let me know if you might be interested. We do rehome across the country and they will often accomodate more distant rehomers to minimise the travel.

And I do have some photos if you need tempting...

Hi, I had that dilemma when I got my second dog. I got another when Daisy was a year old and still mad. I wanted a very calm breed to go with her so I got a British Bully, but that turned out to be a bit of a bad choice as the energy levels weren't the same so made walking different.

My bully died in January (8 yrs old) and we got another puppy, this time getting a Frenchie. He is adorable, fairly energetic and very playful, but calm as well. He greets other dogs lovely and calmly too. I find that the calmness complements the crazy staffy nature well.

It is a very personal choice though, but I would go for a dog that isn't known for being feisty as this could cause issues. Also if your dog is quite dominant go for a more submissive easy going natured dog.

Maybe a rescue would be a good way to go as you could do introductions with them beforehand.

Breed is completely irrelevant. What matters is personality. If you want a puppy, it will be important that your current dog is well socialized and disciplined, if you want to rescue it will be a matter of getting the best fit personality wise.

I was down to one dog and my lastest dog is a rescue lab

Sorry for the delay in replying but l have only just noticed this post,
I can cope with 2 dogs playing, my last staffy used to have his staffy pall to stay while her mum went on holiday, the house was really quiet when she went home after 2 weeks that was a few years ago.

l am still thinking about having another dog but I am not quite sure that the time is right just now. Dogs are forever and it's a big decision and l don't want to mess it up. My previous dogs never really were best pals and l think they just tolerated each other.

I have just got a kitten and I am in the process of getting them used to each other.
We already have one cat but it's an outdoor cat and wont come inside very often. Duke loves him and is quite gentle with him.

If I do decide to get another dog it won't be for a few months, so thank you Liz but at the moment l don't think l could give a home to one of the puppies.....but l am very tempted!

Also l do need to work on the training, as Duke learns easily and at home will do all l, ask of him, but when he wants something he can just totally ignore me when we are out and about and l find it hard to get his focus even for a treat.

Damn! And I was looking forward to showing you photos of the revolting little things. Especially the quiet little girl, so ugly it's untrue.

Oh Liz is she really ugly.....is she little and sweet, I am so tempted, what colour is she?

Mostly a horrid white, with nasty bits of brindle I think. I'm on my phone and the photos are on my laptop. Might have to taunt you in the morning

Oh Liz you are just so wicked
Before l got Duke I was looking for a white pied, but fell in love with him.
How old are they when they leave mum, I have holidays to consider......

Eurgh they sound disgusting! White and brindle sound awful. They'll probably be left and no one will ever want them.....

I'd HATE to see photos of them. Puppies do absolutely nothing for me.

Glad I'm half a world away!!!

I did say really horrid, didn't I?





These are 2 of the girls. The top one was very quiet, just wanting cuddles, the second one more bumbling around and exploring. There's one more girl who is tiny but she's quite a live wire, and then 2 brindle boys who were really full of themselves and probably not such a good match.

They won't let them go before 8 weeks and generally don't hold them for ages because of things like holidays, especially with pups, but if it's a couple more weeks then to be quite honest it'll probably take that long anyway.

And me, wicked...?

Wicked is not the word
What are you doing to me Liz

Oh no not white & brindle Shirl you really don't want 1 that colour they show all the dirt!!!
Gorgeous babies Liz

Those pictures make me sooo tempted too

I keep looking......

The pups will be on the website probably tomorrow, and there is already some interest in them. The way it will work will be that they will assess the applications and invite those who are chosen to come and meet the pups, probably the week after next. They will pick the pups on a first come first served basis. They will go to their prospective homes on foster when they are 9 weeks old and have had first jabs, and will only be fully adopted when they have had full jabs and have been neutered (so that there is control over the neutering actually happening).

If you are interested, I would get an application form in. It commits you to nothing but you are then on the list, and I would specify that you are interested in either Seren or Evie. There's no guarantee of what happens then but you'll not have a chance if you don't try now. As I say, you can always back out if you think it won't work.

All the info and forms are here: http://www.rspcaessex.org.uk/patch13130.html (that's Daddy Patch's page, his reserve fell through )

Thanks so much Liz, l have been giving it some serious thought but I don't think my hubby can cope with another dog right now, and the time has got to be right.
The puppies are adorable and I hope they will find amazing homes

It's a wise person who can walk away from temptation when they need to.

I'm sure they will find good homes, and I'm also sure there will be a pup out there for you when the time is right. x

puppies