[Teffy]

Hello,

I would like to get a Standard a couple years from now but am hesitant only because of my older dog who is 6 years old. Tessa is a submissive mini, and will be 8-9 years old when/if I bring home a big puppy.

Will that cause her too much stress?

I do plan on crate training, tethering to me and if necessary using the ex-pen but I'm afraid of the presence of a big, nippy puppy might stress her out at that age. No, she won't defend herself I know first hand she won't.

Any thoughts?

 

[plumcrazy]

How any dog reacts to anything is dependent on that particular dog - it's all subjective. When we brought Lucy home as an 8 week old pup, our two older dogs were completely fine with it (I have a 10 year old medium size mix breed and an 8 year old miniature dachshund) Only you will know how your current dog may react to a newcomer...

Here's a short example (less than 1 minute long) of how my 8 year old mini dachsie greeted Lucy within about 5 minutes of us bringing her in the house (sorry for the video quality - there wasn't much light under the table!) :lol:

 

[partial2poodles]

I have an 11 year span between my oldest dog and the 1st standard poodle. The following year, shw turned 12 and I bought another standard, then another, the had a litter, kept on, them was given another then bought a toy poodle last year. She has been theu addding 6 dogs and is now 21 yrs old. I have brought in several foster dogs and multiple cats. Its all in how relaxed you make each introduction. I tell her that this is Ben and he is gonna be living here from now on....ADJUST!

 

[Teffy]

Plumcrazy, thank you! I love the video, Juliet is such a doll! I feel more at ease with this decision.

partial2poodles, thank you too! 21 years old? Wow what's your secret? Good to know that both of you had positive outcomes, I'm very excited.

 

[Margotsmom]

I had an "only child" Doxie who I never thought I could bring another dog in with as she was very attached to me and jealous of anything near me, including a stuffed bear I made! When she was quite aged and having health probs I got a dox puppy. I swear she lived a year longer due to that puppy, she taught it, played with it, it was something to watch. My current pack ranges in age from 4 to 13 yrs old. These dogs are all Chinese Cresteds, with two who are mixes (one Bichon? one Papillon?), and one weighs in at 4.5lbs. The 13 yr old is blind. Eight months ago I got a SPoo puppy who was 4 months old. Some of the dogs do admittedly wince and try to get out of the way of the big brown girl LOL, but everything has gone well. The 4.5lb'r can put the SPoo in place with one curl of a lip. . It has been my experience that puppies come into a group with no problem regardless of size. Their antics are tolerated because they are puppies, they are taught the household "rules", they develop play patterns.

 

[neVar]

it depends a lot on the dog. My jackson has the biggest issues iwth a new dog coming in- he's 3... he's very very attached- and has dog reactivity- he takes a while to settle with new dogs around...

My old dog at 13? he loves puppies. My gosh me fostering and then getting a puppy last year took him from a dog who dragged his butt around to a dog bouncing and playing and running at the park again. if they LIKE other dogs- often a pup gives the older dog new life.

 

[Trillium]

I know how you feel. My biggest hesitation in getting Betty Jo and Jenny was that we had another spoo Sport that would be 7 when we got them. I did worry about how it would all go. But after many chats with Arreau I went for it and I really glad that I did. They got my sweet, couch potato Sport to play something he would almost never do before they came. He was so sweet and tolerant with them. It was absolutely wonderful to see and what a laugh.

I did however insist that they leave him alone when he went off to his spot to rest and not bug him all the time. But he loved them and they'd even go to sleep cuddled together part of the time. It was great.

 

[flyingduster]

I have a rather dog reactive (verging dog agressive) terrier who would have been 10 when Paris finially came home to live with us (9 when she first met Paris) and while it certainly took a fair bit of time for her to get used to another dog in the house (she grew up with other dogs, but has since spent years living without any others around) they are now great friends and sleep in the same crate etc.

 

[Pamela]

our minis were 6 years old when we got Ginger as a puppy and they loved her immediately - as a matter of fact Gabbie, the littlist mini decided to be her mother. but..... 2 years down the line ginger kept wanting to play with them and she would nip them in the butt and that annoyed them - they would bark at her but she wouldnt stop. That's why I got Teddy for Ginger to play with - she settled down and he took over lol Not a bit problem though but that's how puppies play and the older dogs didn't want to.

 

[Teffy]

Wow, thank you everyone for the responses. I have another question, seems like you all have multi-sized dogs, how do/did you walk your older little ones with the big, bouncing puppy?

 

[flyingduster]

they both need leash manners separately, so for a start that may mean walking twice a day, or having a helper to walk one while you walk the other. DON'T try and teach the new pup how to walk on a leash while you're walking your older one, or you'll just confuse the issue for them both and get tangled up!! lol! Once the pup is walking well though, you can start walking them together easily. You'll find what works best for you and yours, as it varies for everyone. Personally, both my girls walk on my left, Paris is right against my leg, Riki is on the outside.