These are the thoughts going through my head this Friday:
1 – Cassie is very attached to my husband. I adore her, she has a giant chunk of my heart already, but if I had it to do over again I might go looking first for a male dog that would glued to my hip. (Example – My husband left the house around 9:30 this morning. It is now 11:30. She has circled the house up and down stairs, his office, around the house again, outside, back inside, repeat, for 2 hours. ) She loves me, but she loves me more when my husband is home.
2 – Another dog might help Cassie with missing her favorite human. Her foster mom had told us that too.
3 – Cullen (see yesterday’s post) is a real teddy bear of a snuggler who would totally be my giant lap dog.
4 – Cassie and Cullen are close in age – maybe only a few months apart. This could be insanity waiting to happen.
5 – I don’t know if it’s crazy to bring another new dog into the house so soon or not. But with all the stressful stuff in my life right I have to admit that having a teddy bear dog to love on sounds pretty good. But I have to think with my head and not with my heart and make sure we can do right by two dogs.
Oh, and a bonus I just remembered – the yard is not in, not even close, barely started. So to deal with two young dogs and new plants? Yes, I am insane.
Well, we debated for a long time getting a second dog and actually went through several “trial” second dogs. Because Peanut, our first, is not exactly submissive with other dogs, but she definitely will let herself get beat up and dragged around when they’re playing. It wasn’t until we just bred her and kept one of her puppies for her to teach from day one that we had another dog that played on her level and got along great.
So. . . long way of saying, it wouldn’t hurt to have them grow up together. Or make sure whenever you get Dog 2.0, that it’s young and impressionable!
Yeah, I hear you on the trial dogs. We’re thinking about fostering for a while to see how it goes. If we get along, we can keep him and if not, we can help him find a good home.
Oh, that’s a good idea!
So we thought at the time. OH. MY. GOODNESS.
When I have recovered, I’ll post about it. Whew!
That sounds ominous.
Cassie is still adjusting to her new life … she may yet turn her love-jones to you.
We got our second dog about five months after the first. They spent a couple of days establishing the dog hierarchy, and have been best friends ever since.
Good luck!
Oh yeah! Glad to hear it.Great pic in the icon!
You are so much like me, Susan!! I can totally relate to needing that teddy bear dog to love on. I’m definitely not the right person to give advice about dogs – cause I’d say DO IT – right from the heart and not the head.
You will make the right decision, though. I bet you have a gut feeling about the right thing to do.
Oh Barb, you have much more faith in me than I do. All I can think of right now is that he needs me and I need him. He was such a nervous wreck the other day and just needs stability. I want to say that we will foster him at least so he doesn’t have to bounce around but then I am trying to be practical (not my strong point) and with my job situation up in the air right now….argh…all that tells me is that I need him even more.
I am nearly certain you can do right by two dogs. Perhaps a meet & greet between the puppies might make your answer clear, one way or the other.
They met on Wednesday and did fine. No fights or growls. They sniffed and then ignored each other which is about what we had hoped. Play would come later.
I know where I am leaning. 🙂 We’ll go see the second one tomorrow but I really think Cullen (who will need a new name) needs to come live here.
Have you considered a cat?
Our dog and cat are quite companionable, and cats are a bit easier than dogs, particularly as a second pet. We actually got our first dog because our cat at the time was too clingy. It did help to have another pet, even though it wasn’t the same species.
Btw, it might not have made a difference if you’d gotten a male dog. When we got our dog, I specifically wanted a female so she’d like my husband better (He is the dog person. I’m the cat person). Instead, she follows me around the house, looking hurt if I walk by without petting her. She needs more attention from me than my children do.
Re: Have you considered a cat?
LOL – what is it about animals that go to the person who would really prefer not to be bothered? I had a little dog as a kid that I so wanted to sleep with me but she chose my mom every night.
I have had exactly one cat in my life and loved him to pieces but it is the litter box that I have the most trouble with. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised that we add a cat to the group. We both have a fondness for really huge cats.
Re: Have you considered a cat?
I don’t like litter boxes either. Our cat goes out. I know some people don’t believe in that, but I’ve never had a cat that wasn’t desperate to play outside, and they’ve all lived to a ripe old age (In fact, I’ve had cats continuously since my 9th birthday, and I’m only on my 3rd).
And yes, my childhood cat only loved my mother. My 13-year-old desperately wants our current cat to prefer her, but he likes me better. I’ve told her to take the dog instead. Cats, unlike dogs, dislike those who try too hard to earn their favor.
Re: Have you considered a cat?
I’m with you on the cat going outside. Alas, every dog I have ever had likes to eat cat poop. LOL.
Pets are just not logical. Yes, the puppies will drive up the insanity factor, but the love value will be huge. Of course, so speaks the woman who just said a firm “no, thank you” to a 3-week old kitten, while her mind said, “aaah…!”
oh – kittens! I would love to have a kitten but I don’t want to do the litter box. and you’re right, of course, there is no logic at all which is part of the reason they can fill that hole for us.
Are you sure you said no?
The word spread quickly that I had lost one of my dogs. A lady even showed up on my door step with pictures of ten puppies that needed homes. I resisted. I don’t know how, but I did. I guess in my heart, I need to have a one dog house for awhile.
It sounds to me like your heart has already told you what to do.
That’s a good point. Listen to the heart. You have to follow yours. When and if the time is right for you to add one, I hope you will know.
I know we will get another, just not sure which.
Yes, you’re probably insane but in the best way. The two dogs will likely be more trouble at first, but hopefully they’ll even out each other’s energy and longing for company. Good luck with the head and heart balancing!
That’s a balancing act I failed at miserably on Sat/Sun. More in another post. Once I recover.
My friend got a second (large) dog my happenstance b/c he needed to be rescued, and it completed the other dog. They’re so in sync with each other that my friends are able to have time to themselves as those two wrestle, play, etc. and all the benefits of cuddling with them after they’ve settled down.
I’ve been following your posts on your dog and yard adventures, and you’re right, the pile of sand/gravel? couldn’t be a better accident for Cassie.
Lovely story…alas mine did not quite have the happy ending I had hoped. But more on that later.
You’re so right about the pile being a happy accident for Cassie.
no happy ending for the other dog and you?
I’m sorry.
Keep posting and let me/us know.
Peace,
Citycat