Hi all

Just need a bit of advice really.

We got our lovely little staffordshire bul terrier puppy (Lola) two and a half weeks ago (she will be 9 weeks on Monday).  My partner is talking about getting another puppy but I'm not so sure.  I'm a bit worried in case it makes training her (or indeed both of them) harder than if they were the only pup (I think this is the case if they are littermates but not sure if its the same if there is a few weeks between them and from a different litter??).  He wants to get a dog this time instead of a bitch so when Lola comes into season for the first time, I guess the dog will be coming up to sexual maturity also so we will have to keep them apart (unless we can get Lola spayed before she comes into season for the first time??).

Any advice??? Should we wait until Lola has been spayed before thinking about getting a dog to keep her company???

xxx Ria xxx

If you do a search on getting another dog you will see that the consensus is NO :D

Wait at least 18 months before getting another one; if you have two it is virtually impossible to see who has "peed" out of both of them, you cannot train two dogs simultaneously to do anything as puppies and they will bond with each other and both you and your partner will be surplus to requirements! :(

Much better to have the first one trained to be a good example for the next one.

Hi Ria,
I wouldn't consider getting another puppy until you have your first one trained the way you want her. It is very much harder to train two puppies at the same time - it takes three times as long, as you have to train each one separately as well as both together. You need to become important to Lola - if you get another pup this is less likely to happen. You know the saying "Two's company, three's a crowd"? Well Lola and the pup will be the company, and you'll be the unwanted crowd. :( It doesn't matter if they're from the same litter or not - even different breeds - they bond better with their own species than they do with another.

Thanks ladies - I thought the same as you but it was my partner who was convinced it was a good idea to get one now.

One other thing that I have found with the debate on whether to have two young puppies together is that some people think that as Lola grows gets used to being the only "baby", the more she will get jealous and there is less chance of her accepting another dog into the household.

xxx Ria xxx