Have a lovely (and submissive) Border Terrier sp.bitch who will be 2 very soon.  She is totally spoilt (but knows who the boss is and it ain't her!) and the apple of my eye!  We are really considering adding another dog (same breed, dog or bitch) to the house but am concerned for her and also how we would cope.  Our girl comes everywhere with us, we go on holiday- she comes too, we go to the pub and we take her.

I'd be really interested in hearing the views of people that made that leap and got another and how they have found it.  We are really thinking seriously about it and want to think through everything before we decide.

We've just got our second two weeks ago.
Gus is now 19 months old and pup is  9 weeks. Gus was also thoroughly spoilt etc but having the two is brilliant- especially to watch them play together :) and when they sleep curled up together :)
There are mad moments like when Gus would normally be asleep but pup races around like a loon and he chases after her etc. and you long for peace and quiet but I love it :D :D

we used to have 2 dogs and it was great, they played together and kept each other company if we went out etc.
Now we have a pup who is 5 months this week and are already planning on getting another pup next year, we wt them quite close together but so that Leo is old enough to be getting on with his training and knows who's boss

It sounds like you will be fine to me, you have your dog well trained, which is always handy as they can tell pups when they have gone too far/getting too rough etc. As long as you give both dogs plenty of time and maybe take the older dog for a seperate walk until the pup is a bit older they should be ok and both will feel as if they get plenty of attention.

It's nice for dogs to have some other canine company.

Having two is wice the fun.....but at the same time twice the trouble...twice the time, twice the mischeff etc....and once you have two...a little voice will tell you "a thried wont hurt...."

Rox

It certainly is twice the work, but i'd also say at times it is definately twice the fun. If your first dog is well behaved, this makes life so much easier too. My first dog's recall was really good when we got the pup, and every time we called megan the pup came back too, so megan taught ellie to recall really. Mind you they can also pass on the bad habits too...! I'm already dreaming of dog number 3, but unfortunately i think that will have to wait.

Personally, I'd never have less than two dogs.  However, in your particular circumstances I would think very carefully about chosing to get another bitch.  Terriers are not called 'terrors' for nothing, and two terriers fighting because they really mean it cna be very very scarey, and two bitches will be the worst combination of all :(

We started with one,every intention of getting a second.Got the second,moved to a bigger place then had four,wanted a new breed and now have five.Extremely hard work,must be under supervision when certain ones are out together in just a two,but it is soooo worth it,sandra.

I've had dogs all my life but always just one at a time. When we got Alfie our whippet, we only intended having him on his own but the breeders rang 5 mths after we'd had him and asked us if we would take Harry his littermate. He was their pick of the litter but he was having problems with his father and was having to be kept apart from him, so they thought he'd have a better life with us.

After much discussion we decided to take him as my hubby was very keen. I was a little worried because Alfie was the apple of my eye and I couldn't imagine being able to love another dog as much as I loved him.
I needn't have worried though, it took very little time for Harry to worm his way into my heart. They are both 6 now (their birthday was 3rd June) and we love them to bits. They get along so well and now we have experienced "a brace of whippets" as we like to call them, we would always go for having dogs in pairs in the future.

My neighbour has a Border Terrier bitch and when she just over a year old they also got a boy who is now, I guess, about 9 months old. The two are completely different characters but apart from an initial few days when their girl was a bit too boisterous, they are absolutley wonderful together.

Val

We only planned to have one border collie when we got him last year.  Had never really planned to get a second but fate as usual intervened and we were offered a second by a friend as he was about to be drowned as he was the runt.  Unfortunately I couldnt let that happen and we now have the two.  I have never looked back and love every minute of it.  Yes its hard work especially when they are both having a mad five minutes but there is nothing better when you are out with them both for a walk.  The older one has just started agility and pup will start at the end of the year when he old enough.  He comes with us to watch and everybody gives him cuddles.  We do have two boys which I know is not recommended but so far so good and not a single problem between them.

You can't beat two dogs and will never have a single dog again if I can help it.

Claire

We have two terriers, it's lovely to have two dogs but when they do get into scraps it's worse to hear than see, the sounds they make somewhat resemble a badger fighting if my memory from one of those wild life programmes serves me, but saying this seeing them sleeping next to one another or running after each other in the garden is something I never want to miss out on again, it is very comforting to have two dogs join you on the sofa, although the older dog doesn't stop our younger one making a terrible racket when we're out the house this should calm down as she gets older and I convince everyone to let me do the seperation training.

I will say after getting the young one we noticed a lot of faults in our oldie (he's 12 so not really the ideal time to introduce a slightly disturbed young dog), especially with the way he interprets canine body language, he is completely clueless, he is always the starter of fights, and always the one who inflicts the wounds, she's never caused so much as a graze on any part of his skin except the wart on his nose, and then that was purely accidental as she fell from the stairs onto his head >_<

But i'll never have only one dog again, at least not whilst I can help it, not only is it interesting to just sit and watch how they sort out their pecking order and the general interaction, though at the moment it's a bit of a stressful time as I feel a change of 'top dog' is about to happen, she's getting bigger and stronger than him and we've already noticed a lot of things being flipped around in their roles, so yes, very interesting and I believe I am better at understanding the body actions of dogs now than I ever was with just one dog.

Although it is double the trouble when trying to call them back to you, especially when they'd much rather race around with each other than come back to walk on the leash again, even with an assortment of treats and toys.

I think its great having 2 we have one that is 18 weeks and another that is 20 months they have so much fun together although the older one is more loopy than the puppy.It is hard when you have to walk them separately but that won't be forever, we're seriously thinking of getting a third.
Ange

oooooo you all make me so envious! I can only have one dog at the moment cos I can only take one dog to work :-(  I would ALWAYS choose to have more than one, that way you are never left dogless..a pitiful thing to be I am used to a houseful and can't wait to have lots again one day soon :-( 

Digger,

Terriers do not fight any more than other breeds of dogs.  Many of them were bred to work in packs with other dogs and any dog given to fighting with others in the pack would have been weeded out of the gene pool pretty quickly.

Stacey

I don't t hink I did say that Terriers fight more than other breeds - however they do tend to be more single minded, and once they start, can be more reluctant to let it drop :(

thanks for all the advice. 
Temperment wise my girl is as sweet as they come - I've noticed that lots of Borders seem less 'terrier' than other types of terriers can be- but we would be prepared for some settling in scraps in any case.

I have a friend who breed Border Terriers(not a plug as she has no puppies now nor any due for 18 months or so)All hers live together & have really laid back temperaments with their friends but can be feisty with other dogs IF pushed by the other dogs.

They live in house except when the bitches are in season when they are then in the kennels. She never has any problems with internal pack order.

She does hve the same problem with Cavaliers as my Cavaliers have with Borders in that they are besotted with them as they mix from an early age & get on like a house on fire(the puppies do tend to chew my Cavs ears tho' ;))

I think of all the terriers they are probably the best at mixing

Digger,

I think that when two dogs decide they do not like each other that it is nearly impossible - in most cases impossible, not nearly so - to change their minds.   It's not a breed thing, it's a dog thing, and especially a trait of bitches.   I've never found single mindedness to be limited to terriers in that regard.

Stacey