I know this is a very personal thing but would like to hear people's experiences on when they think is the best time to get another dog after you have lost one .

My personal view has been to introduce a newbie before the oldie goes to RB. I think it has made life easier for everybody as we have always had more than one and so it is more about making sure the one left has a proper companion and is not left on their own :) It is also a way to help us come to terms with the loss as you can focus on the ones that are left :)

We have been thinking that we will go to a two dog house. We have however in the last few weeks been going from 'yes' that is the right way to go to at the weekend deciding that if we found the right one ( a rescue this time) we would keep the three doggy family going :) We very nearly added the newbie this weekend as we went to the Blue Cross to take Indigo to see all the animals as she loves them all and what did we find ? A little two year old absolutely sweet chocolate girl called Scooby. We had a chat with the staff but she had been reserved but we are now on the search !

I feel that life with a dog is such a blessing and our lives are so enriched by being owned by dogs that we should celebrate the love with had with them and try not to dwell on the past and look forward to new beginnings :) I know when Min goes we will all be devastated :( She has started to loose a bit of weight now so know that she is starting on the road to the bridge :(

It must however be hard if you loose a dog at an early age. I have never experienced this and hope I never have to but know it may happen one day :)

Sorry this is a bit morbid but think it is good to talk about this sort of thing as I think it is a great help to people to come to terms with everything :)

Lucy
xx

We have always let our oldies know the newbies - last year, when we knew we were approaching the RB with Purdey, we were lucky enough to find Freya - and Purdey knew her, and, to a certain extent "schooled" her in the do's and don'ts of our household.    I know that we have the Aussies as well - but I don't think that either OH or myself have lived without a labrador since we were 7 or 8ish - and my (now grown-up) kids never have.

I would always say yes, but of course in our own lifetime, we are going to have to face the fact that we are getting older (61 & 64), so that will be another hurdle to look over ..........

Shuffling off to find me zimmer frame .......

Margot  

my  dear elderly yorkie boy aged 11 yrs died 01/03/04 with cancer he was my very special man and  i went through it very badly with grief  ,in december 16th 2004 i got a yorkie girl called danni and  was a good decision i am a 4 dog household and that is my limit i agree it does help to come to terms with the loss although i know people who could never get another one i can understand that as well.i must add also it was the love of my other dogs that help to pull me through . i wish you well in search another dog

we lost our terrier Rosie nearly two years ago now at the grand age of 18 yrs old she had a tumour,
we often felt we should get a second dog before we lost her but in her old age she got very jealous of other dogs so we felt it unfair on her and another dog, when we lost her the whole family where heart broken, my children had not known life without her
after we lost her we couldnt stand being in the house without a dog, the family seemed incomplete without a friendly face to greet you,
then we got Toby (black lab) we love him so much but we also miss Rosie and will never forget her.

Heidi

Lucy
I lost my lab in Nov 04 to cancer and am just getting used to the idea of having another puppy to fill that large void in my life, maybe towards the end of this year.  I always wanted to have another puppy while I still had my Ollie but I lost him suddenly and will always regret that he will never met the new addition to the family, I wanted him to teach the new puppy acceptable behaviour and for them to play together and have fun.  I have opted for having a new puppy that will be a cousin offspring that links the two together relatively speaking so although they will never met each other I know they are part of each other in some form.
Unless your dog is extremely ill and unable to cope with a very young puppy I would suggest giving it a go it might put some spring back into those old paws and all that wisdom to pass down to the younger generation can't be bad.

Michaela

We lost our CKCS at only 8 years, poor puppy.  He had every single illness that CKCS's are prone to :(

That was in 2002, and we are about to get are next dog, a Wire Fox terrier (maybe 2!).  This time we'll check to make sure DNA tests are done as it would break our hearts to have another sick puppy

Hi we lost a wonderful girl at the end of october last year she was only eight, but she got the dreaded cancer and we couldnt let her suffer our choice as we had always said that if and when the time came we would do, what had to be done for her, but when that time came and the agonising decision had to be made it was the hardest thing ever.we still talk about her daily and now instead of the tears we can smile just thinking of the things she had done in her short life and how much happiness she brought to our home, we can never replace her, just enjoy our other three dogs who range from 6yrs to the baby at 17 months. I know she will be waiting for us all at the bridge then we can never be apart again.