Now i know that i said that i would wait a while to get another dog but...we are thinking of offering a rescue a home! I know that alot of you feel that i should wait until my boy is older but we feel that each dog is individual and our boy really really enjoys other canine company we have been looking after a friends puppy for a couple of weeks and he loved it! (obviously we aren't just doing it for him though!)

My real question is not whether or not we should do it (i think we have decided that part already:rolleyes:) but that if we do get a crossbreed (is that what they are called now when you can't tell what they are?) then as we don't know their genetic makeup should we be going for a bitch to avoid the male challenging?

I know we are a menace to ourselves and we love collecting and helping all the waifs and strays but thats why we do it because we love animals, i also have a local trainer prepared to help me with any issues etc.

Refresh my memory: why did we recommend you wait?  Is it because your current dog is still a youngster?

I'm not being sarcastic, it's a genuine question :)

If it's because your boy is still young, then I'll re-recommend that you wait until he's an adult.  I have been down this route - I got my second pup when my first was 5 1/2 months - and it was a nightmare.  Think of two dogs hitting their teens at the same time!

If you want to take on an adult rescue; it's really not much different.  You'll have a youngster in need of training (as they tend to be most until they are at least adults and it never really stops), and quite possibly an adult also in need of training.  I have also been down a similar route to this:  twice I've made the mistake of taking on rescues when my first two dogs weren't fully trained.  Both rescues were described as great dogs, no issues etc.  The first - who I talk about a lot, Soli - has turned out to be fear aggressive, a resource guarder, no recall, sod on the lead and a few other things.  The other - an 18 month labracollie - started as a toy guarder, quite nippy with the others, full on, no manners, so in both cases I've had a lot of work to do despite thinking I was getting fairly easy dogs, breed type aside.

Even from a reputable rescue, an adult dog - even assessed - may have issues that the rescue aren't aware of, which could show themselves in a home environment.  Of course it could go wonderfully, great new dog, no issues, but the chance is always big that it won't go that smoothly, then you end up with two dogs to keep training.  Double the time, potentially double the walks (or triple in my case :rolleyes:).  If he loves company that much, why not arrange a regular walk with other owners and friendly dogs?

If you really are determined then yes, I would personally go for a bitch to be on the safe side.  It's great that you want to help the waifs and strays, but it is a slippery slope - that's why i have not only the four dogs, but 18 rats (all rehomes)! :D  Even most of my fish are rehomes!

Edit to add: blimey, that was a bit long!!  Sorry :p

Yes because of age.

We had recently turned down a puppy from our breeder friend but a change of circumstances mean that i will now have alot more free time and a bigger house and garden!

I know that it won't be easy but i'm not going in blind i don't expect it to be a doddle, in fact since i have had more free time (children free time that is) i have discovered that i thoroughly enjoy the training aspect of it and have a mentor already.

We won't be going for an older dog it will be a baby because we have young children.

but a change of circumstances mean that i will now have alot more free time and a bigger house and garden!

Ooh angels have you won the lottery??? :D :D

The eldest out of my three is two and it's been a bit of an ordeal!! Although I have to add (smugly) that I've managed to train them all to a whistle for recall when we're out! But its constant play, play, wee somewhere, play and so on! Your lad isn't very old is he? We've had a few bumps along the way now that my 'baby' has approached 'teenager' - basically trying to overthrow Geordi's reign and he has succeeded. It really depends, I suppose on the age and temperament of the new dog?
I rescued Marley when Oscar was just 12 weeks old, he sort of came my way, he was supposed to be my sisters but her son became allergic to him, by which time we'd all got attached to him (softies that we are :)) and all though its not been easy (mainly due to Marley's pre-rescue issues) I'm happy to report all is fine.. at the moment!! :D :D 

I couldn't possibly comment on a lottery win.....

Only kidding, I wish we had won the lottery, no we are moving to a much bigger house though with a huge garden. I appreciate that you can't open your home to every waif and stray (or we would seriously need to win the lottery!) but where we can we will always try. We wouldn't get a 3rd though for a long time and that is definate but we are really set on this one. We are going to view them tomorrow which is why I came on here to get some advice re the sex, we thought it would be best to go for a girl but thought i would ask the experts.

I remember the days we only had one *drifts off into dreamy like thoughts* then we had 2, then a bitch was bred that i desperately wanted a pup from and it was very likely it would be her one and only litter so along came no 3, the 4th i only went to have a look :D :D :D

We've managed, i'm not suggesting you come home with 3 dogs tomorrow though :D ours is a lazy breed anyway to fight with each other would involve getting off the sofa :D.. While your other is quite young it would depend age wise on the rescue i would have said, a 4yr old male may get along with your youngster as much as a 14month old bitch would for example but then it does depend on what if any issues the rescue dog has/had..
I dont suppose you can get any clear advice until you have seen the rescues and see how they would fit into your lives..

Good luck tomorrow :)

Thank you all for your positive replies, i will let you all know what we think tomorrow.

oh angels get another cavy they love there own kind espically lying ontop of each other in a heap :rolleyes: and they are good with kids and they are just brill :-D

Now you're just making me feel bad Caroline!
We turned our breeder down and now we are in a much better position!:rolleyes:

Seriously if we don't think its right then we won't go ahead, whilst i'm no expert having seen alot of breeds hopefully i can make out what sort of breed they are.....

Cavaliers are a breed that likes everybody & most other dogs/cats as well. Mine adored our late GSD & the old lad is often found snuggled up with my kittens

I have to say when anyone comes round they are amazed at how our boy gets on with our cats and vice versa they all adore each other! He loves everyone...a bit too much i'm sure some of the people from our dog class would say!:rolleyes:

The only downside is that in this weather his hair is a nightmare, even with daily brushing i am having to cut out matted hair from under his arms!:rolleyes:

Adore him though!

So can we just clarify. :-)

You have a Cav pup,

And you are thinking of getting a rescue crossbreed, adult or pup?

I agree that Cav's get on great with all dogs, but how do you know any type of crossbreed will? You could get an adult who is not good with pups, or if a pup again you have the same old scenario of two pups together.

Yes, it is great having a bigger garden, but to dogs that doesn't make a great deal of difference. ;-)

Why not wait, get a second Cav from your breeder, and maybe even a third after that, I know you are excited about having more room, but that doesn't mean the excitment of that should be to get another dog straight away. After all you will still have the garden and bigger home next year too, won't you? It is not going to get up and walk away, take a deep breathe and enjoy your bigger garden with your Cav pup.............

I would advise you to wait, finish training your pup, then personally I would then start looking for another Cav pup next year. :-) There is no rush.

It is a crossbreed puppy we are thinking of. We will go and see them tomorrow then let you all know what we decide.

I appreciate that a big garden whilst nice shouldn't be the reason to rush out and get another puppy but it does help to have more space especially when practising safe recall etc.

Please don't think that it is something that we thought would go nicely with our new house. We are very caring people who spend alot of time with our exisiting dog, training and having fun and we feel that we can cope with the demands of another dog as i now have alot of time for training. Dog ownership is something that we take very seriously

I hope that you won't get one...............yet! :-)

You can be a great dog owner and do all that training and give all that time and even give another little crossbreed or pedigree pup a fantastic home, I just don't see why now, there will always be pups, always rescue dogs and always pedigree pups/dogs, I think it is so important to put your all into the pup you have at the moment, then get another one when yours is mature.

If I can't make you think again, then go for a bitch pup:rolleyes: to save 2 pups having hierarchy problems.

I know your heart is in the right place, but I just think it is the wrong time...... at the moment.

I was one of the people who told you to go for it! when you very first asked about getting another dog.I just wish you would have got the cav puppy you were thinking about

I may be very lucky but i have had dogs of all ages over the years,including some very close together in age and i honestly cant remember any problems It's not as iff you're current dog is like 8 weeks old,you're already well and truly into training,and lets be honest,he is a cav afterall,one of the most easy going breeds there is,and i bet he would love a canine companion,but like i said i would go for another cav.Hopefully these cute little rescues wont turn into dogs the size of greyhounds

It isnt 100% certain that getting another dog will turn into the nightmare some people are 'predicting' ;)

Cavaliers rarely if ever have hierarchy problems They have actually been bred to be very gregarious, mine are happy to mix in with any dogs of any age here at home & because they are very non confrontational don't challenge at all. However I wouldn't get a puppy just yet, leave it until at least after Xmas( better still the spring), unless you are like me & don't do Xmas at all(except for the lights outside)Xmas is the very worst time to have a puppy.

I wouldn't had Jessie if she had been a dog as my other BC is only a year older than her. My puppy will be 2 1/2 year younger than my boy when he arrives so I won't be having any problems, Jessie will simply rule them all ;-)

We are only going to look today, although we love animals we are going to let our heads rule our hearts and if they are big puppies etc then we won't go ahead. We are on another waiting list for a cavvie puppy but we aren't sure if the bitch has had a successful mating yet so we will wait and see. I do appreciate all your advice and i do take it all on board.

Most crossbreed puppies cost a lot more money than a pedigree dog from a reputable breeder that has done health testing in their chosen breed etc.

Remember at the end of the day a crossbreed in a mongrel.

Nothing against mongrels, I had one for 18yrs. and she was a super dog.

I didn't know if they were still called that, my nan had a mongrel for years he was a super dog did lots of tricks for us!

Cost doesn't really come into it for us, we are only concerned that another dog will fit in with our exisiting boy and our children.

Cost may well come into it if it ends up costing a fortune in vets bills Do you know what breeds the parents are - you dont really know what you are getting personality wise with a mongrel, so fitting in with other dog and children is a bit hit and miss.

i personally find in eithically wrong to hand over large amounts of money for a cross espically as the rescue homes are full of such dogs i saw a poodle x cavalier advertised for £800 its complete madess espically when they state they do no moult and they can't possible guarantee that :rolleyes:
epically when you have children i think you can't beat a cavalier ;-D

I think if I understood right this is a litter at a rescue centre?

Yes it is a mongrel from a rescue centre, we wouln't encourage people to breed crosses. They look like little lab crosses but just a lot smaller to me. He is coming home on Wednesday!

That's it then! You are going for it and a boy too!
Good luck and lucky litlle fellow I hope he brings lots of joy to you and yours.
Karen :-)

[deleted]

oh well all you need now is a name what colour is he?

all black with white blaze on his chest.

Well we are now officially the worst people ever, we aren't going ahead I just can't take a risk with our existing dog as we don't know the breeds!

I feel awful and really hate myself at the moment but we have decided to stick to spaniels!

Have sat here crying buckets!

Well we are now officially the worst people ever

Whoever said that obviously has got it totally wrong - you are being very responsible not taking on another puppy with your current dog being so young.

Congratulations!!! You have just made ME inparticular very proud of you. :-)

Next year when you have your two lovely Cav's playing and very happy together males or male and female you won't look back. They will be beautiful together and have great fun running around that new garden of yours. :-P

Yes just need to search for another breeder now as ours wasn't too happy that we turned her one down!:rolleyes:

es just need to search for another breeder now as ours wasn't too happy that we turned her one down!rolleyes

Any good breeder should have understood that and really liked the fact that you were being responsible. :)

>Well we are now officially the worst people ever, we aren't going ahead I just can't take a risk with our existing dog as we don't know the breeds!

>I feel awful and really hate myself at the moment but we have decided to stick to spaniels!

>Have sat here crying buckets!

Who the h*ll said that ? What a load of rubbish you have made a sensible head based decision instead of a heart based one. Just one warning one is never enough, three would be better than two & the more the merrier when applied to Cavaliers

Last year I couldn't have a puppy because my dad wouldn't have coped with a baby puppy around, so I too had to make my head rule my heart. As fate would have it I now have that puppy I was offered last year(even though Jessie is no longer a puppy). Now I am totally on my own I have the time to devote totally to my dogs & their training etc & they are my reason to go on. Wukee(Jessie's full brother) is just over a week old & I will be fully occupied enjoying him & training Jessie & Rjj(who is still in love with his Jessie)

No no no....you are doing the right thing. Dont feel bad somebody will take and love them,  and you are doing the right thing as everyone says............May I ask do you feel pressurised from where you do your voluntary work? Just a thought running around my head!
karen :-)

I am no longer a volunteer unfortunately i decided that our dog and children needed my time more!

Okay, cant hold them responsible for pressuring you then.....You are so right to prioritize, I have always put my family before work etc...not ever been money driven, happy to 'get by'. No my OH doesn't earn a fortune nor did he...
Karen :-)

Well done as think you have made the right decision :)

It won't be too long before you will be talking with breeders and deciding who to go for in getting your new pupster ;)

Lucy
xx

>Well we are now officially the worst people ever<

Nonsense! You are doing what is right for you current dog and your family. They are your priority. It's not your responsibility to give a home to every rescue. And as for your breeder, if they're not happy that you refused to take a puppy leftover from a litter because you still have a puppy then you're better off moving on! I am so glad I waited to get my second dog - you will be too. :-D

angels you have done the right thing, as you know i have more than one cavy :rolleyes: and two young children and theres nothing better than walking them all together, seeing them all play off the lead and they are a real pleasure to walk they stick together and do as they are told (the dogs not the children) :-D

I took it that the OP meant she shouldnt have committed to taking the puppy ie letting her heart rule her head then having to go back and say she doesnt want it now!!!!:rolleyes:

Yes, you are being very responsible and you are being responsible.  Better to make that decision now rather than take the puppy back later on.  We have all felt the heart strings tug when we see a litter of lovely puppies so it is better not to go there in the first place rather than have to come home and then say no.  I am sure this happens often though and the puppy will find a home!!!!

Get your move over first, train up your own little dog at the mo and then think about another dog in the future.

Good luck
Spettadog

>Yes just need to search for another breeder now as ours wasn't too happy that we turned her one down

Did you committ to a pup from this breeder and then change your mind....? Or was it just a simple case of her offering and you declining?

No Angels was approached as a pup from an 'unplanned' litter had come available but she declined as she felt it wasn't the right time. I think she felt the breeder was a bit miffed by her refusal :rolleyes:

At first, when I read your original post, I was going to say that you wanted a calm submissive dog, then I read the Cavy part, and although I have no experience with the breed, I have read that they were very calm and easy going, so it would be a wonderful choice.

Then I read about your choice to get the dog from the shelter, and I was happy for you.  It takes a lot of strength (emotionally) to take in an "unwanted" dog.

But I became more happy for you when you said you were not going to get the dog.  It shows that you are really serious in your thinking, and put your family and the existing dog first, before bringing in a dog that could potentially not get along with the entire family and the current dog. 

You made a hard decision, and as you can see by previous posts, we are all very happy that it seems you made the right one.  Wouldnt it be awful if you brought this dog home, with problems, and then It didnt get along with the other dog, or even worse, attacked your family or other dog?  Wouldnt it be worse if it didnt work out and you had to take it back? 

Be honest with yourself, because what I have read here, you have made the right decision to not take in a dog from a shelter at this point.  It doesnt make you heartless, like you said, but does give you a heart.  You used your heart, your guts and your head to make this decision, and it is probably going to be a better one than you thought.  You dont need to take in every dog that needs a home, as they are all worthy of having their lives saved, but you dont need to risk your family and current dog.  I am not saying this dog would have attacked anyone, but you can never know for sure.  According to the people that previously owned him, he was garbage, and to be treated that way, thrown away.  So who knows what his life was like before the shelter, and in it. 

Be proud of the decisions you made. 

Sorry haven't been posting have had really awful tummy bug (won't go into details!)

Yes we know we made the right choice and to lessen our guilt we have decided to sponser a rescue dog instead of taking one on.

We are going to get our move over with then look at getting a new addition next year, as long as we can find a breeder we are happy with.

Thank you for all your support!