ok here goes, churchill is a great dane, and the good ole age of 10, hes not as fit as he once was, and as  i do alot of fishing and running, i want a dog for companionship. and to have a good run with me and go fishing with me, churchill was a good guard dog esp at night when i fish alot.
i cant take him anymore as hes not to good on his legs.
im unsure at his age, if hed cope with another dog or not, i have had the option to adopt a german shepherd and a lab but really dont know which would suit and i have to think about church, the others are about 2 i think so their not pups to pester him? i have had a gsd before but had to give him back as the two just growled and fought and it was not fair to either dog, i was more so fostering him at the time so in the end the gsd went back to my mates home so after that fiasco im unsure about which breed? just need a bit of advice really or should i wait untill im more able to just consentrate on 1 dog?
thanks richard

You may be better with a bitch, we have a dane bitch and we have just got a new pup (male) and they got on very well. I think my girl adapts to the pup because she's sooo laid back she's comatose. I couldn't comment on yours being an older dog, some say it gives them a new lease of life! I suppose it depends on his attitude aswell, why don't you contact a few breed rescues because they give you the option of both dogs meeting before hand to see how they interact?
:)
Just a thought but i babysat another dane a while ago and my girl was horrendous she just wouldn't give him any peace, playing and biting him. But with the pup she's totally different she's alot more mellow (maybe they can sense the difference?)

my lab was 11 when we got a new puppy last year (both labs) it has given her a whole new lease of life :)

Hello Richard, only you know your dog and I think alot would depend on the temperament of the other dog. personally I think it would be easier with a puppy, as the puppy would learn very quickly if it had upset your Dane and back off, whereas an older dog may try and dominate Churchill. Do you think Churchill is likely to get jelious (sp) if you were to take another dog out and not him?  Maybe it would be better to let your dane live out the rest of his life without having to compete for your attention, I dont know your dane, he may very well enjoy having a companion, it may give him a new lease of life :)  but what ever you decide to do I am sure it will be for the very best.  What colour is your dane? I grew up with a Fawn dane and he was the gentlest of dogs I have ever had the pleasure of meeting,  his name was Spencer, unfortunately he only lived to 8 years as he had cancer of the pancreas.  Lovely memories of a wonderful breed. I know I havent been much help, Im sorry, but I think it is up to you, there are pro's and con's and you need to decide for yourself.  Sarah :)

If church isn't that good with GSDs then maybe go for the lab, or maybe find a breed that you really like the look of and that will suit your life style and get in contact with the breed rescue, also let church and the new dog meet first to make sure they get on.

Ive always fancied a gsd, as they need alot of excercise and a gsd would fit into my lifestyle and esp work.
Im a van driver for a security firm, and many drivers like me doing night runs, usually take their dogs with them for comfort and security purposes.
Ive always liked gsd's and have had them when i was a boy in the family, in saying that i have also had a lab which was my partner for years, then when she died i got church and ive had him now for 10 years, i was going to adopt a mates gsd and had him for a week but the dogs didnt get on church took an instant dislike to the gsd and i ended up giving him back, i dont think getting a pup of any breed would be fair on church as hes always been an only dog and with a pup i cant give the time to house train and puppy walk, i could offer a good home though to an older dog in need of some tlc.
hi sarah hope the pc is ok now:), personally church is very dominant and loves the sole attention, when i am out working on the night runs usually my girlfriend comes and stays at the house and church really loves the attention from her so hes not lonely or fretting about me being away, sometimes i do go off for days at a time working so he is used to me away from him, hes unfortunately had to get used to it as hes to old now to cope with the drive.

Hi Richard, Yes pc is fine now, working like new.  If you do decide to get another dog just be very patient and introduce them on neuteral territory, not in your home. If your dane is quite dominant he will see this as an invasion of his territory and so react accordingly. let them get to know each other on a nice long walk and then maybe have the new dog visit your home first to see how they would get on before moving him in. Did your dane know the gsd that you looked after for your friend before you you brought him into your house?  I can understand why you would not want a puppy under the circumstances and I agree that it would be the wrong thing to do.  I do hope that you find the right dog for you and Churchill, and who knows, you could end up with 4 like me :D  never a dull moment in this house I can tell you :D  I would love another dane, but I have enough dogs at the mo and I would need to move house first :D  take care. Sarah :)

church did know the gsd, thats the funny thing, its my mates dog and we all used to go fishing together dogs as wel,l they used to run and play about then church got grumpy as he cant run as well as he used to, i thought i could adopt the shepherd and i would have no probs but i ended up giving the dog back as church put his grumpy head on and got very snappy.

Hi

You write that a GSD requires a lot of exercise - isn't that the same for a lab? I have a chocolate lab bitch 11½ months old, and she is far more calm than my friends GSD 9½ month.

I know that my girl will lie down without a command, where Bella would just keep bouncing up and down. And if you go fishing, it would probablely mean a lot of sitting still time or what?

I don't fish myself :-)

Jeanette

im probably abit biased now but in my line of work and on those dark nights if a person had a gsd rather than a lab guarding surely this would be more of a deterent,?,
im trying miserably to weigh up the ticks and crosses with the gsd breed and a lab breed,dont get me wrong if i could i would have both.