Hi I have a bitch 2 years old  in September. We are planning to get our second dog mid August. My Little girl is massively spoilt and loved.  We are unsure about her reaction when bringing a new dog into the home, how long should it be before we decide that it really is not working between them? We dont wish to prelong a bad situation. As both dogs welfare are very important to us. She is the first in the house so any other dog is going to be an intrusion as such into her domain.  My OH is worried that our little girl wont accept a new dog. I'm unsure what will happen, but feel far more positive that she will like company of her own kind. Any thought would be helpful.

All dogs are different - some love sharing their home with another dog, while others prefer being an only dog. How does your bitch react when other dogs come into her house just to visit?

Will it be a puppy?  Just if it's an older dog you are best meeting up somewhere which doesn't belong to either dog i.e. a park which neither of them go to.  I have to admit I've never had any problems with pups being brought into my house but there again most of them having only come from my parents so I suppose the problem would be lessened.

it will be a puppy, she is not used to people visiting us here with dogs but she has gone to other friends with dogs and been fine very much taking over, She tends to be ok meeeting various dogs in the street and her favourite friend is a very old spaniel, she is in the toy breed.

We are unsure about her reaction when bringing a new dog into the home, how long should it be before we decide that it really is not working between them? We dont wish to prelong a bad situation.

To be honest, I think a lot of the time people do not give new relationships like this long ENOUGH but give up too soon.

We want to give it the best chance possible but we really dont want to waste the option of the new puppy finding another home. Believe me its the last thing we want! but being realistic both dogs welfare is the most important thing to us.

We have one dog and have never been in the position of introducing a new puppy to an existing dog in the household but, I would imagine, for it to be successful it would need the whole household on board.

Your OH sounds as though he has huge reservations about getting a second dog. Unless he is totally commited to the second one I think it might be very difficult for him to act positively in that situation. If you both go into the situation as positively as possible I am sure it would be easier for both the new pup and your existing dog.

Hopefully a breeder will be along soon and give their thoughts on what they would advise a prospective puppy owner. :)

I don't want to sound too negative, but as a breeder I would not sell a puppy to someone who wasn't sure their existing dog would accept a newcomer. I would not take the risk of the pup being returned and having to be rehomed within weeks, when I instead could chose a home where there were no such worries. (And I know that many rescues insist on people bring their existing dog to the centre to meet the other dog.) At the very least I'd expect the buyer to find out as much as possible in advance, such as what is their dog like with other dogs of the same sex, the opposite sex, outdoors, indoors etc. My dogs would all welcome any pup at any time, but I have in the past had ONE dog (a bitch) who actually attacked and injured a new pup, but she had shown signs beforehand of being unreliable with other unfamiliar dogs and I would not call her reaction normal at all. (But that's another story.)

Without wishing to sound negative either, I don't think your current mindset is conducive to getting a second dog! I know that you only have the prospective new pup's best interests at heart but it is far better to go into the process assuming all will be well and then deal with any problems if and when they occur. If you start by expecting an unhappy outcome then there's every likelihood that this is what will happen and certainly, I can't imagine any good breeder being happy to sell a pup to someone who was already planning the best time to return it! 

It seems very much that your miss understanding what I was trying to say I'm very keen on another dog more the merrier! I dont think it will be a bad out come, I'm just asking that given such an awful outcome. I have already made preperations by clearing my whole calander as such so that when puppy arrives they will not be alone together without supervision, we have not gone into this lightly. We are just very much caring about the welfare of all included. I suppose what I'm really asking is when introducing a new dog into an existing dogs domain. how long does it normally take for them to settle. perhaps I'm being too sensitive to both dogs needs. My little girl has never shown agressive tendancies to another dog or person, so there is  really no need in my mind to worry. It was just a genuine caring question. rather than a negative mindset.

Personally if a new owner came to me for a pup with reservations like yours I would not sell them a pup.

If you want a dog then you get another dog and the existing one will get used to it, either tolerate it on your say so or love it on her own account.  Dogs are a social species and unless the incomer is trying to take on a higher rank (which a pup won't) then there isn't going to be a major issue.

With a decent age gap like you will have it would be at least a couple of years before the youngster would be socially mature enough to challenge for a higher position in the hierarchy, but which time the older one will be at her social prime.

Usually the younger accepts their position unless the older dog is very low ranking type.

I had my third dog take on top position when her Grandmother was 10 years old.  She was a more dominant character, and grandma was ready to stand down, as had never been especially dominant and had been top bitch due to her age and not having anyone want the spot before then.

Yes sometimes dogs fall out after many years of living together, so there are never any guarantees, but it is fairly unusual.

Hi
I think you need to take some positive steps to prepare your girl for the advent of the young pretender!  :-)  This is what I did last year with my 2.5 year old boy prior to taking on a 9 week old pup.

Get friends to visit regularly, bringing their dogs to your house.  (It is one thing to go to someone else's house, but quite another for dogs to accept others on to their own territory.)  Organise a doggy sleepover if possible with one dog that they get on well with.  (Start to introduce the fact that dogs don't just always disappear after an hour or two!)

Assuming that your girl is well mannered and cued find a training group that has a puppy socialisation class and see if they will allow you to take your dog along.  I was lucky in that the Learning about Dogs guys know my boy well and were more than happy to use him as a stooge.  It worked both ways - reminding my boy about pups and how they jump around and also helping to teach the pups some meeting and greeting manners!  Everybody won.

If you are going to use a crate for the pup, buy it in advance and put it up so that your other dog gets used to it being around.  Also make any other changes to the house well in advance so that they don't become associated with the pup but are the 'norm' before the new guy arrives.  I am thinking here about the introduction of such things as stair gates, the relocation of any furniture that may be necessary to accomodate the new arrival and all the paraphanalia that goes with them etc etc.

Finally, make any changes to your routine well in advance.  I am assuming that your bitch is happy to be left on her own, but it is worth re inforcing this now as you will need to  spend time with the pup on his own for training.  Also, tighten up on any behaviours with your existing dog that may become problematical when you have two!  There are often things that we (sorry, I....I speak for myself here!!) tolerate with just one dog, but which can become a pain with two!  In my case, I tightened up on loose lead walking and also insisting on a sit when coming out of the car and waiting whilst I sorted out keys etc rather than just sniffing around. 

I think if you go down this road you will get to have more of an idea of your girls reaction to a second dog.  Also, be honest with the breeder as to her personality and be guided in picking an appropriate pup.  For instance, my entire male is a bit of a wuz, so I deliberately wanted a smaller bitch so that he would at least have the height and weight advantage, even though I knew she would ultimately wear the trousers!  :-)

Final comment.....your heart must be 100% in making it work.  I know how you feel about not wanting to put your girls nose out of joint - I was the same.  It will take compromise all round.  I would say that now (pup is now 9 months old), my boy loves her to bits, BUT there are still times when he would rather be on his own and I have to ensure that he gets at least one long walk a day with just him and me.  It can work, but it does take time and effort.  Good luck!

Thank you Gunner that is the advice I need more than people saying I souldn't be getting another dog or saying I'm negative and If they were the breeder they wouldn't give me a puppy. surely I care enough to be a good owner or I wouldn't ask.

Personally, Baxter, I think you're very wise to look at this from every angle. It's one thing assuming everything's going to be hunky dory but if problems do occur you can end up feeling very unprepared and inadequate. 
Speaking from experience, sometimes the problem isn't how the first dog will accept the newcomer, more a case of how the new dog will fit into the existing set-up :)

Thank you for understanding, We just want everything to go perfectly and are aware there will be a bit of adjustment time we just wanted an indication how long other people had found it took before they were able to trust that no harm would come of them being left alone, the last thing I would want to cope with is if I was responsible for putting my dogs in danger. I'm sure it will go well. millions of people have done it before. Just I haven't it will be my first time having two, and wanted to be prepared.

When I got my second dog I left them alone for short periods from the outset (at the time they were 5 years and 7 months). It wasn't until several months later that the younger one started the occasional scrap (when I was with them) and I no longer felt comfortable leaving them in the same room when I was out.  Since then they've been separated by a see-through barrier when on their own and this seems to work fine :)