Would we ruin Mady's life?
I know, silly question.  |
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Hm. Let's think about this. Dogs are pack animals. All she has for a pack is you. Nice for you (uprights). Equally nice for her?  Well, yes in so much as she doesn't have to share food, treats, attention etc. But do you speak dog? Who does she have to boss around, show the ropes?Personally, I think it's healthier for 2 and 4 leggeds both to have more than one dog, but you have to go with what you feel comfortable with. I really doubt her nose would be out of joint. Was she tremendously relieved when her relatives left? Was she a different dog (in a negative way) while they were there? Sybil some times gives me the "really? you're bringing the critter to MY class?" donkey look. Continued one on one quality time is important. But turn my back on her and she's playing with the puppers till they all pass out. Frankly, I can't roll around in the mud with her, chew on her head coat, be bossed around by her sassy self. Well, I could, but I choose not to on all counts  Kristine |
| David; I've been wondering the same thing lately. Would adding pets be unfair to current ones? We'd always talked about adding a third dog, and I've had kitten fever lately. But the Prozac is working, we have peace and happiness; I've got the girls back at training twice a week and am able to do the dog walks again with my improving health, the dogs and cats are presently getting along better than ever... is it selfish to want to add another pet and disrupt the peace??? I asked my vet, as she knows all of our animals really well. She said the dogs will adjust, what we have to ask ourselves is if WE want to do the adjusting. More training, feeding, dealing with cats racing around... do WE want to deal with all that? Because the vet says the dogs will blink, and settle right into the new routine if we make it clear that it is the new routine. Just something to think about... Allison |
| Sweetheart, I was just gently musing about this, not actively fretting! Geez, if I actively fret about how messy the house is, you don't spring into action, so don't let some pondering result in you not acting to get Mady and I a puppy!!! Mady did great with Morgan and Virginia here. She did great for 23 days at Amber's house while we were in Europe. She loves the puppies that she meets. So go out and get me a puppy, dammit! |
| Oh, and while you are at it, go get one for Allison too!! Throw in a kitten or two while you are at it. |
Mady wrote: Sweetheart, I was just gently musing about this, not actively fretting! Geez, if I actively fret about how messy the house is, you don't spring into action, so don't let some pondering result in you not acting to get Mady and I a puppy!!! Mady did great with Morgan and Virginia here. She did great for 23 days at Amber's house while we were in Europe. She loves the puppies that she meets. So go out and get me a puppy, dammit! Sorry, does not compute. Try again later. |
| Husband for sale, cheap. Will trade for puppy. |
| Believe me if things were different here I would be getting Butchy a pal. Because of medical issues for both of us that make us not move the way we used to and financially (see pics of Butch's treats) it's better for us to live with just one. I probably pushed it getting Butchy 2 years ago but I wanted another sheepie in my life before I died and I got one. Selfish of me but I have promises that if anything happens to us he will be well taken care of and loved. |
Mady wrote: Husband for sale, cheap. Will trade for puppy.   KB  |
i have always just had one oes until daytona and dolly.. seems like they need a 4 legg friend.. then i got duffy and thought i could just have duffy.. gotta tell you he seems so happy with his bro dreamer they have a bond i could never give him.. i would never ever again just have one.. my life is so much easier with 2 .. they have a blast together .. yes i played with duff but it is just not the same.. david really just DO it!!   all kidding aside mady needs a sis or bro make her happy already!! |
| This may sound like I am siding with Kim and that it's a sisterhood thing, but it's not really. 1. I do think that getting a canine playmate for Mady would be a great idea. I also think that sooner is better than later. We waited until Merlin was 7 before getting Archie. Merlin was not very happy at first: he was very much used to being KING (all caps are necessary to reflect even a portion of his status) but eventually decided to settle into his role as Archie's mentor/authority figure. I chose those words deliberately: they became friends, but they were not pals. The age difference was too great. I had thought that a puppy would help Merlin stay young, and in a way it did, but at the same time, he gave up his own puppyhood to become the adult. It was a little sad and I was sorry that we had waited. So, do it soon. I don't think you will regret it at all. Two are not twice the work, but they are more than twice the fun. Plus: this is a huge bonus: Mady will help raise a new puppy. Really! Merlin taught Archie so much and in turn, Archie taught Sophie and Sherman. This is especially valuable for potty training, and household routines. Plus, the older dog always kept the puppy company enough that we really weren't up all night with a new puppy. Our first OES was officially my birthday present, but of course was a gift to the whole family. I am eternally grateful to my husband for letting me get the puppy of my choice and for agreeing later to add another. And then, after Merlin crossed over, we had to get two more. We're down to two right now and practicality is keeping us at that number but we often fantasize that if we win the lottery, we will buy a spread and raise sheepdogs and a few sheep, just to keep the dogs busy. 2. Then: Kim gets a new kitchen. You won't regret this either. It will add to the value of your home but more importantly, it will add to the value of your life. I smile and smile and smile every time I step into my kitchen, even if it is to clean. And I am extremely grateful to my husband for agreeing to such a major renovation and disruption to his life. He didn't care at all that the layout was awful and that the lighting was terrible and he wasn't that concerned when our angel of an appliance repairman warned us that he was running out of options for replacement parts when our ancient appliances blew some part or another. But even he really likes the kitchen now, especially the improved lighting, the nice, big sink, the kitchen window that actually opens! The order is important. Our dogs did fine with the kitchen reno but I was really, really, really glad they were not puppies during it. |
Mady wrote: Husband for sale, cheap. Will trade for puppy. You two crack me up. Thanks for the laugh. Regarding the extra puppy, I don't think Mady adjusting will be a problem. We would have another one except for two reasons: Financial and Time!!!!! I would be leaving a puppy at home four nights a week as I was running out the door with Harry to participate in classes. Plus the many weekends spent competing. That would make me feel guilty about leaving the dog and the husband who would be taking care it even though it wasn't his idea to get a puppy. But David is all about this puppy thing (he protests waaaay too much ) so you guys are good to go! |
SheepieMommy wrote: We would have another one except for two reasons: Financial and Time!!!!! I would be leaving a puppy at home four nights a week as I was running out the door with Harry to participate in classes. Plus the many weekends spent competing. That would make me feel guilty about leaving the dog and the husband who would be taking care it even though it wasn't his idea to get a puppy. Why would you be leaving a puppy home??? I take mine to classes, trials etc. Everyone i know does that for the socialization value. Here is Sybil meeting my obedience instructor's springer puppy for the first time at Hounds for the Holidays:  Her litter is a month older than mine, so Mandy could come (mind you, the AKC has a rule no puppies under 6 mos, but agility people know you can't buy socialization opportunities like this, so even the agility reps turn a blind eye as long as you behave responsibly - caveat: I never, ever take them to conformation shows till they're at least 5 months old and have had all their shots, and then only specialties, for the socialization value there, get them up on the grooming table, walk them around the show site and so on, and by then they crate nicely anyway), but my guys were a little too young at 8 weeks old and had just had their first shots. However, at 10 weeks old I brought them along to audit their first agility seminar:  That's Luna in the crate as she kept climbing out of the ex-pen, Becky out front with the toy and Hunter/Bond in the pen with Mandy the springer pup. Later today Luna has a play date with my agility instructor's Terv puppy, Luna went to agility class this past Wednesday, Hunter will go to obedience class with me tomorrow and Becky will come along to the next agility class. Chewie, Sybil and Macy attended agility classes (to hang out) when they were 10 plus weeks old as well. And whomever I keep will be going along to the next agility trial I'm entered in early next month. It's good to expose them to the chaos and the noise they'll encounter later in their careers early on, starting at a safe distance/vantage point, rather than wait till they're enrolled in class themselves and now they have to process both all the new things going on around them AND be expected to pay attention to you and learn. And you can teach them things like how to nicely mind their own business in a crate and so on. There's plenty to watch for them, and when you're not working the dog you have in class, you grab puppy and work on leash manners and bring them up closer to slamming teeters, barking shelties and screaming border collies so these things become a non-issue for them right off the bat. They're like little sponges at this age, so you do have to take care that the experiences are GOOD experiences, because what they learn now stays with them for life. I don't doubt you have legitimate reasons to not get a puppy right now, but that ain't one of them. To the contrary you have socialization/training opportunities just based on what you do with Harry that most people can only dream about. So if/when you do get your next pup, remember that! Kristine |
Mady wrote: Husband for sale, cheap. Will trade for puppy. Thanks for the laugh!!!!! |
Mad Dog wrote: I don't doubt you have legitimate reasons to not get a puppy right now, but (time) ain't one of them. No the first reason is the main one - FINANCIAL but then the TIME comes second. Because reason number one won't allow me to do that stuff with the second one. So while I know all about the socialization and have "grand training plans" for my second performance dog, I can't drag it to something I can't afford to let it participate in at this stage of the game. Someone wanted to give me a puppy for free that they thought would be a great agility dog and I declined because I couldn't afford it.  But I still think Mady is ready to be a big sister. |
Mady wrote: Husband for sale, cheap. Will trade for puppy. You guys crack me up! Cindy |
Kim, fret not. there are MANY days I would trade my husband for another puppy!  |
| I married my husband to get his Sheepie. It's true, ask our families and him! He got her as a high school graduation present and then went off to college. When we started dating, we would go to his parents house and bathe/comb out Maude. My m-i-l still talks about that, 36 years later. Maude became my heart dog. We added Abby, an Irish Setter we rescued from my inlaw's neighbors. Though Maude loved me, she enjoyed having Abby to play with. When Maude was eight, I conveninced my husband to get another Sheepie so Maude could train her. And we dicovered that three dogs, 3-4 years different in age was perfect for us. They train each other, to a point, have playmates (or someone to divert the playing). And we have not yet lost two at once. We have never replaced one of our dogs, we have just added to the family. Maude, Abby, Mandy, Leia, Reuben, Bennett, Bailey, Riley and Banker. Plus the cats who choose not to play with the dogs. |
| my mini poodle is pretty chill. he is totally fine with 2 outs to potty a day and he would lay in bed with me except to eat and drink all day every day if I was sick in bed. however, when Cambridge came he livened up. he runs, goofs off, plays, rough and tumbles, tugs of war with C. now, he does still sleep with me in my bed, and whenever I nap, he comes in with me. he is fine an only dog. he is better in a pack. Cambridge... I can NOT imagine if he was an only. He would be BORED to death. He instigates the majority of the fun- and mostly I get to sit back and watch. sometimes I play, when Cooper is too tired out, and I do have to intervene as C thinks humping the air over Cooper is great fun... Coop doesn't appreciate this in the least. anyway... I think he would be miserable by himself. he wouldn't KNOW it, because he wouldn't have anyone else and then someone taken away... to compare with and without so if Mady has fun with other dogs- I think she would have a blast with another dog at home. They can entertain one another. dogs ARE meant to be in a pack... so DAVID... what is stopping you from bringing Mady a brother or sister? She wants her pack started! If anyone can handle another OES it's you guys. You're in love, you have no big issues I'm aware of (from reading posts) your great humor would help through the puppy stages, as would Mady. PICK A PUPPY ALREADY!    |
oh by the way.. when i got dreamer he never chewed on anything in the house except on duffy he was always too busy with duff  |
Tonks and Luna also only ever chewed on each other; we never had a thing with teeth marks on it except for the puppies! That was their first bed; I don't recall them sleeping in it much; they mostly used it for wrestling with one another. |
| oh.... so I should STOP trying to get the dogs to quit biting all over each other? is THAT why all my furniture and house has no chew marks? now, their fighting is definitely going to seem a LOT LESS annoying to me!  cool! |
| er, um, turns out to be a moot question... viewtopic.php?f=15&t=35975  |
| Ummmm Just slightly!!! |
Mady wrote: Husband for sale, cheap. Will trade for puppy. Humm and all weekend I was planning to log in and say that Kim would have to "sweeten the pot" if she thought she was going to be able to trade David for a Bobtail puppy. Talk about OBE (overtaken by events), guess that's what I get for procrastinating! Well done guys, I think.... |
| Well in hindsight now, this post might seem like a bit of a tease. The question had become just rhetorical, but Kim did have a few panic attacks in the last week about whether we were making a terrible mistake because Mady is so happy with her life and her routines. So I said I would post the question to get some feedback. Not that there was anything we could have done at that point though |
| David I guess you need to change your picture now to three sheepie butts!!! |
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