New Addition Perhaps - Any Thoughts

I have two lovely spayed girlies aged 3 and 7 years and an entire boy aged 2 years. I am thinking of adding one more to my little pack but have only had experience of more than one boy in a pack, years ago when living at home and they were my father's working labs. Milo is the daftest, loveliest, most non-confrontational boy ever but am I going to upset the dynamics of the pack if I add a dog puppy and will it inevitably lead to problems when puppy reaches adolescence? I have thought about a bitch but Milo is entire and, quite frankly, I don't want the hassle of having to keep him and an in season bitch apart for perhaps three seasons and I certainly don't want the patter of tiny paws. Neither do I really want to have Milo castrated although I realise I may have to have one of the boys 'done'. Has anyone any advice or experience, good or bad, that they can share?

Hi

I have an all dog household. Two whippets 12 and 4 and two JRT's 3 and 1. Any upset when introducing a new pup was minimal. They were all very accepting. All the boys are entire. We do have some rough play but that is all it is - rough play. There are no issues and thankfully there haven't been any.

Introducing a pup is certainly the safest way to go on this I would think but some hounds are happy to have older dogs too. I kept a dog pup back many years ago after already having a dog and bitch. We had no problems with the big boy only the ladies picked on him a bit! (We had him castrated at 9 months too which I would never recommend. Far too young.)

Hope you have fun as you find your winning foursome! :luck:

Sadie x

Angela i noticed you said if you got a girl you would have to keep them apart for maybe 3 seasons before you had her

spayed. Is this because you dont like to spay to early ? I know there are so many different idea's about when the best

time is to do it. In fact i read this just today .....

If a bitch is spayed before her first season the incidence of cancer of the mammary glands (breast cancer) is reduced by 99%. If she is spayed before two years of age, the risk is reduced by up to 95%.

But as i say we all have our own ideas, Sada was spayed after 2 seasons as she was like raging bull in season, Zana on

the other hand is now 3 and i have just had her spayed when she had her c section. K has very light seasons and is no

different from when she's not so i have never had her spayed.

Whatever you decide boy or girl i wish you luck in your search and hope its not to long before you are posting you newbies pics :thumbsup:

Thanks for the replies folks. Ann, our little rescue was a year old when we got her and already spayed and we had Gracie spayed three months after her third season, she was a very messy mare and had pinging off her knickers to a fine art - I shall never forget husband's face the first time she did it, they landed on his knee as he was drinking his morning cuppa! :lol: I agree there are several different trains of thought on the matter of when to spay and certainly Tilly was spayed very early and, to date, without any adverse effects (she's 7 or 8 yrs but not a ped). All thoughts on the matter most welcome - anything to stop me dithering and come to a decision.

:lol: Have visions of your knicker flinging Gracie now.

Hi Angela

I have not long taken on Izzy (whippet 4) from Scruples. I now have two speyed bItches and Toddy who is neutered.

Izzy was 10 months old when she arrived and is quite an energetic handful.

If Milo is easy going, then neutering him should not change his personality. It would allow you time to let your newbie (if it is a girl) have her 1st season. My feeling is that the best time to have a bitch spared is after her 1st season if this is possible and when they are fully mature (about 14 months).

Have you considered a preloved whippet girl from Scruples? Some are already speyed which resolves that problem.

I have only once had a problem introducing a new bitch into the pack. She was 2 and too close in age to my dominant bitch (speyed) + she came with a male dog partner and so was part of another pack.

Izzy fitted in from day one. She is a typical playful 10 month old whippet. Mini Daisy now 4,who is speyed has retained top dog position for the present.

I gave a lot of thought about dog or bitch but decided that Toddy would not be good with another dog in the house for a few years yet. He is jealous of dogs and is very much the 'only dog' in our pack.

cannot wait to hear about your newbie when he / she arrives

Eve

I don't know that two males are any more likely to squabble than two females, and since the bitches you have are spayed two males would be unlikely to fall out over the bitches. It is true that there may be a rough patch when the younger male is going through adolescence.

Thanks for the replies. Will let you know what happens!