The discussion has come up the last couple of weeks about *gasp* one more addition to the pack. Previously I hadn't really considered that I wanted a fourth dog, however, there are some circumstances that have us discussing a new addition to the group.
What I am considering, and looking for, is a Zipper son. Zipper will be seven this year, and it will not be long before his stud time comes to an end. Zipper is healthy as a horse at this point, and all his checks and health tests are still A-okay, but it is still that time to start looking towards the future.
Here's what we're facing:
- Shimmer, the youngest, is now three years old, so all the dogs are socially mature and we would be ready for a new addition.
- Gaci and Zipper are aging together, so I do not wish to wait too long for a new puppy, because there is a chance of having to pay more expenses for two aging dogs down the road (knock on wood they are both healthy as can be at this point, at 6 and 6.5).
- Expense-wise, should not be a problem at this point in time.
- Time-wise: would have to be a spring/summer puppy. I do not wish to raise a puppy over the winter. The winters here are not ideal times for puppy raising.
- All three dogs are at a point now where I could pretty much stop training them all and they would all be okay (not that I would ever stop doing that)...in other words they are stable and don't require any extra training anymore.
Also, there is discussion of children happening in the future (the human variety), within the next couple of years, and we have to be realistic about that. I do not wish to raise puppies and kiddies together. While I grew up with puppies around me, and I know it can be done, and done well, I do not wish to do that, at least not for my first child. So we are facing either getting a pup soon and raising it so it will be grown when the time comes, or waiting three-four years before another addition and again that will put me in a position to possibly having to focus my time on aging dogs. I really do prefer to have a few years between dogs, but not too many.
The good thing is that it will round out the pack - two males and two females. I couldn't add another female as Gaci has a limit of one female for her comfort zone. The bad thing is, that it will round out the pack. LOL. As in, the newest male's intention (if it works out) will also be as a stud dog to replace Zipper. So another intact male. Now, there are no intact or breeding females in the house, and Zipper is the best dog-dog guy on the planet (no aggression towards other males at all), and I am experienced in dealing with intact males, so it shouldn't be a problem. But it's alwasy a condiseration to have as well.
So we're at that point of the do we/don't we.
If I decide to go through with it, we could be looking at a puppy as early as July. He just finished breeding a female that looks to be a good litter. It is this bitch's first litter, though, so even if we decide we are ready now we face going through her first litter to see how the mating takes. On top of that, we face the normal things of not having any males born, or only having one male born (I would prefer 2-3 males to choose from, but in small litters you don't get that luxury always!), or there not being a puppy that will work as a stud dog and the personality that I personally want. If this litter doesn't work out, then the next possible litter for Zipper to breed to would be spring 2011.
That's where we're sitting right now. We are in no rush to have a puppy, and we have the benefit of being able to pick from this upcoming litter or wait until the next one, because it does have to be the right puppy. I'm not picking one "just because". We just have to decide if this summer will be the right time to raise one or not, which is the point we are at right now!!!