I heard...

I disagree.  I dont think you should get a puppy until the adult is well established, socialized and trained.  Just think about it, would you really want two teenagers at the same time who will magnify each others faults and lead each other astray.  Dogs learn from each other as much as they learn from us.  They often become human deaf at least under certain situations.  That can be more difficult to manage with two yong dogs both in the early stages of training.  Friends from dog club can offer the doggy play time or if you are of the persuasion, consider a dog park.

If you want them to be close and play together, I wouldn't have a huge age seperation, but several years should still be ok. The reason I say that is because I dogsit for a dog who is 9 y/o, and he is very irritated by the playfulness, and sometimes spazziness, of my young dogs. They are not aggressive with eachother or anything, but they do not play together at all. I got my second dog when the first was 3 months old, and I will say that it's not for everybody, but I have had no bonding issues. The only reason I might not do it again is that I will likely loose them close together someday. I think you're ok to go ahead and get another, and I think you would be ok to wait a couple years too. I do think getting one slightly older than Rory sounds like a good idea.

 It really depends. Indy and Jester (my first show Cardi) were a year appart in age, but I got them a month apart (I got Indy after the death of my first Cardi, Bou.) That was too quick, and I think Jester and I would have bonded more if I'd not gotten Indy (but, I can't imagine NOT having him, so...) Summer is 18 months younger than Indy and that was pretty nice (she was a REALLY easy puppy though); Wings was 2 years and a few months younger than Summer. Mal is 14 months older than Lizzie and I wish I could have waited a bit longer (rare breed with REALLY limited litters- it was that or wait a full year)- and it's not that I don't think it's going fairly well, but he's SO slow to mature compared to Indy that wel,I think a bit longer would have been nice. I think he feels a little displaced- unlike all the others, they really grew up with other dogs around too- my roommates' dogs, fosters, training clients- and Mal hasn't had that to the same extent, especially since Mom steals Indy so often.

 18 months is a nice interval. 2-3 years is better, especially if you're really going to train and potentially trial the first dog. :P If I get another GS soon (there are two litterscoming up in the US I'm interested in), that pup will be primarily a conformation dog and his/her performance career will wait till they're older.

jenn52

that it's better to get a 2nd while the 1st is still young so they used to having another dog around. Is this true? I've got 2nd beagle fever and we want to wait to get a 2nd until we have a house with a yard but some new people moved into our apt complex with 2 beagles and now Rory and them are all friends and it's cute and i kinda think she would like another dog around. Another question about getting a 2nd dog - if the 1st one sleeps in bed with you, where does the 2nd sleep? No way we could fit two dogs in bed, I end up on the edge most of the time already. I am thinking when we get a 2nd, we'll get a boy (even tho I don't much care for male dogs becuz the "lipstick" grosses me out) and I'd like a young one (over a year), within a year or so of Rory (shes 9 mos now). Does that work? Aghhhh help me break 2nd dog fever...

I know exactly what you are going through.  DH and I have MAJOR 2nd puppy fever!!  We are waiting until we move, then we are going to get on a waiting list.  Hopefully, we will get the 2nd by the time Charlie is three (he turns 2 next month).  Charlie LOVES playing with other dogs and I know he would LOVE a brother or sister.

jenn52

(even tho I don't much care for male dogs becuz the "lipstick" grosses me out)

Yeah, it's pretty gross.  But to be honest it's not out there too much anymore, mostly just in the morning.  I didn't even know what it was the first time...talk about freak out!  He's acts embarassed about it.  He will go and sit by himself behind the couch until it goes away.  So I know when he's back there to just leave him alone.

mrv

I disagree.  I dont think you should get a puppy until the adult is well established, socialized and trained.  Just think about it, would you really want two teenagers at the same time who will magnify each others faults and lead each other astray.  Dogs learn from each other as much as they learn from us.  They often become human deaf at least under certain situations.  That can be more difficult to manage with two yong dogs both in the early stages of training.  Friends from dog club can offer the doggy play time or if you are of the persuasion, consider a dog park.

AGREED!

Kayla will be 1.5 years old before we get our new puppy this summer. I have a whole goal sheet of obedience she needs to learn before the puppy arrives. (so far she's just been doing amazing). We have been planning it out for months, waiting for our litter to arrive in April, and then taking the puppy home this summer. By this time I want Kayla to be "almost perfect." I want the puppy to learn positive behaviors from her and I also need a "dependable" dog; one dog needs to take commands right away if there is chaos going on.

I also heard that two puppies at a young tag "tag-team" almost and have a higher possibility of ganging up AGAINST their owners and are harder to socialize (power comes in numbers). [but of course this doesn't always happen]

Also make sure your getting a dog for YOU. I'm getting another dog because I want another dog, not because Kayla needs a playmate.

BEST OF LUCK!

If you really want to avoid any trouble, wait. The most successful multi-dog households stagger the dogs ages by three to five years. The worst situation you can get in is to get two puppies at once. The second-worst is to get a puppy while your other dog is going into adolescence. The third-worst is to get a puppy while your other dog is on the verge of dying from old age.

I waited until Salem was 3 1/2 before bringing in another puppy, and I am glad I did. She learns a lot just by watching him. We had 2nd puppy fever starting when Salem turned about 1, but I'm glad we waited until he was trained. He is still plenty young enough to play with her and they get along great.

What about getting another dog but not a puppy? I got Kenya and Coke only 3 months apart, but Kenya was almost 4 when I got her and Coke was 1, so they are three years apart in age.  We weren't seriously considering another dog, but Kenya was getting bored having come from a multi-dog household and she kept trying to play with my cats, much to their annoyance.  The dog we were originally going to adopt ended up not being a good match, so we searched on PetFinder and found Coke, adopted him two days later b/c Kenya got along with him.  They are total opposites as far as personality, work ethic, how social they are, etc BUT they have the same type of play style.  We've never had an "incidents" with them and there have been no bonding issues.  Kenya is basically my dog because she has always been a one-person dog.  Coke is more DH's dog, but in reality he loves everyone.  Basically, I train Kenya and DH trains Coke.  Our training styles and purposes for a dog fit each dog.  I am serious about training and competition, Kenya is an intense dog that enjoys training and work.  DH is way more laid back so he and Coke do minimal training (basic manners and safety stuff) but other than that they would both rather wrestle or play fetch.

I'm going against the grain. I have two sets of siblings (one set of littermates and the others are 5 months apart) and we do just fine! It depends on how much time and energy you have and are willing to devote to bonding and training each one individually. If you work, then I'd wait for the first pup to be 6 months old. But if not, having 2 at or near the same age is wonderful! And they go through stages together.

When we first got Jaia (Cara and Mia were grown), he didn't have anyone to play with and picked on Mia terribly! Once we got B'asia, Jaia turned his puppy energy toward her and it was the best thing we ever did!

So, IMO, it can be done and the benefits are great!

jenn52

I don't much care for male dogs becuz the "lipstick" grosses me out

My male has long hair. That's all I'm gonna say.

jenn52

if the 1st one sleeps in bed with you, where does the 2nd sleep?

Put the first one on the floor in her bed. Start now because if you're going to get another dog, it's best she doesn't relate the new puppy with getting kicked out of "her" bed. JMO. 

i think gender plays into it too. i had more problems introducing female/female than male/female no matter the age. 

FourIsCompany

jenn52

if the 1st one sleeps in bed with you, where does the 2nd sleep?

 

Put the first one on the floor in her bed. Start now because if you're going to get another dog, it's best she doesn't relate the new puppy with getting kicked out of "her" bed. JMO. 

I totally agree with this statement!!!

Kayla slept with us EVERY SINGLE NIGHT... and since the beginning of March she now sleeps in her crate only. No matter how cute of a puppy face she gives me!!! (I'm such a sucker for my baby) But no more in the bed. Because I'm not sleeping with TWO dogs... so both need to know crate = bed. And you need to start ASAP!

If your first dog is very obedient and you have enough time to handle it I say go for it!! Because I know personally I can't WAIT for the second one to arrive!!

jenn52

that it's better to get a 2nd while the 1st is still young so they used to having another dog around. Is this true?

Over the many years, in transitioning my pack I have always brought in dogs of different breeds at about the same age.  No real issues occurred with that other than it is double the work in training but at the same time it is lesser because they learn from each other.  My last introductions was littermate sister Great Danes.  All the myths about doing this were wrong.  As long as you are committed to work on giving them separate lives, give them your time, and let them develop their own personalities, all should be ok. 

I think your concern is whether the addition is an impulse and whether you have the right home setup.  Of course a home and a yard for two young dogs would be much better than an apartment setup.  Better for the dogs and better for humans.  I would suggest that before you consider a new dog of any age, that you know in advance or have a good idea how your residence dog will behave when the new addition arrives.  How does your dog react when other dogs come in his territory.  How is your dog around food?  around toys?....basically how well socialized is your dog with others.

Beagles are a pack hound. They are hardwired to bond tightly to other hounds, and tend to be very clannish. I would not bring in another puppy for this reason. Having kept littermates myself to grow them out...I have seen it be true again and again that they do follow one another's lead and when separated for training distractions abound due to whining, and looking for their packmate.

Wait...would be my advice...with this breed and the bonds they have historically with their own kind...you'd be setting yourself up to fail.