Thinking about getting another monster

[DojiDog]

Thinking about getting another Eskie in a little while.  Like a year or two.  I know there are lots of people here who know a lot more about getting good Eskies than I do.  I would want to adopt.  Are there any people here who know a lot about Eskie rescue?  Maybe some breeders or showers who are very much involved in the Eskie world?

Another question.  I have a 6.5 year old male Eskie.  I'm not planning on getting another dog for a few years.  Is it okay to get another dog when Doji will be around 8 or 9?  He has always lived with other dogs and loved them.  When I end up moving he will be the only dog in the house.  Do you think he will be lonely?

[snowballsmom]

i love having two. i got a second when snowball was about 14 mos old and snoopy (the new guy) was about 8-9 mos old so they are very close in age and have basically grown up together. most members have multiple eskies and will try to sway you that way. i would be careful getting a puppy with an older dog, puppies can be about for a senior dog to take. my dogs are only 6 and have no patience at all for puppies; your dog might be different. it's all dog dependent, both your dog's personality and the other dog's personality.

is there a reason you're planning on waiting so long? i only ask because when i decided, i had snoopy like a month later, which is about how long the rescue took with the process. and i was impatient (excited)!

[Paula N.]

I think Snowballsmom is right - it depends on your dog's personality.  My two are both adopted.  When I got Sweet Pea they said she was about 1-1/2 years old (this was in 2008).  Angel was about 7?  Never had a good idea of her age.  She was supposed to be about 5 years old when I adopted her in 2006).  That would make the age difference between the two of them about 5 or 5-1/2 years (hope my math is o.k.!!!!).  But I really never believed that SP was as old as 1-1/2.   The vet said she had all her adult teeth, so who knows.  But she acted very puppy-like.

Angel was really flabbergasted when I brought SP home, but has always treated SP with kid gloves.  Never hurt her in their play, and never tried to steal food from her.  SP's big thing was (still is) playing with Angel.  She is fearless.  Fresh too!  She came from a shelter originally and they called her "Sweetie".  Someone had her for about a week, and complained that SP "wouldn't leave their other dog alone".  That was because SP wanted to play I'm sure. 

Angel wouldn't hurt another dog no matter what.  She has growled and barked at another dog who was being too rough, but that is all.  You're not going to find another dog like Angel and I don't know the personality of your Eskie - only you do.  But I would tend to think a real adult would be gentle with a newcomer who was younger.  Hard to say.  There are so many people on this Board who can give you good advice.  Good luck.

[BanaerEskies]

keys to multiple dogs - establish yourself as the pack leader.  You decide what goes on between dogs.  You enforce the rules.  Easier said than done!  I think getting a puppy is actually easier IF the older dog is ok with puppies because then the older dog can help establish the puppy in his place in the household.  Some adult dogs HATE puppies and that doesn't work.  Best thing is to keep Doji socialized with all types of dogs and puppies and then let him meet  (and help select) your future family member.

You can start now with Doji on NILF (search eskie board and web if you don't know what that is)   Having that preset as the way things are in the household WAY BEFORE new dog will help when the new dog arrives.  Just make it a part or your daily life. 

I have 5 eskies and a mutt and no, they don't all get along.  I run them in 2 packs.  Some can go with either pack, but some will never play nicely with certain others.  4 of them are intact, so that has something to with it 

Paula some dogs will always be puppies at heart!  SP must be one of those.  Some are born "old & wise"

[Kathy]

I agree with Nancy about being the leader and not tolerating "disagreements" among your pack.  On the other hand, she admits that some dogs just don't like each other and there is nothing you can do to change that.

Since you are planning on adopting, it's most likely that you won't be getting a little puppy anyway. More likely a "teenager" dog around 1 or 2. That's when they get turned in a lot because dogs that age have so much energy and no brain. 

Also, since Doji is used to being around other dogs, he'll probably be more accepting. I'd still have them meet first before bringing the new guy home.  Yes, I think Doji will be a bit lonely if you move away from the other dogs he's been living with.

[DojiDog]

I am waiting until I have a place of my own to get another dog.  I want to make sure I am settled nicely so I don't end up sleeping on the streets in a cardboard box with two Eskies.  Doji's personality is interesting.  He is not the friendliest of dog by any stretch of the imagination.  If he sees a dog he wants to say hi to he will come over and sniff the other dog but that is it.  No playing.  And most dogs don't even get a sniff.  Unless they are smaller than Doji, then he is very happy to see them and wags his tail.  He doesn't play with dogs he doesn't know well and he also won't play with more than one dog at a time.  If another dog joins in he will walk away.

He loves my mother's GSD and gets along wonderfully with him.  When my mother got her GSD he was the same size as Doji and he grew up to be very sweet and gentle.  I also board dogs in my house and Doji is fine with them.  But he is still a spitz and if provoked he can get really nasty, really quickly.  If a big dog jumps on his back he will bite them.  I guess he just prefers to be left alone to do his own thing.  I take him to the park to run around off leash and he ignores all the other dogs unless they bother him and just runs around by himself and rolls in the dirt.

I think he will be lonely if he is alone in a new place and I love him very much and don't want him to be unhappy.  Currently my jobs do not require me to be out of the house all day but someday I may grow up and get a "real" job and that may change.  I think I may have to get another smaller dog because of the problems finding places to live when you have a larger dog.  I would like an Eskie or possibly a large Pom.

[Evania]

You could always ask the shelter if you can take the new dog on a trial run for a couple weeks to see if they can get along.  Ours here will do it so long as you're willing to put down a refundable deposit on the adoption price.

[snowballsmom]

or sign up to foster. foster to adopt. we have people do it all the time.
it;s like test driving a dog to make sure it's a good fit.

[DojiDog]

Ha ha there is no way I am taking a dog into my house from a shelter and returning it!  If I take a dog home it is not leaving again.  Doji will just have to get used to it.  But I would bring him to meet the dog before hand.  I may end up with a GSD but somehow I think he would prefer something smaller!

[snowballsmom]

sign up with eru to be a foster home