Adding a Puppy - What to look for?

[taltolson]

Hi Ya'll! Wondering if you'd share your experiences with adding a puppy to your senior's life? 

We have one Eski, Sara, she'll be 12 in just a few days. Time passes so fast! Anyway, we are in the process of buying a house (lots of hurry up and wait, time passes so slow!, haha) and should move in a month or two.  We've been wanting to get another Eski for a long time but decided it was best to wait till we had the house/yard so this year is the time, finally! I was hoping you all could share with me what to expect from Sara, or at least your experiences?  12 isn't really all that old, is it? Other than some mild difficulty jumping on to our rather tall bed (jumps into a chair spry as ever) and preferring the light to be on when going down the stairs (no stairs in new house anyway) you can hardly tell that Sara is aging. Never any health problems or behavioral problems. She 'tolerates' other dogs, very little playing with them, even my mom's shnauzers whom she's lived with and sees frequently. Though she's always shown more interest in the white colored dogs she's seen at dog parks and such, so perhaps she'd love another of her kind?  I have no concerns about Sara adjusting to the new house, she's gonna love having free access to a yard! But i'm wondering what adding a puppy will do? (I'd consider a rescue or such but my husband has never ever had a puppy and would like that experience, so... puppy it is).

Thoughts? Comments? Funny Stories?

[BanaerEskies]

for a well socialized senior, a puppy can keep 'em young!  Try to go meet your potential puppy several times so Sarah can get used to him/her.  First meeting may not go well, but hopefully they will get better.  There are always those who don't adjust to having a young whipper-snapper in the household and end up needing constant monitoring or even separating.   Hopefully by visiting puppies you will get a handle on Sarah's attitude of a new pup.  Take things slow and be sure both are comfortable with each other. 

I actually trust my seniors with my pups more than the younger dogs because they have learned tolerance and are not likely to play whereas the younger dogs want to play and can be too rough on a young one.

good luck!

[Saint Mom]

Nuuk and Tako are 8 years old and Kooza just got into their lives.

It was love at 1st sight with Takoda. They have a blast together and never ever had an issue with the 2 of them. They sleep side-by-side (at least Tako tries as Kooza can be a pest with him. hihi)

With Nuuk, it was not so great at 1st. She did "attack" him twice in the beginning. Now they have fun for the tug-o-war thing. Big time. But no playing, some chasing but that's it. We always watch those 2 when they get into a play-mode, just in case as Nuuk would be too rough for what Kooza likes.

Kooza can be fast in games but he is a smooth player, like Tako. Nuuk is a tough girl.

[Christinn]

How exciting!!! Sounds like Sara may do very well with a puppy. Buck was about 12 and Shelby was 12 1/2 when we got Merlin.  Merlin brought the puppy back out in Buck.  Buck did very well with Merlin after he got over the shock of having a strange dog in the house.  They were playing before 24 hours were up.   Shelby stayed away from them at first but eventually warmed up.  She wasn't very healthy at that point,  couldn't see well and was pretty much deaf so I figure that was part of it.  Good luck on your puppy search!  Can't wait to hear all about your new puppy.

[taltolson]

Well - we didn't actually get a puppy. And I'm glad! We contacted Diane at Nordic Whispers since she was working on a litter and she had a 4yo boy to place, so we now have Khuno as part of our family!    He's a standard, aprox 30-35lbs (haven't gotten on scale yet) from her very first litter ever I believe. It's so amazing how similar and yet dissimilar he and Sara (12yo mini at 20lbs) are!

We haven't had any difficulty integrating him.  She amicably tolerates him, but there have been no fights over toys, food, beds etc.  He so desperately wants to play with her, but she'll have none of it.  She does play more, with us, but not with him....perhaps as time goes on that will change.

We are having to re-learn lots of doggie basics. Sara is very mild, quiet, polite.  Khuno is playful, energetic, and Taller and Spooky Silent!! HOW he managed to get a brownie muffin out of the muffin tin on top of the stove without making a single sound!!  He didn't eat it, just brought it to me to play with, "Please please play, i'v got something I know you want.....wag wag wag"

[DesertEskie]

Welcome, Khuno!!  Love the muffin pilfering story!

[jeannette84xx]

sound so cute! please show us a picture of them together!

[Yukon]

Wonderful, congratulations!!!   Diane has gorgeous dogs, and Khuno is no exception!  Kiska's daddy is her boy Wilson. 

HOW he managed to get a brownie muffin out of the muffin tin on top of the stove without making a single sound!!  He didn't eat it, just brought it to me to play with, "Please please play, i'v got something I know you want.....wag wag wag"

I love it!  Looks like he's trying to use positive reinforcement to train mommy to play with him...    Chocolate brownies is a great reward.  Good boy Khuno!!