ADVICE PLEASE Getting nervous

[Taylor's mom]

Okay all of you with more than one Newf I need your advice.

The time when Coleridge is to come here is getting closer. Samuel is my BEST friend and is so loving and close to me!!! I am afraid that I will lose that and that the two dogs will bond and won't be as close to us as now. I know they will keep each other company BUT I want them to want to be with me! Selfish -- maybe -- but I don't care...

Questions are: Will I lose the closeness I have with Samuel when Coleridge arrives? Will it be harder to train the puppy with a 10 month old dog? Will Samuel's feelings get hurt and will he feel left out? He is the center of our universe right now.

Can you all tell I have only had one dog at a time??? People are telling me it is a mistake and I will regret it -- BIG TIME!!!

Please be honest with me and let me know you thoughts.

Thanks -- I don't want to make a mistake and hurt either dog. I would go without Coleridge if that was the case...

[ 08-21-2004, 06:53 PM: Message edited by: Taylor's mom ]

 

[Angela]

Such a long time ago that I only had one Newf LOL, I have to think hard!!
I got the 2nd Newf when Gus was 16 mths, he was very bonded and stayed that way.
You will need to set time aside for doing things just with him, and things just with the puppy so they both have special time with you separately.
Sure they will bond together and play together and Taylor will have to learn to share his toys and your attention and maybe his nose will be out of joint for the first little while but he will I'm sure stay bonded to you.
Good luck and I'm sure all will be fine.

 

[dbradley]

I don't have two newfs...I have a newf and a crazy porcupine looking mutt. I don't think it matters if it's two newfs or not. Same issues probably. We got moya the newf first and Madigan when moya was about 11 months.

Honestly I see positives and negatives to having two dogs. IN regards to the training thing, yes it is harder when both dogs are young. Moya was still a little into the puppy crazies when we got Madigan so for a while there it was two puppies and we didn't quite know what to handle first. That is a problem. Also their behaviors will influence each other, especially if one is still young and impressionable. Moya was never a barker. She rarely barked. But Madigan barks at everything that goes by our back gate...Guess who picked up that behavior too?! So good or bad they will learn from each other. I never directly taught Madigan "down" but she sure knows it...

It is nice to see two dogs have a relationship. That is a positive. Sort of like watching your children forming bonds with each other. They are truly friends and I have watched their relationship really develop. They both are protective of each other and Moya was protecting Madigan from the moment we got her.

AS for losing your special relationship with your first dog, again I'd have to compare it to children. I never thought I'd love anyone more than my daughter. Then my son came along and I love him just as much but in different ways. Same thing with my dogs. They have distinctly different personalities. Moya would defend us to the death although she is not a cuddler and sleeps on the floor next to my bed. Madigan wants nothing more than to be touching me at all times and does her best to sleep in between bill and I in bed. Moya is confident. Madigan is timid. I can take moya everywhere. Madigan is more fun to play ball with.

You will find a different bond with each dog and neither will be stronger than the other. Hope that helps.

[ 08-21-2004, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: NutzyCat ]

 

[bigdoglover]

i agree that two dogs can work out just fine-i also don't have a newf yet but we have a sharpei and a lab-they are so close, we call them sisters. they love each other so much and have such a special relationship with each other and with us also. i love them both more than i ever thought that i could but differently. they do each have their own likes and dislikes-i try to have special time with each of them doing what they love to do. and, i have not lost the closeness with either of them-now, what do you guys think of three dogs? i want a puppy so badly-but, i don't know how much longer i will have with these two left. the pei will be 12 in nov. but is preety darn healthy-the lab is 9-do i dare add one more to the mix???

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

Somewhere I read once that the cruelest thing you can do to a dog is to have just one! They really do keep each other company. I have 4 dogs and like Damian said, they are all different. Like children, they play together but their relationship with you should not change. I think things will work out well for you especially that you were confident with your decision to get another until your well meaning friends seem to tell you that you making a mistake "Big Time"! Apparently they don't own dogs or own just one. Hopefully you will soon be able to tell them what they are missing.

 

[brady]

We ask ourselves why did we wait so long to get the second one. Brady was just over 1 when we brought Timmy home. We thought we would crate Tim to give him his own space, that lasted about 3 days when Brady decided the crate was his.
Brady always has been and still is the alpha dog. But they are just the best of buddies. Brady doesn't show it as much as Tim. You will have no regrets. 2 (or more) is definately better than 1! Good luck and congratulations.

 

[kodydixie]

My hubby and I were just talking about this tonight on our walk. We love both dogs and couldn't imagine loving one more than the other. Yes, it is like children, we have more than enough love to share. Each dog has it's own personality and things you will love about it. And, each dog will have things you DO Not love about it! My two are 14 months apart and get jealous if I show one attention over the other. They like to play with each other but love the pets the family gives them. They definitely still need to be close to their people. Two is just more to love and be loved. (you will have lots more hair and drool and time spent grooming though!) So don't worry and enjoy them both!

 

[newfmalcolmlover]

I agree with all the comments. We've never had trouble with jealous dogs. Dogs need another dog to keep them company. Ours are the best of friends. I take turns who goes for rides etc. with us. They all go camping with us usally too. Malcolm pouts if the others aren't with him. It's hard at 1st with 2 youngsters, but they'll and you will enjoy years of companionship with both.

 

[2Paws]

I have to agree with all of the comments too. Sadie (our lab) was 9 years old when Benson came into our lives. Her nose was alittle out of joint at first and I think for the first three months she thought Benson was a visitor. Now they are the best of friends.

Benson's arrival did not change the relationship we have with Sadie. If anything it even made it stronger. Benson loves his big sister but is very closely bonded to "Mommy". I also heard about dogs bonding more with each other than with us humans and I personally haven't experienced this with our two.

I truly think Sadie is happier having her little brother around and when I see them snuggled together sleeping, I know we did the right thing.

You will do fine with your new addition. It truly is like introducing a new child into the family. Be sure and have a special new toy for Samuel and give him lots of reassurance that he is still very special. The two boys are going to have so much fun!!!!!

 

[BoundlessNewfs]

Think of it as the difference between having an "only child" and having two children. They are naturally going to want to play (and fight) with their sibling, but they are still going to want that quality time with mom, when they get to snuggle and be with you.

Training can be a challenge, since neither of them wants to be left out, but it's also good for them to learn that they don't always get their own way. Sometimes mom has to say "NO" and mean it. For a while, I had to put Maggie or Lucy in their crates, while I took the other one outside to do leash work. If I left the one loose in the house, they were bouncing off the glass door, which was dangerous. Now that they're a little older (almost 8 months, and a year) they're better about things. I can just tell the one to go lie down (especially if I distract them with a marrow bone!), while I work with the other one.

You will always have that closeness, but it may not be day-in/day-out by-your-side stuff. But then, you would want your children to make friends and have interests of their own...so the same holds with the dogs. Let them have their playmates and fun with their sibling, then be there for the snuggling later.

Oh, and you won't regret it for a minute......well, maybe once in a while, when the two of them have gotten into some mischief! haha, but now you'll have twice as much puppy fluff to cuddle.

Bigdoglover Add the third one to the mix while your other two are still agile enough to teach the pup some manners. Also, if you add a newfie, remember that the silly goofs don't realize how big they are, and they can bowl over an elderly dog and hurt them, so be sure to monitor playtime. Teach the pup "off" and "leave it" while it's little, so you can just holler that when it starts to play too rough with your senior citizens. Of course, you might have older dogs who will set the pup straight, right from the start, and then the pup will respect their space. Our old Haley (12 yr old lab mix) never set Maggie straight, so Mags thinks she can bully her. When we brought Lucy home, Haley snapped at her the first time Lucy bumped her too hard, and now(even though she towers over Haley) Lucy respects Haley's space and rarely forgets to behave near her. Go ahead and get another pup. There are soooo many who need a loving home.

[ 08-23-2004, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: New2Newfs ]

 

[Taylor's mom]

Thanks for all of the reassurance. I appreciate it.

When you talk about it's like having two children. That's not so reassuring to me. I have two children -- they are 23 months apart. They always have and still want all my attention. They DID NOT get along. They are a different as night and day. They didn't fight, argue or EVER get into any type of trouble. They just ignored each other. We had a very quiet house while they grew up. And to this day, they are 25 and 27 they still don't talk. They will be polite to each other as if they are total strangers. No matter what I tried while they grew up it didn't matter. Finally I thought -- we are all different and I am not going to force the issue.

So when it comes to the dogs I start to think about my kids and it scares me...

We are still thinking but I'm sure it would work out.

Thanks.

 

[Sailorgirl]

Hi Taylor's Mom!

I can understand your concerns because I'm thinking about a lot of the same things. But the thing I keep getting back to is how Hudson just seems to light up when he gets to play with another dog. I truly think he is just so happy when he gets to play with his own kind. I can only imagine how happy he would be if he had a permanent playmate.

You have so much love to give your animals ... it would almost be a shame if you didn't share it with one more!

Plus ... you know in your heart that you already love Coleridge!

 

[Taylor's mom]

Samuel enjoys playing with other dogs BUT it is short lived. After a short period of time he just ignores them.

The poor dog from down the road use to come over all the time and the last two times he has come over Samuel played too rough. He plows the poor guy down. Trapper use to be bigger than Samuel and now Samuel towers over Trapper (Lab/Rott cross). So after Samuel plowed him over then stood over him wagging his tail as Trapper laid kicking like crazy -- Trapper then got up and ran across the field home. Hasn't come back.

Mike said he thinks Samuel needs someone his own size to play with.

 

[Sailorgirl]

Mike is right!

 

[AngusMcDubhsMom]

Hi Taylor's Mom,
I can sure relate with the kids not being close. I have 4 girls and the differences are amazing. It always saddened me that they were not close to one another, although 2 of them have become so, while the others haven't. I also felt anxious about getting a 2nd Newf. I did so, because I wanted Angus to have a buddy. He and his 1/2 sister are 14 months apart. They sometimes are jealous, but also play together. They have completely different personalities. He's incredibly tolerant and she's a fireball. He is definitely "momma's boy",but she misses him or me equally if left behind. Training is impossible together, but they both thrive on individual time with me. Sometimes I cannot take both of them with me at the same time, so one stays with "dad", but I miss the one left behind. Like children, they pull on your heartstrings. That being said, I am glad I have both of them and I love them for different qualities.You have to balance your needs with theirs. It's not easy; but neither are children. I wouldn't trade one for anything!

 

[sooozsimmons]

I can understand exactly how you are feeling. We lost our Newf two years ago on Aug 16th and our 12 1/2 year old Beardie,Briar had been on his own since. Since this day, he has never been very sociable with other dogs, never "going for them", just preferring to be on his own. The day after Boss' 2nd anniversary, a friend of ours turned up in a panic, having just found a tiny abandoned puppy (approx. 3 weeks old). We took him to our vet and said we would have a go at fostering him (having unsuccessfully tried to give a home to a Newf in one of our local rescues- despite having 500 dogs, they would not let him go, saying he was one of their favourites!??).The pup was so badly dehydrated that he was not given a great chance of survival. However, he rallied and the next day, we brought him home. We had no time to introduce Briar and "Oli" gradually, more like with a thumping great wallop, the puppy arrived. We have to watch Briar with him, as although we don't think he would hurt the pup meaning to, he has very bad arthritis now in his front legs and (understandably doesn't like being jumped on and bitten by mini "razor-teeth"!!) So, he tends to give a warning growl, get up and walk away. Every day, is an improvement and Briar is gradually coming nearer to Oli and staying indoors with him for slightly longer periods, although he still gets up and walks away if Oli gets too close. Sometimes, things are meant to be. We like to think Oli is Boss' gift to us, How could we say "No". Like with us, persevere, give them both lots of love, time and reassurance and I'm sure it'll all work out well for you all.

"Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present"........Enjoy it!