I've got the opposite situation-I have 4 year old female lab named Mia who is scared of all dogs and is pretty well trained. We have issues with alert barking and barreling to the door first. We just got Rogue-a little male lab a month ago. It took over 2 weeks for her to be in the same room even when he was in his playpen but she is adjusting and starting to play with him. That said she is actually improving with door behavior because the little one always waits for me to go first. I let her watch me train him and she wants to participate so she does whatever I tell him to do. I'm pretty sure her alert barking will get better when she sees Rogue get treats for being quiet (he has just found his bark so we will start training bark/quiet). Adding a second lab has helped her behavior even though they have completely different personalities and it's been wonderful for all of us.
DH has been broody for a puppy for a few months now. Harls is only 11 months old. So the other morning we had the serious discussion about another pup. Originally we were going to get a Rottie, because they are DH's dream dogs but after thinking it over for a few years we decided to start with a dog that may be less intimidating for me. I am afraid of large dogs and although I wasn't afraid that I would be bitten by a Rottweiller, I did worry that I may not be able to train one. Long story short, we got a labrador and I have been bitten more than I probably would have by a pack of Rotties. Anyway. So the other morning I say to DH that if we are going to consider another pup we need to start looking at breeders and putting out name on lists of Rottie breeders that we are interested in, the process will probably take at least a year and then Harley will be a month shy of 2 years old. It really broke my heart because DH said then that he doesn't feel it is right to bring another dog into the house. Harley is the focus of our attention (along with her feline brothers) but she revels in her life. He can't cope with her thinking there is another dog that is being loved along with her. So I remind him of the original agreement about getting a Rottie and how it has always been his dream. And then he said that he can understand why we can't get another dog, Harley can't understand why there is another dog. So for the foreseeable future Harley will be an only dog, doted on and loved to within an inch of her yellow body.
I know I'm bring up an old thread...but it must make a difference say if my sister was to move in with me and my puppy and she got a puppy (I think I'll still wait for my puppy to be older 18mths approx.)...
Ah that made me so excited reading about getting a rottie puppy @Harley Quinn ! My friend just got one a couple months back and she is sooo cute. I keep harassing my OH if we can get a rottie puppy now. He says that until Axel can walk on leash with a loose lead, the answer is no. So now I really REALLY have to train Axel.
And I just realized this is an old thread. Oops. Oh well, has your OH said yes to a rottie puppy yet @Harley Quinn ?
Not at the moment. At this time he is set on us only having Harley because he says she won't understand why she isn't getting all the love in the house. And she really does, so much of what we do is centered on her. I am going to chat to him next year about it though. I love Rotties, they are awesome.
I really can't imagine just having one dog in the house! We never intended to have three, it just happened, in the most back to front way I guess. Benson was just 11 months old when the Beanwood pack started to expand...and well trained? Err no... Casper came along as a foster, just for a few weeks, no more. But he bonded instantly with Benson and my OH, coupled with his deep sadness and fear issues, we just couldn't let him go. Bramble came along as an 8 week old puppy when Benson was three, and Casper seven, a good age gap really. We were fortunate really in the fact she was truly a dream puppy right from day one. One key factor all three share is exceptional temperaments and great doggy manners. We have had a few stumbles and mistakes along the way, but to be expected I guess. We didn't anticipate that the relationship Casper has with Benson would lead to separation anxiety. So we have to manage that. We now know why, and that in his previous home he was raised with another labrador, and they were inseparable. Casper has a very real fear of abandonment. Bramble also as a puppy was very close to Benson, and adored playing with him, so it was a bit of challenge to become the centre of her world when training with me was boring. Bramble just wanted to play with Benson who was always happy to oblige and he was FUN! I would be sat trying to engage with Bramble when she could see Benson pulling funny faces at her! The Beanwood Pack also has cats, just one now Remy. We did have 4 cats at one time, sadly lost three to old age and cancer over the last 3 years.
