Introducing an adult? UPDATED
Ok, this is for all you multi-dog people out there!
We have been searching for a puppy, but it's short notice to get one this summer (long story on why we're looking on such short notice, but we have a good reason!).
We have had a possibility fall into our laps. A wonderful woman who shows and occasionally breeds has a 6-year-old female that she would like to place in a forever home. She was helping us (very kindly, I might add, as we never got a puppy from her and only met her once) find us a breeder who might have a litter, when she asked if we might consider taking in a middle-aged spayed female who is ready to retire.
So, I sent a long list of questions about her history, behavior with other dogs, socialization, etc. What is everyone's experience bringing in an adult? Jack loves other dogs, but of course living with one 24/7 is not the same as playing with one outside or having one stop by the house for a little while.
Anything special I should consider? This dog lives in the house and if she is one I remember meeting, is very sweet. She is used to other dogs, but I am waiting to hear how she is otherwise.
Puppy-raising is great fun, but there is also some appeal to the idea of bringing in an adult who's already house-broken and past the eating-the-furniture stage of development.
It's something I might consider, but of course it would need to be the right move for both myself and my husband, and of course my existing pets.
Update!
Ok, now it's decision time.
First of all, more about Becky. She is 6 and was recently spayed. She has all her breeding health clearances. She is on thyroid medication. Any experience with that?
She was acquired as a three-year-old from one breeder, after having had two litters. The breeder I am talking to now finished out Becky's championship and had one litter with her. Now she is retired and was recently spayed.
She is apparently sweet and submissive. Good with kids (we don't have any, but we are always swarmed by them out walking). She is not sure how she'd be with cats, but says she is so sweet and laid-back she doubts she'd chase a cat. Apparently this is NOT a rough-and-tumble Corgi; however who knows what she'd be like in a house with just one other dog and a more steady routine than that of a show dog.
IF we decided to take her, we would have her on a two-week trial or so initially, and of course if at any point things didn't work out, the breeder would take her back.
Now here's the dilemma. This very kind woman has also hooked us up with a breeder in New Jersey who has a litter of 9-week-olds that will be ready to go soon. I am not sure if she would have a female available, but I corresponded with her and specifically requested a female, and she did not say no. I am meant to talk to her today as well.
It never rains but it pours! So, now I have to decide, puppy or adult? I do love puppies and puppy-raising. On the other hand, we went through a year and a bit of getting Jack to the point where he was mature enough to be reliable left alone and didn't need so much work every day. Then we went through almost 6 months where my husband was working evenings and Sundays, so finally we've just gotten our lives back after almost two years of chaos, and that makes a made adult sound appealing as well.
I have her pic. I can post it later when I'm home.
We have been searching for a puppy, but it's short notice to get one this summer (long story on why we're looking on such short notice, but we have a good reason!).
We have had a possibility fall into our laps. A wonderful woman who shows and occasionally breeds has a 6-year-old female that she would like to place in a forever home. She was helping us (very kindly, I might add, as we never got a puppy from her and only met her once) find us a breeder who might have a litter, when she asked if we might consider taking in a middle-aged spayed female who is ready to retire.
So, I sent a long list of questions about her history, behavior with other dogs, socialization, etc. What is everyone's experience bringing in an adult? Jack loves other dogs, but of course living with one 24/7 is not the same as playing with one outside or having one stop by the house for a little while.
Anything special I should consider? This dog lives in the house and if she is one I remember meeting, is very sweet. She is used to other dogs, but I am waiting to hear how she is otherwise.
Puppy-raising is great fun, but there is also some appeal to the idea of bringing in an adult who's already house-broken and past the eating-the-furniture stage of development.
It's something I might consider, but of course it would need to be the right move for both myself and my husband, and of course my existing pets.
Update!
Ok, now it's decision time.
First of all, more about Becky. She is 6 and was recently spayed. She has all her breeding health clearances. She is on thyroid medication. Any experience with that?
She was acquired as a three-year-old from one breeder, after having had two litters. The breeder I am talking to now finished out Becky's championship and had one litter with her. Now she is retired and was recently spayed.
She is apparently sweet and submissive. Good with kids (we don't have any, but we are always swarmed by them out walking). She is not sure how she'd be with cats, but says she is so sweet and laid-back she doubts she'd chase a cat. Apparently this is NOT a rough-and-tumble Corgi; however who knows what she'd be like in a house with just one other dog and a more steady routine than that of a show dog.
IF we decided to take her, we would have her on a two-week trial or so initially, and of course if at any point things didn't work out, the breeder would take her back.
Now here's the dilemma. This very kind woman has also hooked us up with a breeder in New Jersey who has a litter of 9-week-olds that will be ready to go soon. I am not sure if she would have a female available, but I corresponded with her and specifically requested a female, and she did not say no. I am meant to talk to her today as well.
It never rains but it pours! So, now I have to decide, puppy or adult? I do love puppies and puppy-raising. On the other hand, we went through a year and a bit of getting Jack to the point where he was mature enough to be reliable left alone and didn't need so much work every day. Then we went through almost 6 months where my husband was working evenings and Sundays, so finally we've just gotten our lives back after almost two years of chaos, and that makes a made adult sound appealing as well.
I have her pic. I can post it later when I'm home.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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Well, you are on the right track with a female. Usually a male / female match will work best. We added a 6 year old doberman to our household last fall. Now my dog's knew her but one of them did not like her. It did help that they had been together so if it is possible for a couple get togethers I would recommend that. Otherwise generally a different location for the first meet is a good idea. Also walking together is a great way to build unity. I have introduced a lot of cats over the years and I find the best way is to keep them separated for a few days before but in the same house so they can smell each other and even see each other without being able to touch. I don't know if that would work with dogs. We are careful to feed in the same order and several feet away from each other so it is very clear whose food is whose. As the dobe eats slower than the corgis, I stood by her for a few days in case the corgis needed a reminder that there is no sharing. I know other people on this site have introduced rescues a lot so you will get more advice too. Good luck, I hope it works out for you. It is fun having more than one!
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Oh would definatly consider this...but proceed with the questions you are asking and maybe even ask if you can talk with her vet....you want to make sure she has no health problems and that she is current with shots/heartworm etc. which she most likely is!Yes the behaviors too! I brought 4 rescues into my home...ok garage for the 1st few weeks due to no training and found these dogs to be so loving but just never given the chance to be a member of a family...Would this woman (if she knew you were serious) let you have a week trial to make sure it worked or take her back if after a few weeks it wasn't a "good fit"? I would do this and if she wants a forever home and this dog to be happy...I would think she would consider this.I myself had thought of doing this with one of my spayed females and I would have done a trial...this woman could not have a dog in her apartment that was under a year!
If it was me bringing an adult in I would also be careful for the 1st few weeks that they each could have their own "space" as they get used to each other especially if you will be gone...maybe the new one behind a gate in a hall or bathroom just till you know for sure they get along! I really don't see a problem with this if both dogs like other dogs...unless jealousy would be a problem but that is something you could control by how you handle the situation. I know my 1st rescue went to a home with no dogs and they just adopted a 2nd dog after a year and all is well.
Good luck and I hope you update me with what you do and how it is going! If she is a sweet dog she will be a sweet dog for you too!
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Permalink Reply by Butter on
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We adopted a 9 year old retired show/stud dog over a year ago. He has been a true blessing in our lives.
However, we were told he was healthy by the Canadian Kennel Club breeder and he certainly looked it. It wasn't until we took possession of him and took him to the vets for a check-up that the vet said "oh, you got the sick one". Also, he was overdue by over a year for his shots, etc. It is now over a year later and he does have serious injuries to his front legs. He has had a rough summer.
If I could do it all over again, I would have asked to see his medical record at the vets first and gone and talked to the vet in person.
I would recommend getting an older dog...if we had to do it again though, we would get a younger one. Nine is really too old because now we aren't sure how long we will have him.
He came as a perfect gentleman and we can leave him alone all day and he doesn't touch a thing. It is really nice to be able to not worry about him getting into things. There are a lot of advantages to skipping the puppy stages.
He is one in a million and a sweetheart; it is just that we don't want to lose him.
Good luck!
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Boy, you have a tough decision ahead of you! I don't know what I would do. Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Corgibyassociation on
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Even though I'm in my puppy craze again (sigh) I still remember everything I went through with Freya to not want one any time soon. I do have a Foster, which is almost like having a puppy (in that I have to take him out on potty walks not so much in training him--it's a time thing really.) So, consider time factors and money factors, which I'm sure you have.
Also, the meeting in a neutral place is a good idea. With Cloud and Milo, it took us moving Milo's crate into the living room to get Cloud used to him and currently with an extreme desire to meet him. Cloud has exhibited the similar behavior he had when we first brought Freya, except Milo is a male who had a near death experience with Cloud and want no interaction with Cloud because of it. So, if the walk doesn't work, try the crate, it will take a few days but eventually your pup will get used to her.
There's pros and cons to both sides. You can almost expect that one of them will pick up the other's habit (much like Freya has picked up a lot of Milo and Cloud's habits.) With a puppy, it's pretty much a fair game that your pup will get along with her, but with an adult there's no real way of knowing unless you try it. But if she is submissive as the lady told you, you should be fine.
Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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I look at all the puppy pictures people post here and think "how cute!" but then I think of the time involved.... so I keep weighing the pros and cons in my head.
She would gladly meet us at a neutral location so Jack and Becky could check each other out. We can easily keep them separate for awhile while they get used to each other, using baby gates and pens or crates.
The nice thing with a puppy is you get to raise them to be the dog you want. They are a lot of fun to go along with the work, and those playful puppy months can be a blast. Puppies learn new things in a day. Some things, like "leave it" can be very hard to teach an adult dog if she does not already know it, but are super-easy to teach a puppy. We would be almost guaranteed that she would grow up to be great friends with Jack.
We both work full time, though, and what that means is getting up at 5:30 for a few months so puppy has playtime before work, and coming home at lunch every day til pup is 9 months old and can hold it that long, and hardly ever going out (we're pretty much homebodies anyway, but it's nice to be able to go out to dinner now and then) because I don't know about y'all, but when we have a puppy that's been penned from 8-5:15 with a half-hour break at lunch, and then will be crated all night, we feel morally obliged to spend the bulk of the evening playing with puppy.
I remember a few months when Jack was not yet reliable for not peeing on the rug when I would spend a good part of each evening hanging out in the kitchen. Can't read, can't garden, can't watch a movie, must play with puppy!
So getting an adult would mean that after a couple months phase-in, we would have much more freedom. However, she and Jack might not bond with each other as much. Also, since this is a housedog and not a true rescue who's been through various foster situations, it might take her some time to realize she's not going back "home" and is our dog now, which means we'd have to be very very careful that she didn't get loose, etc. We are used to letting Jack off-leash away from traffic, and that would probably not be wise with a rehomed dog.
So much to consider, and I keep coming up with a near tie!
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Oh Beth, this is so hard! I don't know how you decide! When we got Izzy she was already 4 months old and we did miss out on the adorable baby stage. I look at baby photos of my others and wonder what she must have looked like. But I really did not miss the lengthy potty training stage, Izzy was trained pretty quick because she had been started. I bet whatever you decide will be a great choice since you love corgis anyway! Keep us posted!
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Permalink Reply by Sam on
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I think you are well informed as to what a pup has to offer. As a long time rescuer I will share our experiences with placing adult dogs. Generally show dogs are quite well socialized when they are out. Depending on the homes they are in they may spend a good amount of time in a kennel. There are some folks that keep dogs as part of the family but if the numbers are high they generally spend lots of time confined.
It is a rare corgi that is unable to move on and love a new family. I think they are an amazingly adaptable breed and settle in to a new routine quite well. Dont forget that show dogs generally are handled by many different people and stay in many different settings. They are no stranger to moving around. Actually going to a "forever" home may be the first time they ever truly bond in a family setting.
The issues that you may have to deal with are food possession. I always encourage our adopters to feed dogs in separate quarters and pick up dishes when they are done. You may find your resident dog to become a bit jealous and be grumbly at the newcomer. That is normal but should be redirected. I would encourage you not to leave them alone together until you feel certain they do get along well. I am guessing that the girl would soon be the boss in your home. Girls often rule the roost and many boys are happy to let this happen.
I believe most corgis will be most adaptable if they have a generally good temperament. It is a rare corgi that we place that does not get along in their new home. Good luck!
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I met this dog about two-and-a-half years ago, when Ann (the woman who is placing her now) first got her, and at that time she was a bit shy and as you said had not been inside much. Ann does keep all her dogs inside and apparently this dog's crate is in her bedroom, but as you mentioned she has other adults and young ones to occupy her time as well. She is currently showing one of this bitch's young daughters, as a matter of fact. She also had one older adult female that is her "heart dog" and had a teenager she was bringing along when we met her before we got Jack. So yes, I am sure she is used to bouncing around quite a bit.
We just talked to the puppy breeder and she was wonderful too. She definitely will have a female available, as they have one mismark in the litter. She said the mismark bitch has a great personality and conformation and were it not for the mismark, she'd keep her and show her but of course can't.
I too have a sneaky suspicion that a female would soon sneak her way up to #1 rank, no matter how submissive she is in her current setting. Jack is very rough-and-tumble in play, but if another dog curls a lip at him he's outta there. My brothers tiny little Jack Russell, Ozzie once air-snapped at our dog here in our own living room when our Jackpot got a little rough playing, and Jack immediately backed away from Ozzie, even though Oz is a quarter his size and it's, uh, Jack's house! LOL
Anyway, I think what we might do is meet Becky on neutral ground and see if she warms up to Jack. It would be two weeks before we could meet the puppies anyway, so hopefully that gives us plenty of time to sort it all out and make our decision.
I really appreciate everyone's feedback, and will continue to take any input people have to offer.
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Permalink Reply by Julie on
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I rescued Caleb when he was a year and a half, not very old, but well past the puppy phase. My next dog will also be a rescue. I have NOTHING against buying from a breeder (I'm tempted when I see everyone's puppy pictures), but the way I look at it is: puppies are adopted / bought / rescued much faster than older dogs (or even dogs that are still very puppyish yet have outgrown the tiny cute puppy phase) , so why not give an older dog a chance? If you're willing to take on the extra cost for a dog that needs thyroid medicine (Is it just a pill a day or am I thinking of something else?), then I say give that girl a chance! :-D But of course, when it boils down to it, it's whatever works best for you and your family.
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Becky, according to her owner, gets a half pill with her breakfast and a half pill with her supper. I looked it up online and thyroid meds should only run about $20 per month. Considering that we would get a rehomed adult for about 1/3 the cost of a puppy, and she's already spayed, the money for meds is not really a problem at all.
I know Becky will get a great home whether we get her or not, but of course I feel we provide a wonderful home for a Corgi so we feel we would be doing right by her and her lovely owner if we choose that route. Now let me find the picture....
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