# Puppy needs a friend.



## edrlem (Sep 12, 2013)

My boyfriend and I have a 1 year old GSD and she has recently started to show signs of loneliness, we play with her all the time but since she is a very energetic dog she wares us out quickly. We would like get another puppy for her so she has someone to play with but we are unsure of what type of breed would suit her best, she is fairly big for her age so we would want to stay with a larger breed. Anyone have any suggestions?


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

The worst reason to get a second dog is as a companion for your current dog. I don't mean that as a criticism to you, at all! Most people don't realize that dogs don't NEED social fulfillment from other dogs, they need it from you. I'd be really, really willing to bet that she's not showing signs of loneliness, she's showing signs of boredom. What sort of training do you do with her? Have you considered participating in any sports, etc? This is a breed that needs much more than just play time to tire them out.

Think really, really hard about your reasons for getting a second dog. It's never a good idea unless the dog is for YOU.... saying that you want another puppy because she wears you out is a big red flag. What you'll end up with is two bored, understimulated dogs, twice the work, and twice the chaos. Focus on improving your relationship with your current dog, and if you feel that for your own fulfillment you would like a second dog, proceed only then. The general rule of thumb to follow is to hold off until your first dog is "pretty much perfect." For now, get involved in fun training with your current pup-- it'll strengthen your bond and tucker her right out


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

you should be (are) your puppy's BEST friend!


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

I agree with the previous posts. Rather than get a "friend" for your adolescent dog, increase the training and exercising she does with _you_. 

You will end up with a well trained dog that is a fantastic companion! 
Sheilah


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

one dog wears you and your BF out quickly. why do you think you and your BF can handle 2 dogs?



edrlem said:


> >>>>> My boyfriend and I have a 1 year old GSD and she has recently started to show signs of loneliness, we play with her all the time but since she is a very energetic dog she wares us out quickly. <<<<<
> 
> 
> 
> We would like get another puppy for her so she has someone to play with but we are unsure of what type of breed would suit her best, she is fairly big for her age so we would want to stay with a larger breed. Anyone have any suggestions?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

What are the signs of lonliness?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

did she tell you she was lonely? I agree with the other posters, if you've got double the time, double the expense, double the trouble, hey go for it.

Personally, I will NEVER have two dogs that close in age because I'd be committing myself to the nut house.

Dogs don't "need" doggie friends, they just need attention and love from their people


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## edrlem (Sep 12, 2013)

its not that we can't handle her, we work most of the day so she is home by herself we want to get her a another dog to play with so she shes not just laying around waiting for us to home.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

edrlem said:


> its not that we can't handle her, we work most of the day so she is home by herself we want to get her a another dog to play with so she shes not just laying around waiting for us to home.


It doesn't work that way. What you're going to have is two dogs waiting for you to come home.


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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

Sunflowers said:


> It doesn't work that way. What you're going to have is two dogs waiting for you to come home.


I agree with Sunflowers. I have two very high energy dogs (husky and GSD). While they do play together daily I still have to set aside focused time for each one. Just letting them bounce around outside does nothing. After 15 mins they get bored together and then commiserate in their mutual boredom. 

I have found I have to do training and exercise with each dog individually. If I fail to do so I end up with twice the destructive-boredom-induced mess than just the one would create. :crazy:

From my experience, adding a second dog is going double the amount of time and effort you have to invest in tiring out your dogs, not decrease it.


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## NTexFoster (Jul 18, 2013)

flirt pole! get one or make one tonight and then proceed to wear your puppy's butt out without killing yourself in the process. Then do the other stuff.

I'm mixed on the whole other dog thing. My family has 3 dogs. My daughters each have one Boxer and Kaiser is mine. Kids being kids - they don't do nearly enough with their dogs in my opinion so it falls on me. Kaiser is still a puppy and Tsunami isn't just a nick name - it's description. So when I go out on long walks with three dogs it's a lot of work.
Think about trying to control 2 dogs instead of just one. Personally, I enjoy it but it is a ton of work. 

As the others have said: don't get another dog for your dog, it doesn't need a pet. If you're getting another dog you're getting it for you.

Try doing agility training with your dog for a month and then decide if you still want another dog. Not b/c the agility training is hard, but because your relationship with your dog will change.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Add a cat to the household. My dog loved the kitties and I can see he really misses having them around (they passed away over the years due to old age  ).


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

JakodaCD OA said:


> . . . if you've got double the time, double the expense, double the trouble, hey go for it.
> 
> Personally, I will NEVER have two dogs that close in age because I'd be committing myself to the nut house. . .


Lol! So true. 

And what Sunflowers says is also true... You'll just have two dogs lying around waiting for you to come home, and then competing for your attention when you get there. 

And if they *do* play around the house together while you're away, lol! Well, there might not be much house to come home to. I'll swear that two dogs make three times the mischief 

That said, I like having two dogs, and they do enjoy each other's company, play together, etc., so I do think it enhances their lives to a degree. I wouldn't do two pups, though. I'd be in waay over my head. Yikes!!




Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

My next door neighbor has a 1 year old dog and they got a new puppy to play with the other dog. This is what he said: "This was the worst decision EVER!".


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## drosado (Aug 9, 2011)

Maybe I'm the exception to the rule. We got our 2 within 3 months of each other. R.D. was 5 months old when Mia joined our family at 2 months old. Maybe it was because they were so smart, but it really wasn't much more work having 2. R.D. was already house broken and Mia learned within 3 days. My husband is retired so he was there with them all day. One bonded more with hubby and the other to me so there wasn't too much fighting for attention when I got home. They do entertain each other when we are not giving them attention. They don't fight and we have left them in the house alone and not had any problems. The only times we have any "pulling our hair" out issues is when Mia is in heat. R.D. is 3 years old and Mia will be 3 in October.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

So you're going to leave a puppy loose in the house with her alone?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I think that it is true that dogs do better for extended periods of time if there is another creature around. They are pack animals, and many really do not do well for long periods with completely separated from any contact with another being. 

However, two puppies -- a one year old is still very much a puppy, is a lot of work. Twice the training, twice the socialization, twice the vet bills, and then what happens if they do not get along? Many feel that you should keep them separate. Training needs to be separate, and socialization needs to be separate AND together -- so that is triple the socialization. Because dogs gain confidence from their pack, so they need to be socialized separate from their pack members, AND a dog can act very differently if the pack is there, so they need to be socialized/trained with the other pack member present. 

Confused yet? Well, it can work out just fine, and it can be a huge problem.

I like the cat idea. Cats are less demanding when it comes to training and socialization, and the puppy will not be totally alone all day. 

As for the puppies wearing each other out all day, I don't know if that actually works. They are probably more likely to sleep the day away, and then need all that exercise when you get home. And remember, that two heads are always better than one, particularly when there is mischeif afoot.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

I always have multiple dogs, and they do play together and interact throughout the day. If the youngest gets bored, he will pounce on another dog and initiate some wrestling or tug. 

Problem behaviors are often squared instead of doubled when there are 2 dogs. They feed off each other. Obedience, especially off leash, is also much more difficult with 2 dogs. It is far more work than double the training load of one dog.

I would find a way to challenge your dog mentally. Hide his food and make him search for it. Try a sport like agility, Nosework, tracking, whatever... just engage his brain!

David Winners


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

DJEtzel said:


> So you're going to leave a puppy loose in the house with her alone?


I don't know how I didn't think of this, but good point.


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## Sunstreaked (Oct 26, 2010)

At first I thought "eh, already have one puppy, raising it, why not do two?" - GOOD GOD WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!? 

I know people do it and have success at it, but during the first three years of each dog's life it must have been C.R.A.Z.Y. with a capital INSANE. 

We'll be adding another dog next year (after a surgery and a daughter's wedding!) when our girl will be 4. 

I don't even have a full bred GSD, but I've seen (and done!) the amount of training, exercise, etc., that has to be done on a daily basis. We dog-sit all the time for our daughter's dog, so I've had experience with that too. 

For safety's sake, one dog is always crated when we're away from home, so there is no chance of any problems coming from short tempers. 

Get another dog for *you*, not your pup. And listen to those who DO have experience with this.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

selzer said:


> I like the cat idea. Cats are less demanding when it comes to training and socialization, and the puppy will not be totally alone all day.


A cat?? My dogs would just kill a cat. My two younger dogs do play together and wear each other out, however be aware that what they choose to play with might not be your first choice. My house-slippers, a dish towel etc... another dog won't correct problem behaviors. However if you enjoy dogs and can afford feed and vetting two then go for it.


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## My5dogs (Aug 30, 2013)

shepherdmom said:


> A cat?? My dogs would just kill a cat. My two younger dogs do play together and wear each other out, however be aware that what they choose to play with might not be your first choice. My house-slippers, a dish towel etc... another dog won't correct problem behaviors. However if you enjoy dogs and can afford feed and vetting two then go for it.


I agree. I have 3 dogs soon to be 4. Wouldnt change a thing. They've had their share of tearing up my sofa but its a puppy and my fault I didn't crate him before I went out. They grow out of it and they get along great. Inseparable.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

A German Shepherd Dog that kills a cat that lives with them has a serious temperament problem. Sorry. When I had Rush, I had an outside cat that was sort of feral -- no interaction with the dogs. I sold the boy at 4 years to a man who had a cat. The dog and cat got along fine. When I went to pick him up 3 years later, he was in the house with the cat and no problems. His owner had passed on. 

So I rehomed him to another man, who had a cat. Different cat obviously. And he has been there for several months now, and he and the cat are doing fine together. 

GSDs are a dog bred to live on farms around livestock, and certainly barn cats. GSDs have to be able to differentiate between the critters that belong on the property, and those that need to go. GSDs should not kill pet cats. That doesn't mean you bring home an adult GSD or an adult cat, and then let them have at it. But you should be able to introduce the pet-cat to the dog and supervise interaction for a few days, and then it should be ok. I think same-sex aggression between dogs is far more likely to cause issues in a family than dog-cat aggression.

And, I would probably have the dog in an x-penned or baby gated puppy proofed area, or crated, and the cat loose during the day. They do not need to be snuggling up together to feel less alone in the house all day. 

They say that pigs do not do well being raised alone so you should always raise two -- talking about meat here. And they say that horses and ponies do not do well all alone either. If you cannot afford two, then keep a goat in the barn with the horse. It is supposed to be helpful. I am thinking the best of both worlds, pup is not totally alone for 9+hours at a time, and the owners are not doing 3 times the training and socialization and exercise because they now have two young dogs.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Eh - some dogs are good with cats, some are not. Has nothing to do with the breed or their temperament.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Castlemaid said:


> Eh - some dogs are good with cats, some are not. Has nothing to do with the breed or their temperament.


I disagree. But only for resident cats.


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## BMWHillbilly (Oct 18, 2012)

I don't see what's wrong with having a playmate. I have 2 GSD's and a yellow Lab at my house and they LOVE to play together. I believe all animals need their "like kind" around or at least a buddy. I recently lost my old black Lab of 11 years and for years I so wanted him to have a buddy because he was bored of a day, but I didn't have a yard at the time or could really afford another dog. When I was able to buy a house 6 years ago with a big yard I got him a buddy. A lab pup. Big difference for him. He had someone to play with and keep company while i was at work. May not work for everyone but works for me. My dog(s) will always have a buddy.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

BMWHillbilly said:


> I don't see what's wrong with having a playmate. I have 2 GSD's and a yellow Lab at my house and they LOVE to play together. I believe all animals need their "like kind" around or at least a buddy. I recently lost my old black Lab of 11 years and for years I so wanted him to have a buddy because he was bored of a day, but I didn't have a yard at the time or could really afford another dog. When I was able to buy a house 6 years ago with a big yard I got him a buddy. A lab pup. Big difference for him. He had someone to play with and keep company while i was at work. May not work for everyone but works for me. My dog(s) will always have a buddy.


There's nothing wrong with dogs having playmates, but when you cannot handle the responsibilities of the dog you already have, it is not usually recommended to get a second YOUNG dog. Especially when they want the dogs to be playmates while they're at work- that is very unsafe for a puppy anyway, let alone two strong breeds like these without spending a lot of time making sure they are good matches. My dogs are 100% trustworthy when left alone in the house, but when there are two of them together, they just get into trouble together, not keep each other entertained.


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

DJEtzel said:


> There's nothing wrong with dogs having playmates, but when you cannot handle the responsibilities of the dog you already have, it is not usually recommended to get a second YOUNG dog. Especially when they want the dogs to be playmates while they're at work- that is very unsafe for a puppy anyway, let alone two strong breeds like these without spending a lot of time making sure they are good matches. My dogs are 100% trustworthy when left alone in the house, but when there are two of them together, they just get into trouble together, not keep each other entertained.



I agree!


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

selzer said:


> A German Shepherd Dog that kills a cat that lives with them has a serious temperament problem. Sorry. GSDs should not kill pet cats.
> 
> 
> > I've had 5 GSD dogs every single one of them was a cat killer including my rescue. I don't consider them bad dogs they all have gotten along fine with people kids and other big dogs. Cats are prey.
> ...


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Cat killer, having killed a stray cat, I don't think that is an issue. But GSDs should be able to adapt to living with other small creatures, they should be able to accept resident small animals on the farm, ie chickens, lambs, goats, etc. And within the home, GSDs should be able to live with other pets, including cats. 

My brother's dog, Jazzy killed a kitten when it lived at my place. The kitten came over from next door and Jazz grabbed it and shook it, and it died, eventhough I got it away from her right away. That makes her a cat-killer, but she lived with cats before she came to me, and after my brother took her back, he had 3 cats, and she never hurt any of them. And she left me at 5 years old and lived past 12, so seven years after killing that stray kitten, she lived with cats with no problems. 

In my opinion, a GSD that cannot adjust to a resident cat has a loose screw.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

selzer said:


> Cat killer, having killed a stray cat, I don't think that is an issue. But GSDs should be able to adapt to living with other small creatures, they should be able to accept resident small animals on the farm, ie chickens, lambs, goats, etc.
> 
> In my opinion, a GSD that cannot adjust to a resident cat has a loose screw.


Shrug... doesn't bother me. I tried to force it once. Learned my lesson. Poor cat!  No more cats for me as long as I have GSD's.


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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

just put your dog in doggy day care. probably just as expensive as getting another pup without all the hassle


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