# Introducing a New Puppy to an 11 year old?



## Gingerbread93 (Mar 3, 2012)

Hello! This is my first post here and I joined for this very specific question. I could REALLY REALLY REALLY use some help. I am the proud owner of an 11 year old Pure Bread German Shepherd named Gingerbread. She is very sassy, spoiled, and really fantastic. Recently, my older sister and my Dad have been seriously considering getting a new German Shepherd puppy. I think this is a bad idea but my Dad and my sister, especially seem to be pretty convinced.

Here's some more information about Gingerbread:
She's 11 years old and has hip displaycia (Sorry about the spelling). She has arthritis in her legs and also has an immune system issue where her nails would get infected and bleed when we cut them from right when she was a puppy. The vets said because of this, she'd be lucky to see 7 years. (Yeah, she's kind of boss like that) She suffers from anxiety and stresses out a lot. 

On the upside, she has a wonderful energy and is always barking and protecting the house. She loves to play with toys, even if she's running a little slower these days, and she also loves attention and being spoiled. She loves people and her family and eats like a horse.

As far as other dogs she doesn't get along with them too well because they tend to make her anxious. She is our first and only dog, and likes to think she's the queen of the universe. It seems that unless the other dog is challenging her, she really just wants to boss them around and play with them, and has had a couple of neighborhood dogs who she still gets happy about seeing. My aunt brings her 4 year old Lassopso (once again, spelling) over quite often, and when we tell Ginger "Gizmo is coming" she gets very excited. She loves playing with him and tends to wear the tiny thing out. She is also very motherly to him and likes to reprimand him when he does something wrong (like going upstairs where dogs aren't allowed) or give him lots of kisses. I think Gizmo is one of the reasons why my family thinks it's a good idea to get a German Shepherd puppy, but I'm still pretty against the idea because of her health and anxiety issues.

Because Gingerbread is not only our first GS, but also dog in general, we are very under educated on animal behaviors and how the act around puppies, etc. In the end, all of us want whatever will make Gingerbread the most happy in her final years (I know she's old- but she's still got lots of fight!)

Any thought on the matter would be greatly appreciated.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I added an older dog to my household and he started showing signs of slowing down within a year...so I went and got a puppy to make three dogs. My thought process was that my first younger dog became quite attached to the older dog and I didn't know how she would do when he was gone. The puppy kept him pretty active during his last months..he became the pups "dad"..they slept, ate, and played together. When I had to put the older dog to sleep it was a much smoother transition for my first dog...needless to say I once again added a third dog to the pack in December, not because of the same reasons but they are very close to each other but give space to each other when needed. They work it out amongst themselves very nicely. If you have time and patience to get a second dog without causing stress to the first dog then its something to consider. You might want to bring your dog to meet any new additions first to make sure there is no aggression, because once you get them home you don't want to be in a position where one of them has to be rehomed. Good Luck.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

If other dogs stress your dog out then I would not recommend getting one, especially when she's older. 

I adopted a 7 month old puppy when my dog Chama was 12 and the puppy was really too much for her. I had to keep them separate a lot of the time. Maybe it would be better to let her live out the rest of her life in peace?


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Gingerbread93 said:


> ...
> *As far as other dogs she doesn't get along with them too well because they tend to make her anxious. She is our first and only dog, and likes to think she's the queen of the universe.* It seems that unless the other dog is challenging her, she really just wants to boss them around and play with them, and has had a couple of neighborhood dogs who she still gets happy about seeing. My aunt brings her 4 year old Lassopso (once again, spelling) over quite often, and when we tell Ginger "Gizmo is coming" she gets very excited. She loves playing with him and tends to wear the tiny thing out. She is also very motherly to him and likes to reprimand him when he does something wrong (like going upstairs where dogs aren't allowed) or give him lots of kisses. I think Gizmo is one of the reasons why my family thinks it's a good idea to get a German Shepherd puppy, but I'm still pretty against the idea because of her health and anxiety issues.
> ...


I personally wouldn't get a pup if Ginger is unpredictible around other dogs and gets anxious/stressed out.


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