# When to get another puppy...



## CaraVella (Mar 13, 2013)

Hi Everyone,

We have a 3 month year old female shepherd and we are looking at getting a male however we have heard that you should wait a while before getting another puppy as it can cause problems with training. 

When do you think is an appropriate age to get another puppy? We dont want her to get too big that she will hurt the puppy when we decide to get him. 

Any advice or experience would be great.


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## mandiah89 (Jan 18, 2013)

Your dog should not hurt the puppy if it is properly trained and socialized... I would wait until your female is fully trained and is fairly solid before bringing in another pup into the home... this might take until the dog is 1 - 2 years old or longer...


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## jourdan (Jul 30, 2012)

I only have one dog now and want another but I am waiting until Avery has completed training and passed the BH test here in Germany before I even start looking for a second. I have seen in first hand how having one older trained dog will influence and help teach a pup obedience; monkey see monkey do. 

I have also seen the struggles with having two puppies at once. They are more work training and are far more interested in each other than their owner. From my point of view training two puppies or a young dog and a puppy is 10 times more challenging. 


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I would wait until your current dog is a year old or even older. Something to remember is that as much fun as it can be having too young dogs together it also means you will have two old dogs together and probably two old dogs dying close together.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I agree with Lisa,, I have had two sets of dogs pass away within months of each other, it's devastating to say the least.

Right now I have a 12 + 13 yr old(s) aussies, Masi will be 5 this week, I have put myself on a self imposed limit of not getting another dog until I'm down to two dogs. 
And will never have two dogs close in age again just because of the heartbreak of losing two close together.


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## KB007 (Aug 27, 2003)

I waited 10 years! And now that my puppy is 4 mos old I see why!

In all seriousness though, the adult will not hurt the pup if you have socialized and trained it properly, as well as proper management when you do bring the new pup home. In fact, some dogs seem to know a puppy vs an adult dog and treat it as such. 

But the most important factors are a a well socialized/trained dog, and proper management when you do get the new puppy.


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## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

A year or two is probably the bare minimum. I know in our house, we wouldn't even think of another pup until the newest one is at least three; it's a bit past the cranky, adolescent stage and the basic and some advanced obedience is solid. Everyone is also right; putting one dog down is hard enough, but I couldn't imagine sending two across the bridge within a few weeks or months of each other. I did that with two cats: one ended up having some sort of intestinal cancer that killed her within a few months and her sister who was a Feline Leukemia carrier who had been pretty okay her entire life, decompensated almost immediately after the first one was gone. We put her to sleep not even a week later. It was insanely rough and something I hope I never have to do again.


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## readaboutdogs (Jul 8, 2001)

Yes I agree with above, get past some of the growing pains! Clipper is 12, we just lost Cody his litter mate this past sept. It really brings home what little time we have left with Clipper.


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