Adding a second dog

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RickB
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Adding a second dog

Post by RickB » Mon Aug 25, 2014 1:00 pm

I have a single dog (brittany).

Looking for all y'all's opinion. Is there a right time to add a second dog to the mix. Is there a better or worse time for the current dog?


All opinions welcome. Thanks

Rick

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PntrRookie
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by PntrRookie » Mon Aug 25, 2014 1:37 pm

RickB wrote:...Is there a right time to add a second dog...
When you find a good one.

Don't take that the wrong way. I like puppies but will steer away from them to find the right started dog. To find the right started dog you may have to wait...or...you may have to pull the trigger quickly. But when the right one (in your mind) comes along - be ready.

Many people will say space them 3-4 years apart so you do not have puppies or death at the same "general" time. Depends on where u live but some will say don't get a puppy in the winter because house breaking can be tough - cold snowy weather. Again, I say grab a good one when he/she is available.

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Karen
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by Karen » Mon Aug 25, 2014 1:46 pm

Once dog 1 is easy to live with but not so old that a pup will drive him/her nuts and is still in good health and should be for a couple years, which usually means sometime between 2 and 10 yrs of ago.

BUT absolutely when the right dog/litter comes along, and not before :D

welsh
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by welsh » Mon Aug 25, 2014 1:57 pm

I recently got advice I think is sound: when your first dog is at a level where you no longer have major problems or new skills to train on. Which I amended into "I will try only to screw up one dog at a time." ;)

Unless you have a lot of time for training it is easiest if you only have to do a lot of work with one dog.

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DonF
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by DonF » Mon Aug 25, 2014 6:31 pm

Long as the dog's at home are ok with a pup, it's never a bad time to get a pup! I like about six years difference. I also like late summer early fall pup's. Don't want to be tempted to run them on wild birds before about one year. I like to let a puppy be a puppy!

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Sharon
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by Sharon » Mon Aug 25, 2014 6:42 pm

Karen wrote:Once dog 1 is easy to live with but not so old that a pup will drive him/her nuts and is still in good health and should be for a couple years, which usually means sometime between 2 and 10 yrs of ago.

BUT absolutely when the right dog/litter comes along, and not before :D
X2

I got a pup when one of my setters was 13. Pup drives her crazy. I need to supervise regularly.and provide for the 13 year old to have some separate space.

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Garrison
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by Garrison » Mon Aug 25, 2014 6:52 pm

Not too old and not too young. Two dogs is a good number the dogs enjoy having another dog around, three or more makes things much more difficult if you like to travel with them or allow them in your house. The dynamic changes after two no matter how well they behave.

jfwhit
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by jfwhit » Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:34 pm

I know bird dogs are different. But a wise old man once said: "If you got one dog, you got a dog. If you got two dog's, you only got half a dog. If you got three dogs, you aint got no dog." :lol:

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Brazosvalleyvizslas
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by Brazosvalleyvizslas » Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:42 pm

I always try to have some finished dogs, a few that are retired and several young pups in the making. I never found it any more difficult to have multiple dogs. 10 seems to be my number.

jfwhit
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by jfwhit » Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:59 pm

I would love to have more dogs. I don't have enough land and live in the city.

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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by Neil » Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:30 pm

In my experience, I have found I can train and condition up to 6 adult dogs with no more than 2 times the effort and very little more time, and much more successfully. Dogs learn best in repeated short lessons. All the dogs rotate from the kennel to the house, and seem fine with it. They also take rotations in the Field. I have pointing dogs, retrievers, and spaniels; a proper tool for a specific application is my finding. I never have less than 9 dogs, a puppy or two and a retiree.

Not for everyone, but it has worked for me.

Neil

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Garrison
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by Garrison » Mon Aug 25, 2014 9:13 pm

9 & 10 dogs, wow that is dedication. My wife wanted to kill me when I left her with three (including an old cattle dog that requires close to nothing but food and water) for a Month when I was fishing in Baja. Pretty sure papers would have been served if I left her with ten. Too many hobbies so little time.

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Sharon
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by Sharon » Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:06 pm

Exactly. If I had 10 dogs I'd be looking for a new place to live . :)

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ranmcc
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by ranmcc » Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:42 am

Now a days it takes 3 or 4 years to get an experienced dog so if you don't want to be without a dog getting a second dog is always a good idea. I usually like to have a young dog coming along with about 4 or 5 years difference in age if I only have two. I have six right now which is too many.

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gonehuntin'
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by gonehuntin' » Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:55 am

First, you have to ask yourself if you NEED and really want a second dog. That's an important question because although many people would like a second dog, they don't want to allow the extra time to train it.

How much do you hunt? Most people are better off with ONE dog. That dog will be better trained, get more bird exposure, and be in better condition than the person with two that alternates the dogs hunting.

That being said, I'd space them five to six years apart so you always have one dog in it's prime.

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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by shags » Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:08 am

Two young dogs now means two elderly dogs later.

Unless you can keep at least 3 or 4 total, waiting until the first one is middle-aged before adding the second would be my choice. As #1 declines, you'll have an up-and-comer. If numbers are no object, then I prefer to space them about two years apart to avoid chances of any of that hormonal muscling around that sometimes happens when they're closer in age.

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gonehuntin'
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by gonehuntin' » Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:47 am

shags wrote: two years apart to avoid chances of any of that hormonal muscling around that sometimes happens when they're closer in age.
Excellent point shags.

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MNTonester
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Re: Adding a second dog

Post by MNTonester » Tue Aug 26, 2014 10:07 am

"If you got one dog, you got a dog. If you got two dog's, you only got half a dog. If you got three dogs, you aint got no dog."
my wife was a farm girl and applied that getting help from a boy (substitute boy for dog) :lol:

My Springer was 8 years old when I got our current black lab. They worked well together and were good company for one another. The lab learned a lot from the Springer. Our lab will be 9 when our next pup comes. The age difference seemed to work out well. The Springer still had a few good seasons in him and my lab still has his puppy enthusiasm after all this time.

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