This entry was posted on Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 12:55 pm and is filed under Tip of the month. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
The unfortunate reality of having a dog is that at some point the dog is going to get old. While many dogs age very well and remain fairly healthy, outgoing and playful during their senior years, the fact remains that aging bodies and minds are not as easy-going as young ones. Senior dogs may be a little cranky and short-tempered and need more time to sleep and relax.
It is often at this time that owners start thinking about getting a new puppy. It is sometimes hoped that this new little pup will give the old dog a new lease on life and will also eventually help ease the sense of loss when the older dog dies.
The problem is that many owners don’t take into account whether having a new puppy is really going to bring pleasure to the older dog. For a dog that has arthritis or other health problems, the last thing they are likely to want is an exuberant pup jumping on their heads and annoying them all day long. In such cases the old dog may get really stressed and become increasingly irritable. The puppy in turn will often end up with a fairly unhealthy attitude towards other dogs as a result of being snapped at repeatedly for its social overtures. This is not a good situation for either dog.
Before getting another puppy, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Is my older dog still in good enough health to be able to physically tolerate being jumped on and chewed? (The worst combination is often a very small elderly dog having to deal with a large breed puppy.)
2. Does my older dog like interacting with other dogs? (If not, a new pup should not even be considered.)
3. Is my older dog competitive with other dogs? (Dog does not like other dogs getting attention from you.) Competitive aggression often gets worse with age and is usually more severe with another dog of the same sex.
4. Does my older dog have good habits that I would like my puppy to pick up or bad ones that I don’t want a puppy to learn?
If you already have more than one dog it is often easier bringing in a new pup, provided that one of the existing dogs in the household will enjoy playing with the puppy. In such cases the playful resident dog is likely to take most of the rough puppy play and the elderly dog will be spared. This does not mean that you should get two puppies at the same time as that comes with its own set of problems! (See Two puppies together)
If you always want to have dogs, plan ahead. Make sure your current dog is well-socialised and enjoys the company of other dogs. Decide in advance when would be a good time (from your current dog’s perspective) for a new dog. My personal preference is when the youngest resident dog is between 4 and 8 years old - that way he should be well-trained and closely bonded to you, but still young enough to want to play with the puppy.
In days gone by Wyatt was always happy to play with and look after the pups in the family. At 14 years of age, he is now happy to let Judah take over this role!