just1more Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Hi Just wonder what peoples opinions/experiences are with age gaps between pups? I have just brought home our 8 week old SBT boy and will be getting him a SBT play mate (girl) and are at odds about when? I don't want there to issues between them. I have had in the past, a entire male rotti who was 7 months old when we brought home his entire male buddy who was a bullmastiff as an 8 week old and had next to no issues between them...besides them both being sooks and escape artists I know I was seen as their alpha with my rotti placing himself next above our bullmastiff. But in saying that they were different breeds mixing, would 2 SBT be the same (give or take a bit according to personality) or would they "not play well with others" if tha age gap is big? I am willing and able to do a small age gap but not sure if it would be a good idea Opinions please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrirose Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I like the 12 month rule... Though only get dog 2 if dog 1 is a pleasure to have around and is well trained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I would do minimum 2 yrs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) it all depends on the temperament of your pup. How much work he is I will wait till the first pup is fully trained, properly socialise and be a good example for the next pup. Until then, I'll just wait. Also, it also depends on you.. do you have time for another puppy? will you be able to give both dog and pup the attention and time they both need? will you be about to fulfill both their needs? Charlie was a year old before I got Em. But he was the perfect pup and still is an awesome dog. But, if I was to get Em first... well, that's an entirely different story!! I probably would of just stuck with one pup!!! Charlie has a massive influence over her and she idolise him and copies him. Charlie loves his Emmy. Edited June 29, 2011 by CW EW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
**Super_Dogs** Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I would go 2 years. My got my 2nd dog when the first was only 12 months - it was a nightmare!!! Having 2 large dogs with so much energy was hard work. They would play, very loud, in the middle of the night and wake me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) When you've got the first one responding to commands with distraction, walking nicely on a leash, recalling and is generally a pleasure to live with, then start thinking about getting another one. SBT's learn a lot from the other dogs they live with and that means the good and the bad. ETA: It's not fair to put a baby puppy, with an unruly SBT teenager or uncontrolable adult. The pup will get hammered and flogged by the older dog and that's just playing. Edited June 29, 2011 by ReadySetGo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisey Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I have 2 Staffords - the first is 2 & 1/2 years old and our pup is 7 months. I think it's a nice age gap - the older one is still 'young' enough to play as much as the puppy wants to. But she also was fully trained before we got the younger one. If I did it again I think it would be the same - there is almost 2 years between them and I think that works. Also - my original girl was well socialised with other dogs and accepted the puppy into our home quite easily. She is just an easy going dog. She was quite 'mothering' when the pup was really young (8 - 12 weeks old.) Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) Hi, My boy was 2.5 years old & he did pretty much everything I asked of him before I brought home my little 12 week girl home. I had always wanted 2 furry kids & am so glad I waited till Sonny had completely settled in before adding a new littlely to the mix. For one thing I had no idea that they learn so much of the older dog & they communicate together all the time.( so if your older one is naughty) guess what !! the younger one mirrors everything it sees the older one doing. Sonny taught Stella most of the 'house rules'& showed her the ropes. He tells her off if she oversteps her mark. Not with any aggression though,lies her on the floor,just puts his mouth over hers & makes lots of noise. It would be very hard teaching 2 puppies together IMO, you need to bond with both & have one on one time with both. With what I have learn't so far having 2 there is no way I would dream about trying to raise 2 puppies together, but thats just my thoughts. Also I wanted be sure that I got a little girl with the right temperament to compliment Sonny & they adore one another.Which is more than I could have ever asked. There would be others on DOL that would probably take 2 young ones on in a heart beat but they would be a lot more capable / experienced than myself. Edited July 4, 2011 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoL Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 One dog is a pet; 2 dogs have a different dynamic. You may find, having two babies together, they don't actually listen to you, it makes them harder to train; also twice the investment of time, money etc. Stick with one for now and make that pup a fantastic example of the breed and a joy to have around. It's better to concentrate your efforts and be rewarded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) One dog is a pet; 2 dogs have a different dynamic. You may find, having two babies together, they don't actually listen to you, it makes them harder to train; also twice the investment of time, money etc. Stick with one for now and make that pup a fantastic example of the breed and a joy to have around. It's better to concentrate your efforts and be rewarded. Totally agree,it is hard enough to get one puppy to listen to you let alone trying to get two. Stick with one, bond with him & enjoy him. Get him going how you want him. Why make it more difficult than it should be. Suppose to be fun. Edited June 30, 2011 by BC Crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just1more Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thanks everyone so much for the replys It's given me something to think about. I think I will just go by feel with when will be the right time to get Ripley's playmate. Took me about 8 months to finally find him and I'm MUCH fussier with SBT bitches...I know what I want and will look around until I find one that I like so who knows how long THAT will take Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest english.ivy Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 About an 18 month gap between my two dogs and my Pointer pup learnt a lot from my older Belgian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui835 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I would go 2 years. My got my 2nd dog when the first was only 12 months - it was a nightmare!!! Having 2 large dogs with so much energy was hard work. They would play, very loud, in the middle of the night and wake me. Mine are about 14 months apart, and it is working well. They are both large - GSD and doberman (though the GSD is still only 11kg), but the dobe was quite well-trained. It has been great in that she copies him and thinks the sun shines out of his backside - he taught her to sit on command (and she can now do it without him around), wait for her food and she helps to tire him out (we made sure we got a feisty one that was a good personality match). We have had no issues at all to date. She has some issues with trying to take his food away - he shows some lip and she ignores the warnings so we have to intervene there (he doesn't do anything now, but we want to set up the mentality that the humans own all food and decide who gets it - to make things safer when they're older), but really he lets her do what she wants (which is very different from his attitude to dogs at the park). She would play with him all night if she could, but she doesn't have those sorts of priveledges. She sleeps in the laundry at night alone now - but slept her first few nights next to my bed to give her some time to boost her confidence. They are loud when they play though - they make the funniest noises, I'm going to make a youtube video lol It's particularly challenging when you're on the phone, we can tell the dobe to be quiet and he immediately sits up and is good.. for about 30 secs before she launches herself at him and it's all on again. We waited until the dobe completed advanced level obedience - it was more about that and also finding the right 2nd dog than the specific age gap. We wanted them to be relatively similar in age so that they would have similar energy/exercise requirements - and could help to tire each other out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I prefer larger age gaps ... I have a 7 1/2 year old, 6 year old, almost 4 year old and an 8 month old. So far so good Wait until you're happy with the behaviour and training level of your dog and it has proved it is well mannered with puppies. It will make the second one an absolute breeze to raise as it will learn off the first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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