How Far Ahead Do You Start Thinking About Your Next Dog?

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Currently I've got my gorgeous 7 month old boy and my 3 year old girl to play with and do all our fun doggy activities. So no way am I looking at adding another dog in the near future - my time is already cut out for me!!!

But I mentioned to a friend a few weeks ago that I was planning my next puppy. She was absolutely astounded because I have my hands full enough as it is right now. So she sort of asked the "what??!! when??!!". To which my response was in about 4 years. She was gobsmacked! :laugh:

The reasons I'm starting to think of a puppy in around 4 years:

- I will probably want another on the Main register so I can continue showing (I'm really enoying it!) so need to be speaking to people I might be interested in a dog from that I can get on main.

- I may want a bitch (generally much harder to get on main as I don't really want to co-own), but haven't completely decided at the moment.

- Kenzie will be about 7-ish then so I think she would still be able to deal well with a puppy.

- Hamish will be around 4 then so hopefully will deal well with a puppy.

- If I can have it I want some spacing between my dogs so that I'm not losing them in close succession (unless the unpredictable happens). So yes it is succession planning in a way both for my dogs and for me.

Obviously sometimes fate just steps in and you end up with another dog. When I got my first beautiful girl Emma I had no idea I was getting a dog that week, but there was no way she wasn't coming home with me!! Kenzie was very well planned. Hamish, well I didn't know if I was ready for another dog after losing Emma but it had been 11 months and after I started thinking about it (even before meeting him!) I figured out yes I was; but he wasn't a planned arrival here until his litter was about 3-4 weeks old.

So I'm wondering, do people plan their next dog (well best laid plans anyway!! :D )? If so how far ahead do you start thinking about it (eg looking at breeders, considering where it might come from, why you want it, getting things ready for it)? And what are (or in the past have been) your reasons behind the timeframe you've planned (or not planned!) your next dog?

Just curious! :)

Edited November 17, 2012 by Pretty Miss Emma

[MsKatie]

I have already planned my next 2 - although that wont be happening until the current 2 are gone. I want a Finnish Lapphund and an Aussie Shepherd and my retirement dog ( or dogs) will be greyhounds

[mixeduppup]

I had Torque planned for 6 years :laugh:

[grizabella]

I'm sort of planning for my next dog now, and that won't be happening for a good few years at least, not until I've finished studying and left home. I'm mostly looking into what breeds I think would suit, what sorts of sports I'd want to give a go etc. and I've been checking out breeders' websites, mainly just for the purposes of getting a better idea of the breed at this point. I'm thinking my next dog may be a border collie, but the possibility of a second Saluki is rather tempting as well!

I like planning things way ahead of time, whilst keeping in mind that it's hard to say what circumstances will be like in say four or five years time.

The plan is for Bella to be somewhere between 5 and 7 years old when dog number 2 comes on the scene, so there's a fair age gap, but not too much. :)

I do lots of daydreaming several years in advance about future dogs.

Edited November 17, 2012 by salukibel

[Leema]

As a breeder, I plan way way way ahead. It doesn't always go as plan, but there's so many plan Bs that it's never a huge problem. :p

[HazyWal]

I have already planned my next 2 - although that wont be happening until the current 2 are gone. I want a Finnish Lapphund and an Aussie Shepherd and my retirement dog ( or dogs) will be greyhounds

:)

[Salukifan]

My next dog is 3-4 years away and I'm already thinking about it.

[The Spotted Devil]

Seeing as my Dalmatian just demolished yet another Reidel wine glass (and my last few sips of red) with his madly wagging Spotted tail the next dog might be about be just around the corner

[WreckitWhippet]

Depending on the next 18 months, I'm probably planned out for the next 6 years and three generations. Naturally it won;t go to plan A and we'll be somewhere around plan E by then LOL

[Tralee]

Plan

What plan!

Just don't show me any newborn puppies. :laugh:

[SeeGee]

We are planning our next dog, but it won't be for about 8 years lol. GSD reject from the police or armed forces, or from a breeder that a friend of ours knows.

[Guest Labradork]

I was planning to buy a male Labrador or Rottweiler within the next 18 months. But now that I'm taking care of my sister's Pug, I might have to postpone my plans.

[huski]

I am always planning my next dog :laugh:

[Rebanne]

My next dog is 3-4 years away and I'm already thinking about it.

Me too, been thinking about already for a year or two

[Lollipup]

I'm always thinking about it too. But sort of starting to plan now but no set time frame but a list of things to accomplish before I get another dog. So it depends when the list is finished and when the next one is available. I'm thinking 1-2 years. Maybe more, no less.

[ann21]

I am thinking at least three years ahead! Haha. I know I want my next dog to be a havanese. Not sure if it will happen though because I live overseas

[Tralee]

I am always planning my next dog :laugh:

Me too, to be honest.

But then I start to feel a bit selfish.

[CHA]

Mine just mostly seem to come along when the need arises.

In this latest case I needed a friend for my 6 year old dog as he is extremely bonded to my old dog who is on his last legs... I know my 6 year old will be devestated when his old friend has to go and so got another one to add to the pack now, hoping to make it a little easier for him. Trouble is, now my new dog is also bonded strongly to the old dog, that I don't think that's going to help..... I'm going to have 2 dogs moping round!!!

Saying that, I have planned to have my Black Standard Poodle someday and also a GAP greyhound. I think they'll be my retirement dogs. :)

[Guest Clover]

Yep always planning and dreaming ;). The young borer collie x messed up my well thought out plan of getting another boofer dog, so the boofer will have to be next :laugh:. In saying that though I am years off another dog. I have two 9 year olds, a 6 year old and and a approx 14 month old.

[Dxenion]

I'll start planning the next dog about four years before the youngest is ready to retire. That gives me two years to find the perfect dog and roughly two years to train it. However given that anything could happen to force an early retirement, I am always keeping an eye on dogs with certain qualities within the breed, just incase my four year plan suddenly needs to be kicked up a gear.