Adding a 2nd Doodle... Are we crazy or what??? Oscar is HOME!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

We're getting a new puppy. Oscar, a multi-gen standard labradoodle (the smallest male of the litter). A new puppy really wasn't on our radar at all, not until my husband clicked on Lucy's breeder's website and saw she had a new litter of puppies (due to her family obligations, she hasn't had a litter in years). Our worlds revolve around Lucy and we think she's the most incredibly smart and wonderfully tempered dog on the planet. We knew the product her breeder puts out, so all of a sudden there we were, talking about the possibility of another doodle. Which we quickly dismissed. We weren't ready for another dog... heck, I'd just taken down the puppy gates cordoning off our formal living room (I know, its been 3 years!). Did we really want to go through all that puppy stuff again so soon? We began talking about maybe another dog in the next couple years. A smaller doodle. Of course, that kind of thinking really makes the wheels turn, and before I even realized it I was researching doodle breeders all over the state... and beyond. The more I thought about it though, the more I worried. How could I possibly know the types of temperaments that are bred with a new breeder? Sure, they all say they breed for temperament, but that doesn't mean anything to me. I sent off a quick message to Lucy's breeder, describing in detail the kind of puppy we were looking for, asking if she could offer any referrals in the local area. What I got back was a suggestion that we consider the smallest male of her current litter. She didn't expect him to get any larger than 40lbs full grown, and she went on to say he was really smart, too (he was the 1st puppy to figure out the piddle pad). Of course, she sent this picture, which was the real hook :)

The next day we went to visit the little guy and we fell in love. Not only will he be smaller, but we can be assured he will have a sweet, laid back temperament. And we can only imagine how Lucy will take to him. She's pretty picky when it comes to other dogs to play with. We've found that she especially likes playful labradoodles who have a similar play style and energy level. And she likes smaller dogs, probably because she was put in with the smaller puppies at weekly Puppy Romps she attended before the age of 6 months (she was overwhelmed by the bigger puppies the first few weeks). Now, she's drawn like a magnet to puppies of all kinds, as they just naturally have that playful spirit she loves (and they're small). So, Oscar should meet all her criteria for a great play buddy. He'll look like a mirror image of Lucy, too.

Oscar arrives in 8 days. Lots of anxiety welling up inside as we prepare for his arrival. Feels like deja vu, only this time we're waiting for a matter of weeks, not months (we put a deposit down on Lucy the moment we learned of her mom's pregnancy (how did I ever survive the long wait???). Having another puppy in the house... what ARE we thinking???!! My greatest hope is Lucy helps make this puppy experience easier by taking over entertaining and keeping little Oscar out of trouble. Maybe she'll even help train him. As anxious as we are, we are so ready to have Oscar home!

UPDATE:

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement! I really have no doubt everything will work out just fine. DH, on the other hand, isn't sure how Lucy will like having an 'interloper' in the house (my word, not his, but I think 'interloper' fairly sums up how he's thinking). He seems to think there's the possibility Lucy will be jealous having to share attention with another doodle. I think he couldn't be further from the truth, as I'll just bet Lucy sees Oscar as her very own puppy and play toy. I have every confidence she'll take to him like a fish to water, and will be overjoyed when he doesn't leave at the end of the day. I'll be taking lots of videos and pictures, so will post another blog tomorrow evening documenting the day's events... Oscar arrives tomorrow!

2ND UPDATE:

Oscar's been home for 5 days now and has settled in quite nicely. That 1st week is always the hardest on everybody, with potty training trails and errors, schedule adjustments, and the new dynamic in the home. I have noticed it being much easier today. Oscar slept longer through the night last night and his bladder doesn't seem so small. No accidents today (knock wood). We're all getting into a rhythm with having a new addition in the family.

I was right all along about Lucy taking to Oscar. She's in doodle heaven with having a baby brother. She adores any attention she gets from him and will often take one of his toys and drop it in front of her to get him to come to her.  She allows Oscar to bite her tail, smell her bottom and even suckle her (all reluctantly, but she adores his attention so much, she'll tolerate anything, it seems). Oscar likes Lucy too, but he's not desperate for her attention like she is for his.

The play together pretty well. Although Lucy is very gentle, she's got 40lbs on Oscar and can push him over very easily. He doesn't seem to mind and keeps coming back for more. He does have a few 'shelter' spots, under chairs and tables, to get away from the action when he feels overwhelmed, but he's usually back at it within seconds, ambushing Lucy or taking her by surprise. I love that Lucy is training Oscar to play the way she likes to play, and I can only imagine how they'll get along as the months and years roll by.

Here's a video of them together the other day:

Find more videos like this on DoodleKisses.com

And here's a picture of little Oscar (my favorite):

[Bonnie and Kona]

Congratulations! How could you resist that face? Enjoy the process.

[GBK]

Congratulations!!!  What a Doll!  I also LOVE having two, they are happy, and I love watching them together.  My two are over 2 years apart and it worked out great.  The older one did help teach the younger one where to potty etc. but he also taught her some bad habits too :)  Good luck, can't wait to read the stories!

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Congrats on #2 doodle.  I love having 2 doodles, my Sasha was 10 months old when I got my Oliver ... the best thing I ever did.  I wish I could have #3 !!!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Congratulations on your decision.  I would be hooked too after seeing that puppy picture.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Congratulations.  Oscar is so adorable!  We too just had to have another doodle!  Charlie adjusted very quickly and he is now taking toys to Beau to get him to play tug!  There are so cute together.  I love having too doodles and I am sure you will too!  Initially, it was so exhausting, but now we are into week 3 and we are generally all in sync!  Have fun.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Congratulations on your new baby!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Good luck with your new puppy. What an exciting time. I love having two Doodles!!!

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Ha, another two doodle family! Congratulations on your decision and good luck with Oscar. It seems that has been an influx of crazy doodle owners who just can't stay away from adding new puppies to the family. :-)

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I shared your anxiety and made the same decision and brought Boris home two days ago!  Riley is one and a half years old and I don't know what possessed me except that he too loves puppies and all playful dogs.  Anyway we are now a two doodle family and it's wonderful though very very tiring.  I have been out in the garden every hour and twice during the night.  Boris cried on both nights but mainly because he fell asleep too early and was wide awake at 3am in the morning.  We have had no accidents either in or out of his crate and the two boys are playing like mad.  Neither of them would eat though I noticed they were interested in each others food so I added a tiny bit of Boris's food to Riley's and vice versa, voila! they are now both eating and sharing the water bowl and each others crates.  It is madness, there is no other way to describe it but we wouldn't have it any other way.  Good luck with your new puppy Oscar.  I look forward to hearing how you get on.