To adopt, or not to adopt?

[Sue, Lola, Pongo & Hubby]

We have been going back and forth recently over whether or not we're ready to add another doodley member to our family. We know we eventually want another doodle, but how will we know?? I guess this goes to all the multi-doodle families out there - how did you know when you were ready???

[Sue, Lola, Pongo & Hubby]

Thanks for the reply! The answers to all those questions are "yes", and the dog we are "potentially" looking at adopting is 5 yrs old, so definitely not a puppy!!!! Everything seems to be right, and the timing is great...I just don't know why I'm holding back!! I think I need to just go for it!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Sue, Our transition to two dogs went very smoothly and I love both of them. I don't know what made me decide to get a second dog, but I started out looking at breeder pictures and before you know it, I found Vern and there was no turning back. That being said, Adina is correct about the training. I have never been a dog trainer and while Fudge is a great dog, she was not great on a leash when we got Vern and walking two dogs in the beginning was very hard. I hate leaving one home to work on training, which you must do in order to get two dogs trained. The other thing I would consider is if you travel, one dog is far easier to take along than two. The expense is much greater too.

Fudge is great with Vern and has been from day one, but I think she would have been happy too as an only dog. She is an independent girl. Vern, on the other hand, thrives on being with other dogs and I think, is happier in a two dog family.

Now, that I said all that, my two get along great and I would not want to be without either one. Fudge is now two and Vern is one and they play in short bursts and then stop. When they were younger, they played a lot more.

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Sue - It sounds like you've answered your own question.  GO FOR IT and post pictures as soon as possible!

[Betsi]

Sue, since you already have the dog picked out.. GO GET IT!!  I answered yes to all of the questions, too.  I can't stop looking at the pictures of Bruneu with DRC.  Problem is, he's in Michigan and we're in Texas!  Of course, we DID drive to Wisconsin to get Kirby :)

Sounds like your new dog is calling you!

[Kathy Janes]

Bruneu is adorable - you should go for him!  I would except that I'm afraid I might become a hoarder!! I just love them all so much!

[Betsi]

I AM going for him!!  Kim is checking our references today.  I think there are several applications for him, so I don't really know how it will go.  Gosh, it must be hard determining the right home for a dog.  Of course, I know that WE would be the best home for him, I just hope Kim agrees :)   Hopefully we will have a road trip from Texas to Michigan in our future!!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Crossed paws that Bruneu is yours!

[Sue, Lola, Pongo & Hubby]

Good luck, Betsi!!!! Post lots of pictures once you DO (and you will) get him!

[Betsi]

LOVE that positive attitude!!  Thanks for the good luck wishes.  Hubby and I are excited!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I secretly searched online, Chloe was just over a year. My DH flipped! (until he saw her picture on petfinder) After a little crying he said ok. BUT>>>the new one came in and tool over the house with her dominance. It makes me feel better leaving them together instead of one dog home alone. Good luck!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Sounds like you've already made the decision.  I have a chihuahua who was very attached to me and we brought home Peri once he was 5.  Best decision ever. He plays more and is totally depressed when she's not around. They love each other.  Get on each others nerves, but I know they love each other.

[Kathy Janes]

Sue,

I think I always knew I'd want a second doodle, but my husband wasn't  sure he could ever love another dog like he loves Mater, and even our trainer said there isn't another dog out there that will have the charisma and personality Mater has.  So the few times we were tempted, we backed away.  The real factors I considered were the cost of a second dog - grooming, vetting, food, training, and possible emergencies.  I considered my own time in brushing out two unclipped Doodles (I'm a believer that if the hair grows long then it was meant to be long, and clipping doesn't make them any cooler in the summer anyway).  So the hour minimum a week would double to at least two hours a week.  Would I get carpal tunnel?  Would I even have that much time?

 

Then DRC called to have us pull a dog from a kill-shelter.  In a heartbeat we were out the door. By the time we got Gus home (a 2-hr drive) we knew we wanted to be his foster home while he received his heartworm treatment.  Letting go of our first foster, we both cried.  But we had several more and I found I loved this creative way of having a second dog!  It was like a trial run!  I groomed them, took them to class, cared for them like they were my own, including showering them with love.  It was wonderful to see them bloom and grow and then offf to a great new home that was somehow there by divine intervention - and allot of DRC guidance and consideration!  Fostering is the perfect way to see if you even want a second dog.

And I also felt that one day a foster would come along that would just be "the one".  Our second dog would just come to us and he would know and we would know.  That happened when we rescued Pippin from a shelter in Tennessee.  He's the perfect dog, everything we wanted!  So gentle, calm and sweet that my grandkids kept wanting to "borrow" him for the weekend or the week, or the month...  So now I share my special Pip with them.  Missing him when he was gone led us to get #3 - our puppy Ozzie.  The three of them love each other and have a ball together.  We have the best of all worlds with my grandkids having the perfect family dog and a place to leave him whenever they want or need to, the puppy my husband wanted and my Pippin-lonely heart needed, and our wonderful Mater who keeps them all in line!  (Mater, by the way, is almost four.  Having him be a little older was one of our considerations.  I couldn't bear to lose two dogs in a short timeframe.)

 

I vote you foster for awhile.  You'll know what you want after some time doing that.  And maybe your second dog will just walk in one day!