You got me scared....

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

I am scared. I'm just two weeks away from picking up Monty's little brother and all I see on DK forum is: Puppy Biting, Housebreaking schedule help, Chewing wood, etc. Oh boy! I should be very excited about getting a new puppy, but somehow it feels different the second time around. Monty was a good pup, but there was still plenty of biting, ripped clothing, bruises on my arms, and dark circles under my eyes. I finally feel like I have a way of communicating with him now that he is 2 years old. He is mama's boy for sure. He sleeps in till 9am just like his mama. And we have a routine going once we are up. I do remember having a headache for the first two weeks after we bought Monty home and I really don't remember how I taught him to ring the bell to go potty or to sleep in his crate. I just remember that he learned very fast.

Getting a first puppy has you on guard since you know it will change your life. And it did. And I wanted to do everything by the books. How is a SECOND puppy going to change your life? Monty is not perfect, but he is a good dog. He is my first dog I've ever had. I sure hope I'm not going to mess him up by bringing a new puppy home. Will he still be my sweet opinionated Monty? Will I still have enough time and energy to snuggle with him every morning and give him the love and attention he has been used to getting for the last two years? Can I love the second dog the same way I love Monty?

I'm not getting buyer's remorse, don't get me wrong. I'm just a bit scared of the change and needed to talk. I don't understand why this feels different from when we were waiting for Monty to come home.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

As you know, I have several dogs. Multiple dogs do change the family dynamic.  We have always gotten our new puppies when the next youngest dog was several years old so that I could concentrate on the new pup.  Monty is a mature two-year old who is well trained.  You will be able to get the new puppy into your routine with Monty's help.  It will take a while though so get ready for less sleep and those sharp little teeth. :-)

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

You are not helping, Nancy. LOL! ;-)

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think you will find having a big brother will make training the puppy easier. It's true Call was 17 weeks when I got her but I don't remember nearly the troubles I had with Luca as a pup. Experience helps as does having a dog ho can help show the pup the ropes. It will be a little hectic at first but in a couple of weeks you'll wonder what you were worried about : )

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh, and remember they nip and act up when they are tired. Time out in a crate or tethered is a wonderful thing.

[Stephanie]

As a new puppy owner myself I hope I can reassure you that all of those things can be managed!  I don't know if I have a really great puppy, or just a good system for managing the puppy-days.

Darwin stays in a crate or on a leash tethered to me 100% of the time.  He's never, ever left alone.  

He eats on a pretty strict schedule, twice a day, same time every single day.  The whining/barking for no reason stopped after day 2 and now he only barks in his crate when he has to potty.  This makes potty training pretty simple!  He has only had two accidents in his crate since I brought him home a week ago, and none in the house!

I feel the best way for potty training and keeping chewing at bay is not to allow it to happen.  If you don't set the puppy up to fail, he can't fail!  Darwin has toys available for chewing in his crate and uses them.  He sleeps through the night and barks the second he hears me walking around in the morning and will do his business almost instantly when going outside since he knows that's what he's out there to do.

I plan to keep up this routine and gradually give him more freedom.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

Hi Stephanie,

Darwin is adorable!  We were considering naming our new puppy Darwin, but there were eight puppies in the litter - all girls!  Anyway, I'm responding to your comment, because in my own preparation for our new puppy's arrival (four more weeks - yay!), I was reminded by a friend that puppies are fed three times per day.  That's going to be interesting, as Wally (now six-years-old) is fed twice a day.  I just thought I'd mention this (not meaning to butt in), because you wrote that Darwin's schedule includes being fed twice per day. 

Laurie

[Cyndi, The Boys & Callie]

There is a 3 month age difference between Tank and Sully. After a few days, I got used to the "playing" (with the help of a Coke can with pennies) and we all found our place.  The boys are rough and tumble but also very bonded.  Just like children, they are very different.  Tank is very independent, could care less about socks or pulling leaves off roses and loves to chase squirrels and chipmunks.  Sully likes to be touching one of us, roams the house looking for socks (which he doesn't find) and could care less about creatures in the back yard.  Each are very special in their own way and have their own place in our hearts.  I don't know that you will love the new little guy just like Monty because he's not Monty.  He will be his own special self and those special traits are what you will love. You will enjoy laughing about their differences and will love both equally.  They play with each other which helps us and we don't feel guilty leaving them at home because they have each other.  It will all be fine and you have a lot of fun times ahead. It's like having more than one child.  You don't know how you will handle more than one.  But you find the energy and your heart expands to include the newest member of the family. 

[Jennifer and Jack]

My sweet Monty is going to make a great big brother. He is so loving, so sweet and so good. He will teach his little brother the ropes and be happy to have a play mate. Molly lived with us as a puppy and Jack taught her to not bite because when she bit him he would teach her no!

She was actually a much easier puppy then Jack. Our issue is Javk is very highly socialized, goes almost everywhere and is good as gold. Molly is not as socialized, so new experiences take a lot of work and often times my mom just leaves both home because she won't take one and not the other.

I loved watching you with Monty, you are an amazing mom and your love for your dogs is not going to be divided but multiplied!

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Thank you, all. I know it will be all fine at the end. It's just hard to imagine the puppy craziness all over again and all the little things that go with having one dog who roams the house freely and one that will have to be restricted for a while. I have no idea how I'm going to do this so that the little one is not jealous of the big one and vice versa. I guess it will just fall into place naturally.

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

I now have a puppy that is about 20 weeks and have had him for 3 weeks now:)  I am not an early bird so thankfully DH lets Baxter out when he goes to work and then he comes right back up stairs until I get up.  I know he is much older then the one you are getting but I have to tell you that Jake has been very good about teaching Baxter the rules around our house.  Monty will do the same.  I wouldn't say they are best buds yet but these things take time.  As my sister said they will be like peas and carrots before you know it:)  I do feel sorry for Jake sometimes because Baxter is always biting his tail and ears but Jake will let him know in no uncertain terms when he has had enough.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Molly is always chewing on Jack too. Bites his legs and ears!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think Colleen has it exactly right, Jarka. Monty will do most of the training for you. ;)