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Yesterday, Dani comes home from Dog Class (she's learning so much!!! LOL) and says, "We need to talk." Which can only be a few things:

A) Her parents have done something that I am going to hate (50% chance)
B) She has done something that I am going to hate (30% chance)
C) She needs to spend a chunk a money on something we don't need (19.9% chance)
D) Other (0.1% chance)

Well... somehow she beat the odds and it was D. So go and talk. She starts with, "How do you feel about another Border Collie?" (HAH! I knew it was C)

At dog school someone else talked to her about an elderly couple who live in an appartment who have a 4 year Border Collie and they want to find a good home for her. Well, Casey is our 5 year old Border Collie mix (or working standard pure bred), female, and this other dog is female. Females can have issues when meeting new females.

Anyway, my main worries are that we don't have enough time for two dogs, even though there are two of us and we could easily play with both of them together. Also, money. Not so much on food (as we get our super premium dog food for free!!!) but on vet bills (We also get our flee/tick/heartworm/etc. for free too!!). But check ups and the like just went from to . What does everyone else think about this. I would LOVE another dog. But I don't know if I'm just over worrying.

You could invest in pet insurance if vet bills loom large. The monthly payments aren't that bad depending on the policy type.

I think it would be nice, if you can handle 2 dogs, to help that couple out. Chances are, that dog may end up in the shelter if they truly can't care for it anymore.

I worried about the same thing when I adopted another cat. I already had a dog and a cat, so I was concerned about brining in another one. Fortunately, they don't get sick at the same time, and I stagger their vet visits for check-ups throughout the year so I don't have to take out a second mortgage just to pay for it.

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

Dogs have an order in their pack. Their pack is your home & everyone in it, including other dogs. Dogs of the same sex will generally establish who is the more dominant one. This can be determined by mild conflict or violent conflict. Being raised together usually helps. In your situation, you're asking for trouble. The current dog will try to be the dominant one, as that is it's home. The new one may accept that or not. And in the future there is still a chance the new one may decide to become dominant over the other one.

In our case we got two female dogs, one shortly after the other. They got along fine for two years. Then the original female, also the larger, started showing aggression towards the other one. One day, we witnessed her suddenly attack the other one for no apparent reason that we could see. I still think it was a jealously issue.

Anyway, several attacks later, after the smaller dog had to go to the vet., we had to keep the two dogs separated. We still do today, muzzling the larger one when they have to trade places, like one going into the bedroom while the other one is coming out, or else the larger one will attack the smaller one. It is definitely not a good situation! The larger dog is a Great Dane & the smaller one a Dalmatian. Hence the muzzle, as I am not strong enough to break up the fight when the Dane attacks.

You will hear many stories about people who have same sex dogs with no problem. You will also hear the other stories. I personally will never take that chance again. I highly recommend you check out the web., as there are many sites on there discussing this subject, as well as describing the interactions dogs have with each other & how to best deal with it. Please keep us posted on how this this turns out.

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It is always a bit of a gamble when introducing new animals to the house but border collies usually aren't known for dog agression. Most people I know keep multiple collies including those introduced later as adults. They were commonly kept on farms with many dogs while the breed was being developed and generally they settle pack issues quickly with no problems. It would come down to whether either dog is more dominant than usually found in the breed. Which noone online can determine so it's hard to say. Chances are 2 female border collies that have had at least some socialization will get along after minor arguments. So long as the other dog hasn't been locked up in a small house and yard without even seeing any other dogs or humans besides the 2 it's lived with it's whole life. Completely unsocialized dogs are an entirely different situation all together and best not messed with unless it's a naturally really easy going dog. If your doing obedience and taking your dog to dog classes then it's had some socialization and is used to other dogs around so unless it's very dominant should accept another dog. I think it also actually helps when introducing 2 adult animals instead of youngsters. Young animals will grow up and their personality will change over time. They also tend to start things while going through puberty and the relationship between the 2 gets ruined at that time. With adults they usually either get along or don't. Everything gets settled and you know right away whether you can keep both or have to rehome one. You don't have to hold your breath waiting for that time the puppy decides to challenge the adults and gets injured.


All the dalmations I've known on the other hand were quite dog agressive and frequently attacked new or strange dogs. The neighbor's dal kills absolutely anything that enters it's yard or house. Some Great Danes depending on breeding are also known to be quite dog agressive and I've had an aussie shep attacked by one completely unprovoked. Neither are types of dogs I'd want to introduce a new animal to. That would be no surprise if it turned out bad.

My first Great Dane was very dog agressive. I rescued her from a very bad situation and I'm sure in 9 months of her life before I got her she wasn't socialized at all. (kind of hard when you are chained under a trailer the whole time )

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

I have been doing a lot of research specifically about border collies and the more I do, the better I feel about them being together. But, like I said, thats not my main concern. Its more of the line of bills and whether or not we should do this.

Back to the dogs, as for Great Danes, I've seen a lot of dog aggression from them. I would say its a breed trait. As for the dane suddenly attacking another dog, even fellow "pack" member, is familiar to me. When I was working at the vet clinic, where we also boarded animals, we had a dane that was dog aggressive. The family had the dane and a another dog (i think terrior of some type) and they lived together just fine and the dane was never dog aggressive to any other dog, then one day the dane got aggressive (and unfortunately, 110 pounds vs 20 pounds are not good odds). From that day on, the dane was always dog aggressive.

And for dalmations. Those are odd dogs. In general, they are aggressive (protective) dogs. They are also very hyper (aka, border collies are active, dals are hyper). They are beautiful dogs, but I personally couln't take in a puppy and raise it not knowing how it would mature. I felt SOOO bad when 101 dalmations came out and people discovered that dals are not the best child friendly dogs. Dog euthenations skyrocketed after that movie. It takes patience to work with most dals.

Anyway, I'm on a major tanget. Deep down I REALLY want the dog, but I'm just not sure... and my problem is that I don't know what is making me unsure...

Too bad Stormy isn't here... she'd be the best person to talk to, having raised and bred borders. If you have her email, I'd go ahead and contact her.

My experience with dogs is limited to the mostly neurotic dogs in my family... mom's, aunt's and sister's... and well, they all need help. I think I'd be lost if I ever came upon a dog that didn't have some sort of major hangup.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

As much as another dog would be great (especially if they get along well together) I think your finances should really come first.

The time issue is also another thing that does concern me. Sure they'll be able to keep each other company to some extent but you'll also want play time with them, and can't forget that the two of you will want to be spending time together as well. And what about time away... ... ...

If a good home cant be found and it'd go to a kennel or the pound offer to take it for now but keep trying to find a new owner.

^_^

"offer to take it for now but keep trying to find a new owner."

HA! How much you wanna bet, if they take that dog to try & find it another home, they end up keeping it!?

I've been there.......done that.


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