Considering a new family member!

[Tuuli]

We are currently in the "interview" process for a new 7 month old rescue BC from the Seattle area. Check out her link and follow the You-Tube link to her first herding lesson recently. http://www.pnwbcrescue.org/show_bio.php?Im...&DogId=2360 Lots of logistics for this long range adoption, but they are really working with us. I am so happy about how thorough this process has been.

 

Our current situation is a VERY active house with my wife and I and our 3 year old BC in Alaska. We ski, run, hike, ski, hike, run from moose, chase bears, rolled in Beluga whale carcass this morning, bike (slowly with the dog) every day. We have what our BC owning vet says is the mellowest BC on the planet, possibly because we shower her with attention and activity.

 

We have a HUGE concern though.

 

My wife is active in Snow Science and Avalanche training/rescue. We are also active with local SAR. We are seriously considering with the full support of the local SAR Dog program of entering this potential dog into training for operation SAR work. They are excited about having us.

 

How do we make sure to keep our incumbant dog from becoming too jealous? She is VERY attached to mom and dad, travels with us everywhere, sleeps with us and OWNS us. With the huge committment of training a SAR dog, what will we be able to do so that she knows she is still #1? My first thought was to give her her own job. We are headed to a herding evaluation on Saturday for potential herding lessons. What else can we do?

 

Look forward to your comments. Thanks in advance.

 

Jaime, Eeva & Tuuli

[Mojo]

Please know that I mean no offense by this question, but what are your reasons for wanting to get a second dog and train her so intensively, considering the concerns you have with making your first dog still feel that she is #1? You mentioned giving your first dog her "own" job--why not put off getting a second dog, and just train the first one in SAR instead--she seems about the right age for it. That way you can still become more active in SAR than you already are without leaving your first one out of the fun. Perhaps you and your wife each want his/her own dog, or your first one is (as you stated) too mellow for SAR?

 

I ask also because I have had some problems incorporating my second dog (Mojo) into the household with my first dog (Godiva), but I didn't do it by design (Mojo was a stray I found). I personally don't think I was cut out to be a multi-dog owner, though--I've always only wanted one dog (and one horse!) at a time so that I can concentrate my efforts. Now that I've got the two dogs and they are used to each other, however, I have to admit that they certainly do seem to like having canine company, and if I have to leave them BOTH home alone, they seem much happier than if one is left home alone by him/herself. Mojo, however, needs a lot more physical activity than Godiva, and to this day, I still feel extremely guilty every single time I take Mojo out to run or train in agility (because he needs it to stay sane) and leave Godiva at home (because she is not well and can't keep up), even though I've arranged it so that I never take Mojo out unless my BF is able to be home with Godiva (i.e., I make myself go to agility lessons and running at the crack of dawn before my BF goes to work), and even then, she still gets upset because she doesn't really care about the BF--only whether I am home or not. Once Godiva became ill (kidney failure), my BF and I made a lot of personal and career sacrifices to trade off working schedules (he goes to work during the day, but I telecommute from home during the daytime, and if I physically have to check in at work, I only go at night (when my BF has already come home), and no more than two times a week, so that Godiva is never left alone for more than two or three hours in the gap between when I leave and my BF comes home, twice a week...Mojo just gets to bask in this extra attention as a fringe benefit. I'm very curious to learn what other people have to say on this thread, too.

[2 Devils]

Dogs don't have human emotions. Yes they don't always deal with with new dogs being added but it is not jealousy.

 

I am a true believer that dogs need individual time for training, attention, etc... I have 4 dogs and at times it can be a little much and the 2 younger dogs are the ones that get the shaft at times. If I need a break the younger ones go in their crates while the other 2 are out.

 

It is usually the person who feels guilty.

 

I would take the "new" dog for SAR training. If you are feeling guilty about the time away from the "old" dog sign that one up for some classes or take that one on trips or just some individual time.

[OurBoys]

If there is a problem between the 2 dogs, I don't believe it would be jealousy either. What it could be is 'pack' status. I didn't want JJ feeling like he was being replaced so at feeding times, I would place JJ's bowl down first (and still do). When we went out the door (and coming back in), JJ would go first. What can seem so small to us can be a big deal to a dog. The 'leader' always goes first.

 

During Jake's 1st & 3rd obedience class sessions, DH wasn't around (he works nights) so JJ stayed with 'Granny' and she spoiled him. During Jake's 2nd obedience class session, JJ was able to have one-on-one time with DH so we were able to get thru that. One-on-one time is important, even if it's just driving down the street for a short trip.

 

Go ahead and get your 2nd dog. Your 1st dog might surprise you and be glad there's another of her kind around!

[Mojo]

I am a true believer that dogs need individual time for training, attention, etc... I would take the "new" dog for SAR training. If you are feeling guilty about the time away from the "old" dog sign that one up for some classes or take that one on trips or just some individual time.

 

This is the point about which I was wondering most: getting each dog enough individual one-on-one time. If the OP's first dog is young (only 3 years old) and does not yet have a job, wouldn't it make more sense to "fulfill" this dog's potential first, or at least get started on fulfilling her potential, before adding a second dog and then having to train both of them in new jobs at the same time? That sounds like a lot to handle, unless, as I stated above, the OP and his wife want to have a dog each to his/her own on which to focus. It is certainly possible that I misunderstood, but from what the OP said, it sounded as if both he and his wife have a passion for SAR, and want to focus on the new, second dog as being their SAR dog, and essentially leave the original one out of it--yet start the original dog in something entirely different (stock work) when neither humans nor dog have had much interest in pursuing stock work in the past. I'm just asking, why wouldn't the first dog also make a good SAR dog?

 

Dogs don't have human emotions.

 

I think this point is highly arguable--not that I want to, though. For the Love of a Dog is an entire book written by an animal behavior PhD about the range of canine emotion, and how it is quite similar to our own repertoire....

 

I didn't want JJ feeling like he was being replaced so at feeding times, I would place JJ's bowl down first (and still do).

 

I still do this, too. Because Godiva is so much smaller and weaker than Mojo, I clearly enforced her right to have everything first from the very beginning, and still do--it helped tremendously. Luckily for everyone, Mojo is relatively happy to play second fiddle to her, but it took just about three or four months of constant work before I ever really trusted Mojo alone with Godiva, and then another two or three months before I thought Mojo actually *enjoyed* her company, as they started to snuggle together of their own accord in the same dog bed, etc. To be honest, I don't think Godiva was "jealous" of Mojo at all when he first arrived--she is pretty happy about everything in her little life, and in fact, she hardly even seemed to notice him in the house; on the other hand, I think Mojo just barely tolerated Godiva's presence--if there was any "jealousy" at all, it was all on Mojo's side!! The "problems" to which I was referring above were mainly that I was afraid Mojo would injure Godiva, particularly since she can't see/hear too well anymore, and she would often wander blithely over to him while he was chewing a bone/toy, dead asleep, etc., so I wasn't comfortable leaving them in a room together for even a minute until I was confident that a.) Mojo had great bite inhibition and that b.) he was much more likely to get up and walk away from Godiva (relinquishing toys, bed, food!!!) than to defend "his" property. I consider us to have been very lucky that things worked out so well.

 

Sorry I strayed somewhat off-topic from the OP's main questions, but I was just wondering about his rationale for getting a second dog for the purposes he stated.

[Maralynn]

It is certainly possible that I misunderstood, but from what the OP said, it sounded as if both he and his wife have a passion for SAR, and want to focus on the new, second dog as being their SAR dog, and essentially leave the original one out of it--yet start the original dog in something entirely different (stock work) when neither humans nor dog have had much interest in pursuing stock work in the past. I'm just asking, why wouldn't the first dog also make a good SAR dog?

 

Maybe the OP will weigh in on this, but, every dog is not well suited to do SAR work. BCs can excel at SAR, but not all BCs are SAR dog material. I would love to be able to work my first dog in SAR. She loves hide and seek games with people and she'll do anything for her ball and she'll play ball with anyone. But she is very sensitive and would most likely want to curl up in a corner and hide in the hustle and bustle of the scene of a real search.

 

How do we make sure to keep our incumbant dog from becoming too jealous? She is VERY attached to mom and dad, travels with us everywhere, sleeps with us and OWNS us. With the huge committment of training a SAR dog, what will we be able to do so that she knows she is still #1? My first thought was to give her her own job. We are headed to a herding evaluation on Saturday for potential herding lessons. What else can we do?

 

Just continue to give her quality time with you .

 

I hated going off to SAR training at first and leaving Missy home. She is my girl and had always gone everywhere with me. I felt like a traitor taking Kipp and leaving her. But she has no hard feelings and is always excited to see me (and even Kipp) when I get home. I continue to do as much with her as possible and give her one on one time with me. When I set up searches or something for Kipp at home, I'll work her on the same thing as well. And I continue to take just her along for rides when possible - but honestly she is just as happy when Kipp goes along, too.

 

Maybe you could consider therapy dog training for both dogs - the exposure and socialzation would be an asset for a SAR dog and it would be an activity you could do with Tuuli.

[jamesqf]

We ski, run, hike, ski, hike, run from moose, chase bears...

 

Excuse the off-topic, but I can't help wondering just why on earth you chase bears? Running from moose I can understand (though we don't have them hereabouts), but the only people I've ever known to chase bears (an East LA car club on a camping trip in Yosemite) did not enjoy the experience.

[shatchp]

Ahhh! I've been eyeing Molly with longing for a while now...she's very beautiful, and as much as a photo can capture personality, she has a sweet, biddable look about her. Good luck. I only have one dog, so no advice from me...

 

As for chasing bears, if you spend any time around National Parks in bear country, there are lots of folks who chase them...usually khaki-wearing tourist types, cameras dangling from scrawny necks, who didn't read the warnings in their travel guides too closely. Tuuli, you obviously don't fall in that category...what with the moose fleeing and beluga whale rolling. I hope you get Molly....good luck!

[Tuuli]

Thank you for the posts and advice. My wife Eeva heads to Seattle on the 26th to meet Molly and see how things go. Who knows, she may be coming home with the girl on the 29th! Our biggest concern remains Tuuli, but the words we have heard are encouraging.

 

As for chasing bears, NOT OUR IDEA! I don't know why she does it. As I said, she is affraid of moose, but black bears just seem to be fun sport. Not good if you ask me. She LOVES fishing as well. I think last fall she pulled 12-20 salmon out of a creek while I was fishing. Poor things, we kept having to kick the little buggers back into the creek and didn't get too much fishing ourselves!

 

We have thought of working with Tuuli in SAR work again. What we ran into the first time was a lack of motivation. Ours or the dogs? We need to work that out. Time will tell.

 

Thanks again for the input.

 

Jaime

[jamesqf]

I see, it's the dog's idea to chase bears. The way it was written, it sounded like a group effort :-)

 

As for the fishing, if Tuuli catches fish for you, why throw them back and try to catch your own? That's got to be really discouraging for her.