[Liaptoono]

For those waiting for another dog, tell me, how do you cope/think? Knowing how much you want another dog but you must wait and that wait is longer then it should be.

Even the people that are happy with the dogs they have, how did you feel as you waited for some of those dogs?

I'm curious because I go through this a lot, lol. I love Sunny and Serenity but god do I want a SBT. Some days I question why I brung home a herding breed and not a Bull Breed but to late now. I was raised about SBTs but I also had a soft spot for herding breeds due to one we owned, Commando.

In reality, even if I could own one, I know I wouldn't be ready for several reasons so I keep telling myself why I wouldn't be ready. I want to prove to myself I can accomplish things with these two before I ever own a SBT otherwise there'd be no point in getting a SBT.

It just kills me to think of the wait. I don't see myself moving out anytime soon so I'd have to wait for one of these two to die (I am not in a rush for this) but Sunny is only 6 (in October) and well.. That's going to be a long wait. It just seems so weird to have to wait so long for another dog. I do hope I'm lucky enough to somehow get a SBT in at least 4 years.

My jealousy isn't helped when my sister might be getting a SBT once (IF) she puts a granny flat in the backyard.. And my brother might get one soon.. Gah! I hate them both >< I miss my first SBT, Guage, dearly.. And I miss having a dog like him. He was amazing.

Don't get me wrong, I adore my dogs, I wouldn't get rid of them just to get another dog but I miss having a Bull Breed around, I love their personality, I love so much about them. I believe things happen for a reason and these two Mutts have a lot to show me before I can own another dog.

The main thing that gives me comfort about waiting is knowing I'll be ready after a few years, Serenity will be easier to handle, Sunny will ether be gone or he'll be old. I'll know so much more, consistent with what I need to do with raising a SBT. At the moment, I couldn't put the effort in to SBT like I'd want to.

[maclaudser]

Simple, you enjoy the ones you have and focus on them. I've been waiting for an APBT for years, I've got the OK for another dog but it can't be an APBT for insurance reasons, so I'm probably gonna wind up waiting for the time I can get an APBT which could be years from now.

[Obgrfbke]

I wanted a puppy for 3 years before I was able to get one. After working with Rosie, (who was 2 when I met her (DH got her as a puppy)) and Nick (who was 2 1/2 when we got him) I wanted to see what I could do with a puppy, a clean slate.
I kept after DH and he kept saying we didn't need another dog. I do 98% of the dog stuff around here, feeding, cleaning, training, etc and I knew I could handle a puppy.
I finally had to throw a fit, but I got my puppy...and DH loves her, even tho he won't admit it.

[Marc Spilkintin]

I used to not handle it very well. I'm VERY impatient.

But then a breeder told me... "Darling, you're young.. you have all the time in the world." and it really did make me think about the long term future and that I don't have to have all the dogs I want at once.

[Enjknsua]

I just put all my time into the current dogs until the time is right for the next one. While I was waiting years for my first dane I focused on training one of my family's labs for novice obedience. Once I had my first dane boy I knew I wanted a show pup next, so I started planning. Found my breeder and waited for the litter I wanted for almost a year. In the mean time, I put a CGN on my other boy, and got him trained for rally and obedience. Now I have my show boy and we're already in the early planning stages for adding a show bitch a few years down the road.

[WhonyGataxott]

I've been scary patient. I've been wanting a well bred working dog since shortly after I got Lily. So thats like over four years now!

I actually turned down a couple different nice breeder rehome GSD's right before taking Scout in because I didn't feel it was the right time financially to add a second dog. Way to eat my words!!!! Scout is a good worker, but she's also got a lot of issues. I don't regret taking her in at all. For one she is awesome and two she's taught me way more about training than any well bred dog ever would have done. I feel I'm way more prepared for a high drive pup now than I otherwise would have been. I've done a ton of stuff with her and Lily and will continue to do so, but we're somewhat limited as far as the sports/work I'm most interested in because they are rescues.

That said, I keep having dreams about boy Malinois puppies. Can my wait be over now? LOL

[TeksPaisimi]

by ripping my hair out and weaving it into a lovley new blanket for said new dog LOL
J/k....but seriously

[AcecePesFeacy]

when my family dog died, I was I think 14-16 I forget...I had to wait till I moved into this house since my parents said "you can't have a dog till your out of this house"...well I waited haha, I had to, it was what 5 years before I ended up getting another dog

[maclaudser]

But then a breeder told me... "Darling, you're young.. you have all the time in the world." and it really did make me think about the long term future and that I don't have to have all the dogs I want at once.

I like to think of it that way as well I still get impatient sometimes... mostly when i see an add for well-bred pups nearby or if I get offered a pup... and I think "Damn, I want my dog NOW!"... but in the end you have to make the mature decision to wait until the circumstances are right!

[OnerePeepsy]

I don't have this problem. I don't want another dog. I love Lily. She is, by far, the best dog I could've dreamed of. Before I got her, I wasn't involved in any dog activities. Now we're in flyball, agility, lure coursing, therapy work, obedience, and rally if I ever get around to it. She's opened so many doors for me. She is so patient with me. She has taught me more than I could've ever imagined. I learn something new with her every day.

We have, by far, not accomplished everything we've set out to do. But the journey is so much fun, so full of adventure and occasional hardship, so full of learning experiences, pitfalls, excitement, pain, frustration, and joy.

She's the best dog ever. We're only getting started. I have absolutely no desire for another dog at this time, and when she eventually passes, it will be impossible to replace her.

To answer your question, the only coping I will have to do is when she's no longer in my life, and that will be unbearable.

[Coellacag]

You've gotten some good suggestions so far. My only advice is to plan like hell. That's what I'm doing while I wait on my Amstaff pup. I'm a pretty good planner and have planned all kinds of puppy related stuff. I've been setting aside money every paycheck for the pup. I've started tweaking my schedule at work now so by the time the pup gets here I will have maximum time with it. I'm saving up my vacation time like a pack rat. I've already made lists of all the stuff I need to puppy proof in my house, things to do prior to the puppy coming on, ways to break up feeding/walking/training etc.

Planning takes a lot of the worry out of it for me, so I can just be plan ol excited!

[machpamb]

I used to not handle it very well. I'm VERY impatient.

But then a breeder told me... "Darling, you're young.. you have all the time in the world." and it really did make me think about the long term future and that I don't have to have all the dogs I want at once.

Was that before, or after you got the dogs you currently have? >



Teasing of course... I agree with focusing on the dogs you have, do more with them, spend more bonding time with them and realize how great they are. And keep in mind that you have a whole life ahead of you that'll give you time to own them at reasonable times.

[Bromikka]

It's hard. Ever since my dog one dog passed I've wanted to bring another dog in. Heck I wanted to before that. I always planned to have 2 or 3 dogs around. That being said the timing hasn't been right yet, and the situation hasn't been right yet. And at this point it would not be fair to our current dog. And honestly she is a pretty happy well adjusted dog and we really lucked out with her. I have about 3 or 4 different types of dogs that I am really interesting in owning and I talk about "What if" a lot. But honestly I need to wait for my kids to get a little older and the situation to be a bit different for another dog to really fit into the picture. However this isn't the first time I've had to wait. And it won't be the last.

It's hard waiting, but the things we have to wait for are the things we appreciate the most. Aren't the best things in life worth waiting for? Waiting sometimes sucks, but in the meantime love and cherish the time you have with your current dogs. Life is fickle and you never know when they could be taken from you. Make the most of the time you have with the dogs you have, if its meant to be for you to have your SBT that day will come. And you will appreciate that dog a whole heck of a lot more because you had to wait.

[seooptiman]

I sometimes spike a very small urge to want another one, just out of curiosity thinking and when I see puppy pictures, but I never dwell on the actual "need it" desire. I am in heaven, as far as dog ownership goes with Zoey. I had set high expectations from her, ever since I brought her home and she's turned out to fulfill all of them and more. I love the 1 on 1 bond we can always give one another 24/7 and to me, it does affect a load of aspects, for both you and the dog's relationship with one another and what comes from such a quality/experience. I don't feel robbed or as if I am missing out, at the slightest, as her being my first pit bull and the only one at the moment and every day that I have her, is only a true gift for me personally. I like to think, she feels the same exact way.

I had been contemplating, researching, and truly waiting for the day that I brought home my first pit bull, for a couple of years when my first dog had passed. The loss was difficult, but I knew for myself, getting a puppy sooner rather than later, will be better for me. I still until this day, can't believe how right I was with that decision. I am beginning to believe, as much as having a few dogs at a time might be truly interesting, I am more of a one dog at a time individual. As, nothing beats the quality you will have bonding exclusively, with one damn good dog.

When the day comes with Zoey, truth be told, I am going to experience one hell of a loss/cope, that's all I can say as of now. So I have no answer as to how long I will wait afterwards, to get another one. That has to be the pitfall of having this 1 on 1 bond, yes indeed.

[aburva.org]

I've wanted a Beauceron for years now. Spoken with the same breeder for years, (he's got to wonder if I'm just a tire kicker! lol) and I just can't take the plunge.

When I had Roxy, my excuse was I didn't want 3 dogs, too much. And I wanted to experience as many different activities first, so that I knew for sure what I was going to do with another dog. Roxy was the best guinea pig anyone could ask for. We did everything together, usually with much success (minus herding, that was a disaster! lol). Now that Roxy's gone, I'm convinced that I'll be disappointed with whatever dog I end up with because it will never be as wonderful, smart and intune with me as Roxy was.

It's been an internal battle for me, but losing Roxy has really killed that picking at my brain for the time being. Just the thought of getting another dog makes me feel physically woozy, my stomach turns and I just feel icky.

[corolaelwis]

I don't have this problem. I don't want another dog. I love Lily. She is, by far, the best dog I could've dreamed of. Before I got her, I wasn't involved in any dog activities. Now we're in flyball, agility, lure coursing, therapy work, obedience, and rally if I ever get around to it. She's opened so many doors for me. She is so patient with me. She has taught me more than I could've ever imagined. I learn something new with her every day.

We have, by far, not accomplished everything we've set out to do. But the journey is so much fun, so full of adventure and occasional hardship, so full of learning experiences, pitfalls, excitement, pain, frustration, and joy.

She's the best dog ever. We're only getting started. I have absolutely no desire for another dog at this time, and when she eventually passes, it will be impossible to replace her.

To answer your question, the only coping I will have to do is when she's no longer in my life, and that will be unbearable.

Yep. That's pretty much exactly how I feel about my Amy. I can't imagine her not in my life. Of course she doesn't do any sports, unless you count Extreme Snuggling.

[feqlmwtuqx]

I used to not handle it very well. I'm VERY impatient.

But then a breeder told me... "Darling, you're young.. you have all the time in the world." and it really did make me think about the long term future and that I don't have to have all the dogs I want at once.

I've tried to think this way but it isn't easy.

[ehib8yPc]

I always had to give myself a huge reality check when I was thinking about another dog. I had to remind myself that it just wouldn't be fair to our then current dog, us or the new one. There just wasn't enough time to devote or money for that matter to a new pup/dog. I have thought and dreamed about getting a purebred APBT for a long time and the day is fast approaching when it is going to happen. I know now that it has been well worth the wait. I have no regrets about waiting. I have no guilt about rushing a decision that would have been unfair to our old dog the new pup or our family. We just really focused on enjoying the dog we had because we knew that he wouldn't be here forever and we didn't want to take for granted the short time that he would be with us.

[wmtravelservice]

I used to really suck at it and end up with a foster dog or 2 or 3! But after losing Zeus, no dog has really made me happy until Riddick came. He filled that void and my family felt complete, I didn't even want a foster dog. Then his life was cut so short, I still have not gotten over it. It will take a while. I want a Doberman puppy, but I want to wait until Casper is gone. So for now, I'm pretty content now. Get my Dobe pup in a few years and then after a few more dogs are gone, get another Dogo puppy and maybe a few small terriers. In the future, I would like only 2 maybe 3 big dogs tops. Perfect combo for me would be a Dobe, Dogo and Greyhound.