# Adding a second furbaby to the family



## Lucky'smom (Aug 24, 2009)

My hubbie and I are owned by a 1-year-old male maltipoo...pls don't slam me about owning a designer dog, it's a long story. Lucky is energetic, playful, well-adjusted and well-socialized, and fearless. We've had no issues and feel blessed to have him in our lives. However, we don't have kids and both of us work. We absolutely adore Lucky and love spending time with him but I think he would benefit from a brother or sister because he's so socially-oriented. Our vet recommends waiting until Lucky is 18 months, choosing a breed that gets along well with other dogs (we want a Maltese) and getting a female. Sooooooo, for those of you with multiples, can you offer any advice or share your experiences?


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I started out with Archie. I actually got him because...Lacie, my bichon, was getting old and I wanted to have a new pup for when the inevitable happened. But a year later I added Abbey, she was such a tiny fun little maltese....she was a daddy's girl for sure!!! Lacie was 12 when I started with the maltese....she passed away when she was just about 15.

Then a year later (from Abbey) for some unknown reason I ended up adopting a rescue yorkie. Tinker was rescued as an adult from a puppy mill in Arkansas. I'm still not sure how this all happened....but Tink has been here for three years now and is a very happy little knucklehead. He'll always have issues...but he's ok. :tender: I love him.

A few years after that I wanted to do it right by getting a pup from a successful show dog breeder. I chose Bonnie Palmer and I got a Bonnie's Angel. A few weeks later we had a terrible accident and the pup died. The saddest day of my life so far. A few months later I went back to Florida and came back with the most gorgeous tiny little 6 month old pup from Bonnie Palmer that i've ever seen in my life. Her name is Ava, and now I even show her. She's perfect and she's one of the pack. Life is good.

Dogs are wonderful. They can lift your spirits no matter how upset you may be. I love having multiple pups, even though the vet bills seem pretty darn high once in a while. I know of another sweet baby I'd love to have....but I'm not hearing much acceptance from the husband....


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## drclee (Jul 16, 2008)

I got Jack & Jill together - they were littermates, so I don't have much advice about adding a new pup, but I must say that I think most dogs benefit from having a playmate throughout the day. I strongly encourage you to get Lucky a sibling!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

We got Preston when London was just over 1yr old and it was the perfect time for us (and her). We got a female (London) only because I desperately wanted a little girl to put in cute dresses & bows, but it turned out that she hates clothes (although sometimes I make her wear them) and never learned to leave her topknot alone...so it got chopped off. When we decided to add a 2nd baby, I preferred a male because our previous Maltese (Benson, who passed away due to a liver shunt before London was in our lives) was the sweetest boy ever. It turns out that Preston is JUST like Benson personality-wise.

Is Lucky neutered? If not, you will need to make sure he is neutered before you bring a girl home (if you decide on a female). Females can be quite a bit more expensive, so be prepared to spend between $2000 - $3000 if you want a pet-quality female Maltese. Males tend to be between $1200 - $1800. Only purchase a puppy from a breeder who ACTIVELY shows in AKC Conformation. Any breeder who breeds mixed-breed dogs is someone to stay far away from, as is any breeder who does not show their dogs in the ring.

There is no reason for you to wait until Lucky is 18mos old if you are happy with the way he is trained (potty habits, obedience, etc), and getting a male or female won't matter -- what is most important is the individual puppy's personality. Some females are more cuddly and calm than others, as are some males. A good breeder will be able to match the perfect puppy to your household & to Lucky's personality.

I love having 2 Maltese, BUT I am also a housewive (with no children) and I personally would not be okay with leaving my two alone during the day. Some folks on here work full-time and either come home on their lunches or have someone visit their pups during the day. There are definitely days (sometimes lots of days! lol) where I feel overwhelmed by having two and wish I only had one...but it is better with two overall.  It gets expensive with twice the vet bills (vaccinations, etc), twice the amount of food, etc. but on the other hand they do keep each other entertained most of the time. Occasionally one will accidentally bite too hard and they will get in a little scrap but other than that they are great friends. Preston loves to snuggle and London prefers to lay by herself so she gets mad at him when he tries to lay next to her.

In the future, I will only own male Maltese ... I've now had my experience with a girl and it will be my last! LOL I love London, but I am being honest.


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## mama2lillie (Jan 8, 2010)

I have a 3 year old Maltipoo and a 1 year old Maltese. They are best friends. They sleep together and play non-stop.
The Maltese will get jealous for attention sometimes, but that's normal. They love to run and cut up together. I'd sugguest you add another furbaby to your family.


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## llf060787 (Nov 19, 2007)

I have a 3 1/2 year old female maltipoo (Bianca) and we just recently added a 17 week old female maltese (Bitsy) to our family. Our newest additional was a rescue we found on petfinder.com so I would highly suggest going the rescue route - there are plenty of maltese on on that site as well as mixed breeds.

Both Bianca and Bitsy get along great and play most of the day. Bianca does get tired of the Bitsy's constant need to play sometimes and just jumps on the sofa where she knows that Bitsy can't possibly reach her. They are just recently starting to sleep side-by-side because even though Bianca lets Bitsy have her way most of the time and even moves aside when Bitsy tries to eat out of her bowl, she would sometimes growl when bitsy wanted to snuggle up to her. Getting a playmate for Bianca turned out to be the best thing for us.


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## llf060787 (Nov 19, 2007)

I have a 3 1/2 year old female maltipoo (Bianca) and we just recently added a 17 week old female maltese (Bitsy) to our family. Our newest additional was a rescue we found on petfinder.com so I would highly suggest going the rescue route - there are plenty of maltese on on that site as well as mixed breeds.

Both Bianca and Bitsy get along great and play most of the day. Bianca does get tired of the Bitsy's constant need to play sometimes and just jumps on the sofa where she knows that Bitsy can't possibly reach her. They are just recently starting to sleep side-by-side because even though Bianca lets Bitsy have her way most of the time and even moves aside when Bitsy tries to eat out of her bowl, she would sometimes growl when bitsy wanted to snuggle up to her. Getting a playmate for Bianca turned out to be the best thing for us.


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## Lucky'smom (Aug 24, 2009)

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! It would actually be an easier decision if we were having trouble with Lucky and thought adding a playmate would address that. Lucky is neutered so that doesn't help the male/female decision. While I'd love to rescue a Maltese, I have to admit that might not be a good fit for us. My plan at this point is to do lots of looking to narrow down to a couple of breeders, visit with them, and to keep an eye on rescues. Okay, so I have a little convincing to do too!

Another question...did any of you have help in selecting your new dog from your current dog? In other words, did they meet and were you able to watch them interact? I'm not that worried about Lucky, he'll play with anything that moves. However, if we were to get a dog with less energy and enthusiasm, I can see where that might be like having children who constantly bicker. I need to do what I can to maintain the harmony we have at home or I'll have two unhappy puppies AND an unhappy hubbie!


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## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

QUOTE (Lucky'smom @ Jan 12 2010, 07:18 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=872780


> Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! It would actually be an easier decision if we were having trouble with Lucky and thought adding a playmate would address that. Lucky is neutered so that doesn't help the male/female decision. While I'd love to rescue a Maltese, I have to admit that might not be a good fit for us. My plan at this point is to do lots of looking to narrow down to a couple of breeders, visit with them, and to keep an eye on rescues. Okay, so I have a little convincing to do too!
> 
> Another question...did any of you have help in selecting your new dog from your current dog? In other words, did they meet and were you able to watch them interact? I'm not that worried about Lucky, he'll play with anything that moves. However, if we were to get a dog with less energy and enthusiasm, I can see where that might be like having children who constantly bicker. I need to do what I can to maintain the harmony we have at home or I'll have two unhappy puppies AND an unhappy hubbie![/B]


I've said this before, and I'll say it again. If I had it to do over again, I'd never have two. I thought Coco needed a friend, so I got Lola. Lola is a lovely puppy, but Coco has not been the same since we got Lola. If I had it to do over, we'd only have one, and I can tell you that if I weren't home all the time with the dogs, I'd really hate it worse. I cannot leave these two together, as they've not particularly bonded with one another. therefore, we have to have two different places for the dogs. I have no idea if they'll ever be good friends or not. I'd think long and hard before bringing another dog into the family. While so many people have had great experiences, you never know how they'll do together. We've almost always had two, and this is the first time I've not had good luck with it. I wouldn't do it again.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

QUOTE (Coco @ Jan 12 2010, 07:26 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=872799


> I've said this before, and I'll say it again. If I had it to do over again, I'd never have two. I thought Coco needed a friend, so I got Lola. Lola is a lovely puppy, but Coco has not been the same since we got Lola. If I had it to do over, we'd only have one, and I can tell you that if I weren't home all the time with the dogs, I'd really hate it worse. I cannot leave these two together, as they've not particularly bonded with one another. therefore, we have to have two different places for the dogs. I have no idea if they'll ever be good friends or not. I'd think long and hard before bringing another dog into the family. While so many people have had great experiences, you never know how they'll do together. We've almost always had two, and this is the first time I've not had good luck with it. I wouldn't do it again.[/B]


Mary Ann:

I had a similar experience with my first Malt Samantha. Sam was fabulous by herself but then I let this other person I foolishly married move in with us and bring his Maltese Lizzie. Sam hated them both. After we divorced and he and Lizzie moved out, Samantha was back to being like a puppy again, and she was 10 years old!

I had a totally different experience with Sweetness and Tessa. Within a coupld of days of fostering Tessa I knew Sweetness' heart would break if Tessa left, so I adopted her. They have their "tiffs" where they look at each other like typical sisters but they way they snuggle up together and play with each other is priceless. 

I think it just depends on the dog. I am glad that Sweets met Tessa away from our house and that it started as a foster as that seemed to make things easier.

Lucky's Mom - if there's any way to have them meet, I'd highly recommend it.

Maggie


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Ollie is our 3+ yr old malt. We got YoYo (cockapoo, we think) from a shelter when Ollie was 2 1/2. We did have them meet and play for a while before we made a decision about taking YoYo home.

Ollie is a little bit of a nervous guy, Yoyo had pretty severe anxiety issues from his inhumane treatment. Somehow they both get along. I also had a few visits with YoYo getting a general feel for if I thought I could help him out and if he'd be good with my family. I had a good feeling from the get-go, even with his issues. And I think I made a good choice.

My lifestyle is pretty busy at this point (hopefully won't always be this hectic--it's only been 15 months that I've been back to work full time and first chance I get I'd like to cut back again). And two IS more work, no way around it. But I've never been overwhelmed by them because they add so much joy to my life. They help me relax when "I'm" stressed! They make me laugh. They are the two sons that I've always wanted, lol.

Welcome to SM! There's lots of posts on adding a sibling--do some searching around!


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## sammysmom (Jul 20, 2007)

My husband and I both work and felt bad leaving our first maltese Sam alone. When Sam was a year old, we got another maltese, a female, Lucy. Lucy was 6 months old when we got her. She was with a family that kept her in a pantry all day long. They didn't want her because they didn't have the time to take care of her. Any way, it was the best thing we did for Sam. They are inseparable, they have balanced each other out. It was the best thing we did.


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## CeeCee's Mom (Sep 14, 2006)

I had CeeCee and added a little sister Rain. They have only fought one time, but other than that, they get along. They took forever to bond but now they actually nap together. They do not sleep together but let CeeCee think someone will hurt Rain, she is in there like a Mother hen to protect her!!! I am glad I added one to be company for the other!!!


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

*Bump for administrator*

See post above.


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

Yeah, I wouldn't click on those links either. Something fishy.


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## sharonp (Jan 18, 2014)

*adding a 2nd dog*

Hi,
We brought in a 13 week female for me and for my energetic playful 5lb, 1 year old Morkie. I thought she would love a playmate. After 2 weeks together, I can finally say the the older dog does in fact love the puppy. My issue is ,I think TOO much! The little one can't take 2 steps without the older one jumping and wrestling and trying to physically horseplay. No signs of aggression at all, she just is OVER zealous with the alb puppy. Puppy puts up with it in small doses and infact returns some of the wrestling/play, but the older one, only 15 months, can't slow it down, or turn it off. It makes me quite anxious and worried that it is too much for the little one and that she will get hurt, or afraid to come out of her crate, and walk around freely in the kitchen. She does sleep a lot and will retreat to the safety and peace of her crate frequently. I am torn as to whether this is normal adjusting to one another or not, and how involved should I be in separating or settling down the commotion. They do seem to like each other which gives me hope, but It feels like 2 toddlers wrestling full time when they are together. Will this naturally work itself out into a more peaceful coexistence in time? Or should I be handling this differently??? Any tips advice or reassurance welcome. TY


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## sharonp (Jan 18, 2014)

*adding a 2nd furbaby*

]

Old Today, 11:14 AM #16 (permalink)
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Name: Sharon
Dog's Name: Lucy
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Doylestown PA
Posts: 5
Default adding a 2nd dog
Hi,
We brought in a 13 week female for me and for my energetic playful 5lb, 1 year old Morkie. I thought she would love a playmate. After 2 weeks together, I can finally say the the older dog does in fact love the puppy. My issue is ,I think TOO much! The little one can't take 2 steps without the older one jumping and wrestling and trying to physically horseplay. No signs of aggression at all, she just is OVER zealous with the alb puppy. Puppy puts up with it in small doses and infact returns some of the wrestling/play, but the older one, only 15 months, can't slow it down, or turn it off. It makes me quite anxious and worried that it is too much for the little one and that she will get hurt, or afraid to come out of her crate, and walk around freely in the kitchen. She does sleep a lot and will retreat to the safety and peace of her crate frequently. I am torn as to whether this is normal adjusting to one another or not, and how involved should I be in separating or settling down the commotion. They do seem to like each other which gives me hope, but It feels like 2 toddlers wrestling full time when they are together. Will this naturally work itself out into a more peaceful coexistence in time? Or should I be handling this differently??? Any tips advice or reassurance welcome. TY
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