Should we get another dog

T

TennVet

Member
Eleven years ago I adopted a 3 year old black lab, Max. He was previously owned by a young employee of the company I was with. When the young man passed away I adopted Max. What a joy he was, smart and well behaved and loved by old and young. At first my wife wasn't taken with him but he found his way into friendship with her. Max passed away in Dec '20, and recently I have toyed with the idea of a new dog. As you know Labs shed a lot and that was the only problem Max ever presented.

At times I go online and peruse dogs up for adoption. I've tried looking for breeds that shed less than Labs and haven't zeroed in on what I think I'm looking for. Max was pretty well trained, and he was good for me because of his quiet manner and the natural disposition of Labs. I guess I have a concern that any new pet would be compared to Max and that hardly seems fair to any prospective adoptee.
 

I know there is a good point made by your post. I try to think of the pros and cons of adopting another dog. I'm nearly 76 and we like to travel, many times at the drop of a hat, mostly by air. I'm not real impressed by what I have seen at boarding kennels, and you don't take a dog on an 13 hour airplane trip, or a 10 day cruise. I wouldn't be comfortable imposing on friends or neighbors for one of our longer trips. I guess I'm stuck more on the downside than the upside.
 

You seem to miss having a canine companion. You might consider contacting local rescues or shelters about fostering short term. While you might have to plan your traveling for between sessions of fostering you could still make time for it. Or you could volunteer with a rescue/shelter to get a regular fix of the benefits of being around dogs.

There are rescue organizations devoted to specific breeds as well as abandoned 'accidental' mixes. So you could see the pros and cons of various breeds. And often purebreds do find forever homes faster.

Me, i'm fond of all dogs/cats and couldn't foster any animal well as i tend to bond too deeply too quick. (I have wept over the deaths of animals i knew only thru their owners' social media posts). i'd want to keep them all.
 
TennVet said:
I know there is a good point made by your post. I try to think of the pros and cons of adopting another dog. I'm nearly 76 and we like to travel, many times at the drop of a hat, mostly by air. I'm not real impressed by what I have seen at boarding kennels, and you don't take a dog on an 13 hour airplane trip, or a 10 day cruise. I wouldn't be comfortable imposing on friends or neighbors for one of our longer trips. I guess I'm stuck more on the downside than the upside.
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In this case I agree, traveling in the baggage compartment of a plane or sticking one in boarding kennels isn't good or healthy for a fur baby, to say nothing of the anxiety it would cause for you.
 
TennVet said:
I know there is a good point made by your post. I try to think of the pros and cons of adopting another dog. I'm nearly 76 and we like to travel, many times at the drop of a hat, mostly by air. I'm not real impressed by what I have seen at boarding kennels, and you don't take a dog on an 13 hour airplane trip, or a 10 day cruise. I wouldn't be comfortable imposing on friends or neighbors for one of our longer trips. I guess I'm stuck more on the downside than the upside.
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You might consider temporarily fostering dogs while they wait for a permanent home, or volunteering at a shelter to exercise and play with their dogs a few times a week.
 
feywon said:
You seem to miss having a canine companion. You might consider contacting local rescues or shelters about fostering short term. While you might have to plan your traveling for between sessions of fostering you could still make time for it. Or you could volunteer with a rescue/shelter to get a regular fix of the benefits of being around dogs.

There are rescue organizations devoted to specific breeds as well as abandoned 'accidental' mixes. So you could see the pros and cons of various breeds. And often purebreds do find forever homes faster.

Me, i'm fond of all dogs/cats and couldn't foster any animal well as i tend to bond too deeply too quick. (I have wept over the deaths of animals i knew only thru their owners' social media posts). i'd want to keep them all.
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I just posted the same thing. :)
 
TennVet said:
I guess I have a concern that any new pet would be compared to Max and that hardly seems fair to any prospective adoptee.
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I think this always happens at first when you get a new dog..

I have had 3 new dogs after previous one died who we had for a long time

At first you think things like oh you are cute but you are not Max - after a while your new dog is your dog in its own right not just a replacement dog
 
TennVet said:
I know there is a good point made by your post. I try to think of the pros and cons of adopting another dog. I'm nearly 76 and we like to travel, many times at the drop of a hat, mostly by air. I'm not real impressed by what I have seen at boarding kennels, and you don't take a dog on an 13 hour airplane trip, or a 10 day cruise. I wouldn't be comfortable imposing on friends or neighbors for one of our longer trips. I guess I'm stuck more on the downside than the upside.
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This is exactly why we quit having pets.
 
I'm sorry for your loss of sweet Max. The only kind of dog that I know of that sheds less is the Shihtzu. I have one now and not much shedding at all.

All the best to you in your search for another doggie šŸ¶
 
The answer is always YES. When you near your passing, it's your responsibility to make sure the dog has a future. Just as you would about some of your belongings. Dogs don't only give love, they need it.
 

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