Thinking Of Adopting #2...

[Guest ljh777]

We've had London for almost 7 months and she's adjusted so well. We love seeing her "True colors" shine through! She's so playful and fun.

She lived with two other greys at her foster home and while she is very well-behaved during our work days home alone, we think she'd love to have a companion.

Advice from those of you who have added to your clan? I've read boy greys get along nicely with girl greys ... I've read it depends on the dogs... how to go about deciding? Obviously we take London to meet the new member of the family before deciding...

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Charlies_Dad]

We added Jack (#2) a year after Charlie, it was a greyt decision on our part. We went with a second boy because our female Rat Terrier likes big boys and tends to scrap with females. Our other reason for a second boy is that they tend to be more laid back than females. To us the most important thing is all about personality, not colour, size, etc. We entrusted our group to find us another easy going boy and they did a wonderful job, we didn't even have Charlie meet Jack prior as we knew they would do well by us. We didn't find any major changes to the household and the only thing we are careful of is separation while eating, muzzles on when we are not home, muzzles on in the backyard - you never know what can happen. If you are close to the kennel where adoptions occur, then I would encourage you to bring London to meet the pups.

 

Good luck on #2, we're looking forward to #3 & 4 this summer, that's how happy we are with ours.

[Guest PhillyPups]

My second came as need, a bounced foster dying of depression in the kennel. She was with me for 5-1/2 years.

[gracegirl]

I'm a big fan of letting your first dog pick your second one out. (Note that while I'm a fan of this, I did not heed my own advice and adopted Fenway as a puppy...sight unseen.) When I get a new dog in the future, I would like to foster with the intent to adopt. I love Fenway to death, but he's a much more challenging dog than Grace. If I had two Graces...my life would be so easy!

 

They always give you the easy dog first. #2 is the one who's usually the PITA.

[Guest twogreytkids]

My group recommends that you adopt the opposite sex when you adopt your second one, so I chose a shy female. For Lindsey, it was love at first sight and when I brought her home, she followed Money's lead. It was the easiest training that I ever had to do. Money even helped her to overcome her shyness. Now, she is right there with him to collect her scritches.

 

Marcy

[Guest Vers]

I adopted my second grey just under seven months after my first, and haven't regretted it a moment. Simba was doing fine as an only hound, but he also always brightened up in a big way when we met another grey. I knew when he came home that I'd eventually have two, but the track closings here in the Northeast and so many hounds needing homes drove me to do it a bit sooner.

 

Simba gets along with every grey we've met, and I really thought I'd end up with another big male, but we (he) brought home a shy little girl. I still swear Simba fell in love with her from the photo on her adoption page -- he stared at her page on the computer screen when I was checking out the adoptables listings. I brought him to the kennels to meet her, brought her home for a visit, and the rest as they say is history. They're wonderful together, and it seems to give them both an extra measure of comfort and peace to be two hounds together in the house. I also thinks that Simba's confidence is really good for her shyness. And for dog #2, she's far from being a PITA -- her temperment and manners are wonderful, and she settled into home life very quickly (she'd only been off the track about a month before coming home). I give Simba all the credit for showing her the ropes here.

 

I do feed separately, and muzzle when I'm not home (partly because the cats are still acting up).

 

Don't hesitate! I think it's one of the best gifts you can give them, the company of their own kind. If the adoption group agrees to a home visit, that might be a good way to test the waters. You probably already have a sense of which personalities would best complement your London's, too! (She sounds wonderful.)

 

Keep us posted

[msjpk]

After having Lou for 3 years, I decided to foster- Lou is his own dog and I wasn't quite sure how he would like a partner.

We applied to foster for a senior boy ( I was told boy with boy is good match). A senior boy was available who's house was going into forclosure. Hubby and I arrived at GFNJ s and picked up "PLUMMER" a brindle boy.

Both Plummer and Lou are a match for each other, we didn't know it then but it worked out so Plummer is ours now.

It is greyt having 2 but I must say they should compliment each other, it is much easier.

Keep us posted and good luck.

[tra708]

we got our second, Lola, after having Jackie for 4 months. i called the adoption group where we got jackie, and asked if she had a dog in mind that was cat safe, and a good fit with Jackie. i was all set for a boy, but Lola was suggested for us, and they have gotten along great from the first day. Jackie's personality seemed to come alive with a second dog around. She also became a much better eater. For awhile, they both wanted to eat out of the same bowl.....it was hard to get them to separate. they still do it sometimes. there was never a growl out of either one. what made me the happiest was when they started running and playing together, after a couple of months. out of the two, my experience has been the same as Gracegirl's. Lola is a little more of a challenge to figure out.

I was initially worried about having 2 dogs...i'd never done that before, but now i can say i don't regret the decision one bit. it's been great for them to have each other, and i could just stare at them and love them all day. Oh and i want to add...we did bring Jackie with us to pick a dog out, but she didn't really show a preference for any one dog, so we went with their pick.

I hope this works out for you!! For us, it was a very good thing to get a 2nd hound.

Edited March 7, 2010 by tra708

[Guest isntitgreyt]

Foxy and Molly were failed fosters that came together. Glenda, on the other hand was sight unseen but I knew I wanted to give a broodie a home. The one I actually wanted to adopt had already been adopted but they sent a pic saying Glenda was available and a small picture. I said ok send her up!!! I have 3 females and all of them get along fine. I think it's more about London and the future grey. How they get along is most important!! Good Luck!!

[Guest Downtownhoundz]

I can't imagine not having two of them anymore!I'd love to get another houndie at some point ,I so miss my girl!

[Guest widowcali]

I was lucky. I had Cali for a little over a year before we got the second dog. Widow was a foster, which I failed after about 6 months. Actually, Cali made the decision for me. I brought Widow in, there was the obligatory sniff sniff, then Widow went to the bed in the corner and Cali went to her usual spot on the couch. Cali actually helped Widow become a bit more sure of herself and not so afraid of everything. I used to joke that Cali was Widow's protector. Adding dog number 3, or rather 4 since my mom's dog has also joined our pack, required a bit more work. I think I have just been lucky in finding the right temperments to coexist almost peacefully, as long as the puppy isn't tooo obnoxious.

[Guest twhitehouse]

We added our 2nd about 3 weeks ago after having Lexi a year and a half. You don't HAVE to get the opposite sex. Obviously, we didn't.

 

We went in wanting a very easy going male, perferable not brindle and what do we get but a female brindle.

 

Truth is, it really depends on your dog and the other dog and their personialities. Lexi always seemed to prefer girls, but we just wanted to make sure we got a very confident dog. Lexi saw many dogs, both male and female and she picked

Tess hands down. She would wag her tail and do her happy dance everytime Tess was brought out to see her.

 

your dog will help you decide.

Edited March 8, 2010 by twhitehouse

[Guest LindsaySF]

I'm a big fan of letting your first dog pick your second one out. ...... When I get a new dog in the future, I would like to foster with the intent to adopt.

This would be my advice.

[Guest Flysmom]

We adopted a 2nd Greyhound 2 months after we adopted Cisco. The main reason for adopting another Greyhound was that Cisco could not be a only dog. I found that out when I had to take our JRT to the vet and Cisco did not touch his Kong and was pretty freaked out by the time we came home. Poncho is a male also, they were able to interact on neutral ground for 2 days to see if they would get along. They have their moments when they actually kind off snuggle and share the same pillow.

[Guest Brindled_Greys]

We added Mabel after having Thriller for a year and a half. He seemed more "threatened" by other male dogs we doggysat for, but he pretty much ignored Mabel at first. He wasn't happy about her laying on him or anything, until after they'd been together a few years. Which was sad for her as she seemed to like to snuggle. I liked having two, but it was double the cost on everything.

The rule of thumb I've always heard was you can have one of each, or two males, but not two females. Buth I've known people with two females, so I guess it just depends on the dogs and their temperament.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Brindled_Greys

[Guest Fasave]

I'm a big fan of letting your first dog pick your second one out. ...... When I get a new dog in the future, I would like to foster with the intent to adopt.

This would be my advice.

 

I agree with this as well, however, I didn't let my first grey pick but did foster. I'm not sure if there was intent or not but my second ended up staying :lol . Actually, my second grey came 2.5 years after my first adoption and it was his littermate who became available for adoption at the age of 5.5. Safari was a crazy boy and after 5 months of still being available, I brought him home to "foster". Avalanche, my first was not all that thrilled with reuniting with his brother and there was at least 6 months transition for both. I call Ave my grumpy old man who takes the role as the "fun police" very seriously. Safari was the first pup to stay with me who actually stood up to him. In time they figured out their roles and space and eventually, they even would cuddle with each other and became close but it wasn't always easy.

 

One month after Safari passed away, Thunder came as a foster (just four months ago) after he was bounced from his first home from biting a collie. Even though I promised Ave some quality mom and me time for a while and that he could pick the next one, Thunder needed a place without small pets, other breeds, children, etc. and a chance at a stable home. Of course he's stayed but again, the transition has been trying at times as Ave is a greyhound snob as well and still just as grumpy. I often tell people if Safari had been my first greyhound I'd probably have a 12 pack of hounds. With Ave, it took 2.5 years to even consider it.

 

This is why I advocate fostering as they all have very different personalities. I grew up in a home with two dogs that didn't get along. We stuck it out because we made the commitment but it played havoc on everyone's life and I'm not sure it was the right decision in the end. Fostering gives you more time to evaluate the family dynamics of everyone in the family.

 

This is a picture of my littermates.

 

[cleptogrey]

we just went thru loosing our female(cancer), giving our remaining grey a chance to adjust to life as a solo dog and learning that he was not a happy camper. so, i decided to foster and see if anything would really click w/ our solo boy. the first foster was a beauty and fun but not the right match. the second (who my adoption rep. encouraged us to foster, she really liked her) did the trick, the two just melded together and she "got with the program" really quickly and it seems as if she has ALWAYS been with us. talk to your greyhound group, the seed has been planted- you have posted and are looking for reinforcement. see what they have for adoption and take london out to meet the pups. when the right one comes along both you and london will feel it. having two is easy, as easy as one. take your time and look around, too many greys are out there looking for homes. one is surely looking your way!

[Guest PiagetsMom]

I had Piaget a year and a half before I added Mirage. I took the regularly given advice here and took Piaget along with me. I'd already decided to give her a "brother", so we visited with the boys who were available. Honestly, Piaget seemed to do okay with all of them, but I'd had my eye on Mirage. So, we took a walk together - they did fine, and the decision was made. They don't snuggle, they play together occassionally, but for the most part they just really co-exist very well together.

 

I think I worried more about adding a second pup than I did about adding a second child to our family.......I was so afraid they wouldn't get along! My DSs had a much harder time co-existing than my pups have

 

Good Luck!

[Guest PhillyPups]

I have 2 males, 3 females (all retired broods). I have to say my 5 get along so well, it is a very easy going pack and I rarely have a snarky word amongst them. They figure it out and I let them.

 

My experience has been that the boys are usually a bit more laid back, the girls can get fiestier. Just my experience.

[Guest Cris_M]

I'd suggest fostering with intent also.

 

We don't want a second grey, but we do foster. Our first foster was, um, challenging. She is now in foster home #5 or #6! We had her about 1 month, before we sent her to the next foster family. We worried and cried and pretended it could work out. If she had been an adoption to us, we would probably still be miserable and trying to make it work.

 

Our current foster fits in fine. If we wanted a second, he would be a great choice.

 

Duncan did not act any differently meeting either foster. If we had taken him to the adoption kennel to let him choose a sibling, we could still have ended up with the wrong dog.

 

Hope you enjoy your new dog, and that he/she is the perfect fit.

[Guest krystolla]

We're thinking about adopting a second dog too. Hack is a semi-spooky boy and does much better around other dogs. I'd love to see two greyhounds of my own snuggling and playing and chasing now that I've been indoctrinated by GT (there should be a warning on this forum).

 

But it's not really a good time yet -- I've got a few (human) medical problems to work through and our financial situation is still a bit shaky. Plus I'm not entirely sure the cats have forgiven us for bringing home Hack, but then I don't think they've forgiven us for not worshiping them in the manner to which they became accustomed back in Egypt.

 

As a coping mechanism, because there are so many fabulous homeless greyhounds out there, our list of what characteristics our next greyhound needs keeps growing. Hack just needed to be big, black and cat safe. NewKid will need to be a small, white or white and fawn gal who is cat safe, confident, reasonably friendly, nearby, a roo-er, a roacher, good with Hack, good with the DH, good on the leash, not too spazzy, not too much of a thief . . .

[Guest sorenkkg]

I can only relate our 1 experience

 

Haka was our first dog, first greyhound. He did really well, though had some health issues-- recurring ear infections, tummy issues... we figured allergies and went from food to food.

 

We had him about a year and a bit, and had that "chipping" feeling-- we knew he had 2 sisters who were breeding, so we sent a message to our group saying, hey, we're ready, and what about his sisters?

 

Turns out one had been adopted (I was miffed, we were supposed to be on alert b/c we wanted both his sisters!) but Aleeya was ready to find her home, and we were a natural choice for her since we had her brother!

 

So while we would've gone with any dog chosen for us (our group does matching, we don't meet the dogs), boy or girl-- I've heard stories about success of either-- Aleeya fit right in right away. Not saying that Haka had any special affection for her, but he didn't hate her or do anything aggressive or snappy either.

 

Now here's the nice part-- you could say it was the food, but I firmly believe that his tummy issues got 100% better when we got Aleeya! I think he was hiding some SA, and just having another pooch in the house, even if he didn't really interact with her, was a comfort to him.

 

She's very playful outside-- she's taught him to be more exuberent (sp?) and he can be quite silly now. He's taught her to play fetch, sort of, and how to be head of the pack and back him up at greyhound play dates.

 

So I definitely say that having 2 isn't that much harder than having 1, and the benefits can be so huge, in ways that you won't even know about!

 

Good luck!

 

Soren

[Guest SusanP]

I think it's more about individual personalities than the sex of the dogs in question. Our closest pair are two males. Our two females, both former broodies, could be a bit nervous/snarky with the other dogs, mainly when they were new in our home, and our 3rd male is sort of a pushy, excitable character.

 

Your best bet is to find out how the potential family member acts around other dogs at the kennel and to visit with your dog, as you said, and see how their personalities mesh.

[Guest ljh777]

Thanks for all of your replies... a few weeks ago we welcomed Tigerlily (Lily) to our family! She is a spirited 2.5-yr old female... so far London is doing well with her. She exhibits patience at the right times and exerts her alpha dog authority appropriately at other times. I am so proud of her for the way she's been adjusting! Lily is a lover and a super affectionate girl. They walk and play well together and we're so blessed to have found a sweet sister for London!

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm a big fan of letting your first dog pick your second one out. (Note that while I'm a fan of this, I did not heed my own advice and adopted Fenway as a puppy...sight unseen.) When I get a new dog in the future, I would like to foster with the intent to adopt. I love Fenway to death, but he's a much more challenging dog than Grace. If I had two Graces...my life would be so easy!

 

They always give you the easy dog first. #2 is the one who's usually the PITA.

 

:lol

 

Oh Lauren!!! You KNOW that's not always true!!!!

 

If hounds like George were the rule rather than the exception...well, perish the thought!!