any one else heard this??

Question

i have an 11 year old collie/labrador cross (female) who is a brilliant well tempered dog
I was thinking about getting a collie or possibly the same cross puppy when she dies and a friend said if i got one now my dog would teach it etc and would have the same temprement, ive never heard of this before unless it is the dogs own pups can anyone shed any light on this?????

Meant to add my dog was brought up with its sister who sadly died last year they always got on very well so i dont think jealousy etc would be an issue

As for where i got the information from a friend told me and i wasnt so sure so i thought id ask if anyone else could explain thanks

Answer 1

It could be either good or bad depending on your dog's temperament. If she's used to just the two of you, a new dog could be interpreted as a threat and she might end up miserable in her last few years. But if she is the type who likes to approach other dogs when you walk and is friendly with them, she might appreciate a companion. You'll be the best judge of your best friend. Lastly, I think your dog is the way she is because of how you treated her and you could do the same to another dog with or without her.

Answer 2

You cannot teach a dog to have a certain temperament. Training BEHAVIORS can be easier if you already have a well-trained dog, because your new puppy will follow the examples of the older dog. But the actually TEMPERAMENT and PERSONALITY of the dog is individual. (Similar to human siblings that have been raised together, taught the same lessons, etc.; you may have a shy sibling and an outgoing sibling.)

Especially if you have a mixed-breed, you could have more of the collie temperament come out, or you could have more of the lab temperament come out. Also, even if it is the same mix of breeds, it may look completely different. Even different pups from the same mixed-breed litter will look and act different.

I would get the new puppy, but love it for the INDIVIDUAL it is, not because you think it will be just like your old dog.

(Also, it will frequently bring back some playfulness to an older dog to introduce a puppy. Of course, it could be the opposite too, some older dogs despise puppies. Make sure you know how your dog will react, I've seen it go both ways. You don't want to make your current dog unhappy.)

Answer 3

What your friend says is true- your well mannered collie/lab cross will have a calming effect on a new boistrous pup!
However think carefully about the effect a new pup in the house may have on an older dog. It will be exhausting and potentially stressfull for your old dog. Also, your older dog may discover a new lease of life and get really active!
My 9 year old retriever got very stressed when we got a new puppy, although he was never unkind and played with him etc, and was generally a fit and healthy dog. We had to make sure that he had lots of his own space and peace and quiet. They have now bonded and miss each other when separated but I would think twice about putting an old dog through the experience again!
As your collie/lab cross is now elderly I think it would be better to let her live her final years in peace with all your attention.
Get another dog after she dies as you planned and raise it the same way you did this one- it is obviously a very successful method!

Answer 4

I asked my vet recently about this she said that it helps in the training of the new dog if the old dog is good the new dog may pick up the behaviors easier with another dog as an example.
If it will be too stressful on you old dog then you should not get a puppy though. Also it works the opposite if you have a dog with bad behaviors then the new dog will learn those as well. I decided it best to start over with one new dog as my dog only has a few weeks to a few months to live and he is easily stressed out also he has a lot of bad behaviors that I can't train away after years of work it he is still in training trying to correct things that I didn't know I was causing in the early years of his life

Answer 5

That's rubbush, dogs don't have the ability to change temperments in other dogs. However they do have the ability to change hehaviors, either good or bad. Introduce the dogs to each other before you permanently aquire the new dog and see how that goes. Always remember that dogs are pack animals and will establish an order in that pack. Introducing the dogs first will give you an idea where the order will be. As you are the pack leader, you can then work on ways of keeping your pack in order. It doesn't matter if dogs are related, they will still form a pack and aquire a leader.

It's always a good idea to acquire a dog with the same or less energy level as your current animal. This helps in training as well as hinders the teaching of bad behaviours. Take Sweets answer as an example of this...her Mom's Poms don't want anything to do with her puppy because of the energy level in her dog.

Answer 6

There's one more thing you need to consider before bringing a puppy home. How well does your dog put up with a little yappy playful puppy? My mom has 3 dogs, who can't really stand my puppy, but she is bigger than all 3 of my mom's poms. My pup just wants to play, and those old lazy poms snap at my baby once she throws her paw in play at them, or crouches down and barks at them, trying to say "Hey! Play with me!"
To prevent this issue in your own home, take her to go see and spend some time with a playful puppy. (PLAYFUL is the key!) Maybe a friend has a pup, or take her to the petshop to play with one of their puppies. Observe her carefully. If she shows agression, it may not be the best idea to get a puppy until she's gone. You don't want to stress her in her old age. You don't want her to feel you are replacing her with a "newer model". She may get depressed, and I know you don't want that.
OR, she may enjoy the company, and she'll goof around with a puppy as though she's 10 years younger. You really won't know till you can watch her with a puppy.

But, I will have to back up your friend's theory. My puppy has been training her 2 month old best friend how to walk on a leash and to come when called, among other things. Where ever my babygirl is, so is her shadow. It's really funny too, cuz this 2 month old is going to be a huge dog, compared to mine! Granted, mine is only 7 months old, but she is smart, and she has proven to be a great teacher, and influence. My mom's poms have also trained numerous family dogs how to bark at the door (or at nothing!) or how to protect Mom from anyone. I know these aren't usual "well tempered" training techniques, but it proves that a dog, (or a pack) can influence a puppy to do almost anything.

Good luck, and I hope this helps!
;o)

Answer 7

I have two dogs. The first was one a group of 7 puppies I was fostering and as the others went to homes, he stayed, because he adopted me. I found out very quickly he was lonely for other dog company, so when my second stray came along, I decided to keep him. My first dog ignored him for over a month but the newcomer persisted and pestered and eventually won him over. Now they are inseperable.

So I would say, yes, if your dog has usually been in company, it's going to be lonely on it's own and maybe, in the beginning it will take a while for it to accept a stranger. but you'll find it will grow to accept the newcomer and will be more content for it. You'll just have to make sure your alpha dog still gets the same amount of attention and the newcomer doesn't take over.

One other minor point: be careful about the age differences if you are taking a younger dog. Yours may not be upto tolerating a very young puppy. good luck

Answer 8

I've heard that training the new pup to walk nicely on a leash, to sit and lay down on command, etc. can be a lot easier when the pup has a role model (your older dog). They can catch on quicker because they have an example.

I'm sure the new dog would behave a little like your other dog, but each dog has it's own personality and that will come through too.

Answer 9

If you think your older dog would be happy with a puppy, go for it! Dogs definitely learn from each other. As had already been said, dogs are born with a basic temperament but if, say, the puppy is naturally fearful, she will be less so if she learns from a happy, well adjusted older dog than if she was brought up with a nervous dog.

Answer 10

We had mixed dogs from a Corgi cross a Lab And Corgi Foxy cross and each taught the other where to go to each neighbor for food craps. My father a Sheep Farmer used to train sheep dogs and most of the training was to tie the new dog side by side with the older well trained sheep dog ~~