Another dog

downtoearth , so very sorry to hear of your loss. Perhaps OH is still very raw from it and in time will feel more like thinking of another dog. I do think you need time to mourn the loss of a loved pet.

lonniefrancis that name is just about describes me today..
N&G thanks ,you are right it is hard and missing the cuddles

I'm glad it all worked out for you Lonniefrances it was obviously worth the effort because it could have been a terrible mistake.

I'm so sorry to hear your sad news downtoearth losing a furry friend is so hard .

Merlotgran you sound very like us , we have had a giant breed all our life but currently have been sensible and have a little cavalier, perfect for our family and lifestyle and age {smile]

Sorry, just realised you are downtoearth, blasted tablet decides for itself what it will put. Many apologies.

Sympathy to you on your loss downtrodden, it's just heart breaking when this happens isn't it x

We've had both large and small dogs over the years but now stick to Jack Russells - due to age and infirmity but we're not as bad as DD1 who has doggydownsized to two chihuahuas.

They're delightful, very well behaved and perfect for her hard working lifestyle.

I love Labs my beautiful girl was euthanased 2 weeks ago,I would love another to love ,but OH has said no more

Very sensible decision, lonnie, A lively lab is quite a handful. At least you now know you've made the right choice.

Good for you to have done a test run in order to decide. Good luck if another opportunity arises.

Went down and took the dogs over the fields together, but it was obvious it wouldn't work out. My boy is full of energy and running and would make her life a misery. Sad, but we have to do what is right for both of them. Wish I was brave enough for another Irish Setter! Thank you all for your advice.

The mum is chocolate and my lad is yellow. My dh is really keen on taking her and she is a lovely dog but I do have reservations. We are taking the boy down to meet up with her on Friday so will see what happens. Thank you all for your advice and I will be back to let you know how it goes.

I think a matching pair of labs would be lovely if you can cope! Are they the same colour? A neighbour used to have 2 rehomed chocolate Labradors, lovely gentle dogs , great bookends!!

Millie mummy dog in the middle with Peggy her daughter on the left and Gloster her son on the right.

Gloster belongs to DD2 but sometimes comes to us for holidays. They all get on really well at the beginning and Millie is thrilled to have her little boy back but after a while he gets on their nerves and won't leave them alone.

I've aways found mother and daughter a better combination than mother and son.

Lillie now you have made me want a second dog - heart over head !

Plus you'll never get to sit on the sofa again!

Sounds to me you have done really well if your 11 month lab has only a little way to go, lonniefrances.

You are obviously a good responsible dog owner who is looking to do the best thing for the breeder, who has real difficulties at the moment, and the female dog, who needs a home. You are also experienced - I take my hat off to anyone who can manage an Irish setter, gorgeous as they are !

All I would say is try to concentrate on what is best for you and your existing dog , short, and longer term. This problem is really not yours to solve, as much as your good heart is telling you there is room for another dog , and you can be the one to help. I guarantee you that if the female dog is put up for adoption through the proper channels her paws will not touch the ground and she will no doubt be very happy.

Your 11 month old dog is well socialised at his crèche etc. without the need right now for a live in companion dog, especially his mother. Even though she is well behaved she is large. When your dog is older a smaller dog which would make an ideal pal for you both may find itself in need of a home further down the line ?

Don't commit yourself to anything definite right now - it's a big undertaking. xxx

Slightly worried about the walking Lillie! She is trained to walk at heel, even off the lead, my lad is, shall we say, a work in progress, getting there, but a little way to go yet. I did have a retriever and an Irish setter together years ago, but I was younger then and they weren't related.

All the previous posters speak a lot of good sense. We have a 12 year old female retriever and a 3 year old boy retriever, both big dogs, both neutered. The older one is definitely in charge, and despite the fact she has never been a mother, she exhibits all the maternal traits including a quick snap or growl when the young man pushes the boundaries. He occasionally has the urge to hump on her back, but she takes it all in her stride and soon puts him in his place. He accepts it and just walks off. It's the same with food, the "mother" checks the bowls first and licks them both at the end. I would say as long as the mother looks relaxed and in control around her son, there shouldn't be a problem.
Good luck walking them together though.

Mother and son can work out better than mother than daughter but 2 big dogs can pose other, more practical problems. Testing the water is a good idea but do remember that the mother may not settle in that short a time having been removed from the only home she has known.

I work with rescue dogs and know how unsettling it can be for a dog to be up-rooted.

I hope it works out OK but do remember that a week is a very short time and, even if you don't have any problems during that period, it does not mean it will work out long term. Your dog is still young and has a lot of maturing to do. He may or may not be happy having his mother around!

Best of luck anyway.

You're being very wise in taking this cautiously. At 11 months, your young dog is just hitting his teens and it's often the case that like 2 legged adolescents, young dogs go "deaf" and forget all the training and expectations of manners for a while, so it's back to square one on the training front.

I've had a combination of two or three dogs living happily together for over 40 years now, generally they've all got on well but as you've said, there are no guarantees. I volunteer for a charity where dogs for re-homing are fostered before moving on. Volunteers do sometimes find the resident dog is unsettled by a new arrival. My two current dogs aren't an ideal combination which means I often have to walk them separately, or only let on off lead at any time.

I feel for the breeder and she's obviously trying to do the right thing by her lab. Labrador rescue do great work in re-homing ex breeding bitches. Good luck

Well that sounds like it's for all the right reasons lonnie . I hope your week goes well and she gets a forever home with you . Do let us know how it goes ?

The breeder has had a bereavement, New baby and is suffering badly from depression and feels she cannot do her best for the dog. The dog has had three litters and has now been neutered and my boy has been done also.We were always going to get a second dog, but possibly not something so large! The suggestion of a weeks trial is definitely something I will go for. I know my boy would love another dog to play with, but being young could be too much for her? Have arranged to take them out together next week.

We had mother and son labradors back in the seventies and it didn't turn out well. The boy was fine as a puppy but as he grew he became difficult to manage. We felt the mother was not getting the attention she deserved (she'd always been well behaved) so we re-homed him.

I remember our vet telling us that in dog communities the mother would drive the son out to make his own way in the world.

Sound familiar??

My first question to the breeder would be why she needs to rehome the bitch? Has she finished breeding from her and simply has no use for her or is there something else?

You're right to be thinking carefully . Some things to consider are : Will the bitch be spayed ? The dogs will not be concerned if they are related ;-) . Is the bitch in good health and can you see her vaccination record etc?

The two dogs will likely have some memory of each other but as they grow your boy will likely be the alpha male and she will play a subservient role to him. No bad thing , just a comment really.

Obviously you will have given some thought to the additional costs. If she has been overbred from ( and that may not be the case) then there are potential health issues to consider. She may be as fit as a flea though , it really does depend on the type of breeder her owners are.

I would definitely want a week test run :-) for you and her.

One last thing , please don't be tempted to breed from the two , that would be a worst case scenario , hence getting her spayed before arrival.

Good luck , only thing better than one dog is two

If you can cope with 2 labs (the food bills!!) this is a lovely idea. Looking at it the other way round, it is not uncommon for someone who has bred from their dog to keep back one puppy from a litter as "company" so I don't see why there should be any problems, apart from "double the trouble" these lovely dogs can bring to a household.
Have you tried walking them together to see how they get on? Good idea to get them to spend time together, I see you have thought this through.
And I am assuming both dogs will be neutered by then.
Good luck, sounds like fun!