Too Independent??

I need advice from people with multipule CKCS'. We currently have an 18 month old male who is the center of our world. He is truly an "only child". However, we have been contacted by our breeder who knew we were "thinking" of getting a second. She's due to have puppies any day now and has offered us pick of the litter!! (Both hubby and I are sooo excited). My only concern is the bond that Lucky has formed with us and how he will react. Whenever we have or go to CKCS get togethers he is not interested in other dogs...just mills around on his own searching for bugs and birds etc. Now these meetings have only ever occured outside. He's never had another dog is "his" house. I'm scared that if we bring a puppy home to be is lil' sis or brother he'll just igonore them! I want Cavi's piled on top of each other that can't stand to be separated! Am I asking too much or is this possible?? Thoughts??

I have two and they are great together. Why don't you arrange a play date with another dog of similar energy and size. Have them meet outside your home first and if all goes well invite the friend inside. This way you will be able to see how your dog reacts to someone in their space. Your dog is still young and would probably adjust quite well. Cavaliers love company. Karlin has a great post on here about adding another dog, take a peek at that. I know I"m really happy about getting number 2 and I'd have another if I could afford it. Good luck and keep us posted.

Our Daisy sounds a lot like your Lucky. She is also very independent. She's a little bit different, though, in that when she first meets a strange dog, she goes berserk wanting to bowl them over and show them who's boss. However, after that first 30 seconds of acting crazy, she has very little interest in them. She basically acts like they aren't there. If they try to play with her, she just stands there and looks at them. The only time she will really react to another dog is if they try to put their leg over her neck or in some other way dominate her. Then she'll turn quickly with a growl toward them, they'll back off, and then Daisy will walk away in disgust throwing dirty looks at them. She doesn't fight, but she doesn't put up with those shenanigans, either.

We have done a little bit of fostering for Cavaliers, and this has held true whether we've had the fosters for 3 days or 8 weeks. Once the initial meet and greet silliness is over, Daisy just ignores them. Maybe she's just not met the "right" Cavalier, but so far, I would say that she is just not the type of dog to curl up next to another dog. It's funny because one of our fosters' adopters sent us an emailed picture of her other Cavalier and her new adoptee curled up asleep together on the couch looking very content about a week after they'd adopted him. We had had this guy in our house for 8 weeks and not once did Daisy and he ever sleep on the same piece of furniture together, ever. So I do think it's Daisy's standoffishness that prevents it. Obviously, that guy would have liked to cudddle if she'd been interested. Even when she was a puppy and we went to pick her up from the breeder, she tended to wander off a little from the others and entertain herself as you described.

So I guess the bottom line is do YOU want a second dog for you? If so, of course, go for it. But maybe don't go into it with high expectations of Lucky and the new guy being bosom buddies. That way if it happens, you'll be pleasantly surprised, but if it doesn't, you won't be disappointed.

The good part about Daisy's independence is that I don't feel too guilty when I leave her home alone when I'm at the office. And since my son was just diagnosed with allergies to dogs (among about 50 other things they tested him for), it looks like a 2nd dog is not in the forecast for us anyway (at least until he goes away to college!).

Good advice. Don't get a second dog for your dog. Your current dog is not going to be the one who needs to cover the expenses, the separate but equal time given to each dog each day, the walks, the boarding costs, the lifelong commitment, the extra noise, the possibility that this will change your household in unexpected ways (most enjoy a second dog; but some do not like losing the relationship they have with an only dog). All things for the humans to consider. I really think a dog doesn't care all that much either way. It is like asking a three year old if they'd like a little sister/brother and deciding not to have a baby because they say 'no'!

At this point with this breed, I'd also carefully consider a breeder before even considering them as the source of a new puppy. Do they cardiologist test?Follow the MVD protocol? MRI scan (or just say 'I never have had any problems with SM', a fairly meaningless comment given that most breeders will not know the details of the lives of all the puppies they breed and if none are scanned, they also don't know what they are producing). Eyes, patellas and hips all tested in breeding stock? Etc.

If all checks out on all points -- both the commitment of the breeder to breeding health dogs and your own personal desire for another dog and ability to manage the associated costs -- then I'd make a decision based on what YOU want. 99% of dogs simply adjust. Most are happier with a companion than being a lone dog. But not all owners are happier with a second dog.

I have three cavaliers, and usually a foster. My first cavalier Casey is my most cuddly lap dog, but is very aloof with other dogs. Always has been, and always will be. Winston and Ollie, on the other hand, are always together--sleep together, play, run, and get into mischief together.

Sounds like yours will not become best buddies with another. But two is always fun for you!

I'd have to disagree with Karlin's statement that "I really think a dog doesn't care all that much either way" in regards to having another companion dog. As dogs are highly social creatures, especially, this breed. That is not to say that there are not exceptions. In my humble opinion you need to consider both your needs and your dogs needs when adding to the fur family. It can be a great experience, but Karlin is right in that it does change the dynamic with your existing dog. That doesn't necessarily mean that it is a negative. If you are willing to spend individual time with each dog then it can help to keep your special individual bonds strong. Besides, the new dynamic that can be created can be even more rewarding for everyone when you get the right fit for everyone. I think the key is to be very selective in your choice.

I would also concur with others’ statements about getting a second dog because YOU want one. I deliberated and researched for ages before adding a second puppy to the family a few months ago (Tasha is now almost 6months old - Rosie is 3 years) and while I’m very glad I did because I dearly wanted two dogs, Rosie is, at best, completely indifferent to the new puppy. Maybe it's still early days and things will improved, but I think Rosie was perfectly happy as an only dog. We have had none of the playing, sleeping together etc that I secretly hoped for. If the puppy has the temerity to sit on Rosie’s bed, Rosie just walks away. Tasha spends a lot of time trying to entice Rosie to play but I fear it’s a losing battle. So, while there’s been none of the dog play and interactions I’d hoped for, I still enjoy having the two enormously and wouldn’t change things for the world.

I wish you good luck with your decision, let us know what you decide!

I think from your post that you have made the decision to add a second dog some time ago, as you tell us that your breeder got in touch with you knowing that you wanted a puppy. If you belong to this list then I am sure you know all about the necessary heallth testing that you should look for and that you have a good working relationship with your breeder, which is just great.

I have five Cavaliers, all of whom get on fine together, despite some rare boy to boy conflicts that are soon resolved by a dirty look from top dog Rebel. The four tricolours are very definitely pack animals who interact with each other really well, but Little Joe is a Blenheim, who I think may be excluded from some of their activities because he is a different colour, or maybe he is a loner and prefers things that way. Joe doesn't seem too bothered, but does seem to pay lots of attention to me while the others are busy.

Cavaliers are very sociable and agreeable little dogs and I have rarely seen any malice in the 25 years I have had them, so I doubt that anything nasty will break out when you bring the little one home, but I would watch them as closely as you can at first, just to make sure that everything is allright.

I wonder if your breeder would be happy for you to bring your existing dog to meet the pups when they are six weeks or so, just to see what happens. The introductions would have to be made very gently and carefully, but you would have some idea of how your boy would react. In my experience the boys are often much more gentle and paternal with the pups than the girls. My youngest is Holly (15 months), who is disabled and chooses to hang out with the boys rather than with Bubbles the older bitch. In the wild Holly would have been rejected by the pack because she would have been a liability, but in the domestic environment of my home the boys are protective.

When I bring a new pup home I always keep the little one in the puppy crate for the first hour or so, which I have placed on the floor in the middle of the room so that everyone can have a good sniff and a look at each other. If you did the same thing, it would be for your boy to make the first move, which would probably set the pattern for a confident attitude towards the pup.

It would be nice if you could let us know how you get on.

I think from your post that you have made the decision to add a second dog some time ago, as you tell us that your breeder got in touch with you knowing that you wanted a puppy. If you belong to this list then I am sure you know all about the necessary heallth testing that you should look for and that you have a good working relationship with your breeder, which is just great.

I have five Cavaliers, all of whom get on fine together, despite some rare boy to boy conflicts that are soon resolved by a dirty look from top dog Rebel. The four tricolours are very definitely pack animals who interact with each other really well, but Little Joe is a Blenheim, who I think may be excluded from some of their activities because he is a different colour, or maybe he is a loner and prefers things that way. Joe doesn't seem too bothered, but does seem to pay lots of attention to me while the others are busy.

Cavaliers are very sociable and agreeable little dogs and I have rarely seen any malice in the 25 years I have had them, so I doubt that anything nasty will break out when you bring the little one home, but I would watch them as closely as you can at first, just to make sure that everything is allright.

I wonder if your breeder would be happy for you to bring your existing dog to meet the pups when they are six weeks or so, just to see what happens. The introductions would have to be made very gently and carefully, but you would have some idea of how your boy would react. In my experience the boys are often much more gentle and paternal with the pups than the girls. My youngest is Holly (15 months), who is disabled and chooses to hang out with the boys rather than with Bubbles the older bitch. In the wild Holly would have been rejected by the pack because she would have been a liability, but in the domestic environment of my home the boys are protective.

When I bring a new pup home I always keep the little one in the puppy crate for the first hour or so, which I have placed on the floor in the middle of the room so that everyone can have a good sniff and a look at each other. If you did the same thing, it would be for your boy to make the first move, which would probably set the pattern for a confident attitude towards the pup.

It would be nice if you could let us know how you get on.