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Help - I have a dilema!

merlinsmum

Well-known member
Finally got him indoors to agree to another dog, so emailed the breeder of Merlin yesterday to start the ball rolling.

I was hoping that she would be breeding similar lines and would be expecting have a litter ready Feb next year (when Merlin is 2).

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

but

SHE HAS A LITTER NOW! 3 weeks old on Friday and she has 3 rubies left which is what I want.

I have no hols left this year and want to be at home for at least a week with a little one ( work have said I can take some of next years entitlement - so thats no problem)

Do you think Merlin is too young still for a new addition at nearly 19 months old?

Am I panicking over nothing? :sl*p:
 
I dont think he is too young to have a playmate especially if you work all day. It would give him a friend for life. But maybe you need to decide if you are ready for another pup yet. Sometimes if you are panicking it means that you may need to wait a little longer. You dont want to make the wrong choice, even though you really can't with a cavy. The reason I say this is because my heart has been broken many a time by choosing the wrong dog, and would hate for anyone else to go through what I have.
Of course that was with different breeds of dog though.

from Selina, Jeremy and the golden girls
 
The litter is the same mum as Merlin's litter and the Dad is from the same breeder as Merlins dad - so I don't think this would be a problem.

I think I'm probably just apprehensive/excited - its sooner thaan I had planned.

Have emailed the breeder for more info before I make any calls to go and visit so I'm not being too hasty just yet!
 
I think he will be a great age to have a playmate - but my only worry is that you will only be there a week with him and he will be so young - is your husband able to have a week off for the second week - or can someone pop in during the day?
 
Its fine for the week after - Merlin goes to his grandma's everyday when we are work so I'm sure she won't mind aother bundle of fun! - she used to pop over at lunchtime when Merl was a baby to give him his lunch and play for a while.

I've just sent her some pictures to get her hooked already!
 
Kirsty

I definetely don't thnk Merlin is to young, I would go for it.
At what age does your breeder let them go, and bring on some pictures so we can all get hooked too. ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

I would of introduced another one sooner, if my ruby had been born sooner. I had to wait as Darby's mommy was not quite 2/12 when I was ready. It sure was worth the wait, I love the solid colours personalities.
They seem spunkier or maybe Dudley is just a total lap dog.

Although he now plays throughout the day and it is such a lovely feeling to watch them.
 
230011089_26313616d4.jpg


I really want them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Kirsty

They are adorable, any wonder why you want them all.
Little tubbies, which the exception of the one on the left that one appears to look smaller.

Are they male/female ?????
 
I would go for it then...... they look so small and delicate lying there and then when you get them home they change into little demons..... icon_devil
 
Hiiii

I would really go for it... only one recommendation i would talk to the Grandma seriously before because it is different to have two bundles of JOY.....

My mom has been taking Kayla from when she was 6 months everyday when i am at work... recently mom wanted to have one of her own so now there are two in the house. and it can be very hectic !!! they play all the time running up and down the house... so just one word of advice hope she knows what she is in for :D i wish you all the luck... i would want that cute little one on the left.

Jenxx
 
I have been talking to Grandma about it recently - although i have not asked her our direct if she is alright with another one - she has a 13 yr old labrador - Grandad is 75 so he keeps fit and active with both Merlin and Josh to walk everyday, so another one will just keep them more active!!!!
 
I understand that is great for them but i would ask direct because it is on your mind and you know that is what is going to happen...,,,,

You know your own mom :D
 
Yep good advice to carefully clear plans with grandma!! :lol:

General advice from good breeders is that anytime over 12 or 18 months is good for adding a second dog -- mostly because you will have been able to devote lots of time to the first dog, done obedience, gone thru housetraining, have a stable routine for the first dog, and importantly, have experience. (this is also why most breeders won't home two puppies together unless the home is very experienced)

I personally think 18 months plus is much better (so that's fine for you!). I speak as someone who didn't make that choice and regretted it -- I added a second at about 9-10 months for Jaspar -- and it was too early, much as I've enjoyed both for every minute. But once two were there it became impossible to easily train both, with the result that it took a long time for me to properly train Jaspar and poor Leo was completly neglected. Eventually I realised I should really make time to do a class with Leo on his own and he really blossomed. Now I try to give the different dogs some solo time each week.

Most second dogs arrive when you don't expect them. :lol:

If you are interested in the smallest dog I've want a thorough vet check first. The smallies can have reasons for being considerably smaller than the others (otherwise they should start to catch up in size by the time they are homing age). If it doesn't, and it remains the runt, it can be health compromised. I'd be very wary of taking runts in litters as they can be hydrocephalic for example and have skull plates that have not fully closed or a soft spot on the skull and the brain may even be exposed and thus just under skin level, thru an opening (this is actually common and considered normal in many chihuahuas! But can be a health risk for most breeds). A good breeder won't home such a puppy til later than the others, to make sure there aren't health issues. There was such a runt in Jaspar's litter and I was clearly told he was not available for homing as the breeder would hang on to him until he made sure thr skull plates fused and that there were no other health issues. He was fine, and homed a few weeks after Jaspar. :) Often they then catch up in weight and will end up the same adult size as the others.
 
Thanks for the advice - I do think the ones on the right look bigger than I would have expected at 3 weeks old - perhaps they just greedy (if they are the girls then I wouldn't be surprised!)

I will double check with Grandma before making any decisions, but I have discussed this with her on various occassions so I think I would've figured out if she was opposed to it.

Fortunately - like you say Karlin, I have had the extra time to build routines and "special" times. We go to training class together and I think training another one will be easier now I know where I went wrong with Merlin, and the little one would have a well mannered dog to look up to and follow their example.
 
well, as long as Grandma and Grandpa were going to be fine about looking after another one (- and remembering that it is going to be a young unhousebroken pup!), I'd say go for it :D

I think Merlin will hate you in the short term but love you in the long term :lol: . they all get the hump when they realise that the 2nd one is here to stay but soon settle down and grow to quite like having company :D

Now, if hubby would let me and I could afford the running costs, I'd have the yummy black and tan :D I've got to win the lottery before I can have any more though :(
 
It sounds like it's fate actually :).

I'd go for it, particularly as you have the support of your family. :)
 
Maxxs_Mummy said:
well, as long as Grandma and Grandpa were going to be fine about looking after another one (- and remembering that it is going to be a young unhousebroken pup!), I'd say go for it :D

I think Merlin will hate you in the short term but love you in the long term :lol: . they all get the hump when they realise that the 2nd one is here to stay but soon settle down and grow to quite like having company :D

Now, if hubby would let me and I could afford the running costs, I'd have the yummy black and tan :D I've got to win the lottery before I can have any more though :(

Donna, can we find somewhere to send our 2 hubbies for some brainwashing? Something along the lines of "we must have another Cav, we must have another Cav"???

I mean what difference does another one make if you have 2 already? :roll:
 
My hubby needs brainwashing too!!! I have cavalier puppy envy. Brodie would just love it!!! I can't keep reading these new puppy threads. It's killing me :flwr:
 
misty said:
Donna, can we find somewhere to send our 2 hubbies for some brainwashing? Something along the lines of "we must have another Cav, we must have another Cav"???

Hmmmm good idea Fran. Actually, a better idea would be to just send them somewhere full stop :badgrin: She says as her poor hubby is out in the rain, mending her car..... ;)

misty said:
I mean what difference does another one make if you have 2 already? :roll:

Oh couldn't agree more! I mean, you notice a difference in hair on the rugs when you go from one to two. But, from two to three you just don't notice the difference :lol:

We had four here the other day and it was so nice to see them all running around like lunatics - must admit, hubby did almost have a nervous breakdown when he saw them :lol:
 
Oh couldn't agree more! I mean, you notice a difference in hair on the rugs when you go from one to two. But, from two to three you just don't notice the difference

LMAO- please don't say that, we already have dog hair tumble weeds rolling around the wooden floors :lol: , no amount of hoovering seems to catch them all.

Merlins mum: you just HAVE TO get this furbaby, it's fate :D .
I had so many problem trying to find a suitable breeder/puppy/time to get her, but now that I have her Im so delighted and everything fell into place.

Merlin would love a little companion. ;)
Its perfectly natural to have an element of incertainty before getting a new pup as there is so much to think about, and worry about. I didn't tell anyone about Holly until we had her home because I was so convinced that something would go wrong again. Having your reservations is a good thing IMO because it means that you're being realisic about everything.

In saying that, those little Ruby babies are so squidgy and gorgeous- you just have to them all immediately. ( who can stay THAT rational when it comes to Cavalier pups) :lol:
 
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