Another Yorkie???

[BenjiBoo]

So, I have a 6 month Yorkie and I am doing well with training him (potty and behavioral) and he is very well taken care of financially (or spoiled, if you will ). Wellll, I was thinking of adding another puppy to the bunch. I see a few YT members with several Yorkies and am really considering getting another one (a Yorkie). Also, my puppy Benji is a very friendly, playful dog...I feel that another dog would be beneficial when leaving him home alone since he'll have some company. My questions are:

Do you feel that it is too early to get another dog? (Due to Benji's age)

Should I get a boy or a girl? Does it matter?

Are there any disadvantages (besides cost) to having 2 dogs?

Now, I have had multiple dogs in the past as a kid, but never the same breed, so I'm not sure if that matters. Also, the dogs were always years apart in age. Thanks for your input and help!

[danyellm]

Because Benji is so young I would think a male or female wouldnt matter.
I think if you can take it on finacially ,the more the merrier

[chachi]

I have 2 that are 1 month apart in age. It worked out for me. I think if you can take care of them financially and emotionally youll be fine also. My two are very close because they have been together since they were pups. I love having two and Im sure you will also

[paulalowe6]

I agree with the above posters. Two is good(although I have 3). In my experience, the closer in age the better it works outThey absolutely keep each other company. I wouldn't think it would matter as far as being a boy or a girl. Good luck. Let us know what ya decide

[citygirl]

I have two yorkie puppies one is 6mo old and one is 7mos old, both girls. I love it they keep each other company and tire each other out.

[FlDebra]

I am pro-multiples! I think it is almost always beneficial to the puppies to have another. Once in a great while they just do not get along. But I think if you add while the one is still young, there should be no problem. They really do enjoy each other!

[Llslk1969]

I think the sooner the better! They bond when they are gotten at the same time or shortly after. Sometimes if one is at the home quite a bit longer they can become dominant and not want to share. I am sure that is not the norm maybe, but I have seen this happen. I have a brother and sister and my daughter has 2 sisters. They love each other sooo much.

[SandyGrace45]

Go for it!! We had always just had one dog before and this time, we got talked into getting two dogs. It was the best thing we could have done!! They play together, sleep together, and fight together! LOL!!
They don't get upset when we leave, as we have looked in the window after we have left and they have gone back to what they were doing when we walked through the kitchen.
They can really put on a show when they are playing!!
Sandy

[eauxbehv]

If you can afford it my attitude is you can never had to many yorkies

I had two Yorkies that were about 6 months apart and it was perfect. Unfortunately I lost one of them recently and I have another pup and my male if almost 5. What a age difference but it will be okay once the puppy matures a little.

Go for it!!

[flipflopsusie]

We only had one dog, and I was very happy. Ryle was just over a year old and DH decided he needed a playmate.I was in between.Well we got him that playmate (Fancie Pants) and she is 5 months old and at first he was not very happy. But a month later....you would think they were attached at the hip. They really do keep each other entertained. I never thought I would want two dogs but two is twice the fun.

[BanditSocks2]

I've had Bandit for 2 years, and we are getting our second dog next week. We are introducing them at my parents house in NY (closer to the breeder, and on our way back home from our honeymoon) because we were told it's important to do it on "neutral territory." Bandit is dominant, but I hope they learn to get along

[Marilize]

I think it would be best if you got a female puppy. Generally, males get along better with females and vice versa. There are exceptions of course.

With regards to timing, I think you should objectively assess how trained your current pup is because what he does wrong, the puppy will do wrong too. The opposite is also true.

It is important to get your second dog after your first dog has reached maturity (1 year of age). During the teenage phase (7-9 months), your dog will test the boundaries, disobey you and sass you (just like skin teenagers). I think that getting a puppy right before that stage would drive me crazy as well as teaching the puppy very bad manners.

There is also the spaying/neutering to go through and the puppy might not understand. She might want to play and may accidentally hurt your dog. He may also get snappy with her, either because of the pain or because of hormone levels.

I would wait until about a year. It just gives them the best possible chance of getting along with you and each other as well as learning the right behaviours.

Good luck with the decision. Ps. After two years, I finally felt we were ready and I got a new puppy (now I have a boy and a girl). June is the sweetest thing ever and well worth the wait!

[Ladymom]

I's suggest waiting until Benji is a year old. Benji will go through a "teenage" stage in the second half of his first year when potty training habits often relapse, he may challenge your authority, etc. You will have to work extra hard with him during this time to establish good behavior as bad habits after a year old can be very hard to break.

He will be a role model for the new puppy. You want to make sure good behavior, not bad, is passed on or you will end up with two untrained dogs.