My bulldog is lonely. What new dog breed, gender, and age is best?

I'm so sorry you are facing this situation! How horrible to lose a beloved dog but to also have to worry about Bentley at the same time. Given that he does better with another animal, yes I would get another dog for the home. It's fine to get a smaller dog, and while it doesn't make a difference if you get a boy or a girl, I would make sure the dog is eventually neutered or spayed as soon as it's old enough. It might be a good idea to get one now so the transition for Bentley isn't as difficult when he loses his companion. I hope this helps!

I'm so sorry to hear that Gum lost his partner. That certainly can be difficult for a dog. Adding another dog to the house may certainly be good for him. In general, we recommend that a male and female dog will tend to get along the best if you have your option of genders. Depending on how long it will take you to add another dog to the house, another thing you could consider if needed would be adding a Bach Flower Essence like Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water and help with emotional problems. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I am sorry to hear of your loss. It may be best to consider adopting a slightly older (1-3year old) female rather than a puppy in order to ease the transition. IF Buster is generally dominant, a more submissive type may be best. Ensure you can take Buster to meet her in neutral territory before you commit to brnging her home

I am sorry to hear you lost a dog recently. Whether to get a puppy or an adult will depend on your lifestyle/schedule and the personality of your other dogs. Puppies require much more frequent care than adult dogs, so if you are gone for long periods of time this can be problematic. Puppies can also be pestering to older/senior dogs, so if your other dogs are older or have some mobility issues they may be less tolerant of a puppy jumping on them/biting them. The plus side to having a puppy is you have first hand opportunity in all his training. If your schedule doesn't work well with a puppy then I would consider fostering an adult dog from a reputable rescue on a trial basis to see how it goes, and if it seems a good fit you can adopt the dog!

Yes dogs can grieve and get lonely. Most dogs enjoy having company so getting another dog could be a good idea if you have the time and energy for another dog. You may consider a rescue dog, that way you can try them together and make sure Rosie likes the new dog and they get along. Young puppies can be very annoying to a grown dog and Rosie may not adjust well especially as you will need to spend more time with a puppy and may inadvertently neglect giving Rosie the time with you that she needs. Fostering a dog also is a good option as you can help a dog in need and if it's not a good fit for you and Rosie it will leave when it finds the right home. Many people keep the foster dog after they get to know them and they settle into the home. A puppy can be a good solution too if done right and it would certainly get Rosie up and playing again! I do think getting Rosie a companion is a good idea as she sounds like she needs one. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rosie.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Great question. I think this depends on how well they all get along. If you screen the new dog properly and do a meet and greet, and they all end up being great companions, I think it's a great idea and shows you are thinking ahead. A death of a companion can be very devastating not only for humans but for the other pets in the house. Having another pet around would hopefully distract from and provide some relief when one of your other dogs passes. I think if you are ready for another dog and are willing to take on the financial aspect of it, it's a great idea. Best of luck with you and I hope you have many good years left with all of them.

As a generality, male-female pairings of dogs are typically more likely to get along than same-sex pairings. However, this rule does not hold true for every pair of dogs and the pairing of two dogs is based largely on the individual temperament of each. It tends to work best if both dogs are fixed (as I see that Allie has been spayed) because there are fewer hormonal-associated dominance issues. If you prefer adding a female dog, go for it! Just make sure that Allie first meets her new friend on relatively neutral ground (such as at a park) to try to avoid any territorial problems that may initially arise, even though it sounds as though Allie is quite passive and submissive. For at least the first few weeks of having a new dog in your home, be sure that all interactions between the dogs are supervised and do not leave them alone together while you are gone. I hope this helps you to make your decision! :-)