Will another dog help my blind senior dog after losing her friend?

It should be fine to get another dog! Some dogs do tend to like having the companionship, but it can be a transition for the existing dog. Given that Maria is blind, I would slowly introduce a new dog to her. I will put a link below on how to introduce them to each other. I hope this helps! https://bestfriends.org/resources/blind-dog-and-cat-faqs

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.

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!

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.

Without knowing how Cookie interacts with other dogs, it would be hard to say. I would recommend bringing her to a local park to see how she reacts- is she interested? Does she want to play? Or does she avoid and shy away from the other dogs? This may give you some idea as to how she may interact with a new dog in the house. If you do decide to get a new dog, I highly recommend bringing Cookie with you to the shelter or other place you are looking for one. Most shelters will allow you to introduce your current dog to any potential new family members to see if they are going to get along. As for age, it really depends more on your dog's personality and that of the new dog. An older dog that is super hyper may not work well compared to a very calm puppy, etc. As with any new pet, take introductions slow. Even if they got along outside the home, they may still have some scuffles over shared items, spaces, etc. Separating the two until both are calm, and then trying again to reintroduce them can help ensure things go more smoothly during the transition.

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.

Hello, It does sound like Sophie is be grieving the loss of her friend. In this case, getting her a new companion may be helpful. I would recommend fostering an adult to senior age cat. The benefits of getting an older cat over a kitten is that they already have an established personality and there's no risk of them growing up to become a bully of their senior friend. Fostering works really well because if it takes a few tries to find the perfect friend fit, you can be really sure that Sophie is happy with the new addition before committing to adoption. Feliway sprays and collars are a natural calming pheromone that can be helpful both during her current grieving process and will help when introducing cats to each other at first as well. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!