What dog should I get: puppy or adult, with kids and older dogs?

Hi, you have quite a collection of animals! I would not advise a puppy because your animals are older and a puppy can be too much stress for them. A puppy can seem to tolerate older animals then reach sexual maturity and challenge the older animals of the house. I suggest going to your local shelter and bringing your dogs to meet some possible candidates. i suggest any age over 2-3 and spayed or neutered already. Try some visits and see how the new dog will react to the animals you have. Also have the shelter to a cat test to make sure the new dog won't chase them. There are plenty of adult dogs who need homes with excellent temperaments. Good luck, i hope this helps!.

I'm so sorry you recently lost two dogs. Please accept my condolences for your loss. I would look into getting a dog around a year old for Maya, or possibly two to three years of age. This way, the dog would be fully vaccinated and house trained. It also wouldn't be as active as a puppy, but could still play with her. The dog should also be spayed or neutered. You can have either a male or female, I personally like having an even ratio of male to female, so I'd recommend a male dog. Breed, you could do something like a lab or Golden Retriever. Those are great dogs who get along with other dogs really well. 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.

What cuties!!! I would honestly be less worried about bringing a friendly adult dog into your house than a puppy because puppies can be overwhelming to adult dogs who are not used to them. They are hyper and jump and bite/chew on adult dogs and some dogs do not respond favorably to this (others are find and will give the puppy warnings or love playing with them). A great option in these cases is asking if you can do a trial run/foster for the new dog to see if they get along with your dog. This gives you a little time to make a decision. If your dog has been around other dogs without issue and this dog gets along with other dogs, then it is definitely worth a try! Make sure your current dog has the ability to get away from this dog if it is annoying/pestering her, do not leave them alone together initially, and feed them in separate areas so there is no fear of competition for food. Give your dog lots of praise and treats when she meets the new dog. Sometimes meeting on a neuteral ground can be helpful if your dog is defensive of your home. I would also consider getting an Adaptil collar or diffuser which can help both dogs with any anxiety https://www.adaptil.com/us/Products/ADAPTIL-Calm-On-the-go-Collar

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 so sorry to hear about Maltida. It can be difficult for some dogs, especially an older dog, to get used to having a puppy in the house. It may be that Haden never develops the close bond with Ginger that he had with Maltida, only time will tell this. It is important now to be sure that Haden and Ginger are not competing for food, sleep areas, or attention. I would recommend feeding them in separate locations for now and being sure Haden has easy access to water and food when needed without having to compete with the puppy. Also be sure he has a place he can escape from the puppy if needed. Many times we get a puppy and they can overwhelm our older dog because they have much more energy and persistence. If Ginger is getting to be too much for Haden, allowing him to have his space/an area he can be away from her is important. You can read a little more about bringing new dogs into a household at https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/a-new-friend-for-fido/

Male and female combinations may get along better BUT many households have single sex pets and absolutely no problems. The biggest factor is individual personality. I recommend to have your first dog meet any potential housemates to make sure they seem to like each other. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.