Should I get a puppy or adult dog with older pets and a toddler?

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!

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

There is never a guarantee that your cat will accept a new puppy, but the fact that he tolerates your neighbor's dog makes me optimistic that it would work out. Introducing a new pet into the household can be tricky and be sure that your cat still has a safe and quiet space away from the puppy. For example, give your cat the roam of he whole house, but prevent the puppy from going upstairs with a low baby gate. Try to keep your cat's routine as normal as possible and do not leave the two pets together without supervision for several weeks to months depending on how they interact. Better to get a puppy now when your cat is middle aged than when he is older and less amenable to change! :-)

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This really depends on the dog that you bring home and Wordsworth's reaction to the situation. I do think that you can bring along another dog. However, I think it is key to make sure that they are a good match before adopting. For example, try to avoid getting a puppy or a high energy type dog if Wordsworth is not an energetic dog and viceversa. For that reason, I recommend that you foster first before adopting and that way you can get a sense of how they are going to get along. Good luck and have a great day!

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.

Hi there, it sounds like Sarah is a sensitive type, and (I know its not what you want to hear) but bringing a new pet into her home will probably upset her more. Its unlikely that a rambunctious dog will leave her alone, as she may feel threatened and start showing other signs of anxiety such as soiling in abnormal places, overgrooming, or even she may get stress cystitis. If you have a large home and can guarantee that Sarah will have a safe quiet and protected area of the home, then you might consider adding a family member.