I've been looking for a companion dog for my 11-month old GSD, Oka, whom I'm training for Schutzhund. Of course, I intend to kennel the dogs separately, but would like to be able to turn them loose in the yard when I'm home so Oka can run off some energy.

The local GSD rescue people offered me a dog that I think may be too much for me, and I'd like members' advice. It's a 3-year old female GSD of East German descent who's been trained in and has competed in French Ring Sport. She has mega-esophagus, a condition I don't know much about. Her owner died suddenly.

I'm not so much worried about the medical condition (I'm researching it to understand the care she'll need) as the level of drive this dog will have. My feeling is that she'll require too much time (to keep her happy) and Oka's training will suffer. I've no particular interest in Ring Sport, so I wouldn't be keeping up her training in that--I wouldn't have the time, anyway.

Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

To get a second dog for the reason of exercising your current dog is not a very good solution. If you are training your dog for SchH why transfer the bonding you have with him to the new dog. Your training will suffer. Also why get a tough working dog? This dog might dominate your current dog and again his training will suffer. Please rethink this out.

After rereading your post you might be explaining why you want them to run loose together not why you purchased the second dog. If so I apologize but my advice still stands.

Thanks, Vince.

I haven't purchased the dog yet.

My thinking is to get a second dog that won't require obedience training, so I can concentrate on Oka's training, and yet let him have some fun when I can't be working him. Maybe this isn't a good idea--I'm new to the working dog scene--but that's why I'm asking. I'm gone 10-12 hours a day, and while I work at least a little bit with Oka every day, even if only a few minutes of obedience followed by ball play, I'm not sure he gets as much exercise as he needs. He's got a lot of energy.

Your point about his being dominated is a good one, and that's something I'll check out carefully. Since this is a rescue, I have the option of returning her if she doesn't work out.

Dave--

Just thinking out loud here, and this is in no way intended to take away from any advice from Vince. But if the dog is medically/temperamentally okay, you may find that she could easily be cross-trained over to Schutzhund from French ring, since I believe the bite training foundation is very similar (you would have to start her on tracking, though <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> ). It is true that many dogs seem to appreciate steady canine companionship, especially from an opposite-sex dog. As long as this is supervised, at least at first, I don't see any problem with the concept.

The big question for me would be if you would want to start out training two dogs for SchH. I know a lot of people who do this--some have even 3 or 4 dogs they are actively training--but they tend to be more experienced handlers. Just my two cents'.

I will say that I think a rescue dog from DDR lines--especially one that has grown up doing working dog sports--would be lucky to wind up with an owner such as yourself. I have worked in GSD rescue for a long time, and working-line dogs are very hard to place in responsible homes.

Pete Felknor

Your dog is alone 10+ hours during the day. As long as it is not crated and has a place to relieve himself. Great. All the more he will be looking forward to your return. Use this to put him into drive as soon as he sees you. If he spends the day with the new dog you are no longer the center of his world. Oh well my owners mad at me but who cares I can always count on my friend for attention. No it either comes from me or not at all.

Pete--thanks for the vote of confidence <g>. But I don't know that I could handle training two dogs--I'm still learning how to train one! Still, it's an interesting idea, and at the very least I could maintain her obedience training, so I wouldn't have to go through training a rescue from some awful home situation.

Unfortunately, her medical condition, mega esophagus, is one that can be very serious, even fatal (aspiration pneumonia being the usual cause of death). I'll have to talk to her vet before I decide about that; my vet has told me _not_ to adopt a dog with that condition. Although, if she can compete in FRS, how bad can it be?

Vince, I couldn't agree more. I fully intend to kennel the dogs separately during the day, so they're both focused on me.

I've found having a second dog makes my life easier. I know this advice may go against conventional wisdom, but I prefer to keep my dogs kenneled together. I think it makes for a better quality of life for the dogs. For the most part they sleep during the day, but having a companion makes those long hours kenneled more tolerable for the dogs and easier for my own piece of mind. I have not found it to affect the bonding as long as you spend time with each dog individually. When exercising the dogs, (ball play)each dog gets its turn while the others are on a "down stay". This keeps you as the center of attention and helps for control. (I do keep my young dogs kenneled separately until they mature so they are not dominated and I establish a nice bond.)

John:

It has been proven that dogs that are kenneled together get "doggy" or suffer in bonding with humans. This is not to say that you do not have a good bond with your dog. I'm just saying that it could be that much better. In SchH every inch/point counts. But it sounds like your dogs are happy and you are happy so I am happy...

Vince,

That was beautiful man!lol