Peachie wants a friend

[Peachie'sMom]

OEM Peachie is 1.5 years old now and we're thinking about getting a second, smaller dog. Anyone have multiple dogs of different breeds? Wondering which breed would suit Peachie best. She seems to like dogs smaller than her, but I don't want one she will trample during her running fits. She couldn't care less about dogs her size?! (Our friends have a St Bernard that she basically ignores).

 

[TricAP]

It really depends on the dog. We have a 4 lb Chi and a 50 lb boxer in addition to our EM. There are days when they all play well together Think race around the dining room table. The Chi stays under the table and the other 2 race around outside it. And there are days they tolerate each other at best, each staking out their piece of the couch and growling if the other invades their space - just like kids. Recently my father in law and his lab spent 2 months with us. The EM and lab played like liter mates even though there was a 10 year and 50 lb difference. It really all depends on the dogs personalities.

 

[Smokeycat]

I've got an Irish Setter x and an EM. Kryten (EM) turned out to be a great match for Jiggers, he is big enough to handle Jiggers style of play and laid back enough to be willing to put up with brattiness of an Irish Setter. There is a 120 lbs difference between the two of them.
I think your first question should be what breeds work for you and then try to find a match to Peachie from there.

 

[Liz_M]

I agree it really depends on the dog and also the sex of the dog. I've had multiple-dog households for years, mainly Rottweilers but also a French bulldog (who was Da Boss) and a current JRTx (also Da Boss.) And I have fostered many dogs including blind dogs and pit bulls - size does not seem to be a factor in how or whether dogs get along. Status and whether they are DA (dog aggressive - a couple of my Rottweilers were assholes around other dogs) were a consideration.

Currently I have a laid-back male black Lab, the JRTx bossy bitch and am bringing home a male EM puppy in three weeks. Both current dogs are very social and used to dogs in and out of their home so I think it will work out fine.