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Questions about adding another Chi-baby..

678 views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  sookey 
#1 ·
So, I have been thinking and I want to make sure that I am ready for Libby when she does come home..Here are some of the questions that have popped in my mind and I knew that you all could help me answer them:) I love this site! Hehe

1. How do I introduce them? I am going to see Libby tomorrow and the breeder said I was welcome to bring Bella if I wanted..Is that an okay idea? I also think that she wanted to meet her because I have told her a gazillion things about her. Haha..

2. Should I seperate them when I am not able to watch them or at nighttime? Bella is not a mean doggy, but I guess I just get worried because she has never been around a puppy smaller than her and with another dog coming into her territiory, I didn't know what would be best. I have a baby playpen that I planned on using for when I was gone and at night for Libby, but is it bad to seperate them?

3. Now that I will have two, should I still free-feed? I just think it will be hard to keep track of who is eating what. I will have seperate food and water bowls, but they obviously are not going to understand that for a while.

4. Will they use the same pee-pad? Or do I need one for each?

Thanks! Haha, sorry for all the questions..I just want to make sure that I know what is going on. Also, feel free to add any other advice you may have!!:daisy:
 
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#2 ·
So, I have been thinking and I want to make sure that I am ready for Libby when she does come home..Here are some of the questions that have popped in my mind and I knew that you all could help me answer them:) I love this site! Hehe

1. How do I introduce them? I am going to see Libby tomorrow and the breeder said I was welcome to bring Bella if I wanted..Is that an okay idea? I also think that she wanted to meet her because I have told her a gazillion things about her. Haha..

I've always just introduced mine in a neutral location off leash...sometimes they don't like each other, sometimes they do. I do this when having someone else watch my dog if they have one. It seems to work OK. Some dogs love having another dog around, others take a bit to come around. Laurel, our 6 year old, was none too pleased when we brought Oakley home...but now she is pleased to have her little sister for company.

Bringing Bella is a great idea. It lets Bella sniff out the puppies for a bit to get the idea in her head. Keep Bella on her leash, though, for sure, even inside! Even if Bella is sweet, momma doggie or other doggies mgiht not be pleased she is there.

2. Should I seperate them when I am not able to watch them or at nighttime? Bella is not a mean doggy, but I guess I just get worried because she has never been around a puppy smaller than her and with another dog coming into her territiory, I didn't know what would be best. I have a baby playpen that I planned on using for when I was gone and at night for Libby, but is it bad to seperate them?

You should only separate them at first, until you really trust the two of them together. Which might be a week, and it might be months. I plan to keep our new puppy in a larger wire crate in the room our other dogs are kept, one for pottying and two for learning to trust all our dogs together when I am gone. Especially because the puppy will be less than half of Bella's size, chances are Bella could hurt her, but MOST dogs "self" handicap for a puppy and play gently/fairly.

3. Now that I will have two, should I still free-feed? I just think it will be hard to keep track of who is eating what. I will have seperate food and water bowls, but they obviously are not going to understand that for a while.

I think free feeding is generally a bad idea...as you said, you have no idea who is eating what. What if one chi doesn't eat for a whole day...then they are at risk for hypoglycemia possibly, and you don't know! This way you see who eats what =) AND that they both eat.

4. Will they use the same pee-pad? Or do I need one for each?

I'd put two down. They will decide this for you.

Thanks! Haha, sorry for all the questions..I just want to make sure that I know what is going on. Also, feel free to add any other advice you may have!!:daisy:
 
#3 ·
Even though i brought both of mine home together, my breeder said for a while i should have them sleeping seperately, but then Daisy was bigger than the pup by a fair bit, so it may be ok for you.
Bella may be annoyed by the pup in bed to start though so i would watch out for that.
if they seem to get on well then you could have them together.

I think it is a good idea to take bella to meet her.
Sort of on neutral ground there and not in bellas home, lol
See if they get along too, am sure they will though.

Peepad wise i put about 3 down next to each other and they both use them.

I would feed on a schedule that way you can predict poo time better and the pup wont eat too much at once.
 
#4 ·
Jazz is 8 months old now, and I brought her home when she was 11 weeks, but she and Tango are still kept separated when I'm not home. Initially it was because Tango was so much bigger than Jazz and their play fighting could possibly have resulted in injury to Jazz. Plus with Jazz not being pad trained I wanted her crated when I couldn't monitor her bathroom issues. Now though, it's more because there seems to be a quest for dominance emerging between the two of them, and until they've sorted it out I'm just not willing to leave them alone with each other. They still play and sleep together when I'm home and can watch them, but when I'm ready for bed, Jazz goes in her crate. Tango doesn't have a mean bone in his body, and Jazz doesn't seem to either, but even in play, their tussles have escalated to where one of the other of them yelps coz things have gotten a bit rough. Until Jazz has matured considerably more, they won't be being left together unsupervised.

And no, I'm not a fan of free feeding period, but especially not when you have two different ages/appetites/frequencies. With a puppy, you have to be sure she's getting frequent feedings and enough at each meal, and you can't know that unless you're watching what she's eating and how much. You don't need to be dealing with hypoglycemia which you may if you're not able to direct how much, and when, the puppy is eating.

Both of mine use the same pee pads. I put more down when I got Jazz, but that's just because there's more quantity rather than to give each of them their own.
 
#5 ·
I seperated mine for the first couple of nights when i first got pixie. Now they are together all the time. there crate is big enough so thet they are not squashed together and they have plenty of room.

I kept a close eye on them to start with but now i just let them get on with it. They know each others boundaries now. I feel confident that they wil be fine when i leave them together and that they wont do each other too much of a mischief!!!

I dont free feed, They have their own spot in the kitchen where they eat. Pixie does eat in her crate tho as she still eats 4/5 times a day and i would worry billy would eat hers if i didnt watch him x
 
#6 ·
I would bring Bella along to meet Libby. That way they can meet before Libby comes into Bella's territory. Though having said that, all of mine I brought right into our home without them having met before. Just take it slow and careful. Generally, when i got home with a new puppy I gate off the room I am in and hold the puppy and of course the other dogs are at the gate, curious. I walk over (still holding puppy) and reach down with puppy scented hand and let the dogs smell the puppies scent on my hands, plus they can see the puppy in my other hand. I let them smell the pup through the gate and/or in my hands, depending on how they are reacting. Rosa and Willy have been fine, though I admitt to being a bit nervous about Luna because she is/was more dominent. We had Neko over and Luna growled and snarled in such a way that it scared ME. However, after a few minutes and a little sniff from my arms, Luna was fine and ready to play with her lil bum up lol. Just proceed carefully and safely. I see alot of people say off leash but I had Luna on a leash with Neko in the beginning and it seemed to be fine. Willy and Neko were introduced to each other outside on leashes in neutral territory before we had play dates so that might work too when you bring Libby home.

I would separate them at night, at least til you are confident in putting them together. MINE are all kept separate at night because I feel that if they were in close quarters and decided to get snippy with each other....there is no where for them to escape if the need were there. They all get along great but from time to time Luna WILL boss Willy around and Willy runs and hides from her. And from time to time Luna will try to boss Rosa around and Rosa puts her in her place LOL. However, I have put Rosa and Willy in Willys playpen for hours at a time (while I have been home) and we've had company. When my nephews come over (ages 5 and 2) I tend to "lock" the dogs up for their own safety lol My own children know how to be with dogs, but my nephews don't have dogs so they don't know how to treat them. Plus, because of Willy being dropped by my cousins lil girl....I have issues lol But anyway, I totally trust Willy and Rosa to sleep together in Willys playpen if I ever had the need to, but I would never put them in with Luna lol That might change as years go on and dominence is TOTALLY straightened out (I think Luna tries from time to time to be top dog) I think that as time goes on, you will do what "feels" right to you. You will get to know them and how they are together. But def separate them at night in the beginning.

I too am not a fan of free feeding (Though I do realize there are times that it is necessary, such as in cases of Tinies) Free feeding would not work in my house with 4 dogs lol Luna would eat everyones food lol And Rosa would likely eat Willy and Luna's food cuz she seems to like the puppy food better then the adult food (because of Willys surgeries and since he is small, I have left him on puppy food for now to try and bulk him up lol he will be 1 at the end of the month). With sch feedings you will be able to keep track of who eats what and how much. Mine are all fed in their crates. When ever its time for them to eat they are put in their crates. I find this helpful also because I leave them in there for X amount of time after and then they are taken out to use the washroom. It usually works well....though Luna at 6 months is still having some pooping in the house issues lol

Pee pads....I don't know as all mine are taken outside to use the washroom :) lol

Good luck hun! :) We will work together with this as we will be bringing them home roughly the same time :) xx
 
#7 ·
I have always done it like this when bringing a new family member home i will do this with Lucy as well.
I make sure it is a nice, quiet area i send the kids away to play so they are not in the dogs face.
i usually have the 2 seperated by a screen door. (from garage to house) and let them sniff each other out. Once they are finished sniffing etc i put a lead on both of them and bring them together in the same room. I totally ignore them but i still have control with the leads.
I usually keep them apart at night and when i am not home. I did this with Toby (chihuahua) and Sheba (german shepherd) and they are best mates. I also did it with the cat and both dogs. And i ALWAYS tell the kids that they have to show equal affection to all the aniamls so no one gets jealous.

GOOD LUCK i am SOOOOOOOOOO excited for you
 
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