ok as some may have seen I WAS thinking of getting a pup, however I have fallen for a beautiful 2 yr old male Westie terrier/maltese mix at a rescue group a little ways away from where I live (and I have come to realize the bonus of not having to potty train, again). He’s a great dog, very social, but that is not my concern. My concern is my 12 yr old and how I should introduce the two. My 12 yr old female has been the only dog in our house for most of her 12 yr’s, so is getting a second dog a entirely bad idea? will she become to jealous?* She get’s on with other dogs during her walks, so long as they don’t come running towards her (but I think that’s more my issue then hers 
) but as I noted above never really had another dog in the house (my dog before her died when she was about 5 months). Is it a good idea to bring this 2 yr old home, or should I get a pup, or forget the whole idea all together? opinions are appreciated.
*Note: I’ve been wanting to add a second dog for four years now, my 12yr old is more my dad’s dog (he babies her a bit), and I’d like a companion of my own and I’m only now able to care for a dog of my "own" (financially speaking) which was a term in the agreement with my parents about adding a second animal of any kind. Our house and yard are large enough for both to have their own space, especially since both dogs are smallish, and I have the availability to be around to supervise both if they’re around each other to ensure correction of any major issues that might occur (if I’m not there my parents are) . thx
Take her to meet the other dog you’re considering adopting and see how they get along outside of her territory. If they seem to get on okay, I say go for it.
It will actually be a lot easier on your senior dog to bring home an adult dog than a young puppy. Young puppies are annoying, tiring, in-your-face, wanting to play play play and need to be taught boundaries. A social adult knows how to read body language and signals that mean "leave me alone", so your senior dog is more likely to accept a well-mannered adult than a puppy.
Tags: WestieTags: Westie
Take her to meet the other dog you’re considering adopting and see how they get along outside of her territory. If they seem to get on okay, I say go for it.
It will actually be a lot easier on your senior dog to bring home an adult dog than a young puppy. Young puppies are annoying, tiring, in-your-face, wanting to play play play and need to be taught boundaries. A social adult knows how to read body language and signals that mean "leave me alone", so your senior dog is more likely to accept a well-mannered adult than a puppy.
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Most shelters will require a "meet and greet" between the potential new dog and any existing dogs in the family to make sure they get along together.
If you add any dog to your family, I would go with the rescue Westie mix. Being older will mean that it’s likelier going to be less annoying towards your older dog.
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You should add another dog to your family especially if it’s a rescue, and if it’s a high kill rescue I would jump on it. I understand your dog is on the older side and it may take some time for her to adjust having a another dog in the family since most dogs that are older really don’t want to play and run around for hours. And lets not forget that the Westie breed is very tenacious and active. You should do a home check and if your current dog bonds with the little guy than you have your answer. But I hope you take the little guy in.
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Good Luck !
If you feel that you’d be able to provide all the exercise and care it needs, then adopt the 2-year-old. Make sure to introduce him and your current dog before adopting, though, to make sure that she’ll be okay with him around. If all goes well and they seem to be fast friends, you can go ahead and adopt him; just make sure to introduce him to your home in the yard or a neutral part of your street first (so your current dog doesn’t get territorial) so they can spend time together. It’d be a good idea to house them separately (in different rooms or crates) to prevent skirmishes.
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