Have a small breed dog and getting at large breed, tips?

[Anonymous]

We have a small breed dog that's 4 years old. He's awesome and likes other dogs and is friendly but does not like to play with them. He's also a 'velcro' dog and follows me everywhere.

We've been wanting a second dog for a long time and especially so now because our current dog is probably going to need a companion once school and work are back to normal in the future. He was already depressed this week when I went back to work even though the kids are home.

Is getting a puppy better since they'll at least be sort of small for a little while when introducing to our current dog? I know it will want to play, we have plenty of neighbor dogs that like to play so that's available but I know my current dog will not partake.

What is the best way to ensure the little dog's safety as the puppy grows larger? I'm hoping since the new dog will be raised with the current one, then this would not be something I would need to worry about.

Any tips on transitioning from one dog to two and also on introducing a larger breed to a smaller breed?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Get the opposite sex. Introduce puppy in a crate, while the older dog runs free. All walks are together. No toys on the ground, no food, nothing that might provoke a fight. Feed separately. No unsupervised interactions in the beginning. Vigilance and safety first

[Anonymous]

We have an older ten pound dog and a younger pup that is now 60 pounds. They were about the same size when we got the younger pup. We supervised them carefully as recommended above. We kept the younger dog on a long rope in the house at first for house training purposes, but it also allowed the older dog to get away from him if he needed to. The older dog did a great job socializing the pup & instructing him on what behavior is acceptable and what is not.

They still play together, but the smaller dog can back off the bigger dog with one growl. I found the smaller dog tugging on the larger dogs' ear the other day. I sometimes scold the big dog if it looks like he is being too rough with the little guy, just so he knows there are limits. The big guy is very attached to the older dog and now they sleep together every night. It is nice that they have each other when we board them (they sleep in one enclosure when boarded).