Im hoping you lot will tell me im being silly.

I am desperate to the point of thinking about it all the time for another dog.

I already have two dogs, which are medium to large dogs (English Springer & Hungarian Vizsla). I adore them, and they are the centre of my world.

But i have got a massive yearning for a smaller dog. I am being quite obsessive about it, and have spent weeks and weeks looking.

My husband said I can have one if i want. But then i get scared about the impact it will have on our happy home. Plus, when i got my last dog my husband was / is quite negative about her .... and i dont want that to happen with a new pup.

My colleague thinks im broody, so i want a small dog to mother. Who knows, she might be right.

Basically, i have found a puppy i would like. He is perfect. His mum and dad are lovely and have great temprements (sp). He is wonderful. My husband keeps saying "when are you collecting him then" which gets me all excited ..... but then i get cold feet and start doubting myself.

Normally, when i have a whim and want something, the feelings go quickly. But this time, the need is still strong. But what would the impact be on my family ?

We have talked it though. The Springer is old before his time, and all he wants to do is sit on the sofa with his pipe and slippers and watch TV.

The Vizsla is hyper. She wants to play .... but the Springer is having none of it. If another dog comes to our home, she is in her element and has such fun playing with another dog. Im hoping another dog would give her some play time she desperately wants. My husband thinks she will love it. But what if she doesnt ? What if she gets jealous ?

Help !!!!!!

I know how you feel, I have been kitten broody since one of our cats died two years ago, but I have not gone ahead because I feel it would have a negative impact on our current three cats. I will get another kitten at some point but don't feel the time is quite right yet.

The only way you can find out what impact it will have is to go ahead. The important thing is to ensure that whoever you get the puppy from will happily take it back if things really don't work out. Good breeders and rescues will be happy to do this. Then you can't go too far wrong (although obviously you may be very upset at having to return the puppy).

Even though i did have 11 cats i still got broody. I then was brought smokey and i couldnt say no he was ill. I would love a dog but maisey hates them.

If you are having doubts then I would say the time (or the pup) isn't quite right for you.

There will always be puppys around (especially in rescue!!) and you are bound to find another great pup when you are more sure.

It is a 15 year commitment taking on a pup - IMO you need to be 100% sure.

ETA: Would fostering for a rescue be an option? If you fostered one that turned out perfect you could always 'fail'

I would get a virtual puppy instead. Having an extra dog can upset the apple cart. I know a household of 3 dogs and one dog the alpha one gets incredibly jealous of anyone giving attention to the other two. He also uses the middle dog as a chew toy and covers him in drool so the poor dog has to be regularly groomed.

Thank you for all your replies.

Stud u like - what you describe is what worries me. At the moment my girl Vizsla is the boss. She is the dominent dog, whereas my boy is soooo laid back he is horizontal.

I would hate a little dog to be picked on. But, having witnessed her with other dogs - she is smashing. She gets excited, and just chases them around the garden .... then stops and runs the other way so they can chase her. Its hilarious to watch. But then ... the other dog goes home, and she looks really sad.

I keep telling myself that i am broody and in need of a small cuddly thing. I have recently lost 2 cats to old age. All my little furry creatures have gone, and i long for a cuddle.

They are 14,6 and 2 in that house hold. The 14 year old is blind,walks around in circles,can't remember where he is and then goes back to his basket.

The six year old is like an old blanket. He runs about like mad and he lets the 2 year old sit on him and bite him playfully.

The two year old is huge and has to be walked for ages which the other two cannot keep up with due to age or size. So it is a case of all 3 dogs getting different walks a day which is not an ideal situation as you find yourself walking dogs all day. The two year old also wants to swim every day.

Forgot to mention the two year old also rages war on the cat and the cat gives him a paw in the snout then runs upstairs where the dogs are not allowed.

Not an ideal situation.

Is there a particular reason you want a puppy rather than a kitten? A kitten (or pair of kittens) is less likely to upset the apple cart and fulfils the small and cuddly criteria.

With a puppy, it depends how strongly you feel about it and whether you are prepared to take the risk. (Although as I said, if a new puppy didn't work out, a good rescue or breeder would take it back.) At the moment, I'm not going to risk it because knowing my current animals my assessment is that the grief I'd get would outweigh the positives.

I think you need to make a decision and stick to it - and if that decision is not to go ahead, reassess the situation in a year's time and try not to dwell on it in the meantime .

I had 4 cats, and they were massively loved. I had them within a month of getting married (i got them all in one go), and they lived to the ripe old age of 17/18.

I really dont want to 'replace' those cats. They meant sooooo much to me, it would somehow feels wrong to get another kitten. Although i have said that, should a kitten fall into my lap so to speak (i.e. one really needs a home) i wouldn't be able to say no.

I find dogs now easier to look after than cats. I worried more about my cats, whereas my dogs as happy so long as they are fed, cuddled and walked. I feel i dont fret about them as much.

Plus, i had cats before because both myself and my husband were out at work all day, and a dog wouldnt of been practical. We also went abroad a lot, so my mum would look after them.

5 years ago we moved to the country, and a dog was suddenly a prospect as my husband also took on a job which meant there is (more times than not) always someone at home with them. We dont go away now on holiday, and instead go camping, so the dogs come with us. I suppose my affections moved more towards dogs.

I love to have a house full of furry animals - and suddenly i have gone from 6 animals to 2.

The place feels empty.

We've got 6 here (all the same breed and 4 related) - you do tend to find they adjust

Having said that - if you want a playmate for the Vizla - it won't be a puppy straight away - as their mind may be willing, but it could hurt their bodies.

Re: size, TBH - this is not something I would worry about - in my knowledge of mixed size dog households - the little ones are MORE than capable of holding their own.

We are at a show a couple of weeks ago, and a Papillon pup had decided she was a really a rottweiler - my poor Lab boy was totally perplexed as if to say, what's that all about mum

Thank you for your response Sue - and im sorry i didn't respond sooner.

Well, the thought of a little dog still hasnt left my mind. I keep thinking about it and talking about it. EVERYONE knows its something i want.

When i first started this thread, there was a dog in question that i saw. Now, weeks later i decided to email this person and see if the dog is still available. I was almost certain it wouldnt be, as it was a while ago now that i originally saw him.

But - it is. Im a big believer in fate, and the fact that i wanted this particular dog which, weeks later is still available is odd. Maybe it was meant to be ?

I am 100% certain i want the dog, and then worry creeps in. Will the dogs all get on. What if the toilet training is a disaster ? Can I afford yet more insurance / jabs etc ....

It's fate Porcupine - go for it !!!

How about actually writing down your worries in a list and then thinking/researching how you might overcome each one. Worries in your head can seem more insurmountable as they merge into one huge worry. Written down and tackeling each one in turn might clear things up a bit. If there is a worry you think is insurmountable then you have your answer, if not maybe you are thinking too much rather than my earlier thought that the time might not be quite right.

Thank you guys.

StressMonkey - your name would be quite apt for me. I am a born worrier and stresser. I get myself worked up sometimes for no reason as everything works out perfectly in the end.

I know when i got my 2nd dog i worried. But there was absolutely no reason to. She joined the family, and settled in instantly. The toilet training was a slight nightmare, but other than that she is perfect.

I worry about work, money, my beloved animals etc ... The only thing i dont worry about is me. The older i get, the more of a worry wart i become.

But - you are right. Maybe a list is just what i need. I also need a good old chat with my husband.

Just do it - it will work out ok because you have a lot of love and common sense, you sound like a conscientious pet owner. Your husband seems to quite fancy the idea and would rather it was your idea though!
Better to do things and work through the issues, than not do anything - and then worry about it and have regrets.
Just depends if the time is right - for you and the dog. I'm sure you will reach the right decision in the end.....

Go for it Porcupine, it will be chaos at the beginning but you'll be amazed how quickly the dogs will all sort out what's what between them. If you put a lot of thought and work into it for a short while (over things like jealousy- a bit of insecurity from your current dogs will be normal, but you can reassure them).

I had three dogs , everyone said I was mad to take on another one, but it was endless fun watching them together. Unfortunately there are only two of them now, but I 'borrow' my neighbours dog a lot! One more thing, be prepared to be tripping over one or other of them all day and the kitchen can get very crowded when your cooking!

PS Just read your original post again, and no you're not being silly at all, to want another dog , maybe other people are making you feel like that - take no notice. And I spend a lot of time thinking about getting another dog again too (just can't work out whether to let my dog have pups or get another breed, thats all), so you're not alone there.

I'd go for it!
You are clearly not going through a phase, as you're still feeling this way after quite a bit of time. It would be different if you didn't have any animals and you weren't sure whether to get an initial puppy that would be different. But you're clearly a committed owner
Can I ask what breed the new pup is? Is the breeder(or rescue home, if it's a rescue dog) happy for it to come and live with you and your other dogs?

Thank you for your replies everyone - i will keep you informed.

Marrakech - The dog is a cross breed. Jack Russell and Scotty dog. Its small, black and adorable. Yes, the breeder is happy for me to have him.

If the breeder is happy for you to have the dog & doesn't live too far away, what about "borrowing" the dog for a morning/day? Then you could take your dogs for a walk with it, maybe take it home for a few hours & this will give you an idea of how all the dogs will get on & what sort of problems (if any) you are likely to meet?

My son came to visit yesterday with his 14 week old Bull Mastiff. I was a bit worried as Murphy is a bit old for boisterous puppies and the Cresties can be nervous of big dogs. So we planned and took Murphy, then the Cresties to meet the pup on neutral territory. It worked. When Buffy got a bit resource guardy after we came indoors I (being the resource) went into the kitchen. It worked. And shortly all four (Murphy included!!) were playing nicely. Though I was then worried for the puppy's long, thin, soft puppy boned legs!!

We had worries. We planned for these worries. It all worked out.

Good on you! A bit of forethought & knowing your own dogs well can often nip problems in the bud or allow you to set things up so the problems never arise in the first place.

We had to plan ahead when myself & 2 friends took our 8 dogs on holiday. No matter how well they get on together out on walks, a whole new set of criteria apply when they had to live in the same house. So rearranging furniture, taking lots of dog beds & duvets, feeding in separate rooms, not taking "precious" toys that could provoke resource guarding etc were all high on the agenda. And yes, we worried & discussed it endlessly ~ but it all turned out much, much better than anticipated. In fact it cemented several canine friendships & we all had a lovely time.

You have Chinese Cresteds? Jealous!