Some news ( I feel a little guilty)
Hi,
So, I haven't posted in a while ever since I started thinking about what I would get as my second dog after my Shika. Well, I've been considering getting my "second dog" before my Shikoku which was supposed to be dog number one.
I've been waiting (not so patiently) for my Shikoku, with the knowledge that I might get a puppy this fall or next spring from Katja. Well, I'm 99.9% positive that I wouldn't mind getting a non-shikoku breed pup this spring and then planning on getting my Shikoku next spring instead of this fall.
I'm staying on Katja's waiting list of course, but I might pass on the fall litter if I'm not ready for another puppy yet. I'm not sure if I have the willpower yet to actually pass on a Shikoku puppy if Katja sends me a pic . . . it depends on how the non-shikoku pup is doing. I feel like I'm betraying my Shikoku pup, but it's either this or completely lose my sanity. I feel quite weak since I know a few of you have waited over two years for a puppy.
So, I haven't posted in a while ever since I started thinking about what I would get as my second dog after my Shika. Well, I've been considering getting my "second dog" before my Shikoku which was supposed to be dog number one.
I've been waiting (not so patiently) for my Shikoku, with the knowledge that I might get a puppy this fall or next spring from Katja. Well, I'm 99.9% positive that I wouldn't mind getting a non-shikoku breed pup this spring and then planning on getting my Shikoku next spring instead of this fall.
I'm staying on Katja's waiting list of course, but I might pass on the fall litter if I'm not ready for another puppy yet. I'm not sure if I have the willpower yet to actually pass on a Shikoku puppy if Katja sends me a pic . . . it depends on how the non-shikoku pup is doing. I feel like I'm betraying my Shikoku pup, but it's either this or completely lose my sanity. I feel quite weak since I know a few of you have waited over two years for a puppy.
Comments
Why don't you adopt an ADULT non-shikoku and then you will still be ready to take a puppy in the fall. I know that raising two puppies is tough, but an adult will make your life easier. Get a young adult that won't mind being pestered by the puppy and already had some good habits established so he/she can be a suitable mentor.
If I'm really lucky and I'm a competent dog trainer/owner, I might be able to cope with two puppies as long as one is mostly potty trained and is started on obedience training when I get the new younger one. This may not even be an issue since Katja might not even have a pup for me until next spring anyway. I guess if I knew for sure that there would be a puppy for me this fall I might have the willpower to wait, but not knowing is so PAINFUL.
I want a Kai & a Shika, Kai are more "readily available" then shikoku, but I really want my shika as my first pup. I've heard Kai can bond to one person strongly then MIGHT get "jealous" of 2nd or 3rd dog being brought in, so I figured it'd be a better idea to get the Shikoku first. [ this is what I've read / heard a while back, a year or 2 ago, don't know how accurate it is or if it matters which one comes first ]
Yeah, it's hard not knowing "when" for sure. & it really all depends on how specific a puppy you want. [ for example, if you want a red female, or a black sesame male, or a red sesame female with a strong drive, a black sesame female with a "soft" temperament, etc. etc. ] So depending on your "criteria" for your pup, it WILL take a while!! LOL Not to mention, there's no guarantee at all that Katja will have puppies this fall, OR next spring. You might be waiting even longer. [ last year very few of her breedings took ] She might breed...but there's no guarantee that the bitch WILL get pregnant, you know?
But...if you DO decide to get a puppy soon [ this spring ] & then get a shika pup in the Fall, that's two puppies.
It's going to be a LOT of work. While your first puppy is at around 4 - 6 months of age & going through that "teenage rebellion" phase, the 2nd puppy will still need to be potty trained, taught basic obedience, learn to walk on leash, go through his vet checks, etc. It's a lot to handle, especially if it's only you by yourself. [ don't know if it's you by yourself, just saying ]
Then, there's the fact that the 2nd puppy will "learn" from your 1st puppy. So if the 1st puppy has any "bad habits" that haven't been "ironed out" yet, there's a chance your 2nd puppy might pick up those habits.
Then, of course...there's a financial cost. Beyond just the puppy's initial cost, there's food [ $50 a bag for good quality kibble ] Vet Checks [ vaccines, spay / neuter ] toys, beds, crates, obedience classes, etc. etc. etc. not to mention any "emergencies" that might crop up. It's a lot of money!
Oh...& then there's socialization. That's double the time spent.
Now, I'm NOT saying you CAN'T do it. [ raise two pups at once ] & I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I'm just giving you some food for thought. Tons of people get 2 pups at the same time & handle it greatly! Others prefer to work on 1 pup at a time, & wait until the 1st dog is at least a year old before bringing in another pup.
Like I said, this is just food for thought, & something I personally have been struggling with like crazy! LOL
But, I will say this...when you get your first pup, regardless of what breed it is, you will probably have a lot more patience to wait for the 2nd pup. You will be so busy with puppy#1, you might want to wait a year anyway for puppy#2.
You also want to think about if it's fair for the puppies. They should both get as much attention from you as they can, which is hard to do when they're both around the same age. If it's you by yourself, it's going to be hard to split your attention to 2 young puppies. If it's you & someone else, it definitely makes it easier.
Trust me, I understand completely, I really do. & It sucks, & it's a hard, HARD wait!!! I'm on year #2, Jessika waited 3 years, Brad waited 3 years [ for Ahi ], Kris waited 2.5 years for this new shika puppy...it's hard, it sucks, but if you want a Shikoku, REALLY want a Shikoku, it'll be SO worth the wait!!!
I guess, you have a few options.
o1. Get puppy#1 [ non-shikoku ] this spring, & wait til next year for your Shika puppy.
o2. Get puppy#1 [ non-shikoku ] this spring & get a Shikoku as soon as it becomes available to you.
o3. Get puppy#1 [ shikoku ] this spring / next fall, & get puppy#2 soon after.
o4. Get puppy#1 [ shikoku ] this spring / next fall, & wait a year for puppy#2.
It's hard, & TBH I'm not even sure what me & hubby are planning on doing. I know if I got my kai first, I would have a lot more patience to wait for shikoku...but it's really hard when you just "don't know."
There's a lot to think about, time, money, work, etc. etc.
But I will say, if you decide to get another pup & wait on shikoku, you aren't "betrayig" a shika. It'll still go to a happy home, it just means there's another shika waiting for you
I've pretty much determined that option #1 will work best for me. I guess this isn't an uncommon dilemma at all on this forum with the long wait for Shikokus. I really thought I would be able to wait when I first got on Katja's list, but each month gets harder. I really want both my first and second pups to enjoy equal amounts of attention when they arrive, and that will mainly be me. My boyfriend will help a bit, but he's much busier with work than I, so I've already committed myself to taking on the brunt of the workload when it comes to taking care of my dogs.
I'm still going to eagerly await my shika's arrival to my family, just with a little less impatience on my part :)
I have to say I admire your and others' patience/will power on this forum that actually are waiting 2 or 3 years especially in a dogless house!
Who would've thought?
But, I think, as you say, it's a lot harder when you're dogless to begin with. I can't wait to bring a pup home, socialize them, teach them obedience, take them hiking...but....have to wait.
haha It's funny, as I am the most inpatient person in the world, so all my friends / family are in shock that I've waited so long / still waiting. But you know what they say, the good things in life are worth waiting for! ~
So, I wish I had had a little more patience because Katja just emailed me today and told me that she has a red sesame female pup for me. This is wonderful news, but I just put a deposit down for my non-shikoku pup. The Shikoku pup will be available in April and the non-shikoku will be available in June.
So it looks like my life is going to be totally crazy this spring/summer because there is no way I can pass on my Shika (Like I said I might) and I feel honor bound to get the other pup that I put a deposit down for. Plus, I really want it also, I just would have waited a year in between.
I SERIOUSLY THOUGHT that there wouldn't be any pups available from Katja. Well, I guess I shouldn't have been so pessimistic.
I'm really excited, but wow, this is going to be so much work.
Congrats!
OOC, what is the other pup's breed you're going to get? ~
@Tara- I'll be looking forward to your visit :)
My Shika's name : Pandora (Panda for short)
My CC's name : Cohen (like the singer/poet, Lenard Cohen)
Congratulations and best of luck with two pups!
Castleguard and Apex have some nice pup - who is the sire from Apex? I am a big fan of Tuff, he is a handsome CC.
Are you getting a male or female CC? (I may have missed this, sorry)
Congrats!!!
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My CC's a boy: Sire Ch Roccia, who by the way weighs 150 pounds and is 29" at the shoulder. Dam Ch Regal, 90lbs. Shauna at Castleguard describes Regal as being very outgoing for a CC, so she probably doesn't have the real guardian temperament. Roccia I am told has the normal guardian temperament and is very sweet and gentle with his family.
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Castleguards site seems to be down so I am still trying to find pictures for Regal, but the images I have found thus far are beautiful. Congratulations!
Congratulations again Tara.
handsome!
I agree, Roccia is beautiful. He doesn't even look out of proportion or over-muscled. . . He's just really big. I'll definitely be saving up to pay for that pup's food. LOL, especially if Cohen grows to be as huge as his daddy :) I'm not sure how it works tho since Regal is so much smaller. I requested a blue pup or a formantino, so we'll see what I end up with.
p.s. thanks Jessica for adding the pic . . . I'm not very computer literate, so pics take me a while to post.
She is beautiful! I love her!
So, my Cane Corso pup is supposed to be born in the 3rd week of April, and my Shika pup is being shipped to me around that time. Wouldn't it be cool if my CC is born the same day that my Shika arrives