Should I or shouldn't I? LONG

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I am supposed to go and look at a female Chihuahua puppy who is 9 weeks old tomorrow morning. She is fawn and white and looks almost just like my Maxwell Smart, except she doesn't have the white up the face like he does.

Here is my delimma;

Max is going to be my next Service Dog candidate. He is already in obedience training and shows great potential to be my next Medical Alert dog. He is alerting already which is what made me even think about having him take over for my Labrador.
It's not something I talk about often but I have severe Social Anxiety Disorder, Post Trumatic Stress Disorder, adult ADD, & OCD. The depression that comes with these things and those disorders themselves are disabling to me. I do not work outside the home because of them.
My 8 year old Labrador was my Service dog. He knows a ton of commands, alerts to my anxiety attacks about 5-15 minutes before they happen which allows me to get my meds in time to prevent a severe meltdown.
He knows how to find my husband so that if I wander off in a public place and get lost, I can get back.
He would get help several different ways (going to my neighbors home and ringing the doorbell/barking, bringing a note to the nearest person in a public setting, barking on command until someone comes, calling 911 on a special doggie phone, and getting my husband or oldest child), checking my home for intruders on command upon entering (something that comes with the PTSD, being afraid to enter my own home for fear of their being a "scary person" inside). He makes sure I take my meds on time because I will not take them if left to my own devices. He carries my emergency med on his collar so that when out and hit with a anxiety attack I have the dose, he will take me to a chair or a safe place by the hand to calm down and wait, it goes on and on... I have forgotten what "my" (I don't drive) car looks like, left my purse places, just generally "gone away" and gotten glazed over and wandered off. He prevents that.
The most important thing he does though is A) alerts to the attacks and B) makes sure I get my med when I have one by stuffing the bottle into my hand and retrieving a bottle of water to take them with.
As the years have gone on, I have had 3 children. Traveling with 3 kids and a 110lbs dog when you are out without your Service Human (my husband LOL) is TOUGH.
Shortly after I got Max, my 6 month old Chi, he started alerting to my attacks with Reese (my lab) and has even gone on to alert without Reese around (as Ree is retired, I leave him home now a great deal). Since he has a great temperment (not typical of Chihuahuas in general and is accepting of strangers, children, and lots of other animals, is not yippy, etc.) and he is smart as a whip and is great with training, I have decided to take the leap and work towards him becoming my Service Dog. He already goes potty on command both outside and on a puppy pad, sits, downs, comes, and stays. From what I understand having such great trainability is not the norm for a Chi.
I think traveling with a 5 pound dog will be alot easier than doing so with a 110 pound one. It will be tricky to scale things down for such a small SD, but I own a Service Dog message board and have seen several people with genuine Chihuahua SD's.

Anyway, heeeres where the issue comes in.
Since Max will hopefully work out and become my Service Dog he will be coming with me everywhere I go.
For now I take him alot for socialization but he cannot go out in public as a SD until he passes his public access training, which comes after he gets his CGC and does all of his obedience training/task training.

I wonder if I get him a friend to play with, will the new Chi freak out at being left home alone while I take Max out for "working"?

How strongly do they bond to eachother? Should I just scrap the idea and not get another Chi?

As said, the little girl is 9 weeks old. Max is going to be neutered in about 2 weeks, I am not planning on breeding as they are both pet quality Chihuahuas.

Anyone have any insight? I know there are alot of people with Chis. I have heard "you can't just have one". I adore Max, he is the coolest dog I have ever had, small but mighty!
I just wonder if he's a once in a lifetime dog and I'm asking for trouble by rolling the dice and thinking of another one.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I have a poodle as a hearing dog...so we'll just take that in a grain of salt.

I would much prefer to have a labrador as my hearing partner, but can't due to apartment difficulties.

My reasons? If there was an issue...a HUGE issue such as someone breaking in, my lab would be able to alert me AND the intruder as to what was happening. My lab would be able to somewhat protect me.

You say your lab carries your meds, the Chi won't be able to do that. In public, especially loud areas, your Chi may not be able to remain "on the job" since he may feel the presence of too many people and revert to the "Chi way" of life (tremble at all times...whining at all times...etc.)

 

[thebritt]

Wow - That's an excellent question...
Does Max behave in any way that makes you think he'd like another packmate?
Do you have any concerns about Max becoming distracted from his duties if he has a same-sized playmate?
My first question to myself was whether it's a good idea to introduce a possible distraction to his training. I would imagine a professional trainer could advise you on that one. May need to be fully trained first?
If the trainer doesn't see a problem with a new addition, I, personally, would take Max to the puppy's house and let him see what he thinks of her. Does he show signs of jealousy? Does he seem annoyed by her puppiness? That kind of thing.
I think that's one mistake people make when adding a pet...Just as we humans might be perturbed at an uninvited guest moving into our house to live forever, like it or not....
Hope whatever choice you make works out well for you!

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

My Chi can carry my meds, in a Nirto Bullet on his harness. I only need one dose of meds at a time. A good friend of mine who uses a 6 pound Chi as her PSD (Psychiatric Service Dog) has her little guy retrieve her meds inside a modified Contact Lens case that she cut in half and put a small handle on. Hers will also retrieve a small travel shampoo bottle of water for her to take her med with.
Things can be scaled down. I'm not worried about those things.
My husband is a big manager at a Movie Theater and every Sunday I go to work with him, every Sunday Max comes to work with us. I have had him in the lobby FULL of people at first show time of the day 400 people in the lobby and he will walk through the crowd at a perfect heel without a single worry for his surroundings.
People try to pet him and he just ignores them. He acts like a natural. It's something to see.

My main worry is bringing a second one into the mix and if that dog would feel "left out" so to speak.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Quote:
Yeah I just don't have those reasons. I have two big dogs, the lab still, and my 2 year old Newfoundland who is about 200 lbs. No one is breaking into my house, so for the most part I don't need protection. And to tell you the gods honest truth, my lab would show an intruder where all the good stuff is... He's that laid back.
My Chi is a great watch dog, the slightest noise outside the house and he goes off. My Lab has barked at someone coming to my home like twice in 8 years...

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Quote:
These are great questions, just what I hoped someone would ask I think.

I think alot of it is that I feel bad for him. He is the only being in the house of his size. Like I said above, I have two large dogs, one of which is too young for him to play with because he's too hyper and could inadvertently hurt him, and the other is too old and doesn't want to play.
So Max plays with my sons cat all the time, and while it's adorable, I wonder if he wouldn't like someone his size and species to rough house with, you know? He is only 6 months old and while he is "mature" for his age, he is still very much a puppy, so I doubt the puppyness of her would bother him. He is very much "Get up and go" and is very peppy.

 

[onthespot]

I wouldn't get another dog until Max was rock solid fully trained and working.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

onthespot, that's the way I'm leaning.
This other puppy, just cropped up and reasonably priced Chi pups are a rarity around here, especially vetted and dewclaws removed, etc. She's $300, the same I paid for Max and a similar situation, the people just want to make back the vet bill amount... Most others are $800+
It's the only reason I considered it to be honest.

 

[gypsy2621]

Jenna,
Max is already started training or is he learning from the other Dog?
Sometimes older service dogs make the best trainers, and the new server dog only needs reinforcement from a pro trainer to work around the little rough edges.

From what you have posted it appears Max is picking up naturally when the other dog alerts. this is awesome,
thinking on it, if 1 dog alerts when the older one does will the new pup also alert? the possibility is there.

Where the larger dog( sorry forgot his name) is fully trained and going into semi retirement,( they never lose their ability, they just slow down) He could be your training aid.
I know its hard to go about with 3 small children and a large dog then add a couple of Chi's to the mix and it will be a sight to say the least, but if 2 dogs act calmly in public and ignore the people until help is needed then the third would also learn that people are tools when it comes to your disabilities, and ignore everything but the tasks at hand.
Chi's are hyper yes but they are highly clever little dogs.
and as Delta told me "ANY" dog can become a service animal.
Its not so much what we expect of them its what they expect from us that makes the difference.
Where your One Chi is alerting with out training I am very sure the next one will also. They will take their cue from the older experienced dog and act accordingly.

My 4 month old 50 # Malamute started alerting to Cassi's blood sugar drops at a very early age, 10 weeks old to be exact, and honestly I think I would prefer being smacked awake by a Mouse Paw rather than a Moose Paw. But he was her choice of a service animal so who am I to complain,( well with the exception of having a black eye now and again). He is also Self training as I am having issues with Delta being so far away.
I honestly think the self trained are the more highly prized animals. I also dont think size plays a whole lot in protection or alertness.
I have been bitten by most of the dogs in the world, I swear the only one that truly terrifies me is a Chi. them little buggers dont bite and back off, the boogers keep gnawing until they chase someone off.
pound for pound I would rather chance meeting with a Shepherd before a chance meeting with a torqued off Chi.

The whole issue boils down to what you think you can handle, Do you feel 2 Chi's are necessary, Do you feel 2 Chi's would alert for diffrent issues, there is a lot to think about, Have you talked with trainers and see what they suggest?
What ever you decide I am sure every one will be behind you 100%.

 

[gaited horse]

here is what you should do post pics of max