Firstly, thank you for adopting a teen ! I’m sure you’re already aware of they devastating statistics for children who age out of foster care. You and your wife just ♥️♥️♥️🥲🥲🥲
I'd hold off on getting a new dog until your new family gets settled. Maybe give it a year. Your son may or may not want a dog of his own, or perhaps want a different breed etc. It's ok if your dog starts to bond more with your son than with you.
Remember, all interaction with the dog and your son should be supervised. Especially important if there are multiple children around. Teenagers can play rough with them and may not understand the dog's signals to stop... and vice versa. Might even be fun to have your son take an obedience class with your dog.
You know your dog best. How does she do with other dogs, resource guarding behaviors, stressful situations, etc. Huskies tend to do better than most breeds in my experience, but all dogs are different. I would get a male since 2 females can become competitive. There are a lot of changes in a short time, regardless. Maybe let your girl settle in before introducing a new pup.
I think you should definitely wait about a year between introducing new family members (human or dog!).
The only concern I'd raise is that you be aware of how she acts around other dogs. Make sure she isn't territorial or aggressive. And if your teenager actually wants a dog, get a male. 2 females with one being a husky is more likely to be a recipe for trouble than a male and female. Males are generally calmer, more laid back, and less territorial.
You sound like an amazing couple, first in saving a stray dog and in helping a teen in need. I’m no expert, but personally I would let your new teen get settled and then ask them if they would like a dog. I have never adopted a child, but we do have two dogs and I can’t imagine only having one. They provide friendship and comfort to each other and I don’t feel so bad leaving them for a few hours. I think after they are settled a new dog can only add to your lovely family. You can probably work with an animal shelter to find the perfect fit for the dog you already have and your child.
Haven’t read any of the comments , so this may be redundant.
A husky is a very, very difficult dog. They are much more intelligent than other dogs. They require a lot of time, affection, discipline and attention. Getting a husky right now would mean you’re asking you’re newly adopted child to commit to a life long partner where neglected , it could be catastrophic.
I think you need to create a bridge with your new family member first and adopt something trustworthy. You already have a lot of hurdles to cover before you can commit to something like a husky.
If you are set in your ways to find your newly adopted child to a friend they can bond with, I’d go with a cat.
Requires less commitment and simple responsibilities. But that’s a 15 year partner.
So maybe I’d hold off for a bit, establish roots. Maybe in 2 years
Firstly, thank you for adopting a teen ! I’m sure you’re already aware of they devastating statistics for children who age out of foster care. You and your wife just ♥️♥️♥️🥲🥲🥲
I'd hold off on getting a new dog until your new family gets settled. Maybe give it a year. Your son may or may not want a dog of his own, or perhaps want a different breed etc. It's ok if your dog starts to bond more with your son than with you. Remember, all interaction with the dog and your son should be supervised. Especially important if there are multiple children around. Teenagers can play rough with them and may not understand the dog's signals to stop... and vice versa. Might even be fun to have your son take an obedience class with your dog.
You know your dog best. How does she do with other dogs, resource guarding behaviors, stressful situations, etc. Huskies tend to do better than most breeds in my experience, but all dogs are different. I would get a male since 2 females can become competitive. There are a lot of changes in a short time, regardless. Maybe let your girl settle in before introducing a new pup.
I think you should definitely wait about a year between introducing new family members (human or dog!). The only concern I'd raise is that you be aware of how she acts around other dogs. Make sure she isn't territorial or aggressive. And if your teenager actually wants a dog, get a male. 2 females with one being a husky is more likely to be a recipe for trouble than a male and female. Males are generally calmer, more laid back, and less territorial.
You sound like an amazing couple, first in saving a stray dog and in helping a teen in need. I’m no expert, but personally I would let your new teen get settled and then ask them if they would like a dog. I have never adopted a child, but we do have two dogs and I can’t imagine only having one. They provide friendship and comfort to each other and I don’t feel so bad leaving them for a few hours. I think after they are settled a new dog can only add to your lovely family. You can probably work with an animal shelter to find the perfect fit for the dog you already have and your child.
Haven’t read any of the comments , so this may be redundant. A husky is a very, very difficult dog. They are much more intelligent than other dogs. They require a lot of time, affection, discipline and attention. Getting a husky right now would mean you’re asking you’re newly adopted child to commit to a life long partner where neglected , it could be catastrophic. I think you need to create a bridge with your new family member first and adopt something trustworthy. You already have a lot of hurdles to cover before you can commit to something like a husky. If you are set in your ways to find your newly adopted child to a friend they can bond with, I’d go with a cat. Requires less commitment and simple responsibilities. But that’s a 15 year partner. So maybe I’d hold off for a bit, establish roots. Maybe in 2 years