What's new
Mastiff Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • Welcome back!

    We decided to spruce things up and fix some things under the hood. If you notice any issues, feel free to contact us as we're sure there are a few things here or there that we might have missed in our upgrade.

New pup questions

Ben Curtis

Well-Known Member
We have decided to add a new member to our family to try and fill the hole our beloved Leo left behind. We have found a breeder that has a dog that he was looking to co-own, but has decided to sell him as a companion. We will be meeting him and deciding this weekend if it is the right fit for us, and the right time this Saturday. I do have a couple of questions, rattling around in my head that I thought I'd pose here to get your thought.

1) This Corso is 5 months old. Every dog I have ever owned I got around 10 weeks old? Trying to wrap my brain around this. He's obviously further along in his training than getting a new pup which is an advantage, but part of me feels like I missed out on such a formative time.
2) Really don't like the dogs name. Would it be a mistake to change his name?
3) How to adjust from a perfect adult Corso to a new pup? I'm sure similarities will make me sad, and I'll be surprised by differences, but I haven't quite figured out starting over again. It seems like it has been so long since I've been around a puppy, and maybe that's just because Leo was always so mature. Quite possibly a breed trait, and this is much less of a big deal than my mind is making it.
Thanks,
Ben
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
My experience is that a lot of what you're going to get with an older pup completely depends on the original owners and what work they've done. If this is a good breeder, then I think you shouldn't have any real issues with the pup. Some of the best dogs I've had have come to me older. In particular, at 6 months and another at 6 years. I treat all dogs coming into my home as pups for training/house training, regardless of age, until I know what to expect.

I see no problem changing his name. It happens with rescue dogs all the time and they adjust very quickly. Just spend some time rewarding every single time he looks at you when you say his new name.

Your last question is something I did have a problem with. The pup that came to me at 6 months, Ed, was my heart dog. We used to make up stories called "It's All About Ed." He was extra special. I lost him without warning and without being able to say goodbye when he was ten. I went into a deep grief and even though I had planned to get a different breed when he was gone - specifically so I wouldn't make comparisons - I ended up with a pup of the same breed that was born the day after he died. I hadn't realized how difficult it would be for me to go from a dog that I had loved SO much and was a perfect gentleman to one that had issues. I can laugh now, but the the truth is that it was hard for me. It wasn't so much comparing Al to Ed, but just going from the "perfect" dog to one with so many issues. It took me some time to love him for the dog he was and not the dog I wanted him to be. So with that being said ... I don't think you're going to have this problem. You're getting an older dog that is already going to be showing you pretty much who he is. I brought home a 7 week old singleton pup that hadn't had the best start in life due to odd circumstances. And I can tell you now, just a little short of Al's 9th birthday, that I love him as much as I loved my Ed but I love him for himself. Even with all of his issues and quirks.

I hope that if you do choose to bring this boy home he helps fill the hole in your heart. I've wondered how your family was doing. Please keep us updated.
 

Ben Curtis

Well-Known Member
Boxergirl,
As usual your responses are so helpful.
I have done extensive research on breeders as part of my grieving process, and this breeder was my top choice. Probably more advanced in leash training than Leo ever was.... not a very high bar to achieve.
My wife has had the hardest time getting over the loss. We've met some very impressive breeders along the way. Last week we went to a dog show in Massachusetts and although happy to see the dogs, my wife was very sad inside. This pup happens to be fawn, and has a very different look then Leo, which has helped her envision a new member of our family. I think a black Corso would be too hard on all of us. Color has never been anything I considered in the past, but even I felt the difference approaching a black corso apposed to any other color.
Life is starting to get exciting in our household, and I can't wait to encounter the new challenges this pup will bring us.
 

marke

Well-Known Member
you may get to the point where the similarities make you smile , they do me ………..about half my dogs have ended up with a different name by the the time it was their time , not because I changed it , somehow it changed itself ........
 

BlackShadowCaneCorso

Super Moderator
Staff member
I am reasonably sure I know who you are getting your dog from, I am not sure if they have done any training with him but I would assume that he has been started on basic house manners, house training and is likely crate trained. Ensure you have the pedigree and check on the health testing as I can't remember which parents the pup is from exactly but knowing if there is any history of anything will allow you to go in eyes wide open. I think he might be from the male from a kennel which I really like but never had an appropriate female to put to him. I think Boxergirl gave some fantastic advise, just remember to be patient with both yourselves and the puppy... you all need time to heal and a puppy can certainly help with that (mine has :) )
 

Nik

Well-Known Member
My experience is that a lot of what you're going to get with an older pup completely depends on the original owners and what work they've done. If this is a good breeder, then I think you shouldn't have any real issues with the pup. Some of the best dogs I've had have come to me older. In particular, at 6 months and another at 6 years. I treat all dogs coming into my home as pups for training/house training, regardless of age, until I know what to expect.

I see no problem changing his name. It happens with rescue dogs all the time and they adjust very quickly. Just spend some time rewarding every single time he looks at you when you say his new name.

Your last question is something I did have a problem with. The pup that came to me at 6 months, Ed, was my heart dog. We used to make up stories called "It's All About Ed." He was extra special. I lost him without warning and without being able to say goodbye when he was ten. I went into a deep grief and even though I had planned to get a different breed when he was gone - specifically so I wouldn't make comparisons - I ended up with a pup of the same breed that was born the day after he died. I hadn't realized how difficult it would be for me to go from a dog that I had loved SO much and was a perfect gentleman to one that had issues. I can laugh now, but the the truth is that it was hard for me. It wasn't so much comparing Al to Ed, but just going from the "perfect" dog to one with so many issues. It took me some time to love him for the dog he was and not the dog I wanted him to be. So with that being said ... I don't think you're going to have this problem. You're getting an older dog that is already going to be showing you pretty much who he is. I brought home a 7 week old singleton pup that hadn't had the best start in life due to odd circumstances. And I can tell you now, just a little short of Al's 9th birthday, that I love him as much as I loved my Ed but I love him for himself. Even with all of his issues and quirks.

I hope that if you do choose to bring this boy home he helps fill the hole in your heart. I've wondered how your family was doing. Please keep us updated.

Boxergirl - Your response to the question about comparing brought tears to my eyes. I love all the stories about Ed and Al. <3

I have found that I compare even across breeds. But, as you said you learn to love and adore each for their own special personality. And as marke mentioned the similiarities will make you smile even if it is the smallest silliest thing. Every time one of my dogs does something that reminds me of Cerberus it does make me smile and although I still have that sadness and sense of loss when i think of him it makes me happy to think some small piece of him lives on in Diesel and Kahlua when they do something that just brings him to the front of my mind. And all three of them are very different dogs and different breeds but it happens just the same.