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Notes -
The second pet of the same type (cat/dog) is usually great because it usually breathes a bit of new life into the older animal. You're not just getting the kids a new puppy, you're getting the hound a new puppy.
The kid angle is too particular to the kid. We've had a few pet losses over the years. My son is sad for a day or two, but ultimately fine. My daughter still brings one up as a point of trauma 8 years later, to the point where my son has expressed horrified dismay at the thought of how she'll react when our oldest cat passes.
Just make sure they know it's something that you'll take care of, and give them space to be involved if they want (memorials, burial, etc).
Agreed. We've usually gotten a second dog/puppy while the first one is getting a bit grizzled, and the increased interaction and energy are good for them.
My lab was middle aged when my older Shepherd died, and that, plus me no longer being home? The best way to describe his behavior was depressed. The golden my family got to keep him company probably made him lose some hair from the stress, but they all shed like maniacs anyway. I find dog hair on my clothes months after every trip home. Now they get along great, and the older dog can often train the younger one with minimal human input required.
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Seriously my old dog (rest in peace) Benjamin Button'd for a full year after we got a puppy. Then gravity re-asserted itself and her mind continued to turn into soup, but for a year she had a whole new lease on life. She'd even play at the dog park, something she hadn't done for years.
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