I need some opinions concerning my stubborn father. Updated!

[Lyn]

I have a dilemma.. as most of you know, I moved back in with my parents to help with bills, yard work etc.

Well my father wants to get a pug puppy.. This is his house and I feel odd telling my father no. I've mentioned that it's probably not a good idea with Lola's issues, and he basically told me to eat poop. LOL

He seems think Lola will be fine because for 1, the pup is a small breed and Lola is fine with my SIL's Pug , plus Dad has a toy poodle that Lola could care less about.. and 2, that they have told the breeder they want a non-dominant female. It's possible he is right and Lola will be fine. But the what if's are killing me.

Lola is major reactive to large dogs (her size or larger) but she's been ok-ish with smaller toy type dogs she's met unless they are pushy or attempt to dominate her and don't heed her warnings.

I called my trainer and left a message on her machine.. so I'm hoping she can give me some insight too.. It's possible she has a pug in one of her classes that we could maybe setup a controlled meeting with.

I have time to figure this all out since the pug pups are only 3-4 days old at the moment. But you know me.. I"m already panicking. 

[Anakalia]

Everyone has given great advice, I agree with testing Lola with a pug pup.  I know I'd be doing the same thing with the "what if's" but I think you're doing the right thing, thinking things through.   

[Lyn]

Thanks all.

I spoke with my trainer, there are no pug pups in any of her classes. But she does have a female Boston Terrier pup in her puppy class. So she's going to speak with the owner and maybe see about a meeting. If we do this I'm taking my father with me, so he can see first hand in case Lola does react negatively. I tried to explain to my father that regardless of size, it's still a strange dog to Lola and after what she did with Mia, it doesn't matter whether it's a puppy or not.

My SIL's pug was 7 weeks old when Lola first met her, Porsha is 6 months old now and they do get along fine, but Porsha is very non-confrontational. If Lola gives her 'the look' she runs to my SIL as if to say 'MOM'.

Trying to explain to my father that not all pugs are like Porsha is like talking to a wall. I even used Bubba and Lola for example.. same breed but two completely different personalities. He's sooo stubborn, I just want to scream and bang my head off the wall. LOL

I'll keep you all posted.

My father is so evil that he had them email me a pic of the girl that he likes. LOL Nice try.. After what happened with Mia, I'm not falling for the puppy cuteness anymore.

Since I know you all like puppy pics.. I figured I'd post the pic. You know I had no idea that pug puppies were dark colored for the first few weeks. But anyway the he likes is the smaller lighter girl on the bottom. 

[schelmischekitty]

i've never seen a pug puppy, they looks like persians almost ha ha.  how cute.

[Lyn]

LOL I said the same thing.. they look like kittens.

I think I have figured out why my father wants another puppy now. My mother filled me in just a minute ago...

Candy, the toy poodle is my fathers 'baby'. Well they took Candy went to the vet last week because she's been coughing occasionally. She also tires easily. Turns out she has fluid around her heart. The vet said she appears to be in 'heart failure'. She's 11 years old, so it's more than likely age related, plus she did come from a byb. She also has cataracts which would explain her snappy behaviour. She can't see..

Edit.. half my post went missing. 

Basically my father has always had a dog, for as long as I can remember. Their first poodle passed away at 15. My father was lost and depressed, so 2 weeks later they got Candy. Having another dog helped him heal in a sense. So I think with Candy's diagnosis he's planning ahead. Might sound odd to some people that he would do it that way.. it's not to replace her.. but his dog is his baby, his everything.

So now that I know his reasoning I feel horrible. Expecially since we argued about this yesterday. I spilled my feelings on the situation concerning Lola's issues and well everything. I had to rehome Mia and now he wants to bring in a puppy? I was upset..

[schelmischekitty]

i can understand both of your point of views.  maybe, she would be ok, since it would be a small dog?  i know i worried about my dogs and peanut, but peanut is so "dominant" (with nothing to back him up though!) that my dogs just walk off if they don't want to deal with him.  maybe the puppy would be around your dad a whole bunch and in his lap, too.  i know peanut stayed in my lap for the first week, and that gave the dogs time to get used to him.  i sure do hope things work out, and sorry to hear about your dad's dog.

[Anakalia]

Awww, Lyn, that so sad about your dads dog.  Is there any way you could take Lola to see the pug pups when they're older? 

[Lyn]

Thanks all! Just a little update....

My father and I made a deal. He gives me more time to work on Lola's issues and later on I will buy him a pug myself.

We introduced Lola to the Boston Terrier and it went well. No growling/barking but she got a bit nervous with the spazzy high energy Boston bouncing around her and putting his paws on her. Nothing aggressive, just jumpy. But she did start to play bow near the end of the meeting. So it's definitely bigger dogs that trigger the beast in her.

I think if she was raised with a pug pup she probably would be fine. But I'm not leaving anything to chance after what happened with Mia.

[Anakalia]

That sounds like an excellent plan, Lyn!