An animal lover that's not sure - beware. Sounds like something is off and may not be the offer or the pup or even just a new dog but something that's warning you now is not the time.
It truly isn't just the time (a 12 week old pup may not have "bad" habits, but he has none actually and must be worked with/taught - good manners for you/the rules of your home, proper conduct in public on the farm and what he'll need to know "off the res"...), or the money and yes, it is 2x more - it's EVERYTHING.
It's also how he'll get along w/ the hound dog not only now as a young pup, while he's so full of bouncy, ignorant energy, but also later as he matures into a full male. Even if you neuter one or both - they know that they are DOGs and BOYS and sometimes it's an issue. KNOW that there will come a day you'll come home dragging your rump, and that will be the day he'll meet you at the door w/ something VERY important in his jaws, w/ the wiring tangle around the front room furniture and the tp strewn all around on top of that. Your hound will either be happily waiting too or he'll be in hiding, cause he knows the "mama" ain't gonna' be happy.
It's the other days when he turns his stately head to look at you and winks. When he rolls over and "mumbles" happily as you lovingly provide the tummy rub. When you have another bad day, just 'cuz it's a day, and he doesn't complain, doesn't demand, but is just there - FOR YOU.
If this pup isn't that for you - a 2nd one will come along later - and you will know when the time is right.
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We share our home with 5 dogs. 3 of them are our daughters' dogs - but when they left home, they aren't/weren't in a position to take them on - so they stayed. Even if they get to the point where they could have them, don't think it will work for them to leave - due to the current ages/doggie/person dynamics. 3 of these dogs are males and vary in size from 10 to 45 to 70 lbs. The two girls are 25 and 35 lbs. 2 are purebreds and the 3 others are mixes and were all rescues of one sort or another... All are spayed/neutered. We are all learning inside/outside dynamics right now - the new place isn't fully fenced and after thinking we were ready to do them outside (loose), I let the two larger boys go together... 15 minutes later, the larger fella showed back up covered in ewy, guey muck (from over a mile away) and the other - couldn't find... Hubby was able to make several posts on FB while at work, then started calling around plus he made up and placed an ad w/ a picture I'd taken of the boy (we've actually had this guy the longest and we weren't happy about this situation) and did flyers. As luck would have it - someone called hubby. We tracked our boy down to the county shelter - he'd been picked up when he got tired about 5 miles from our new house (he's over weight and out of shape and very aloof around most people, normally he'd never just walk up to someone, he'd turn and run. Younger and fitter - he's a Finnish Bird dog - he can go for hours/miles). He's up to date on his RV, but nothing else. He was wearing a collar but it didn't have his name tag (hadn't gotten a new one yet) or his RV, since we'd found that they usually just get lost. He only spent one night in the Shelter (pricey) and turned out they'd called and gone by our previous residence as he was micro chipped but we hadn't updated the info (I didn't even realize he was one we'd had chipped - we had a lot of problems w/ chipping dogs and I quit doing that years ago). Our "newest" (now 1.5 yrs old) is micro chipped as well - and all info has been updated. We are debating MCs for the other 3 at this time. I am still undecided about that, though. Our guys have their specific spots in mine and my hubbies bed - he works nights and I work days and every so often we actually occupy the bed at the same time (then we spend times reorganizing who is where, imagine that). The one who belongs to our daughter who has moved back in - spends part of the day w/ her and part w/ us... At the old place - during the summer the dogs were out most if not all night in our chainlink fenced backyard and in during the day - and other way around during the winter. Eventually that's the plan here (actually I'd like to have a doggie door they can go in/out on their own). Right now, we do the in/out on doggie "zip lines" - which is a pain in neck here w/ where it can go and be accessed and always having to untangle at least 2 times a day (bleh) and in all the years of our dog ownership - I've never had so many doggie accidents to clean up. They are very sneaky about it though! For the first time ever, we've purchased and are using the heck out of, a carpet/floor steam cleaner! BUT I can't imagine our lives w/o our freinds, guardians, howling in the night, establishing territories, face lickers, foot warmers and blanket stealers - EVER.
