We are a 3-dog family (2 big, one small), always have been. Last August I lost my Scotty/Doxie mix, Harry after 17 years. It broke my heart but it was time. We still had two other dogs (Hazel, 10-Newf/Lab and Charlie, 13-Dane/Lab). As their worlds were obviously getting much smaller, I got Jack (Golden pup) for my husband around Thanksgiving. 
*He was not meant to be a “replacement,” because there is no replacing one friend with another, but it does help to be surrounded by friends when one passes. This was no different. Grieving together is easier than grieving alone. I knew Jack was going to help my sweet husband heal when his beloved Charlie passes away. That dog is his best friend and has been for 13 years. We are obviously dreading the time when we have to say goodbye, but he has had a long life and we cannot watch them suffer for our own selfish motivations. We assumed it would be within the next month or so as he had been having some breathing issues and possible CHF. Charlie and Hazel are both wonderful, well-trained dogs who are very gentle and accepting of other dogs in our household. This proved to be true when we introduced Jack as well. They both helped us train and guide him and show him the ropes. Hazel more so than Charlie as Newfoundlands are known to be nurturing by nature and she is a bit younger so had more tolerance for wrestling and his puppy antics. Charlie was content to play a grandfatherly role, keeping a watchful eye and laying in front of the back gate to deter him when Jack tried to dig underneath. They really are just wonderfully well-trained and intuitive dogs. 
HOWEVER, Jack was bonding to them and soon they would be gone. I did what any rational person with a 4-month old golden retreiver and 2 senior dogs requiring extra care would do. 

I got a puppy. A Miniature Schnauzer, actually. 

I did lots of research and had several requirements for what I thought would be a good fit. 
Small but not too small (I just can’t do another large dog for several reasons but we had an opening for a small one so that’s how it was). 

Feisty but not a jerk. That “small dog attitude” is not for me. I have also discovered if you raise a small dog with large ones they tend to take on some of those large dog traits and aren’t quite so yippy or hyper. I DO NOT want a fragile flower precious bitty baby to carry in my purse that shakes all the time and uses a puppy pad. NOPE. I wanted a real DOG. Lol. 

High intelligence, eager to please,  not a crazy-high prey drive like a doxie or Scottie has.  (my Harry had this and wowza it was a thing) and I wanted them to be sturdy. A hearty little dog that could hold his own with our goofy golden. 
Jack is very gentle, intelligent and sensitive and he was going to need a friend sooner rather than later. 

We thought Charlie would be leaving us soon. We were so surprised to wake up one morning about a month ago and have Hazel barely able to stand. She did have some arthritis in her back end and had been on shots for a couple of years to help this but this change was drastic. She was clearly in pain. Within a week she went from a normal elderly dog to almost completely sedentary. I had to help her up and down to potty and she lost interest in everything. We noticed Jack was comforting her now instead of the other way around. 

We had plans to pick up our new pup on the 12th and now this was happening. I called the vet and we got her in for extra-rays. She had IVDD and the hip dysplasia and arthritis were end stage. We had gotten to the point of no return and it happened so fast. 

We still went ahead and adopted our new guy but we had a heavy heart. Hazel was still her sweet self but she could not help train him or play with him. She snuggled and loved on him but it was clear she was passing the torch. One week after bringing home Morgan, we had to say goodbye to our sweet Hazel. This was just last week and I still have a hard time remembering she’s not here. I still call her name when I’m putting them out to potty or it’s dinner time. It really sucks. 

Having the new pup does help with the sadness as he’s such a character but I can’t help but think how much Hazel would have enjoyed his antics as well. 

As sad as I am, Jack and Charlie are even sadder. They wandered the house for days looking for her. 
It seems Jack understands I got the new pup to be his partner in crime and he is the best big brother ever. He has taken on the role of training Morgan’s the same way Hazel helped me train him. 
He learned from the best and he  is passing it on. So far Morgan is exactly want I had hoped he would be. Sweet and feisty and loyal and smart and eager to please (and not too vocal yet, thank god). 

So, I guess I got a support dog for the dog that was mean to be a support dog for my husband. 
Charlie is still hanging in there and just seemed amused by the antics of our wild blondes. 

Wish us luck! 

Apparently I got my Golden a Miniature Schnauzer. 🤷🏻‍♀️