Last year, when my Boxer Bitch was 11 years old, her older life-companion died, and my bitch went into severe depression. We had 3 weeks when I thought I was going to lose her too, until she spotted her own reflection in a mirror, and she didn't want to leave the mirror!! So I bought an 8 week old puppy. At first she was a bit unsure of this fast moving, lively, noisy creature invading her world, but slowly she began to want to play with him, and to lie with him. For about 2 weeks I had to make sure they had their meals apart, but then the puppy came and ate from the older dogs' bowl - and my bitch let him. Puppy had to sleep in the lounge, while my bitch slept with me - she wouldn't let puppy in the bedroom (I live in a bungalow) then one night she let him come in and sleep on the floor, and within a few days she allowed him onto the bed. I had to buy a dog crate with a divider because she didn't want to share her car space with him, but I only needed the divider for about a week. So, all in all, on a step by step basis, it took about 4 weeks for her to fully accept him and to love him. Now, a year on, they are the absolute best of pals, although occasionally she'll look at me as if to ask "Couldn't we have had a less active one?" and sometimes if he oversteps the mark she has to put him in his place, lol. For her it was the absolute best thing I could have done, and I think it's a good situation for the youngster too.