With Forethought and Care, Adopt a Second Dog

It has been thirty-five years since I lived with just one dog. In fact there have always been three or four at a time living in my home. Watching their interactions gives me such pleasure that I doubt I’ll ever go back to an only-dog household.

But if you’re thinking about getting a second dog in order to keep the first company, I have one recommendation: do not. Only bring a new dog into the family if you want two dogs. Acquiring a new dog for the old one could backfire.

I have a client, Patty, whose Siberian husky Houdini regularly scaled a six-foot chain link fence to play with the St. Bernard next door. Patty installed an “Invisible” fence as a backup, but so strong was Houdini’s drive that he withstood the shock -- in addition to climbing the fence -- to get to his canine girlfriend. Finally, in desperation, Patty adopted a second dog in hopes the new companion would keep the first one at home. What happened? You guessed it. Rather than anchoring Houdini, the escape artist taught Echo the ropes. Patty now has two disappearing dogs.

Whether you adopt an adult dog or a puppy, the ideal time to introduce a second dog is when the first is around two. By then, patterns are established. (In effect, you finish each other’s sentences.) Selecting dogs of similar energy levels heightens compatibility. I’d recommend getting the opposite sex -- as long as they are spayed and neutered -- as there is less chance of fighting.

People often wait until too late in the first dog’s life to introduce the second. Knowing that and older pet’s days are numbered, they want a puppy to ease the agony of the inevitable. I was just at a house with a 14 year old shell of a Golden Retriever and a nine-week-old puppy. The poor old dog was tortured by the youngster who was being yelled at by her people for just doing what puppies do. The disparity in energy is comparable to that of an octogenarian and a toddler.

Should you choose a puppy, realize how overwhelming this day is for her. She just left her biological family and doesn’t know the lay of your land. It is important she feels secure, so I suggest you sit on the floor by way of providing a home base. If Dog Number Two just wants to hang out on your lap while Number One gives her the once-over, so be it. Should she be bold enough to sally forth, encourage her doing so while sweet talking Number One. Be braced for a few breath-taking moments when the elder clobbers the pup with his big old foot or snarls at her for overstepping boundaries. Within reason, allow this—it’s how puppies learn. It is extremely rare for an adult dog to harm a puppy, though it could happen. Being relaxed here sets the tone for things to come. If the presence of the newcomer stresses you, Number One will be less inclined to embrace her than if you communicate how happy you are she’s here.

Once introduced, keep Number One’s routine as intact as possible. If he is used to going to the park at noon, take him. It doesn’t matter that the puppy is too young to be included. It’s important that the two are sometimes separated. Dogs don’t keep score. Stealing each other’s toys, rough housing and occasional disagreements are to be expected.

You might think Number One should be top dog by virtue of his seniority, and he may in fact be just that. But dogs have their own hierarchies that they need to work out. We tend to judge this by placing a higher value on the “Alpha” position and penalize the newcomer’s move to take over. Don’t. To interfere here runs the risk of falsely inflating one who is ill equipped to lead. Not everyone’s cut out to be CEO; some dogs just want to work in the mailroom.

Easton-based dog lover, trainer and behavior therapist Jody Rosengarten has made dogs her life's work since 1980, when she opened her practice, The Bark Stops Here.

 

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