For those who love dogs, the case more often than not is that one pet dog simply isn’t enough.If like thousands others you love dogs ownership of one pet simply isn’t enough and you feel you could give a loving home to a number of creatures.But before you go ahead and adopt that second, third or even fourth dog there are a number of points you really ought to consider.
Firstly, you need to have a serious think about the personality and character traits of your dog.For example, if your dog is headstrong pairing it with anoter headstrong dog could result in daily fights for supremacy.If you do adopt a dominant dog and your existing pet is also dominant you face the prospect of daily battles. If your dog is very submissive, you may also have problems, as the new dog could bully your first dog and make his life miserable.Hopefully, you have a dog that does not lean too far in either direction.
Next, you should consider your current dog’s size.Avoid pairing a small dog with a much larger breed.A big, rowdy puppy can hurt a small dog quite a few times before it realizes its own strength.If you currently own a big dog who has a great temperament, you may be able to add a small breed puppy to the family, but you will have to be prepared to keep a close eye on the dogs at first when they are together.
You then need to considerer gender. Two un-neutered females are unlikely to get on with each other. It would be wise to neuter your female dog before adding another girl to the home. A male puppy may be the best partner for a neutered female because even after the operation a girl dog can remain aggressive towards other females.(Of course, you will have to alter at least one of your dogs unless you want to suddenly be the proud owner of 6 or 8 dogs.)
Age is the next thing you need to consider and did you know that an older dog may not respond well to a puppy?An old dog may have little patience and will probably be unwilling to interact with a small puppy. Instead, you may want to consider adding a more settled and mature dog to the family.
Finally, some breeds of dogs have more trouble accepting a new puppy than other breeds.Some of the toy breeds become a bit spoiled and jealous of other dogs. If you have a pampered Yorkshire Terrier or Miniature Pinscher, you may find that introducing the new puppy can be a bit of a challenge.More aggressive and dominant dogs like pit bulls are also not good at accepting a new dog into the home.However, each dog is an individual and some dogs who are members of these breeds have no problem accepting a new puppy.
Lastly, think about whether you can actually afford a second dog.Dog’s are not cheap so make sure you can afford to pay for the dog food, vets bills, vaccinations and accessories.