Before You Bring A Second Dog Into Your Home

So you're thinking about adding another dog to your family?  Congratulations and our sympathy at the same time.  A second dog can add extra special family member, and yet at the same time, provide many headaches.  Our goal here at Animal Care and Services is to place each dog in a PERMANENT and loving home.  In order for us to reach this objective, we need your help.  You can support us in this aim by being fully prepared for a second dog and what it may do to your family.  Please truthfully ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you have additional funds?

Yearly vaccinations, food, toys, crates, licenses, and training classes all add up.  The yearly cost of adding a second dog into your household is about $350 (not including additional vet bills).

2. Do you have spare time? 

You will need extra time to clean the yard, groom, train, feed, and exercise a second dog.  You can count on spending an additional five hours per week with your dogs when you add that second dog to your household.

3. Do you have additional funds to pay for damage your second dog may cause to your house or yard?

Adding a new dog can cause your old dog to misbehave.  Then you may have two destructive dogs.

4. Are you ready to deal with some canine rivalry?

Dogs have a natural pecking order: One dog must be dominant and the other submissive.  Dominant dogs eat first, get petted first, go through doorways first, are able to hog all the toys and bones, get the leash put on first, and get the choice sleeping spot.  To avoid any aggression, you need to treat the dominant dog as the "TOP DOG" even if you think it is not fair.  Your old dog may be the submissive member in the pack.  Are you ready to treat him as such?  (Dogs do not view the world in terms of fairness and equality.  If you try to treat your dog "pack" fairly, you may undermine the dominant dog's position and cause him to become even more aggressive toward the submissive dog because he feels his position is threatened.)

5. Is your current dog friendly to other dogs and people?

The chances of finding a second dog to get along with your dog who may be a bully is quite slim.  However, training your current dog can make him maor accepting of other dogs.  So, if you really want a second dog, attend a training class with your current dog first.  If your current dog is not friendly toward people, your new dog may learn to be shy as well.  Do you really want two fearful dogs in your house then?

6. Does your old dog have any behavioral problems, such as excessive barking, destruction, aggression, or fearfulness?

Dogs mimic and learn from each other.  So, if you are getting a new dog in the hopes your old dog will not bark as much, you may end up with TWO barking dogs instead of none like you planned.  Or vice versa!  The new dog may teach your old dog that barking, digging, getting into the garbage, stealing your underwear, or chewing is awfully fun!  A dog who already has behavioral problems is NOT cured by getting him a playmate.  In fact, in many cases they become worse.  You need to work with your current dog to resolve his behavioral problems, before you can successfully add a second dog to your family. 

7. Have you recently had a change in your family such as marriage, divorce, job change, death, a new baby, new roomate, or moved to a new residence?

These are all very high stresses that can cause you and your dog to react negatively to the addition of a new friend.  It is better to wait until all major changes in your life are settled and your household in once again serene.

8. Do you really like your dog the way he/she is now?

Adding a second dog to your household WILL change your dog in many ways.  Are you ready to accept that?  If you really like a dog that is people-friendly, then do not get another dog.  Dogs, given the opportunity, will bond each other, rather than you.  Think of it this way, if your dog is spending more time with his new buddy (let's say at least 12 hours a day), who do you think he is going to be more attatched to?  The one he spends the most time with, of course!  Certainly not you, if you only spend eight hours at home and your dog spends six of those hours outside with his new buddy.

Scoring your answers.

If you have answered truthfully to all the questions above and have some up with even one "NO" on question 1-5, then this is a bad time for you to add a second family member into your household.  Wait until you can answer questions 1-5 and with a resounding "YES" before looking for that special addition.  If you answered "YES" to questions 6 or 7, then you need to think very long and hard about adding a second dog into your household as it may have disastrous effects on your entire family "pack".  Question 8 was added just to help you understand that your dog will change with the addition of another dog in your household.  Some people report their old dogs are happier and more playful with another dog around, but more often than not, people report that their old dog seems unhappy and unsure about things.

Did you answer all questions 1-5 with a "YES" and questions 6-7 with a "NO"?  Then you are in a good position to adopt a second dog into your household!  It will take some extra work, patience, and understanding in your part to learn to live with two dogs, but your new dog and hopefully your current dog, will thank you for it! 

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