Thinking about buying a 2nd dog? READ this!
If you’re a dog lover, you may find that one dog isn’t enough. Even so, before you buy a 2d dog to your household, there are a several key points you should think about.
For starters, you should think about your current dog’s personality and temperament. If your darling boy or girl is a bit of a bully (shall we say assertive!) and the new dog isn’t submissive, there are going to be some big conflicts before they sort out which dog is the pack leader. This is simply naturalo pack behanvior - In a pack there is only one alpha male or female.
Sometimes though, two dogs are evenly dominant and these battles flare again and again. By the time you visit your vet for the fourth or fifth time to have their battle scars treated, you may be ruing the purchase of a second dog.
If your current dog is very submissive, you could also get problems, as the new dog may bully your first dog and make his or her life unhappy. Hopefully, you have a dog that doesn’t slant too far in either direction. When you have a submissive dog at home, never buy a puppy that refuses to let you turn it over and cradle it upside down in your arms. When a puppy lets you hold it like you would hold an infant, it is a sign that the puppy is willing to be submissive.
Next, you should consider your current dog’s size. If you have a Yorkshire Terrier, you may not want to buy a Boxer puppy. 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. More than one Standard Poodle or Saint Bernard has become the devoted protector of a tiny lap dog.
Do you have an unaltered female dog? These dogs often are upset when another female dog enters their domain. You may need to alter your dog before she will accept another female. She may still show some aggression after being spayed, so a male puppy may be a wiser choice. (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.)
If you have an older dog, you may want to reconsider buying a puppy. These dogs often have aches and pains and are less patient than they were when they were younger. Instead, you may want to consider adding a more settled and mature dog to the family. After all, it will be easier on your older dog to adjust to a dog who has finished teething and chewing.
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. Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and other breeds that have problems with aggression may have problems, as well. However, each dog is an individual and some dogs who are members of these breeds have no problem accepting a new puppy.
