ONE OR TWO – A DOGGY DILEMMA?

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ONE OR TWO A DOGGY DILEMMA?
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• Since dogs are pack animals, they have an
  instinct to live as part of a group and being
  alone can feel very unnatural for them. Their
  lives require order and everyone in the pack must
  have a place, from the head of the pack to the
  lowest members of the group. For humans to live
  alongside dogs in harmony, we must understand the
  dogs instinct to have such order and be certain
  that they know their place within the family.
  Your pet dog will look to you as his leader, and
  in fact, most dogs are much more content when
  they have orders to follow, quickly becoming
  stressed and miserable when they dont.

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• When dogs in the wild are separated from the rest
  of their pack, they may become worried and
  anxious, and we see such anxiety often
  manifesting itself in the form of destructive
  behaviour when pet dogs are left unattended in
  the home or yard for hours at a time. However,
  there are many things that you can do to curb
  this unwelcome, destructive behaviour, and one of
  these is to get another dog to keep your pet
  company.
• Should you add another dog to your household?
• There are may happy stories about senior dogs
  getting their second wind after a younger dog is
  added to the family, or of shy and nervous dogs
  becoming much more confident and happier when
  introduced to a second dog.

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• In many cases, dogs are just happier living with
  another fellow canine. Of course, this isnt
  always the case, and not all dogs get along, but
  in general, it can work if you have patience and
  have clear rules in place for both dogs to
  understand. Rules need to be enforced with
  simple, repetitive behaviours that never include
  yelling or hitting, and while the two dogs may
  instinctually compete to understand their role in
  the pack, the leader should clearly be the human
  to avoid any conflicts from arising between the
  two dogs.
• Things to keep in mind if getting a second pet
  dog
• When adding a new dog to the family, try to
  select one that has similar or lower levels of
  energy to your existing pet and is not likely to
  try and be dominant.

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• A gentle or submissive personality usually works
  well and can help you to avoid seeking
  professional help to control your pets
  behaviour. Second pets that are introduced and
  that have higher energy levels or a more dominant
  personality can cause their owners multiple
  problems, and they may often regret their
  decision to take on another pet.
• As with all decisions related to pets, never make
  them in haste and always talk things through with
  other members of your household to ensure that
  everybody is on board with your decision. If your
  pet has any special needs or has a troublesome
  personality, it might also be worth talking
  things through with a professional, either a dog
  trainer or behaviouralist, or even your local and
  trusted veterinarian.

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