Dog A-Z > A > Adding another dog to the family

Adding another dog to the family

There are very few sights as nice as seeing two or more, happy, contented dogs, snuggling up together in devoted bliss or enjoying a play fight. From an evolutionary basis the dog is ‘programmed’ to be happiest when living with other dogs, or if this is not possible, then spending regular quality time with a canine buddy – but of course, each dog is an individual and his life experiences will affect how easy bringing another dog into the home will be for him.
 
There are many things that need to be considered when deciding whether or not to have more than one dog, one of which is the cost implications, but probably the most important is whether your present dog would be happy to share his home with another. There is no easy way to tell if he will be happy or not until you actually try it, so taking on a rescue dog on trial that can be returned to the Centre should they not get on is probably a good way to do this.

As a general rule, the more differences there are between the two dogs (age, sex, size and personality), the more likely they will get on with each other. This is because it is easier for them to recognise who is more likely to win without actually having to fight over things like attention, food bowls, toys and their place on the sofa, rather than from similar dogs who may be more likely to fight and bicker. You are also less likely to have fights if you have a male and a female dog together (as long as one, or preferably both have been neutered); however this is not always true. The main point to remember is that all dogs have different personalities and needs and this is what will ultimately effect how they get on together.

Puppies will of course get on or try to get on famously with any other dog. The only problem here is that the puppy will be more interested in your older dog than they will be in you. The puppy will tend to learn from and bond with the other dog and pay less attention to you, which can be very frustrating. You will need to spend a lot of extra time alone with your puppy, training and playing, so that he will relate to you as much as to your other dog.

First introductions and the first few weeks….

• Try to introduce the dogs’ smells to each other before actually meeting – let them sniff each others’ bedding, for example.
• Make sure both dogs are well-fed, as this will help them relax and be less likely to react. Ideally, both should have had a really good breakfast in the morning, a couple of hours to digest and then another small but tasty meal 30-40 minutes before the introduction.
• Introduce the two dogs on the lead on neutral territory. Perhaps take them for a long walk together in a park where your dog does not normally go.
• Don’t force them to interact. Let them ignore each other if that’s what they want. They may show more interest after a short weighing-up period.
• If one of them immediately tries to attack for no apparent reason, separate them and try again later in the day in a different location. If a dog is injured, you will need to proceed with extreme caution and consider that it may be best not to continue.
• In the home, make sure that you remove any items that they might fight over before bringing them into the house. Provide them with their own bedding, which may be separated in different rooms, until you know that they are okay together.
• Keep everything very low-key and try not to give one more attention than the other. Don’t get involved in any small fights as they need to sort themselves out and it is usually just a lot of noise and teeth gnashing. Of course, you must step in if fights start to become severe enough to cause injury. Be very careful you don’t get bitten in the process. Keep leads on them if this is likely, so that you can pull them apart without getting too close.
• If fights happen over who gets to sit on the sofa or bed for a cuddle, don’t let either of them up. Always try to avoid situations that may trigger fights.
• Remember that there is always a period of adjustment when a new dog becomes part of the family and there may be the odd small scuffle, which you must try to ignore, but these should decrease over time.
• Until you can be sure that they get along fine, do not feed them in the same room, try not to leave them alone together and make sure that you remove anything that they may fight over.

Most dogs really benefit from having a canine companion and it can make a really big positive difference to their quality of life.