Should
your get a Second Dog?
The first thing you need to consider when thinking about getting a
second dog is, what is the nature of your current dog. Does he play
well with others, is your dog a and the new dog both the dominate one?
This can make for some real battles for who's top dog.
If you have a submissive dog, this can also cause problems, as the new
dog can take over the house and me your first dog miserable. If you
have a submissive dog at home and are looking for a puppy as your
second dog then make sure you can hold the puppy like you would a baby.
Hold them upside down in your arms, if they fight you when you try this
then this dog may not be willing to be submissive.
Next, you should consider the size of your dog. If you have a small dog
at home bringing in larger breed may not be a good fit. Most big dogs
don't realize their size and can hurt the smaller dog when it is just
playing. If you have a larger dog with a good temperament, then you may
be able to bring in a smaller dog. Be sure to keep a close eye on the
dogs at first to make sure they are getting along. It's not a
surprised to see the larger dog become the protector of the smaller dog
and sometime even the smaller dog will be the protector of the larger
dog. (Click
here for a complete list of articles)
If
your current dog it a female and not fixed, then bringing in another
female dog can cause some problems. Having your dog fixed may help in
her accepting another female dog into her domain. Even after being
spayed she may show some aggression to the new female dog, so getting a
male dog may be the way to go. But with this choice one of them should
be spayed or you may will end up with a bunch more than two dogs
running around the house.
Another thing to consider if you have an older dog is to bring in a dog
more there age. A puppy is going to want to run an play and your older
dog will not have the patients it had when they were younger. Bringing
in a dog that is more mature will be less stressful for you dog and can
ease the tension in the house.
Finally, be sure to do some research, take your dog out to meet other
dogs. See how the react to the different breeds and sizes. If you know
someone with a dog you may want to have them do a sleep over. Just
because your dog gets along outside playing with other dogs and can be
completely different when they are under the same roof.
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Quick Tip #1
Make
sure you can go to the dog breeders house or where they keep the
puppies. If they refuse, walk away from that breeder. They may have a
dirty place and the puppies are not properly cared for. Its better to
not take a chance then to have to deal with the heartbreak of a dog
that has health issues.
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Quick Tip #2
One
step that many owners never think of when choosing the correct dog
breed for them is grooming needs. Short hair dogs will not need as much
time to groom, while long hair dogs will need much more time, up to an
hour a day. Make sure you know what your in for before you chose the
dog for your family.
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Quick Tip #3
With
all larger dogs, they will need to eat more and do cost more to feed.
Always check with your vet to get a proper formulated dog food diet.
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