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What do I look for in a second dog?
We have been considering getting a second dog. We have a very spoiled pooch that needs to learn to share our attention, and we would like him to have a playmate while we're at work. He is a 3 yr old male toy poodle mix. He is not aggressive towards other dogs, but isn't excited about them either. Occasionally he'll play with my friend's yorkie, but he seems scared and annoyed by hyper puppies. At dog parks and pups on the patio he is more concerned with being loved on by the humans. He's definitely not submissive or timid. Do I look for a dog with his same personality? Or one that is submissive and timid to compliment his personality? HELP!
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Guest 131309
on Oct 7th 2009
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You may need to rethink the idea of having a pup pal for him altogether. Believe it or not, many dogs prefer being an only.
Should you decide you want to continue, the most important thing will be to introduce the two before you make the final decision. It would be a tragedy if you brought a pup home, only to discover it wasn't going to work out.
My ex and I actually drove down to North Carolina to pick out Katie. We brought Muffins with us to ensure that they would get along.
Katie Belle
answered on 10/7/09.
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Our sweet loving Lab refused to like about 2 dozen potential 2nd dogs. Until we found Snickers at the Humane Society. She loved him right away!
We all did.
And everyone else does too.
Lucky boy......
Snickers
answered on 10/8/09.
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I agree with those who recommend meeting with potential new dogs before adopting, but I would start with the reasons why you're thinking about bringing another dog into your home.
You have a "very spoiled pooch?" He was not born that way; someone has spoiled him! My recommendation is to give your smart boy some physical and mental challenges. Poodles are especially bright dogs and tend to "train" their owners to be at their beck and call, so you need to start leading your dog - and I don't mean dominating or overpowering, just teaching him new things and asking for certain behaviors, rather than catering to him.
Read the articles on www.k9techsupport.com and try some training. Keep socializing him in public places, too.
Consult with your vet and a reputable trainer about what gender and personality would be a good fit, if you decide to adopt another dog. Click on Katie's photo to read about how we brought a second dog into our lives. Good luck
Katie
answered on 10/10/09.
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