Shall we get a second dog?

“Should I get a another dog?” This is the question most frequently asked by people who own one dog and are considering a second. However the question should give rise further questions, not answers. These should include “why do you want another dog?” and cover the subjects the owner should consider before making a commitment. If the answer to the first question is, "I have always wanted to own two dogs" and their circumstances in terms of available space, capacity to absorb increased costs and they can make time for two dogs there should not be too much problem, so long as the precautions discussed below and in the following article are considered and acted upon.

Perhaps the most common reason for considering a second dog, other than personal preference, is as a means of providing company for a dog already living in the household. If this is because the existing dog is distressed when left on its own and, as a result, causes damage, looses toilet control or barks and howls, getting a second dog to cure the problem may not work. If the first dog performs the behaviour because it is overly attached to its owners, overly dependent upon their presence because it is scared or hankers after their undivided attention, which it cannot get if they are away from home, there is a danger that a second dog will not be a substitute for the void left by the owner's absence and the first dog will carry on as before. In worst case scenarios both dogs will perform the problem behaviour.

An exception to this rule is more likely to occur if problems start after the loss of a dog in a two dog household. In such a case a new dog may be a substitute for its former pal. However this is not necessarily going to be the case. Whatever the cause of problems a way to test the potential effect of another dog is to borrow a friend’s dog that you know your dog gets on with and see what happens if they are left together for a short period of time. This should only be tried once they have got use to being in the same house for a day or two.

Although dogs are pack animals and will thrive better if living in a social group the basis of man's relationship with the dog is the dog's ability to see man as an extension of the pack. Therefore it does not need canine companions to make its life complete because it forms relationships with humans who become pack substitutes. In fact two dogs living together can make dog ownership troublesome because they from a subgroup within the family and bond and interact less well with their human companions. Of course this is not a general rule and a development such as this can be prevented by ensuring that the dogs also receive a lot of individual attention and training to build up the dog-owner bond.

A positive reason for getting another dog is as a means of rejuvenating an older one. The opportunity to play and interact with a puppy or young dog does wonders for revitalising an older dog that is becoming sedentary. Another benefit of a relationship of this type is the fact that the older dog can teach the younger the routines of the household by example. When an older dog lies down in the evening a puppy may be more likely to lie down with it rather than have a mad half hour spent charging around your lounge. Of course this impractical if the older dog is not in the habit of accepting other dogs. Even where a dog has a good track record with the other dogs introductions should be carried out carefully. If introducing an older dog it is preferable for the two to meet away from home. This ensures that the resident dog's response on first meeting is not coloured by its sense of territory. If you are considering a dog from a good rescue society you will find that the management will provide several opportunities to walk the dogs together and ensure they are going to get on.

If you are introducing a puppy, introductions away from home will not be possible and, because of the risk of infection, introducing your dog to the puppy at the breeding establishment will not be an option. Therefore you will have no choice but to introduce dog and puppy at home. This is best done in your garden, with the older dog kept initially kept on a lead so that its response can be observed without too much risk to the puppy. Normally this is unnecessary due to the fact that dogs respond differently to the body language of puppies than they do to the body language of adult dogs because the signals they observe in puppies are not threatening. However there a few occasions when an older dog hates a puppy on sight or shortly after, hence the need to be careful. Perhaps this eccentricity is sometimes due to a lack of opportunity to learn how to read the body language of puppies after the dog left its litter. This gives us another reason why puppy classes are important. Once an older dog has accepted a new puppy you should be able to let them sort their own relationship out without any interference.

The sex of two dogs living in a household can make lot of difference to the success of the relationship. If two males start fighting it can be one of the hardest behaviour problem to cure, second only to the problem of two bitches fighting. Okay, Okay, I know there are lots of dogs, (including my own), and bitches living together that don't fight. However the fact remains that if you have one of each sex the chances of them aggressing towards each other drop dramatically. In fact such occasions seem to be most likely to involve jealous and attention seeking behaviours. Of course you will have to neuter them to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

If you do have two dogs of the same sex it is important to recognise and reinforce the appropriate status quo. Understandably some people firmly believe that they should treat their dogs the same so as to be fair to them but as we shall see such even-handedness can lead to disaster. We will also look at how to avoid behaviour problems that can develop out of raising Junior with another dog.

Two’s Company

We have started by looking at some of the things you should consider before venturing into the ownership of a second dog. Generally it is just as important to carefully consider the practicalities of whether it is to be an older dog or a puppy, however there are some special considerations if considering a puppy. If, for example, you have an older dog that has a behavioural problem, such as fearfulness, it could detrimentally influence a puppy’s development by teaching it to be frightened of things by its example.

Under all circumstances it is important that a puppy is properly socialised with people, dogs and other animals it will have to live with. Puppies also have to be accustomed to the experiences in the environment they will be expected to treat as everyday events. However it would be mistake to take a puppy through this development process in the constant company of another dog. This is because the puppy could learn to, metaphorically or literally, stand behind its companion for security when it feels unnerved. So that they can learn to cope with the world at large puppies have to be socialised and exposed to their environment as individuals some of the time. For the owner this means an extra time commitment until the puppy is mature, but the benefit is a bombproof dog that can cope with anything the world throws at it without developing fearful or defensive behaviour unnecessarily.

If a younger dog learns to cope with life because of the presence of an older one and becomes over-dependent upon its company it could find it difficult to cope independently later in life when the older dog passes away. This is a further reason, if a further reason is necessary, to develop each dog as an individual as well as a member of a group.

The 1997 Annual Review of Cases of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors indicates that dogs that are raised in a two-dog household are not immune to developing problems associated with aggression to other dogs away from home. This suggests that living with the companionship of one dog does not provide the socialisation necessary to allow an individual to communicate with others away from home without the risk of conflict. Therefore if you are raising a puppy that lives with another dog it will benefit from attending puppy socialisation classes. This will help to ensure that it has a broad experience of other dogs and has the best chance of developing its communication skills with different types. The need to attend puppy classes is made greater if your puppy’s companion has a problem getting on with other dogs and can’t be left to simply pass on all it knows to junior without the danger that junior will develop the same bad habits.

Dogs that have a very gentle nature or are intimidated by their owner’s presence can also have a detrimental effect on a puppy they are a role model for. Problems can occur if the puppy learns that when it mouths or pulls the older dog about it is not rebuffed. This can result in the younger dog learning that it can do whatever it likes to the older dog and that the way to play is to play roughly. When the puppy is a little bigger and tries the same unsubtle approach on dogs it meets away from home it is likely to find it is rebuffed or that other dogs behave defensively in the face of an onslaught they do not know how to respond to. In turn this, and its owner’s attempts to drag it away, may result in the dog becoming frustrated and that frustration can trigger aggression. This can develop to a point where the dog may start to anticipate the chain of events that leads to aggression when it sees other dogs and will display it at the sight of another dog. The moral of the story is to accept that a mild putdown by an older dog to a puppy at home is not unnatural if the puppy is behaving in an overly pushy manner.

Although most dogs live together harmoniously problems associated with the pecking order can occur. The likelihood of aggression occurring in individuals of the same sex, that are similar in age, size and temperament may be greater because it is difficult for them to establish a pecking order. Consequently buying two dogs or bitches from the same litter is no safeguard against them fighting once they mature. Where possible it is sensible to select individuals from breeds that contrast in terms of size and temperament and neutering the subordinate male or female can reduce its competitiveness and the dominant individual’s perception of it as a rival.

In the majority of cases an owner’s tendency to upset the status quo is the cause of status disputes, and significantly owners often report that there is no evidence to suggest that their dogs fight when the owners are absent. Frequently it is clear which dog should be dominant, but the owners treat them as equals or favour the subordinate. Sometimes the owners want to elect the oldest dog or the one with longest residency as the dominant individual because in their view it is the right thing to do. We bring to this relationship our own set of values and these are natural emotions driven by a sense of caring. However dogs that have a better potential to claim and keep the resources they care about, such as their owner’s attention, are likely to perceive these situations as ones where their companion takes liberties because they cannot understand that their owner is giving their companion privileges. Furthermore subordinate dogs can learn to expect conflict, which can cause them to become defensive, and eventually it may initiate incidents of aggression in anticipation of being attacked, the tendency being reinforced if the owner seems to be on its side.

Balance things out

Despite our human sympathies, we have to ignore the subordinate as much as possible, giving favour and privilege instead to the higher-ranking dog. For example, an owner should pet the higher-ranking dog while ignoring the subordinate when they are both present. The dominant dog should be fed first, put on the lead first in fact, be first in everything. This may be hard to accept but the subordinate may be grateful that it is not being glared or being put on the spot all the time.

The owner’s role in these pack dynamics goes beyond helping to reinforce the dogs’ hierarchy; the dogs’ perception of their owners’ position is just as important. Observations of wolf packs have shown that if the alpha members are firmly established at the top of the hierarchical ladder, there is little fighting in the lower orders. Similarly, if the owners are clearly dominant over the dogs living in their household, the chances of them fighting each other for pole position are much reduced and their displays of aggression inhibited by their presence.

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Please note that the Pet Behaviour Centre and David Appleby cannot be held responsible for death or injury to people or animals, or damage to property caused by the correct or incorrect use of the techniques described in this article.