Being a dog parent evokes a glorious mix of emotions in a person; some days, they struggle to contain their joy watching their little fur child frolicking around the house, while on others, they want to pull their hair out because their oh-so-adorable bud frayed the new Italian leather chaise.
But despite having to deal with the galling canine shenanigans occasionally, raising a dog is quite rewarding, filling up the heart with all the warm and fuzzy feelings there are. In fact, sometimes these overly mushy sentiments can be so overpowering that a paw-parent might start to consider getting another fur child and grow their family, without realizing that it might not be the best call at the moment.
Don’t get us wrong; we love dogs! And what’s better than one dog? TWO (or more) dogs. But playing with a dog duo for a bit is one thing but raising them is an entirely different feat, which comes with a chockful of responsibilities.
So, while bringing a new canine companion into the family may seem like a no-brainer choice, it could turn out to be colossally disastrous if you are not ready for another bucket-load of parental duties.
But if you are determined to grow your brood, here’s everything you need to know about adding a second dog to your family.
Okay, so you are dying to bring home that doe-eyed brown poodle you saw at the pet store? But have you considered how your first fur child would react to another dog in the house? Are they ready for a sibling?
If your snuggle-bud is not the most social of the dog species, they might not be too enthused by the addition of a new four-legged member to the family. However, if you believe your firstborn is lonely and could use a companion, then perhaps getting another dog might not be a bad idea.
But before you go out and adopt a canine, be sure to conduct some research to ascertain that the two breeds you plan on housing together are compatible with one another.
Adding a second dog to your family will not all just be fun and games. It will also create quite the strain on your pocket; you’ll need to spend a lot more bucks on dog food, visits to the vet, vaccinations, and other dog supplies than you do now.
If you think your bank account can support another fur child without imposing unnecessary financial constraints on your routine cash-flow, only then materialize your plan. Adopting a second dog when you don’t have sufficient finances is a terrible idea because it will make life difficult for you and your first fur child.
Remember the last time you had to train a dog? How was it? Inconceivably exhausting and time-consuming? Yeah, we thought so too.
Training a dog takes up a lot of time. From regulating a canine companion’s eating habits to housebreaking them, looking after a newly adopted pup is a full-time job.
If you foolishly hatched a scenario in which you raise a dog noncommittally because you are an experienced paw-parent now, then you are gravely mistaken. You need to be fully committed if you want to do a phenomenal job of nurturing a dog.
And no, having a dog by your side will not help you train your new pup. If anything, it could create more problems for you if your fur children didn’t click. And even if they do get along from the get-go, that will not really do anything for you because you will still have to keep an eye on them. And it goes without saying that watching over two dogs is much more challenging than one.
If you have any significant life events coming up, such as marriage, a move, a new job, or a project, you might want to hold off on bringing home a second dog.
Fur littered all over the floor, chewed up cushions, pee puddles here and there, dog toys covering the foyer- such is the typical state of an abode housing one dog. Considering the picture we painted for you there, it’s safe to say that a dog needs space and a lot of it.
Now imagine having two dogs and take a look around you; does your house have enough room to inhabit two fur children? Do you have the space to keep two crates, two dog beds, another (read: many more) bucket(s) of chew toys? If not, then perhaps you should first look for a new place to move into before jumping headfirst into adopting a second canine companion.
How is the noise situation like in your home right now? Is your fur child a noisy little fella? If so, then you might want to consider your home’s acoustics before getting another dog.
If you get another dog without thinking the barking sitch through, you must prepare yourself for a perpetual headache. Moreover, you should brace yourself for the slew of complaints from your neighbors.
If you love traveling and have been taking your firstborn along on your previous trips, then you would like to include your new pup in your traveling plans. And that can be much more troubling than you imagine.
And if you travel without pets, you will have to hire a sitter willing to look after two dogs together. Surely, it will be tough to find someone who happily accommodates two pups and that too at a reasonable price (that’s some wishful thinking!).
Whether you take your pups along on vacations or leave them with a sitter, you will have to spend a lot more bucks than you do now. Are you sure you can afford that?
Are you paw-sitive you can handle a second fur baby?
Adding a second dog to the family is a life-altering decision that you need to take seriously because once you get a dog, you cannot just give it away like a dispensable commodity. Well, technically, you can do that, but you shouldn’t because that’s unfair and cruel to the pet.
Therefore, think hard and long about all the possible repercussions of adopting a second dog before actually getting it.
by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
Facts About Animal Homelessness:
Here are a some adoptions for consideration: puccicafe.com/adoptions