Points to consider -

in a multi dog household:

The thought of getting another dog may be tempting if it has been a fun and rewarding experience rearing a puppy to adulthood or you have successfully introduced a rescue dog into your household. However if you are considering getting another dog it may be worth weighing up the pros and cons before you go further.

Dogs are pack animals and there is no doubt that if they are well socialised they thrive in the company of each other. No matter how many dogs they meet on a daily basis and how loving their human home, you can't totally replicate the experience of living with one of your own kind and snuggling up together on a winters evening. Two or more dogs allows for plenty of social development, watching two dogs playing beats anything on television for fun and entertainment. Dogs learn from each other so if your first dog is well trained chances are the second dog will copy. If you have to walk one dog what difference will another make to that routine? When you go out to work or shopping they will be company for each other. So there are lots of practical benefits to owning more than one dog and the benefits would appear to out way the negatives. Or do they?

Before you rush out to get your second or third dog bear in mind the following considerations.

Would your first dog actually benefit from another dog? If your dog is either too young or too old it may be worth considering waiting a while. A young puppy may love having another dog to play with but if you have no control over your puppy having two will be more than twice as hard. Remember they do learn from each other good and bad! It is also quite common as a dog gets old to get another dog to soften the blow of losing the older dog when they die. You need to ask yourself if this is going to benefit your old dog and give them a new lease of life or will they find a change of this kind too stressful either physically, or emotionally.

If you have a rescue dog that has been under socialised, think would they actually enjoy having anther dog living with them? Would they be happier on their own with their owner's undivided attention or would a carefully chose second dog give them confidence?

Managing the group as a whole is also worth some thought. It will require a lot of time and commitment to train two dogs at once so; unless your first dog is well trained again it may be worth waiting a while. If you do have two dogs that need training whether puppy or older rescue dog you will need to have the time to train each one separately. That may involve separating one in another room or tying one up while you train individually or going to a training class with each dog. If you don't put the time in as well as having badly behaved dogs you will also have dogs that bond exclusively with each other to the detriment of you. Stair gates across door ways are a good way of managing your home environment for training or for keeping dogs under control. For example with one dog you may be happy to let him rush to the door to greet visitors but two or more excitable dogs competing to meet and greet visitors is quite a different matter - even for your dog loving friends and very intimidating for people who aren't confident around dogs.

Are you able to give each dog individual time and attention for cuddles and also in some instances walks? Initially it may be a good idea to walk your dogs separately this is especially so if there is a wide age difference between the two. Your older dog might prefer going at a slower pace. If you have a puppy he or she may benefit from meeting other dogs without the back up of the older dog so he learns to build up confidence on his own. - It is also an excellent time to train and interact with each dog. Walking two or more dogs needs extra control as it is difficult unless you have eyes in the back of your head to watch both.

On a practical level, owning more than one dog can become very expensive. These days it is sensible to insure your dogs not only for vet bills but for third party liability. Can you afford to double your premium to cover your new dog? Can you afford the routine vet bills such as inoculations and parasite control, worming and de-fleaing that aren't covered by your insurance? When you go on holiday can you afford the extra expense of boarding your dogs? Friends that may have been happy to look after one dog as a favour may not be so keen to have two or more! Could you cope with the extra mess in your house? Muddy paws, dog hairs, dog toys everywhere? If you are very house-proud one dog may be manageable but two?

If after lots of careful thought you still want a second dog what is going to be a good choice? Within the same breed generally speaking it is best to choose a dog that will complement the personality of your first dog. So if your dog is obsessively greedy try to choose a dog that isn't so fussed about food. That way you should avoid conflict over things that matter to each dog. Likewise if you have a dog that loves toy play maybe choose a dog that is going to prefer cuddles over toys. Is it best to have two males, two females or one of each? Again generally speaking a male and a female will compliment each other as long as they are neutered! If you get two dogs of either sex they are usually ok if you let them sort their difference out between them. So, if the older dog tells off the younger don't intervene unless it seems really serious. The trigger points occur when one or other reaches adolescents and the younger may challenge the older dog over shared resources. A note of warning if two females start fighting it may escalate to the point where they need to be permanently separated. If in any doubt do seek professional help from a trained behaviour councillor.

Finally, if you do go ahead and decide to get a second dog keep up the good work and do your homework. Go to a reputable breeder for a puppy, choose carefully if you get a dog from a rescue centre. Above all once you get him home give him lots of love, clear guidelines and training and ... ENJOY!!

Karen England
COAPE Registered Practitioner