Monica considers herself a dog person, even though she hasn't always had a pet. She grew up with dogs in her household - had three of them, one after the other, with the last of them passing away 7 years ago.
She has since moved in with her boyfriend and his 4½-year-old pug, Layla. Monica's boyfriend has had Layla since she was 6 months old, when he answered a local classified ad announcing her owner needed to surrender her. After years of Layla being the only household pooch, Monica decided it was time for her to have a dog to call her own and to keep Layla some company. She adopted 8-year-old Dieter - a long-haired dachshund - from Circle of Friends Animal Society.
The idea of bringing in a new dog into your home when you already have a dog can be a little daunting. As with most things regarding pet ownership, it requires time, patience, and an adjustment period. Things don't always work out, either. Chances are if you got your second dog from a shelter (which is always ideal) then the folks at the shelter will let you know to simply bring the dog back if this is the case.
It wasn't the case with Layla and Dieter, however, which was happy news for Monica and her boyfriend. She took certain advisable steps when she first brought Dieter home.
Here's what Monica had to say:
I was very happy to see that Layla reacted well to Dieter upon meeting him. I think she was very curious about him because he's the polar opposite of her (she's a pug and he's a dachshund)! We first had them sniff each other on loose leashes, then relocated to an enclosed room off-leash so they could run around together. After that, we took them outside for a walk. A few more sniffs and licks to his face later, Layla seemed to accept Dieter as a potential addition to our family so we adopted him that day!
A month later, Layla and Dieter look like they are old familiars.
Monica happily reports that they get along better and better each day. They nap together and have become huge cuddle-buddies. Neither dog gets territorial over food or toys. In fact, Dieter doesn't pay much attention to the toys Monica got for him.
Monica's lucky - the two pooches just took to each other in the most ideal possible way. But what about money? I asked Monica whether she felt a financial hit now that she'd taken in a second dog.
I don't believe there has been much of a change financially caring for another dog. It was somewhat more expensive initially because we had to buy things for a new dog (crate, leash, collar, etc.) but thankfully you only buy those things once! Overall, there hasn't been a giant leap in costs.
Steps Monica took:
- She adopted Dieter from a rescue organization that pulls dogs from high-kill shelters. That opens up a space for another dog that the organization can pull out of harm's way.
- She didn't adopt him right away. She was honest about having a dog in the house who had been used to being top and only dog for 4 years and asked to introduce him to Layla the pug to see how things went.
- She leashed both dogs before bringing them into the same space together for the first time. Leashing them helps equalize the playing field, neutralizes it so that Layla does not feel like Dieter is trampling on her turf.
- She took them into another space and let them off leash while supervising them to see how they would behave after initial sniffing.
- She leashed them again and took them both for a walk. This helps them burn a little energy and lets you get a feel of how they will do outside together.
If you are considering the possibility of bringing a second dog into your home and have any concerns, leave me a comment below and I will be happy to give advice and answer any questions you may have. Consider, too, checking out your local shelters. There are a vast number of dogs available, many of them pure breed, and you never know: you may end up saving a dog's life and giving your pooch a new best bud.
Training Humans wishes Monica's family the best of luck.
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