Should we get the Demon Dog a brother or sister?

[Dee Jay]

Many of you know the Demon''s story already, so I won''t bore you all with the details, but lately we''ve been taking him to doggie day care so he won''t be in the way of the contractor during our kitchen renovation. Well it turns out he''s a very social dog (which you would never guess from some of his behaviors, like leash aggression), so we were thinking of taking him there one or two days a week after the renovation was over, but they will only take dogs a minimum of three days a week on a regular basis or else the more dominant ones (like Dino) have a hard time adjusting to being gone and have to reassert their territory every time they come back.

Doing the math, we''re talking more than three grand a year just so Dino can play with his friends. Now seriously kids, that''s a lot of diamonds, especially over the long run.

So the happy hubby and I were talking about adopting him a brother or sister from the pound. What do you think? Will he really get companionship from having another dog around or is the doggie day care situation, with so many others to play with, just unique? Will they both just end up sleeping on different sofas all day long while we''re gone and not interacting at all? Do you think there''s any reason NOT to get him a brother/sister? And how do you go about introducing the new dog to the existing dog so they both understand there''s more than enough love to go around?

Any experience and advice here will be much appreciated!

 

[pricescope]

ate: 3/3/2006 10:37:34 PM
Author:Dee Jay
And how do you go about introducing the new dog to the existing dog so they both understand there's more than enough love to go around?
Any experience and advice here will be much appreciated!

Take Dino to a pound Dee Jay and let him pick one himself, i sound like a nut (i really am) again but i am so excited for you.

 

[Blenheim]

I don''t really have advice, but I do have some experience.

My parents used to have a bigger spaniel (he''s since passed away) and an incredibly obnoxious pug. She would attack other dogs, bark constantly (like, if she heard leaves blowing in the wind even), and chase her tail to get attention. She''d sometime mark bedrooms. She tried to keep the spaniel from getting any of his food, by eating it first, throwing up, and eating more. It was ridiculous. (And the spaniel just let her do it.) My parents kept trying to train her to behave better, but they weren''t having all that much success.

Then my parents got their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. That girl is alpha dog. If the pug misbehaves, at all, the Cavalier lets her know it. Very occasionally we have to break up a fight, but usually the Cavalier will assert herself and the pug will back off. I haven''t seen her attack other dogs, she''s much less quiet (although some of that might be that she''s getting older), she''s stopped marking things, and she''s better behaved at meal time.

None of their dogs are very affectionate with each other, and they don''t play with each other. I just know that it''s increased my parents'' quality of life to get a well behaved alpha dog to put the pug in her place. (While they complain about the pug, they would never get rid of their baby.)

In your situation, you seem a little more concerned with companionship. Do you know if there''s anyway that you could see how Demon interacts with a dog you''re considering getting, before officially adopting the new dog? I''ve seen dogs who love to play and cuddle with each other - it''s adorable.

By the way, is his real name Demon? I''ve been trying to figure out because my parents sometimes call their pug "psycho dog" (and she responds to it), even though that''s really not her name.

 

[Dee Jay]

We actually thought of letting him pick a brother or sister himself, but I don't know how we'd pull if off. The pound is such a weird environment for any dog--let alone one that came from there!--that I would be afraid of scaring him by taking him back, even for this purpose.

Maybe we could round up a few candidates and let them interact in the empty training room attached to the facility.

Given his leash aggression and his alpha tendencies, do you think a female would be a better option than a male?

ETA - His name is actually Dino, we just call him the Demon Dog (with utmost affection, of course!)

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 3/3/2006 10:59:17 PM
Author: Pricescope

ate: 3/3/2006 10:37:34 PM

Author:Dee Jay

And how do you go about introducing the new dog to the existing dog so they both understand there''s more than enough love to go around?

Any experience and advice here will be much appreciated!

Take Demon to a pound Dee Jay and let him pick one himself, i sound like a nut (i really am) again but i am so excited for you.

110% spot on
thats the best and easiest way to do it.

 

[Sundial]

I think getting a female is a good idea. Sometimes there can be a lot of aggression between two males.

 

[Kaleigh]

I agree on getting a female. I also love the idea of taking him to the pound and letting him pick. We got Casper a sibling as he was lonely. Callie was leary of him at first, but they are best friends. They love each other. Also when I leave them I don''t feel so guilty as I know they have each other. Two dogs is less work than having one. Sounds weird but it''s true.

 

[Diachi]

Dee Jay,

I think "Demon Dog" is very lucky to have such caring owners! I have a lot of experience in dogs (show and breed Chihuahuas and have competed in obedience with a Chow and an Aussie) and wanted to pipe in here to suggest working with a rescue group in your area instead of a pound. They may be more willing (or able) to help introduce potential dogs to your Dino on neutral territory. Definately a subordinate female would be my first suggestion, but an alpha female might work as well. Girls tend to take over between a pair of alpha dogs (gee, sounds like me and my fiance

) and males generally don''t challenge them or fight as physically with them.

I have a very alpha male dog that has major aggression issues after being attacked by a 100 lbs. German Shepherd. We first got him a "sister" as a companion and were very disappointed when we finally realized that there was no-way-in-you-know-where she was going to play with him (think DIVA-dog). But they have bonded in a way I never thought possible. If you watch them, its like one starts a sentence like "Was that the treat jar" and the other stops what he/she is doing and watches the other to say "Yep, I think so-let''s go check it out!" and at the same time, they take off in the direction they have decided to investigate together! So even if all Dino and his new brother or sister do is lay on the couch together, at least they will have each other to hang out with!

Of course, if Dino has certain issues like you mentioned, it would also be a good idea to take first him, then both dogs to a good trainer who can help you sort out why he is leash aggressive and what you are doing to help or hurt the situation (I find when one of my dogs is having a problem in a behavior or trained command, 99.9% of the time, its my fault or I am not helping the situation with my actions, body language, commands, etc.

 

[widget]

OMG....I could have started this thread!!!!

As some may have guessed, I''m struggling with the temptation of getting a puppy for 10-year-old Widget and I.... and I am concerned about it.

She''s definitely an alpha, but not mean or neurotic or anything. She''s lived her whole life as part of a "pack" until recently...but has seemed to adjust and really like being an "only dog". At the dog park, she''s shown tendancies of being possessive and jealous around me...

If given her choice (as suggested here) she''d probably prefer a bigger, mature, older "brother"...but I really want a smaller dog this time...and thanks to PS, I''m so tempted to get a puppy!

Sundial....are you out there? I''d love to hear more of how your older daschshund adjusted to a new baby...

And about crate training...is it possible (or fair) to try to crate train a new addition when there are other animals (dog and cat) already there who have the run of the house???

Thanks for any more input!
widget

 

[XChick03]

I was just go to the shelter and look at all the dogs. If you find one you like, see if you can arrange to bring Dino later and meet the other dog in a neutral enviroment. Of course, that''s not always 100% since some dogs would be great in a neutral setting, but get more defensive at home.

And as far as the male/female issue, I''ve had much better luck with two males. Usually one will just assert the "alpha" position in the begining and their best buddies after that. Femalels will constantly vie for the alpha female position.

 

[fire&ice]

Kaleigh is correct when she says "two dogs are easier than one" - for many different reasons. For example, when we introduced a three year old female to our 7 year old male, first night - female bugged us at the dinner table - male herded her over to the rug in front of the table and laid down. It was like "hey, we don''t get no chicken if we bug!"

Typically, male/female seeems to work better in a house hold. Even though Gus taught Carly the way, the females are the DIVAs. As long as you are a strong leader/alpha, peace shouldn''t be a problem. All of my dogs interacted, played - and the latest pair even cuddle together. Yesterday, they "tossed" the ball to one another. Though - when one decided they "needed" the ball more than the other - it wasn''t Carly''s ball - it wasn''t Gus''s ball - It was *Mommy''s* ball.

As Diachi suggested, work with the local rescues that safe house the dogs or kennel them in a non "confinement" place. They know the dogs that are good with other dogs & are more likely to accomodate you on meeting the prospective pup on neutral ground.

Just remember - even though it is easier - it will be double everything - two leashes/two crates/two dogs to feed, etc.

As far as crate training one and not the other - we did it. It was rather unsuccessful. We had success when we crated both or left both to their own. Widget - I don''t think your dog''s behaviour at the park translates to having another dog at home situation.

Good luck.

 

[WTNLVR]

I must respectfully disagree with the statement 2 dogs are as easy as one. I am on my second stint of having 2 dogs. The first time around was a nightmare. Both dogs got along fine, but it is just so much more work. I swore I''d only have 1 at a time after that. Well, hubby wanted 2 again so about 5 yrs ago we became a 2 dog family again. We hardly ever go away because it costs a fortune to board 2 dogs for a week. They get along great but they just are so full of energy, get each other so riled up it''s nuts. They are well trained, but dogs will be dogs. I read on a dog site the the absolute wrong reason to get a second dog is to keep the other company. Their reason being that if you don''t have the time to spend with one, you won''t have the time for 2. Vet bills, etc... are also doubled. I love my dogs and wouldn''t trade them for anything, but will I ever get 2 dogs again? Hell no!

All that said, I asked for advice re: male/female for the second dog. It depends on the breed. I was told 2 male wheaten terriers were fine which they are. I had an aweful problem with a spayed female and incontinence issues when she got older so I didn''t want another female for that reason. Most shelters will let you bring your dog in to meet the dog you want, to see how they get along. Anyway, in whatever you decide, good luck!

 

[Sundial]

Widget as I mentioned our dachshund Ginger was ten years old when we brought Haley, a Jack Russell terrier puppy, into our household (both females). Ginger had always been an "only dog" and very spoiled so we weren't sure how she would react to this new addition. She did great though and I really believe that it extended her life. She started being much more active after the puppy came and she was surprisingly tolerant of Haley nipping at her ears and other puppy related annoyances. She never had as much energy as the puppy, but when she got tired she just went and laid down. It also made it easier to train Haley as she had an example to follow.

 

[Dee Jay]

Wow -- thanks for all the great feedback and info!

I walked by the Anti-Cruelty Society on my way home from getting my hair cut this morning and it''s a good thing they weren''t open yet or I would have been in there playing with the dogs!

So our plan is to take The Demon over to the pound and let him interact one-on-one with different dogs, both male and female, and see what works. Maybe it''s more the personality of the specific dog than the gender, so that seems like the most reasonable thing to do. We''re going on vacation the week after next, so early April is our time frame. Plus, then the weather will (hopefully) start getting a little nicer and we can take them on long walks together.

The puppy/adult question still looms out there though. I am more inclined to get an adult, but I wonder if Dino would be more accepting of a younger dog? That will be one more thing we try out when we let the dogs interact, but I have to be totally honest, the idea of a pup piddling all over my oriental rugs does not exactly thrill me... I did read somewhere that puppies house-break easier with an older dog as a role model.

Sundial, thanks for the input!

And Widget, I''m with you on the puppy temptation. PS is bad for me -- diamonds, puppies, what next???

 

[Blenheim]

Date: 3/4/2006 10:43:47 AM
Author: Dee Jay

And Widget, I''m with you on the puppy temptation. PS is bad for me -- diamonds, puppies, what next???

Haha, my BF says that PS is perfect for me for this very reason. Diamonds, puppies, convertibles, recipes -- all in the same place!! What more could a girl need?

Have fun picking out a new pal for Dino!

 

[littlelysser]

We got a sister for our Ibizan Hound, Izzie and it was one of the better decisions we've ever made. They get on amazingly well, and like Dino, Izzie is a very social dog. We knew that we wouldn't have any problems on his end.

One word of advice - we got Izzie from a breeder and not a shelter, but when we took him to a shelter to meet a few other dogs but he just shut down...I don't know if it was the sounds of the dogs barking and crying in there...but he wouldn't play with any of the dogs we brought in and was clearly upset to be in there...and like I said, he didn't come from a shelter, so there was no reason he'd have a bad association with them.

We eventually took him outside to see how he'd interact with the dogs, but even then, he wasn't himself. So I might try to have them bring the dogs you want to meet outside so that Dino doesn't have to actually go into the shelter...It really stressed our pup out.

We ended up getting our Cricket from a small shelter...and we actually decided on her sight unseen. She was a little eight pound puppy when we got her. I'm glad we got a puppy because I LOVE puppy breath and just the cuteness of that which is puppy.

Izzie is 65 pounds and Cricket is 20. Although the size difference can be a little strange at first glance, and often gets us some funny looks, it works really well for them.

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 3/4/2006 10:27:07 AM
Author: WTNLVR
I must respectfully disagree with the statement 2 dogs are as easy as one. I am on my second stint of having 2 dogs. The first time around was a nightmare. Both dogs got along fine, but it is just so much more work. I swore I''d only have 1 at a time after that. Well, hubby wanted 2 again so about 5 yrs ago we became a 2 dog family again. We hardly ever go away because it costs a fortune to board 2 dogs for a week. They get along great but they just are so full of energy, get each other so riled up it''s nuts. They are well trained, but dogs will be dogs. I read on a dog site the the absolute wrong reason to get a second dog is to keep the other company. Their reason being that if you don''t have the time to spend with one, you won''t have the time for 2. Vet bills, etc... are also doubled. I love my dogs and wouldn''t trade them for anything, but will I ever get 2 dogs again? Hell no!

All that said, I asked for advice re: male/female for the second dog. It depends on the breed. I was told 2 male wheaten terriers were fine which they are. I had an aweful problem with a spayed female and incontinence issues when she got older so I didn''t want another female for that reason. Most shelters will let you bring your dog in to meet the dog you want, to see how they get along. Anyway, in whatever you decide, good luck!

I wholeheartedly agree. You''ve seen my pix of Angie and Claire. I love them both dearly, and they do provide a lot of companionship for eachother. But it is a lot harder than having only 1 dog. Would I trade either of them? Hell no! Would I get 2 dogs if I could do it again? Not honestly sure. I love that you want to get a dog from the pound. Our local shelter will work with you if you want to arrange your dog to meet the new dog. Be prepared for an adjustment period. The first couple months with our two was challenging but things are going much better now.

 

[Kaleigh]

I was just speaking from my experience. I have Bichons and they love to have lots of companionship and are very social dogs. To me having two IS easier, but guess it depends on the breed and the temperment of the dog etc... Good luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[SeaOats]

DeeJay, sounds like you have a good plan!! Good luck, and I sure hope Demon Dog finds a new brother or sister soon!

I''m not a dog owner, but my mother has a cocker spaniel that is very possessive and dominant. When she remarried several years ago, her husband had a golden retriever that was very well behaved. While at first the cocker spaniel was very aggressive toward the golden retriever (even though the goldern retriver was much much larger lol), they eventually settled down and became best friends. It worked out great that one dog was dominant while the other was a bit more submissive. And the cocker spaniel actually became much more well behaved too! The good manners of the golden retriever obviously rubbed off on him lol

.

 

[Diachi]

Date: 3/4/2006 10:27:07 AM
Author: WTNLVR
I must respectfully disagree with the statement 2 dogs are as easy as one.

I must disagree as well-Three or more dogs is definately the way to go