Adopting a Friend for Your Dog
Can another pet provide companionship and comfort for the dog
who must spend hours alone each day? In general, yes. As pack animals, dogs
welcome the company of other animals. It doesn’t even need to be another dog,
but it should be a mammal he can interact with. Goldfish in a bowl won’t help
much.
However, another pet won’t be much comfort if the two (or
more) have to be kept separate because they don’t get along. Before adopting
another pet to keep your stay-at-home dog company, ask your veterinarian or an
animal behaviorist for advice on choosing an animal with a temperament that will
complement your dog’s personality. And remember, a companion animal cannot
substitute for time spent with you; just because your dog has company during the
day doesn’t mean that he — and the companion animal — doesn’t need your
time, attention, and love when you are at home.
When you bring home the new pet, there are a few simple steps
you can take to ensure that the introductions are civilized.
1. When you bring home the new pet, have someone on hand to
keep the pet outside while you go in and greet your dog as you normally do. Once
your dog feels she has had a fair share of your attention, then bring in the new
pet. Do so with a minimum of fanfare. Plan to spend the next several hours with
the pets as they get to know each other.
2. Keep your dog by your side so you can easily reach out and
stroke her and scratch her ears while you are petting or holding the new pet.
Speak in low, calm, and encouraging tones to both pets.
3. Let the pets interact and sniff each other, but stay close
by to quell any aggression. If the new pet is also a dog, one or the other of
the dogs will show submissive behavior, although not necessarily the one you
would have thought. This is okay; the animals must determine their own “rules
of the pack.â€
4. Do not expect the pets to share. Make sure the new pet has
his own dishes for food and water, his own toys, and his own bed. Do not take
any of these away from your dog to give to the new pet. Treat your dog with
respect and consideration during this transition, and she is likely to accept
her new housemate much faster.