The hope is that our dogs can spend their days playing together, and draining each other’s energy. When we come home, they will be happy to lie around, be calm, and be mostly well-behaved. Since the dogs have each other, there will be less need for us to play with them, walk them, or otherwise keep them engaged.

Reality however, is quite different from this idyllic picture.

In my experience, having two dogs is a lot more work than having just one, especially in the beginning. My dogs amp each other up, get more excited together, and lead each other into more trouble than before.

This is not to say that getting a second dog is a bad idea. However, I think that getting another dog for the wrong reasons, will degrade quality of life for everyone in the family, both human and dog.

When to Get a Second Dog, How to Pick the Right One

When to Get a Second Dog?

Make sure that you have good control over your first dog, and that he is mostly well behaved.

Siberian Husky puppy Shania.

I waited for over 1 year before getting another dog. I wanted the extra time to bond with my first dog, properly obedience train him, and make sure I had most of his issues under control.

Only get a second dog when we have good control over our first dog, and have ensured that he is mostly well behaved.

During the first year, I was very tempted to get another dog, as a way to keep my hyperactive Shiba Inu company. Now, I am very glad that I did not do so until both Shiba and I were ready. Having two hyperactive dogs, that were mostly out of control, would have been very stressful for everyone involved.

In addition, issues may arise with the new dog. For example, puppy Shania had issues with her leg, had to go through multiple surgeries, and a leg amputation. I do not think I would have been able to deal with all that, if my other dog were misbehaving at the same time.

I had to spend a lot of time with Shania during her recovery, and did not have as much time for my other dog, but he was totally ok with that for about 5 months.

Therefore, give yourself enough of a time, energy, and financial buffer. If you are starting to feel like you have way too much free time, and that your first dog is sleeping too much, then it may be time to get another. 😀

If you are starting to feel like you have way too much free time, and that your first dog is sleeping too much, then it may be time to get another.

How to Pick a Second Dog

Enjoying a hike in the hills.

What type of dog should we get?

It is always important to get a dog that fits in with our lifestyle, temperament, and energy level. In general, we want to get a dog that has slightly lower energy than we do, and that will enjoy the types of activities that we enjoy.

In addition to all that, a second dog will also have to get along and fit in with the temperament, lifestyle, and play style of our existing dog.

1. Size of second dog.

My resident dog, Shiba Sephy, has a high energy play style. As a result, he frequently overwhelms smaller dogs, and they usually stay away from him during play sessions. He has most fun playing with larger, more boisterous dogs. His favorite breed during supervised play groups, is the Pit Bull Terrier.

I carefully observe my dog while he is playing, and try to identify the types of dogs that he likes interacting with most. In addition to fun, I also identify breeds that my dog shows the most positive and least negative behaviors with.

High-energy, wrestling, play style.

2. Temperament of second dog.

Siberian Shania – Even more goofy than Shiba Sephy.

Husky Shania is food focused and good at obedience.

Being a Shiba Inu, Sephy does not do well with dominant dogs. He likes dogs that are as goofy as he is, and is more interested in playing, than in exerting dominance. While Sephy does not try to dominate other dogs, he will not back down if other dogs try to dominate him. This could ultimately result in a fight.

For a second dog, I made sure to get a puppy that was more submissive in nature.

In addition, the Siberian Husky breed is also known for being affectionate toward people, with a lower protective drive. This balances out my Shiba’s more aloof personality, and his natural watch dog instincts.

In this way, Husky can receive most of the human affection when Shiba is in aloof mode. Similarly, when Shiba alerts to noises around the house, Husky usually just ignores it. Therefore, they complement, rather than amplify each other’s energy.

Husky Shania is also very food focused, and much more interested in doing obedience exercises. After she joined our family, Sephy actually became more obedient because he would come over and participate in training exercises with us.

Siberian Shania can receive most of the human affection when Sephy is in aloof Shiba mode.

3. Meeting and greeting a new dog.

3. Meeting and greeting a new dog.

Do not force the greeting.

How we meet and greet a new dog greatly depends on the temperament of our current dog. In general, it is best for the dogs to meet on neutral territory (e.g. quiet park), so that our existing dog does not get protective over his home turf.

Some things to consider during the meet and greet –

a) Do not force the greeting.

I usually have both dogs on-leash and with separate handlers. Both handlers should be calm and in control. We bring both dogs into the meet area, observe their body language, and how they react to each other. If they seem calm, we try walking them around the park at a comfortable distance.

If all goes well, we slowly bring them in closer together. I observe them closely while doing this, and do not force a greeting if there is extreme stress or signs of aggression.

Like us, dogs are individuals and may not get along with certain other dogs.

Before getting Shania, I looked into adopting a Siberian Husky and had a couple of meetings. However, the rescue dogs got spooked by Sephy, and became stressed around him.

b) Test-drive the new dog.

I first took Shania home for a test-drive week, to see if she would get along with Sephy.

Most good local breeders and adoption/rescue organizations are flexible with the initial try-out period. In fact, they are usually willing to take a dog back, even when things do not work out in the longer term.

After all, everyone wants what is best for the dog.

I first took Shania home for a test-drive week to see if she would get along with Sephy.

Introducing a Second Dog into the Home

After getting a new dog, we want to focus on successfully introducing her into the home. Some of the things that helped my resident dog get along well with our new puppy –

1. Positive experiences. I try to create positive experiences when both dogs are together. In this way, they will see each other as allies.
2. Group obedience training. I have several group training sessions, where both dogs work together for me and get rewarded together.
3. Consistent and fair rules. I make sure that I am consistent and fair with all my dogs. They follow similar rules, as well as receive similar consequences and rewards. I also make it a point to be fair with affection and attention.
4. Rest time. Puppies tend to be on-the-go most of the time. I make sure that the new puppy does not bother my other dogs when they want to rest, or just want some peace and quiet.
5. No stealing. I supervise my dogs closely to make sure they do not steal from each other. Stealing can encourage food aggression and resource guarding issues down the road.

Good luck with your second dog and feel free to share your experiences and questions with us below.

Husky puppy Lara cuddling with adult Husky Shania.

In the end, we will have two furry terrors, instead of just one.

I got Husky puppy Shania, one year after my first dog, Shiba Sephy. I waited a year so that I had time to bond with Sephy and properly train him. Only after I had solved most of his behavioral issues, did I consider getting another dog.

One of the biggest challenges of getting a second or third dog, is the process of introducing her to our existing pack, and getting everyone to accept her. Here, we consider how to successfully introduce a new dog into our home.

1. Meal Time Ritual

I supervise my dogs during meal times, so that there is no stealing.

Meal time is especially important in a multiple dog household.

Dogs are opportunistic by nature, and during meal times, I have observed that they will try to steal each other’s food. This can often trigger food guarding and food aggression behaviors.

I supervise my dogs during meal times, so that there is no stealing. They each get several interactive food toys to work on, and I make sure they give each other space, while working on their toys.

Often, Husky Shania will work diligently on her items, while Sephy will just lie around sunning himself. He will wait until she is done with her toy, and then pick through what she has left behind.

He is such a moocher! 😀

Sometimes, he will test coming in before Shania is finished, in which case I will step in and body block him away. Through this process, my dogs learn that I will enforce meal-time rules in a fair and consistent manner, so they do not need to do it themselves, with their teeth.

I will always take care of things, and they do not need to do it themselves with their teeth.

2. Attention, Affection, and Rules

After getting a new dog, it is natural to pay more attention to her.

After getting a second dog, it is natural to pay more attention and show more affection toward her, especially if she is a puppy.

However, we must resist that temptation, and try to treat both dogs equally.

If we give our new dog more attention and affection, we may create competition between our two dogs. This may later lead to conflicts and aggression. Instead, I make sure all my dogs follow similar rules, and get similar rewards for good behavior.

If we are too lenient with our puppy and let her get away with more, our existing dog will likely observe that, and pick up on those same bad habits.

Make sure both dogs follow the same rules and get similar rewards for doing work for you.

I like doing group obedience training with my dogs. This helps them work together as a team, and be comfortable with each other around people, food, and toys. It also helps them to associate together-time with rewards and positive outcomes. I also do their grooming sessions together, including teeth cleaning and fur brushing.

Supervision is very important, especially in the beginning. I teach my dogs what the rules are, and what to do when under stress. In this way, they learn good play and interaction habits. In fact, I still supervise my dogs, but less so now that they are older, and know the rules around the house.

Still, Shiba will always try something from time to time to test his boundaries.

He is that cool! 😎

3. Play-Time Rules

Aside from meal times, play-time rules are also important.

In addition to meal-time rules, play-time rules are also important.

Since Shania is a three legged dog, Sephy may sometimes overwhelm her when he gets over-excited during play. I always make sure he does not get too rough with her.

I manage the excitement level of all of my dogs, by throwing in many play-breaks. During a play-break, I call one dog over to me (the more food focused one), get her to do some simple commands, and reward her well for it. This usually gets the other dogs to join in, so we do a brief group obedience session. These brief breaks help my dogs to calm down, refocus on me, as well as practice doing commands in the middle of play.

I also institute a no-humping rule, because it can be seen as a dominance move by other dogs (especially new dogs). I do not want my Shiba practicing these types of behaviors. The more he practices it, the more likely he is to repeat it; possibly in an inappropriate context. Shania also dislikes it, so humping is a time-out offense.

Some people prefer to let the dogs “work it out for themselves”.

Personally, I think it is best for us to set and enforce play-time rules and household rules. By doing so, I ensure that there is no bullying, and my dogs do not become fearful of each other. Since I am the one correcting their behaviors, my dogs are free to enjoy each others’ company, and need not use aggression. They learn to see each other as playmates and equals. If there is ever any trouble, they can come to me and I will take care of it. To me, that is what leadership means.

They both learn to see each other as playmates and equals, and if there is ever any trouble, they can come to me and I will take care of it.

4. A Quiet Place to Rest

A Quiet Place to Rest

When I first got a new dog, I made sure that Sephy had a nice and quiet place to rest, away from the nibbles of a playful puppy. Like us, a dog may want some time to spend, in peaceful solitude. This is especially important if our resident dog is older, and tires more easily.

A puppy can be a crazy ball of energy and a big handful, not just for the people around the house, but also for the existing dogs.

I set up a consistent routine for my second dog, similar to what I did for my first dog. I make sure that she has a fixed schedule for meal-time, play-time, walk-time, and sleep-time.

When it is time for sleep, little Husky goes into her crate or puppy pen. In this way, my adult dogs get to rest, and so does my little puppy. Now that Puppy is older, it is no longer necessary to manage them so closely. Both dogs are able to regulate themselves, and give each other space when they need it.

Still, they each have separate crates that they can go to whenever they want, and they also have access to the backyard.

If I am not home, which does not happen often, Husky prefers to stay out in the backyard and Shiba likes staying in the house. I still do not fully trust them to be alone together, because their play can get pretty crazy, they may get over-excited, and end up hurting themselves.

I still do not trust them to be alone together in the house because their play can get pretty crazy, they may get over-excited, and end up hurting themselves.

5. Conflict Over Resources

It is always clear what belongs to whom, and there is no stealing.

When we get a new dog, there is a lot of uncertainty. Everyone in the family is learning how to interact with Puppy, and Puppy is learning how to interact with everyone else.

Conflicts may arise between our two dogs, when they both want the same thing at the same time; for example, food, toys, sleeping area, or our attention and affection. An effective way to keep the peace, is to be clear about resource ownership and teach them how to resolve conflicts without aggression.

For example, if one dog is chewing on a toy, I am there to supervise and prevent stealing. If I am not fast enough and some stealing occurs, I usually replace what was stolen plus an added interest. The thief has to either go to his bed or go to timeout, thereby temporarily losing his freedom. In addition, I also reward my dogs for staying calm together, and for working together with me.

In summary, I try to maximize positive interactions with the new dog, as well as minimize bad encounters. The more positive experiences my dogs have with each other, the more they will accept each other as part of a team. The opposite is also true.

If we establish clear dog-to-dog interaction rules, our new dog will quickly learn what is expected of her, and our existing dogs will also know what to expect from the new puppy. This reduces uncertainty, reduces stress, and helps everyone to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

If we establish clear dog-to-dog interaction rules, we reduce uncertainty, reduce stress, and help everyone to enjoy each other’s company.

Second Dog – Double Trouble or Double Fun?

So which is it?

Is a second dog double the trouble or double the fun?

I think if properly handled, a new dog can be a big enhancement to everyone in the family.

I am very glad Shania joined our family. Everyone has a happier, much richer life, because of her spirit, exuberance, can-do’ness, and overall awesomeness!

However, she was a lot of work, especially in the beginning, and the dog bills are much heftier.

Still, Shania gives a thousand-fold more than she gets, and Sephy will be the first to say that he loves her more than words can say. When she is away, he just spends his time moping around the house.

When Shania is not around, Sephy is a sad, strange, little man.

Thanks to Colleen and Reptar for bringing up this fun and important topic.