To many dog owners, one dog in the home simply isn’t enough.However, before you add a second dog to your household, there are a few important points you should consider.

Your pets personality is the first consideration to make.If you have a dog that likes to be in charge you should not even think about pairing with a headstrong dog because they will fight in order to establigh a hierarchy of superiority.If two dogs with a similar nature are paired up then the battles could be ferocious and the dogs will struggle to bond. Conversely, if you do own a quiet and submissive dog you should avoid homing a very dominant second dog as it will more than likely bully your existing pet.Hopefully, you have a dog that does not lean too far in either direction.

Next, you should consider your current dog’s size.Try and adopt a second dog with a similar breed to the dog already living with you.A large dog can easily hurt a small dog.If you currently own a big dog who has a great temperament, you may be able to add a small breed puppy to the family, but you will have to be prepared to keep a close eye on the dogs at first when they are together.

Do you have an un-neutered female dog? These dogs often are upset when another female dog enters their domain. You really need to think about neutering your female dog before you add another female to the mix. A male puppy may be the best partner for a neutered female because even after the operation a girl dog can remain aggressive towards other females.(Of course if you are going to pair a female with a male at least one of the dogs should be neutered. If you don’t it will only be a matter of time before you find a number of new puppies on your hands!)

Age is another important consideration and you should avoid pairing a very old dog with a puppy.An old dog may have little patience and will probably be unwilling to interact with a small puppy.An old dog is far more likely to get on well with an adult dog.

The breed of the second dog is also important and you should try and find out the type of breed your dog will get on with.Small, toy dog breeds can be spoiled, jealous and excitable. Smaller dogs will be unhappy about you introducing a puppy to the home.If you have a larger, more dominant dog like a Rottweiler then you may not be able to introduce any new dog into the home.Happily, there are many dog breeds out there that mix well, so do some research first and you should be able to find a suitable partner for your pooch.

Your last consideration is financial, so make sure you can actually afford a second dog.You will need to find money to pay for dog food, vets bills, accessories and more.

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