Disclaimer: I am not a professional. This article is written based on personal experience and what I wish I knew before getting a second dog.
Let’s break this down for you, there are essentially four parts – Living with two dogs: the advantages, What to think about before getting another dog, Introducing the dogs, What does the dog owner need to do.
Are you spending your life with a dog and are you about to get a second one? It’s the best decision ever, both for you and for both dogs. Of course, adding a new pet into the family can be easier said than done, but you just need to find a way for the two dogs to live in the same house together. Here are our tips!
Living with two dogs – the advantages
Why is two better than one? Having another dog will bring an extra dimension to your life – first of all, two dogs keep each other company when you’re out, they can play and do activities that we humans are not able to appreciate and they can communicate objectively in their own language.
But for us, too, it means getting twice as much affection and making a lot of laughter.
At first, a new arrival might cause a bit of trouble with the dog you already have, so it’s really important to take a few things into account:
1) GENDER
Let’s assume that you’re having a opposite gender dog to the one you already have; that way, you will have to prevent certain issues. Make sure you spay them, otherwise you’re not going to end up with two litters of puppies every year. Two females generally get along well, but watch out for short tempers when they’re on heat.
2) AGE
Don’t bring a puppy into a home with an older dog as the pup will be bursting with energy, wanting to play just when the older dog wants to rest and be left alone. Instead, it’s the best to adopt a puppy if you have an adult dog (or another puppy of the same age) to avoid them competing over toys.
Tug-o-war
3) BREED
Some breeds are more territorial and possessive, while others are more ready to accept control or instruction and tend not to create conflict. The first sort would find it very difficult to share their rooms, toys and owners with another dog, and would really not welcome the arrival of a second dog. Its better to get a new set of things for your new pet.
Introducing the dogs
Before bringing the new dog home, it’s always a good idea to let them meet in a “neutral” place that neither of them knows, such as a park. This is going to give the two pets some time to get to know each other to peacefully play. When going home, the first dog won’t feel threatened or lose its place. The human has to make sure the new arrival doesn’t upset our first pet.
What does the dog owner need to do
Make sure to keep paying the same attention to your first pet as before, so that it doesn’t feel suspicious; if the two dogs fight, don’t pay more attention to the little one just because it’s more vulnerable, or yell at the older one, or they feel like they’re losing their place as the pack leader.
Another tip is to pay attention to the small everyday things that are really important to Rover.
For example, when you get home from work, greet the older dog first; or if you get out of the car, let the older dog first. At feeding time, keep the bowls separate but serve them at the same time, otherwise there’s bound to be trouble!
Milk time !Bella bite broken every toys.Bella’s paw on Snowy’s face
It really doesn’t take much to get two dogs to live happily in the same house.
What strategies did you use? Let us know in the comment below or dm us on our Instagram @snowyxbella , or what are the topics you would like us to share! 🙂
Example – Dog-friendly (cafes, restaurants, hotels, daycare, services, fun places) , Organised for a doggie pawty, Training, Dog parks, Life (tips – photos, recipes – how to dehyrate treats), Shop pet suppliers (accessories, shops on stores/online/instagrams), etc…
I became a mom in July 2017. A mom to a 4-month-old Maltipoo and I named him Chandler Paddington.
Since then, I considered (and spoiled) him as my own son, as crazy as that may sound.
(Check Chandler’s Instagram here to see how he’s living the best life)
Needless to say, I felt anxious as to how he would take it when he finds out there’s going to be another baby in my life.
DURING PREGNANCY
Chandler became more clingy than usual so I suspected he knew something was different.
As my due date drew nearer, I made sure I gave him the love and care he deserves and expects from me while we prepare for the biggest change in our lives yet.
INTRODUCING CHANDLER TO THE BABY
I didn’t introduce the two of them right away. I had to set the stage up for Chandler and eased into it.
So here’s what I did:
I got Chandler a new toy and had the baby’s smell on it. This way, he could start familiarizing himself with him.
I left Chandler at Doggie Retreat school and had the baby come home first. By doing this, Chandler won’t feel like the baby is a guest who is just coming over.
We brought Chandler home and acted normal. By the time he got home, the baby was already settled.
I gave him the toy with the baby’s smell on it. He then started sniffing and familiarizing himself.
Though we acted normal, he was immediately distracted so he left the toy after a few minutes. He knew something was different so he rushed to the room where the baby is.
Chandler generally took it well. Much better than I expected, to be honest. It was a successful introduction, but there was still the challenge of them living together.
MANAGING BARKS AND CRIES
Babies inevitably cry. And when they do, they tend to be extremely loud. This is in addition to Chandler’s barks. He does get excited when he hears the front door, when there’s a sudden noise somewhere, and when he gets excited.
I’m so relieved that our baby can sleep through Chandler’s barks! He does get startled sometimes, but he falls back to sleep.
Chandler, too, could sleep through at first but he developed a habit after a while. He howls!
We actually don’t know if he’s annoyed or he’s talking back to him, but either way, we find it so funny!
PAWRENTING-PARENTING LIFE BALANCE
Now, the big question is, how am I able to handle having a clingy dog who thinks he’s still a baby and taking care of my baby?
1. Make sure no one is neglected.
While my rule of thumb is the baby comes first, I would make it to a point that Chandler is still attended to. For example, when the baby cries because he’s hungry and at the same time Chandler needs to be fed too, I ask my husband to help me attend to one. If I feed the baby, he will feed Chandler and vice versa.
It could get tricky since Chandler is more attached to me so he would instinctively come to me. When that happens, I would just give Chandler a reassuring pat while I can’t give him my full attention yet.
2. Nothing is compromised
At this stage, I still can’t attend to both at the same time. I generally attend to one at a time. When I’m doing so, I make sure I give my 100% then just attend to the other after. When this is impossible, I ask help from my husband to attend to one first.
3. Always make up for lost time.
Because I choose to give my undivided attention when I’m attending to one, I make sure I make up for it. If I have to shower Chandler and the baby is with my husband, I would go to him right after I shower Chandler and reassure him I’m around.
It’s the same with Chandler. Once I’m done feeding the baby, I would give Chandler a treat and play with him after.
There’s only so much I can do to balance my time and attention. To be honest, there is still a tinge of guilt when I have to say “later, okay?” to Chandler or when my baby has to wait a little longer while I wash my hands after I play with Chandler and before I attend to him. This is why an extra pair of hands is always appreciated.
4. Make Chandler feel as if nothing has changed.
Because Chandler knows he’s always been my baby, I do my best to reassure him he’s not getting less love just because most of my attention is with the baby right now. It could be challenging at times, but so far he’s been fairly understanding. He just needs the same cuddles and of course giving him treats always cheers him up.
My pawrenting + parenting journey has just begun and I’m learning as I go along. Things will be different as the two of them grow, but I am looking forward to seeing them grow up together and be the best of friends.
Do you have any other tips on how to handle pawrenting + parenting? Leave them in the comments section below. I would love to hear them!
So imagine this. You’re finally at that point in your life where you decide you’re ready to welcome a new member of the family- to raise a dog. You’ve done all your research, asked a couple friends and family for advice and finally decide to book that viewing appointment to see your doggo to-be.
And of course what better time than now right? With Covid-19 sticking around, 2020 is the perfect time to train and build that relationship without much FOMO (*the ‘Fear of Missing Out’)! You also start to rationalize and picture the next 10 years of your life, all while telling (well more like, convincing) yourself everyday that ‘You’re making the right choice! No regrets you got this! ? ‘
Now does this sound familiar?
If it does, then you’re probably a lot like me- optimistic, an over-thinker & someone who underestimates way too much. But hey, consider yourself blessed today because I’ll be sharing the things I wished I could have prepared myself better for while sharing a little more about my experiences as a first-time puppy owner!
The First Interaction
Here’s Calie (the one with the folded ears) chilling with her siblings, now formally known as Dole (in the pen) and Toufu (on top of Calie) at 3 months old!
When I met Calie, she was with her other little siblings playing around and was being this wholesome picture of ‘childlike innocence’ that I instantly fell in love with. Meeting the pups for the very first time almost had me in tears behind my face mask because I was basically achieving my childhood dreams of wanting a dog (yes, I was that child) and it was such a surreal moment for me. But you see, that’s the easy part. The idea of having a loyal companion by your side, giving you that unconditional love and acceptance to brighten up any bad day may seem like such a promising idea most of the time, but you have to realise that this should not be the sole deciding factor – which leads me to my first point:
1. Commitment: It’s the most important!
Now this personally, should be the very first thing you think about before getting that dog in the window! It is a known fact that dogs can live up to 10-15 years and they definitely require a lot of time invested, energy, money and commitment. There are many articles that will tell you that to the point where it literally becomes ‘textbook knowledge’, but you won’t realise how serious this becomes until you live the life yourself! But not to worry, if you’d like to know if you’re prepared for it, here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
Why do you want a dog to begin with?
Do you have time to train the puppy/dog?
Can you afford a dog right now?
Is your current home environment suitable for the particular breed you have in mind?
Are you ready to deal with the problems (aka ‘collateral damage’) that comes with raising a dog? – from chewing everything in its path to unforeseen health emergencies
…Did you do your research?
If you’ve managed to say ‘Yes’ to everything, then you’re pretty much set! On the other hand, if you went ‘Errr…Maybe?’ you might want to rethink the decision for now and wait things out, or adjust a few things in your life before making a choice.
Now as daunting as all this responsibility may seem, there is something so gratifying and rewarding about raising a puppy/dog and you can learn so much every single day from the experience alone- I know I have.
2.Be patient- Good things take time!
Raising puppies / Re-training dogs can be extremely hard! (and I’ve been to nursing school HA). The physical and mental exhaustion can be very demoralising as you help your new furriend to adjust to new environments and it doesn’t help whenever they make ‘potty accidents’, cry almost 24/7 from that separation anxiety, and treat your home like a natural disaster!
On the very first trip back to her furever home! (aka. moments before disaster)
Yes, the ‘Puppy Blues’ are no joke and it began from the minute we brought Calie home – if you must know, she immediately marked the floors and had the worst cases of urinary incontinence (aka. a leaky bladder) for 2 weeks straight and although this was normal for puppies, I was loosing my sanity by the minute and would have uncontrolled bursts of frustrations where I would lash out or even breakdown at the most random timings. In fact, if you’d like to know more about these ‘Puppy Blues’, hop right over to @hoshi_sheltie ‘s blog after this and read their post as they talk about the real struggles and exploring ways to overcome them!
But just like how a baby needs time to learn manners, you have to understand that dogs are naturally pack animals and have instincts on their own. The more time and training you invest with your pup, the better you can curb negative behavior and build a great relationship! As a person who’s always occupied with tight schedules, it was not easy to suddenly make adjustments to a lifestyle I’ve grown accustomed to for years just so I had enough time to train Calie and help make her adapt well with the family and it was a challenge to be constantly multi-tasking. I also strongly believe in positive reinforcement when training Calie and as a result she’s able to understand and pick up on instructions a lot more efficiently as opposed to negative reactions like yelling/hitting her (which I never do), and I’m proud of how strong our relationship is every single day, because I know all my time sacrificed is not in vain.
On the other hand, I do understand that there are people who may not be able to have the luxury of time and patience but would still like to try caring for a dog. A good suggestion would be to discuss with your families/loved ones and talk about how the responsibilities can be shared or alternatives like sending the dog to ‘puppy school’ or having a private trainer.
“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”
JOYCE MEYER
3. Unpopular Belief: Money Trees should really grow actual money for a change!
Now THIS is a real problem for not just myself, but in many pet owners out there especially in this time. The cost of living can be stressful for us hoomans, let alone for a dog & you would not imagine how much it takes to ensure your pup is in its best health and living in an optimal environment constantly. Of course, it would be a dream if I could give my pup the whole world (and possibly even more) if it meant making them the happiest doggos out there!
A visit to the vet for her last puppy vaccination
Before making a decision to bring Calie home, my family & I had to layout the possible costs for the next couple years and honestly it wasn’t such an easy pill to swallow. Besides the initial cost it took to get Calie, some examples of things I would typically get worried about is being able to provide food every month, to the many vet consultations as a result of unforeseen health scares , transportation costs (we don’t have a car to get around) and other miscellaneous items (eg. walking necessities, trivial accessories, etc.) – and that’s just to name a few! As a first-time owner I had my first rude awakening when I saw the bill for Calie’s vet consultation & I really thought my soul was ready to depart my body right there in front of the counter. However thankfully, we’re slowly learning to anticipate better in time to be more prepared for ‘financial emergencies’ & that’s something I hope to be much better at very soon.
Now I’ve heard of different ways to combat financial issues from many people and for new pawrents to-be, I’ve narrowed down a couple tips to consider:
As much as possible please ADOPT, don’t shop! – there are so many fur babies who are still looking for homes to call their own, please think of them first.
Consider applying for Pet Insurance (covering medical emergencies)- you never know when you’ll need to visit a vet and how often you go!
Support Local businesses in the pet community! – There are so many brands out there run by pawrents themselves that cater from food, accessories and toys! (personally I have a list of brands for my reference)
Make friends who can getchu lobang yall! – I’m talking brand ambassador discounts, special offers, and even the many pet giveaways on social media (eg. Instagram, Facebook), which is great news for shopaholics such as myself whoops ?
So resist that temptation to overspend and just leave it in the cart first, trust me. (yes I’m looking you, my fellow bo lui gang)
But do note that you should only spend within your means, because “Money will buy you a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail” – Richard Friedman!
Calie sending all the positive vibes your way!
Anyways, those are my top 3 points to consider before thinking of making room for a new fur member of the family. So far, raising Calie has had its ups and downs, but I really do cherish every single moment I have with her always. If there’s anything I regret, it would be me wishing there was more things I could have been prepared for but everyday is a learning process for the both of us and sometimes there are just some things you need to learn along the way!
I can’t wait to see where life takes us in the next couple of years, and I’ll always do my best to ensure she lives a life that’s well-fulfilled and full of love. To all the new pawrents to be, both Calie and I wish you all the best in this new chapter of your life and to have fun with the process, you deserve this! ?
I’m sharing with you guys our journey with Kobe; our 3 legged Mongrel a.k.a Singapore Special. He was found with his left hind leg severed below its knee; and a huge maggot wound behind his back. The cause of his injuries until today is unclear. Rescuers managed to get him to the vet, and it was determined after a specialist’s assessment that amputation of his hindlimb is essential to improve his quality of life.
Maggot Wound
Severed Limb
We apologise for the graphic content!
However, Kobe recovered quickly from the surgery under the loving care of his foster parents. Shortly after, we took him in and adopted Kobe as part of our family. He has always been such a happy go lucky doggo!
Doing tricks!
As this is our first experience loving and caring for a 3-legged dog, there are of course many factors you must consider before adopting a pet that may or may not have any special requirements. We did our own research and was mentally prepared to take up a lifetime challenge/responsibility of providing to the best of our ability to ensure Kobe has an enriched life.
Through the months we had Kobe, like any other dog owners out there, we had our fair share of struggles, trials and errors. But through those tough times were lessons that taught us patience to understand the reasons for Kobe’s behaviours and actions. Through these experiences, these are some of the important highlights to take note of:
Keep tripod doggo slim!
According to the Vet and Therapist; The most common health issue with a three legged pet is that they may develop arthritis earlier than other pets.
Because of his missing hind limb; weight bearing on both his front limbs, can result in increased muscle tension of his biceps and triceps.
Thats because more stress is placed on his remaining joints, hence, more wear and tear in the future. Therefore, it is very important to keep them healthy and slim, so as to not have any additional joint stresses from excess weight. A Balanced diet is the key!
Since maintaining a healthy weight is important, its important to strengthen the core muscles! Using balance discs is one good way of strengthening the stomach’s muscles.
However we should take extra care to not overdo any exercise or prolonged walking. It is important to look out for signs of fatigue – Kobe would suddenly sit halfway during his walks and that meant he had reached his limit for the day.
It is also important to avoid ACL injuries (anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) as it is one of the key ligaments that help stabilise the knee joints) on their remaining limbs!
It is highly recommended to consider consulting a Veterinary rehabilitation therapist for advise on how to protect and strengthen their remaining limbs!
We apply it every night before he sleeps after his night walk.
It helps if you shave off your pet’s excessive paw pad fur so that dirt does not get trapped in between their toes and they don’t slip as easy while walking or running around the house!
Ensure there are not too many slippery surfaces in the house.
If you have slippery surfaces like wood, tiles or marble, covering these surfaces with rugs or baby foam mats helps especially when they are busy happily running or playing! As 3 legged dogs have less balance, extra care is needed to prevent them from slipping, as they are more prone to injuries.
Lucky us, our floor is made of overlay Vinyl instead of regular tiles.
It would also benefit them by providing raised water/food bowls, to avoid prolonged neck bending while drinking or having their meal!
We bring Kobe out on fun walks, swims on beach days and dog parks to allow him to socialise with other people and dog buddies!
Having a 3 legged dog does not stop them from their ability to engage in normal activities a dog would do. Kobe loves to have his daily zoomies around the house with his cat brothers & sisters. He excitedly jumps up and down the sofa whenever he is most happy about something.
Having lost his hind limb a such a young age, he has adapted the use of his remaining hind limb growing up. He behaves like any other normal happy dog would, and probably thinks other dogs are weird for having an extra hind limb.
I’ve always had a fascination for cats from the time I was little. One of the many cat-related stories of me as a child was how I catnapped several kittens without my dad’s knowledge. We were followed by what seems to be their mother and rightfully so, I had returned them to her.
Fast forward to when I met my then boyfriend (now husband), I found out he had dogs most of his life and loves cats too, naturally we would often fantasize about having pets, and how many fur kids we’d have in our household.
Re-enactment of how I catnapped several kittens. I could only find 1 for this.
Expectation…
The moment we’ve successfully applied for our HDB flat, and started moving in, plans for pawrenthood slowly began taking shape. Because of his lifelong experience with dogs and family drama of not having everyone on board, he was rather adamant about ensuring I was prepared for a life with pets – as I’ve never lived alongside cats or dogs while growing up.
It’s clear as day we’ve been bewitched by cats.
We were determined to go by the adoption route as we both have strong opinions on that. From following our local Facebook cat groups, we’ve gleaned lots of information and made plans to find a cat at an adoption drive or from a Cat Welfare Society (CWS) or SPCA related event.
From their Facebook pages and friends, we understood that they have rather stringent adoption guidelines about the readiness of your home: especially if your home has been cat-proofed with the necessary window hardware for pet safety in highrise apartments, or houseplants that pose a risk to cats, etc.
An important laundry list of considerations before thinking about having a cat.
We’ve also been concerned about the realities of cost and how we would be involved with the cat’s life. Whether we could give the best to the cat and that we may not be ready for a long time. Day to day costs and medical costs may be borne by the fosterers alone. So on top of time and effort, money is also an important factor in our decision.
…Reality
It was August 2017. After boarding our flight and waiting for the plane to take off, I was thumbing through my Facebook feed when I came across a friend’s social post, looking for somebody to help foster an abandoned cat.
I turned to my husband seated next to me:
“You’ve always wanted a Siamese cat…?”
Just before takeoff; the idea took off.
He had a good look at the pictures, and shrugged, “Well, if it’s just fostering for the time being, why not?”
At that time, we had thought fostering this brown kitty would be a great opportunity to learn about cat ownership, before committing to adopting one. Little did we know, we were wrong in some ways. ?
Once we returned home, I reached out to my friend to offer our help. After being added to a Whatsapp group with a direct line to Brownie’s rescuers, we finally arranged a day for this brown cat to be transported.
Day 1: Brownie Beckons
The rescuers understood we are first-time cat owners, so they had kindly packed a “starter kit” to help make the transition smooth. The starter kit included a tiny litter box, feeding bowls, about 2 weeks worth of kitten kibble and canned food, some toys and a scratching board.
Til this day, we’re using this particular feeding bowl for dry kibble. Stainless steel for the win.
Before Brownie was put in our care, we read several articles suggesting keeping new cats in one room for a couple days before letting them go about. This was to ensure the cat had enough time to adjust to her new surroundings before showing her the rest of the place. Brownie took off on her own and claimed every conceivable spot for herself in just a couple days. We then decided to purchase extra supplies should her next forever home take some time to happen.
“Are you SURE this is gonna last…?” – Brownie
It was then, while shopping for extra supplies, my husband had made up his mind – because he felt it wasn’t fair for Brownie to be bounced from home to home if we were only fostering for a month or slightly more. Also, it happens that he often works from home by himself and boy, does it get lonely.
A day in the life of a lonely man, begrudgingly accompanied by his feline companion
We were so transparent when asking for deals on pet supplies, the rescuers immediately caught on we were going to keep her long term. Though at that point in time we were still iffy about this big decision, the rescuers know we’ve been caught hook, line and sinker.
A week or two 2 months had passed, and we announced Brownie as our own. She has officially become what among cat circles is dubbed as a “foster fail”.
Day 1: “I love this place, thank you uwu” Day 60: “Kneel before me, lousy peasant”
We also kept her name Brownie, to pay tribute to the rescuers who had christened her as such.
Til this day, we have never regretted having Brownie by our side.
“BUT WHAT ABOUT ME?! I regret the day I had no say in my furrever family!!!” – Brownie
From here on out
I can only write what I know through the experience of other friends who have successfully sent out their foster cats to loving homes.
In a normal fostering situation, the cat moves out of the foster home to their furrever families. The fosterers and rescuers will be communicating regularly to keep each other current on what’s happening.
Before COVID19, adoption drives were often organized, and hopefully we can return to that soon. It is the responsibility of fosterers to ensure the cats are healthy, disease & parasite free and well groomed so they can be put out to furrever homes in the best condition.
The new normal for adoption drives, in the current COVID19 situation.
If fosterers are inclined and well connected, they could get spots in adoption drives on their own, or they can easily coordinate with rescuers to secure spots for their cats.
The actual adoption process itself may be less straightforward, and dare I say such a process requires the alignment of the stars. Potential adopters may need to be screened, have their living conditions checked and past adoption history reviewed. However that topic is an entire series of articles on its own and I’m sure we can expand more on that in the future.
Once the adopters have been screened and the papers signed, it is time to bid teary goodbyes to your foster cat with whom you’d probably have bonded over the last few weeks or months. But don’t let that stop you from fostering. Fostering is a worthy cause, and it has a positive impact on both the cats, and the communities at large.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna’s a cat slave to three ex-street cats Brownie, Beth and Boba.
Holla at Brownie and the gang at @brownbethboba on Instagram!
