Could you please advise me on what to do, I am thinking of getting a German Shepherd puppy but I have a dog already.
My dog is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel he is very timid, not at all dominant and is not social with others (people and dogs), he sleeps most of the day and does not play games/or with toys. He never shows aggression but always backs away and is submissive. As he is nervous I am wondering whether getting a puppy would scare him more or whether it would be a good idea to get another dog?
Thank you,
Nikki Cooper, by email
If your Cav is timid or nervy, a much larger dog may make her feel more threatened or helpless. What I would do is visit a reputable rescue, such as Dogs Trust or Blue Cross and talk to them, and perhaps look for a quiet, placid dog of roughly the same size as yours and the opposite sex. Talk about the pros and cons, handling two dogs, feeding and exercise etc, before making a decision. I have two dogs and two are much more fun than one but they're sometimes hard work too, and getting a puppy would mean most of the attention would naturally be on the pup because they need a lot of time to teach and play. Good luck. :)
ReplyDeleteIn rescue experience adding a puppy to a household with an older shy dog often ends in difficulties. Especially where the puppy is a large bouncy breed and the older dog a small less active breed. If a dog is not social with other dogs why introduce a second dog? It could cause 1st dog undue stress. Maybe socialise the spaniel first with various other dogs and choose a suitable breed and possibly an adult dog.
ReplyDeleteI so agree this may cause a problem, socialisation with other dogs maybe classes or just meeting other dogs often to make him les timid would be a good idea, when he is a little less timid maybe itroduce a rescue dog,slowly and make sure they meet alot beforhand,if a puppy is a must then try the same if a breeder is a good one they should understand your predicement and help you out there are some good ones out there good luck happy dog walking :)
ReplyDeleteWhile I do think where ever possible, dogs should have company of their own, you need to take the individual dogs into account first.
ReplyDeleteYou say your own dog isn't social with other dogs or people and is timid. It's out of the scope of this blog, but the comment about dominance/submission is irrelevant, research into and modern knowledge of dogs tells us that "pack hierarchy" is a misnomer.
Looking at the statement you made objectively, it would be most unfair to add a second dog to this dogs' home. If, on the other hand, your dog was social and enjoyed playing with other dogs, then a companion would likely be a welcome addition, though I would suggest a trial-run first, and depending on the age of your dog, perhaps a puppy might not be the best addition. If you were to go to a rescue, they would (or should!) try to match your dog with one of their current residents, and assuming the introduction went well then trialling the dog for a number of weeks, perhaps with the advice of a qualified dog trainer or behaviourist if needs be.