Adding another dog

by Danny
(Penngrove CA)

I have a 13 month old very dominant male rottweiler, intact.

I was thinking about adding another dog and was wondering what kind of dog breed or age would be best for adding another dog to the family?

Thanks




Hi Danny
That's a gorgeous pup you've got there... I'm sure he's a whole lot bigger (and probably even better looking!) now.

The first thing to think about is how your resident dog acts around other dogs... is he aggressive or very defensive of his property? The next question would be, is he trained to the point where he will listen to you and accepts you as the 'alpha' figure?

Right now your Rottie is an adolescent and probably going through the typical teenage-type phases. He's young enough that accepting another dog into the house shouldn't be a huge problem for him, but that's providing he is dog-friendly and respects/obeys you.

Given that this is the case, then I'd personally recommend getting a female pup, of a medium to large breed (not tiny, and not giant). That should be the best 'fit'. Obviously you'll need to have one (preferably both) of the dogs 'fixed', so that you won't get a litter of pups!

Dogs of the opposite sex are less likely to fight or squabble, than two of the same sex. Also, older dogs are usually much more accepting of a puppy than they are of another adolescent, or mature dog. Of course, a lot depends on individual temperament, and although it can be tricky to get an exact 'bead' on a pups' personality at 8 weeks, I'd advise trying to get a friendly, self-confident pup, not fearful or too submissive, but also not overly confident or pushy, or 'alpha'.

Usually it takes a few weeks for the dogs to sort out the 'pecking order' and to get to know one another. As long as no-one is getting hurt or very scared, it's best to let them figure this out on their own - with you playing a supervisory role and just being there to make sure it doesn't get out of hand and to give corrections if the behavior warrants it.

I hope this has helped. I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide.