Should You Get Your Dog a New Puppy?
After living with a dog for a few years, many people feel the need to bring a new puppy into the household.
As dogs get older, they usually lose some of the excitement and exuberance that is a characteristic feature of puppies.
This, among other reasons, can prompt dog owners to want to add another dog into the mix. Though the sheer joy and laughter that a new dog infuses into a home is a worthwhile reason to get one, other factors must be considered during the decision process.
While you are trying to decide on whether to get a new puppy, here are six factors that should be considered.
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Increased Cost
Taking care of pets requires a lot of money that goes to their food, healthcare, toys, toiletries, furniture, and accessories.
When you get a new puppy, there will be additional costs as you will have to purchase twice as much dog food and treats, get new equipment and accessories, and pay for vaccinations and vet visits.
Look at your financial status to determine if you have enough money to support a new pet without reducing the level of care that you’re providing to your existing pet.
Close Supervision
Introducing a puppy to your older dog is a precarious situation that must be handled with the utmost care and adequate supervision.
Most dogs are less than receptive to a new dog invading their territory so that they might display hostility and apprehension towards the new addition.
For the first few weeks of cohabitation, you need to be present and attentive to the reactions of both the older dog and the puppy.
Go through your schedule and find out if you have enough time to devote to ensuring that your dogs get acclimated to each other.
Training
A new dog needs to be trained to follow basic commands and get adapted to living with humans.
As you might already know, based on your experience with your pet, getting a dog to behave in a way that is fit for human cohabitation takes a lot of time, effort, and patience.
New puppies must be taught to follow social cues from both humans and their fellow dogs. This is a significant determinant of how well they will adjust to living in your home.
Mental Status of Your Existing Pet
Before you begin to think about bringing a new puppy home, you need to determine whether your older dog is mentally and physically able to live with another pet.
Dogs that suffer from anxiety, neurosis, and fear should be sufficiently treated as there is a significant probability that they would pass their fearful behaviour on to the new puppy.
So also, dogs that are extremely aggressive, especially to other dogs, might not be suitable candidates as they could inflict injuries on the smaller dog.
Puppy Proofing
While your puppy gets accustomed to the lay of the land, you might want to place some restrictions on his movement around the house.
Puppies are highly curious beings who love to explore their surroundings, particularly with their mouth.
To prevent the young dog from hurting themselves, you should install gates, walls, playpens, or any other structure that will keep them away from dangerous items.
Crates and cages should be provided as well for crate training of the puppy. You might also need to rearrange the layout of your home to keep shoes, cleaning supplies, mobile devices, and other destructible items away from the puppy’s reach.
Socializing the New Puppy
A social pet can safely interact with his environment, including other dogs, people, and places. You would need to take your puppy to areas where they can meet different breeds of dogs, take in new sights and sounds, explore new places, and get used to the hustle and bustle of their surroundings. Learn more about what to teach your dog in the development stages at tonsofcats.com.
Ensure that you are going to be able to take your new puppy on adventures in the great outdoors and allow them to meet people, make friends and socialize to their heart’s content.