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When to Get a Second Dog? Facts To Consider

What I wish I knew before getting a second dog: Facts to consider

If you are a Frenchie owner who thinks to bring another dog into a family, there are many facts to consider before you make a final decision. Bringing a new family member into your family will leave a great impact on your pooch, so that’s why you need to carefully consider the following facts.

When is the Best Time to Get a Second Dog? Stuff To Consider

Well, we all know that many dog owners think that bringing the second will help their Frenchie to have a playful and colorful life. However, it’s not always like that. Making a great friendship between two or more dogs depends on many other factors too.

Frenchie sitting on a bedJust think about how bringing another dog will affect the personality of your current dog. Our dogs are social beings that can become depressed about seeing a new canine in their territory.

To make sure that your dog is ready for a new four-legged family member, please answer these questions.

Does your French Bulldog act Friendly Towards Other Dogs?

This is one of the most important steps to keep in mind when considering to bring the second dog into your family. To encourage friendly behavior in your pet, you need to teach him good manners from an early age. The sooner you start socializing your dog, the better your dog will behave.

Socialization of a French bulldog starts when it’s still in the kennel. A breeder is the one who plays a huge role in performing the first stage of socialization. It includes introducing a puppy to other puppies from a litter, discovering the sound of traffic, and exploring new scents. Interaction with a breeder is also essential since, in that way, a puppy will build a positive association in humans.

So, before you get a second dog, it’s advisable to work on training with your current dog. Having one untrained dog is already enough, but living with two can cause real chaos.

Frenchie lying down

French Bulldog Separation Anxiety

You’ve probably heard about the fact that a dog who suffers from separation anxiety will find it helpful to spend time with another dog. Another dog is not necessarily a solution for such a behavioral problem because the new resident can also pick up behavior from your stressful dog.

So, before you bring a new furry friend to your home, it’s essential to work on your resident dog’s behavior first.

French Bulldog Chewing Everything

Chewing behavior is often mixed with separation anxiety. However, a Frenchie can show a destructive chewing behavior due to boredom as well. To exactly determine the type of the issue, my advice is to look for other symptoms too. Does your French bulldog refuse to eat? Does he nervously walk from room to room every time you start preparing to leave the house?

If besides chewing on home items your Frenchie shows any other symptom, then you should ask a vet for help. In other cases, a dog can excessively chew if go through a teething stage. Discourage chewing inappropriate items by spraying them with chewing deterrents. Another solution is identifying times of chewing and allowing him to play with a puzzle treat.

When Should i Get a Second Dog?

Bringing the second pet into your home is the best when both puppies are small. They will learn to share toys, eat together and go for a walk at the same timing. In other words, they’ll together cross through all stages of socialization and training.

On the other hand, some dog owners found it much easier when a resident dog is almost a year old. It’s an average period a dog needs to learn positive manners and behave friendly toward other dogs..

 Are you a busy person?

We all know that owning a dog isn’t an easy task at all. They are social animals, that thrive for interaction with their family members and other dogs. And, for your pet – you’re the leader of the pack.

Therefore, if you think that you barely have time for your Frenchie, bringing the second pet is not a good solution. You’ll need plenty of time for training and assimilating a new dog into the family.

Consider your budget

Owning a dog is like having a child. It requires certain costs such as food, care, and regular vet checks. If you want your dog to stay beside you for years, then you’ll need to invest in his/her quality nutrition. Depending on the breed you’re buying, your pooch will need balanced nutrition that will fit his/her energy level and life stage.

Taking your pet to regular checks is also one of the obligations of every responsible dog owner. Choosing the right dog breed might sound challenging, but being a good owner is harder than you think.

French bulldog lilac happy

How much room do you have?

Every dog deserves to have his own space to rest and play. Our canines are curious creatures that need to have room for their daily activities. So, if you bring twice dogs to your home, then you’ll see two dogs running around your table or couch.

Two dogs- double mess

When I say the word ‘mess’ I don’t think only about the shedding but also about cleaning potty messes, dirty paws, and destroying things at home. So, having two dogs definitely sounds like a double mess.

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