The Right Time for a New Pet!

I get asked this question all the time: When is the best time to get a new pet or a second pet?  I know I've talked about multi-dog households before, and homes with dogs and cats, but I didn't necessarily talk about the timing per se.  Let's do that now!

While a two to four year age gap between children is often suggested to parents, there is no similar rule of thumb for pets. When it comes to dogs and cats, it's really about your preference, the time you have to devote to the training and care of a second pet, and your budget. I will never recommend that you get two puppies at once, however, because they will honestly bond more tightly with each other than with you (remember that blog on observational learning?).  It's better to raise one puppy up to about a year to 18 months of age before you consider adding a second puppy.  If, however, you are adding a second adult dog to your household, I think it's more important to look at the interests of your existing dog.  Does your dog like to play with other dogs or does he prefer to play with you, or not at all?  Does your dog enjoy walking with other dogs, or do other dogs on walks create anxiety and tension?  Does your existing dog let you pay attention to your friends' dogs without becoming aggressive, jealous, or needy?  Is your existing dog able to share toys, treats, and space?  If your dog is sociable, good on and off leash, able to share, and good with play, then adding a younger dog might work well. If your dog is sociable, good on and off leash, able to share, and a bit less motivated by play, then maybe adding an older dog would be a better option.  And I'm always going to suggest that you hedge your bets by choosing a second dog that is the opposite sex of your first dog.

Now, let's talk about cats.  With cats, I do like to recommend that if you are getting a kitten, you get two.  They will be able to play together and entertain each other, taking some of the pressure off of you. If you want to own both dogs and cats at the same time, you can absolutely start with a puppy and kitten at the same time and raise them together. If you are adding an adult cat to your existing dog home, you'll want to make sure that the cat you are adopting doesn't just have dog experience, but genuinely likes dogs.  At the very least you'll want a cat that tolerates dogs, but better yet, choose a cat that really enjoys them and vice versa. If your dog chases cats, barks at them, and generally can't learn to settle down even with a calm cat, then adding a cat might not be the best idea for your peace of mind, or for the safety of the cat.

Anecdotally, many dog owners report that adding a puppy to their home rejuvenated their senior dog and while that may be the case, puppies are also exhausting!  You will need to focus on ensuring that your older dog has lots of breaks, away from the puppy, to just chill and rest without any puppy interference. If you are crate training your puppy, use that crate for naps and alone time as well, giving your older dog some built in breaks during the day.  Your puppy and your senior dog will both need one-on-one time with you, so build that into your day.  Take your senior dog for a sniff and stroll while your puppy is home napping.  Train your puppy on leash manners or basic behaviors while your senior dog rests outside or in another room.  You'll want to work with them together as well, but that one-on-one time helps ensure that your puppy understands that you are the go-to person for all good things; observational learning with your senior dog will still happen, but at least you have a fighting chance of being in control and having them listen to you.

I always get fur-baby fever in the spring when I see all the cute puppies and kittens on social media.  I'm not going to get another pet right now as Ozzie and Henley both have health issues that keep me busy and keep my wallet stretched thin.  They enjoy each other and they enjoy alone time with me, plus they have Westley coming over every week to keep them on their toes, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

The three stooges!