The Doggie Dilemma
Yesterday, my family and I adopted a second dog. Our first dog, Bailey, was energetic and loved other dogs, and so for a while now we've toyed with the fact we should get a second dog. However, we weren't sure how my mom and my grandma would react to such a thing, and I honestly thought that getting a second dog would remain just an idea.
Bailey
Then on Friday, my dad took me to the local rescue shelter and we looked at the dogs. There, we found two that we really liked--Brenda, a Belgian Malanois, and Annabelle, a terrier mix that looked similar to Bailey. That night we convinced my mother to meet the dogs, and she liked both. By Saturday we had chosen Annabelle and put her on hold. Sunday we took Bailey to meet her, and the two got along wonderfully. So Annabelle came home with us. Now we're trying to balance two dogs while trying to acclimate Annabelle (who we're trying to rename Zoe).
Annabelle/Zoe
I knew that having two dogs would be different than having one dog, but I had no idea how different it would be. The two are constantly at it, but I think this is more the fact that Bailey is defending "her" territory more than any long-term problems (though it is funny/annoying right now). I'm not sure what it will look like once the two calm down, but I'm hoping it looks good.
For me, though, the hardest part is trying to juggle the affections of two dogs. I'm sure that it will be easier once they're used to one another, but as it stands now you can't pet one without making the other one angry at you. I'm also not sure how to spread my affection around, and love both dogs equally, rather than one over the other... because right now I'm smitten by Annabelle (and I never expected that I would be). I'm not sure if it's because she's new or what, but she's so unbelievably sweet and affectionate. She'll do damn near anything to make you happy. Bailey will make you happy if it suits her. It's also hard because I have no base for which to judge. I've only been in a one dog household before, and I have no siblings, so this is new to my parents, too. I'm partially grateful that I've gone back to school, because I can try to figure it all out, but at the same time it feels as if I'm running away from the problem instead of confronting it.
Bailey
Then on Friday, my dad took me to the local rescue shelter and we looked at the dogs. There, we found two that we really liked--Brenda, a Belgian Malanois, and Annabelle, a terrier mix that looked similar to Bailey. That night we convinced my mother to meet the dogs, and she liked both. By Saturday we had chosen Annabelle and put her on hold. Sunday we took Bailey to meet her, and the two got along wonderfully. So Annabelle came home with us. Now we're trying to balance two dogs while trying to acclimate Annabelle (who we're trying to rename Zoe).
Annabelle/Zoe
I knew that having two dogs would be different than having one dog, but I had no idea how different it would be. The two are constantly at it, but I think this is more the fact that Bailey is defending "her" territory more than any long-term problems (though it is funny/annoying right now). I'm not sure what it will look like once the two calm down, but I'm hoping it looks good.
For me, though, the hardest part is trying to juggle the affections of two dogs. I'm sure that it will be easier once they're used to one another, but as it stands now you can't pet one without making the other one angry at you. I'm also not sure how to spread my affection around, and love both dogs equally, rather than one over the other... because right now I'm smitten by Annabelle (and I never expected that I would be). I'm not sure if it's because she's new or what, but she's so unbelievably sweet and affectionate. She'll do damn near anything to make you happy. Bailey will make you happy if it suits her. It's also hard because I have no base for which to judge. I've only been in a one dog household before, and I have no siblings, so this is new to my parents, too. I'm partially grateful that I've gone back to school, because I can try to figure it all out, but at the same time it feels as if I'm running away from the problem instead of confronting it.