Adding A Companion

[thatgirl_dreams]

How hard or how easy is it to add another chihuahua as a companion to the one you already have

Comments

[gingericecream]

ooh! good question. my boyfriend and i have been considering getting bebe a brother for a while now. i have similar concerns about her either bonding more with her brother than us, or worse, getting jealous or sad that she's not the only child anymore.

i'm excited to hear ya'lls responses.

[midnight_d]

Make sure you get a second dog because YOU want a second dog, not because you think your dog wants a "friend". It's twice the money for food, twice the vet bills, twice the grooming, twice the poop and pee, etc etc. I don't think that having 2 dogs is bad (I eventually want to get a second dog myself) but don't look at the other dog as a friend for your current dog, it is first and foremost a second pet to you.

[ocean_highways]

agreed. Get it for you. But I'm sure that if you were to get a second you'd have some want for it, haha. If you got a DOG all for your other dog, that would be crazy. I'd assume that you were a very, very rich person. :)

[kamstill]

Well, our experience would be different off the bat because our first dog, Ally, LOVED other dogs. That part wasn't an issue. That said, my best advice to you is to ignore what everyone tells you and evaluate what works for you and act on it. For example, in one particular rescue, they outright REFUSED to place a female dog with another female saying our dog would go crazy with a female intrusion in the house. Um, our dog can't stand male dogs. All her dog pals growing up were female and she instinctively liked other females only. We proved one adoption worker wrong when Ally ran from one male dog and went right to a female to play with. Har

[midnight_d]

I deffinitely agree with the not listening to what everyone else says about "this dog and this dog will get along" because it ALL depends on the individual dogs.

[ocean_highways]

I was really worried about that before I got my second chihuahua. Diego (he was six when I got Elsie; Elsie was 9 wks) didn't really like other dogs, except the retriever that we had. I'd suggest that, if you get another dog, you get it as a puppy. Easier to bond. I definitely did not expect the process to go as well as it did. Elsie was full of energy and bouncing all over Diego. They're attached, now. There was really no task at all to it. I think it's definitely possible that chihuahuas may readily accept other members of their breed rather than, say, larger dogs. I also agree A LOT with the above poster. Do what you think is best! And, ah, the rescues can be really stubborn!! Don't give up, do what works and is healthy, and keep us all updated with cute pictures!

[ocean_highways]

Also, my Diego is just as devoted to me as the day that I got him. If anything, when I first got little Elsie, he felt a little left out and depressed (because I had to train Elsie, and baby her). But he's a drama queen, because he gets just as much attention, and now more because he has a best friend who is also a little dog. They're both happy little darlings.