Your Dog Can Read Your Mind and Knows Who You Hate

New research shows your dog can actually read your mind. 

It goes beyond them knowing it's time to eat or go on a walk before giving a verbal command. They know how you feel about others. Buzz60s Sean Dowling has details.

To read more on this story, click here: Your Dog Can Read Your Mind and Knows Who You Hate

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Why You Should Never Wake Your Dog from a Dream

Those mournful wails and yips let loose by our sleeping dogs tug on our heartstrings so hard that it can be impossible to resist waking our dreaming pets. The same goes for when their four legs get to moving and we wonder if they are happily bounding after squirrels or if something big and scary might be chasing them. Even the heavy-duty doggie snoring sometimes sounds like it can’t be a good thing. But should we wake our dogs up from a dream?

The hardline answer is: Probably not. Dogs dream and sleep much like humans, with similar REM patterns. Although most dogs sleep 14 to 16 hours a day, they still need some of the deep, uninterrupted sleep we do. So, if you have a dog that seems to dream a lot, constantly waking your pup may be unhealthy for him.

But…what if you just can’t help yourself?

No Touching

The aforementioned mournful wailing and heartstrings being tugged upon pretty much guarantee that we’re going to awaken our pet anyway. You may want to hug his crying away. Which is exactly what not to do, at least not until your dog is fully awake.

No matter how loyal, well-trained and loving your pet is, awakening them by contact can get you snarled at or even bit. Remember that you are bringing your dog back from a dream state, where the dream is reality.

Use a Gentle Voice

Our natural instinct can be to wake our pet as quickly as possible, even sometimes by shouting their name, as we too are distressed for them. Taking that tone, however, can put your dog on the offensive. He will think something is wrong upon waking and go into protection mode.

Imagine an alarm clock that goes off sounding like the panicked voice of the person you love the most. That would be more than a little stressful to wake to. For these reasons, use a soft and loving tone to coax your dog out of a dream and into a safe environment.

Lay On the Love

Once your dog has successfully been retrieved from the Land of Nod is when you can finally soothe them by touch. Give comforting hugs, rub their head and give that favorite spot a quality petting. Talk to your dog and let them know everything is safe – basically everything comforting you would want after being abruptly woken up.

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Yes, There Is A Smart Way To Break Up A Dog Fight

As a former animal control officer, I have seen my share of dogs fighting. I'm not talking about dogfighting in the Michael Vick sense. A fight can break out between dogs at any time and over many things.

It's not uncommon to see a sudden fight break out between two dogs while introducing them to one another. Dogs scuffle over food or toys or when one of them isn't feeling well and gets bothered by the other dog. It can happen at the dog park or while you're walking down the street with your dog leashed. Your dog may even redirect on one of his housemates if another dog is walking outside of your fence and gets him upset.

These are scary scenarios but it's important to remember if your dog is involved in a fight, it doesn't make him a bad dog.

Dogs don't usually go straight for a fight, but will give each other warning signs first. The best outcome is for them to work out their troubles and retreat before getting too aggressive. Dogs don't naturally resolve their issues by immediately fighting. Their ancestors, wolves, don't walk around all day looking to fight. It is a last resort and often lasts only moments, until one animal gets the message and agrees to back off. Not every physical interaction between dogs is indicative of them fighting. Dog play can look just as intimidating.

To read more on this story, click here: Yes, There Is A Smart Way To Break Up A Dog Fight

  

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Did You Know That Your Dog’s Nose Can Smell Things That Cannot Be Seen?

Did you know that dogs breathe in and out through a different part of their nose? This allows them to experience and process more smells than we could ever even imagine. In fact, their sense of smell can pick up things that can’t even be seen at all. How awesome is that?

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Bringing Home Baby to a Dog’s World

The scenario is far too common. The happy, expecting couple stroll into the clinic with their four-legged child for her Annual Wellness Exam. The first born of the family is healthy and has a great check-up so I turn my attention to the parents who are expecting their first two-legged child. “Have you starting thinking about how you will introduce your new baby?” All of the sudden, the happy couple becomes the bewildered couple and stares at me with the “deer in the headlights” look. I know it’s time to have “the talk”. Bringing home baby to a pet who has ‘ruled the roost’ for years can be done. We have a few guidelines for you.Many soon-to-be parents don’t realize that without proper precautions and planning, their new bundle of joy will be their pet’s worst nightmare and is even at risk to be harmed by their pet.

It is important that every pet owner who is expecting a child follow a few easy steps to ensure the new addition to the family is a happy addition.

1) Allow your pet to becomes used to “baby stuff” before the big day comes. While babies themselves are terrifying enough for pets, all their stuff can be even worse. Strollers, cribs, toys, high chairs, and car seats are all brand new items for your pet to adjust to. Stock the nursery early and allow your pets time to get used to all the new stuff before their is a screaming child who is taking all your time and energy sitting in them. Even going on walks with the empty stroller or having bonding time in the baby-less nursery can put your pets at ease. If your pet is anxious or scared around new noises, play recordings of baby noises in the months leading up to the delivery. Start at low levels that your pet doesn’t react to and slowly work up to “real life” levels. Do positive things with your pets such as eating, giving treats, brushing, and playing during these noise desensitization sessions to allow your pet to become comfortable with the change.

2)Teach a calm, controlled behavior. Many dogs get excited around new people and like to jump up on them to greet them. Teach your dog to “sit” or “lay” and make them do it before they receive anything (food, treats, toys, affection, etc.). Think of it as teaching your dog to  say “please” before they get something they want. Pets with good manners are less likely to injure children or be scolded by adults who are holding children. Remember, we want having a baby to be a happy experience for the pets and constantly getting scolded because the baby is around will lead to further fear and anxiety for your pet.

To  read more on this story, click here: Bringing Home Baby to a Dog’s World

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The Truth About Pet-Friendly Hotels

If you’ve ever taken a trip with your dog and checked into a hotel that claims to be “pet friendly,” there are a few things to keep in mind that might not be advertised.

As a pet traveler of 20 years, I have encountered mostly amazing experiences at pet friendly hotels and bed and breakfasts, but occasionally one falls through the cracks. Pet friendly does not mean red carpet in all cases, so keep these pointers in mind the next time you book a room for you and Fido:

Fees are usually imposed on travelers who are staying with pets. Always ask ahead if there are fees involved, how much, and if there is a fee for each pet or a one-time deal. Often, hotels will hold a security deposit and then refund it or not charge your credit card prior to checking out.

Pet friendly has its pets allowed limits. You can bring three kids, just not three dogs, as an example. Ask first how many dogs are allowed. Nothing ruins a trip or vacation than hearing, “sorry ma’am, but three dogs are not welcome here, only two.”

To read more on this story, click here: The Truth About Pet-Friendly Hotels

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Dogs and Fireworks Don’t Mix: Did You Know that More Pets Go Missing During the Fourth of July Weekend than Any Other Time of the Year?

Washington, DC – Flashing lights and loud booms may be exciting for some during the Fourth of July weekend, but for pets, it can be a nightmare.

The unfamiliar noise, rush of bright lights, swarms of people, strange smells and sometimes firework debris falling, can prove to be too much for your beloved pet, sending them leaping over, through or under the fence.

More pets go missing during the Fourth of July weekend than any other time of the year, according to the American Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

“Every year we see several more pets get loose and run the neighborhoods during the Fourth of July weekend,” Scott Giacoppo, chief of field’s services for Washington Humane Society, told WJLA in an interview.

“We anticipate this will happen and thus, have extra personnel and patrol staffed.”

Giacoppo went on to say that this situation isn’t much different than the reaction you would see with pets and thunder, but with fireworks, it can be nonstop.

Sadly, when pets run away in fear, they cause not only a safety threat for themselves, but also for others. Sometimes, pets run in front of cars, causing major accidents, unexpectedly being struck and killed.

Giacoppo said it is important to keep your pets inside, in a safe and secure location this holiday weekend, but if they are otherwise anxious, it may be worth talking to your vet about alternative solutions.

David Wright, dog trainer in Los Angeles, lists some dos and don’ts to keep your pet(s) safe, and your sanity:

DO

• Get collar IDs and microchips.
• Use a crate or keep animals in a room where they can't flee.
• Crank up music or the television to mask the sound of fireworks.
• Provide water and food: Fear makes dogs pant, and unfamiliar food makes them anxious.
• Offer chewable toys or treats as a distraction.

DON'T

• Take a pooch to see fireworks unless it's a noise-trained police K-9 or guide dog.
• Leave them outside, where they jump or dig to escape the yard.
• Approach dogs who look scared because they can attack.

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Are You Surprised at the Innovative Ways Dogs Are Being Used Today?

Looking for a way to harness the energy of an unruly German shepherd puppy named Solo, English professor Cat Warren started training him as a cadaver dog. The two have spent the past seven years as volunteers searching for the dead.

In her book, What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs, published this month, Warren tells of her journey into the field of "on the job" dogs and reveals how science is unraveling the secrets of the canine nose.

Not everyone who has a high-energy dog like Solo decides to train him to become a volunteer cadaver dog. What made you decide to teach Solo to look for the dead?

I took Solo to a trainer when he was four months old and asked her what I could possibly do with this dog. She suggested that I could consider training him as a cadaver dog. I didn't even know what that meant. She explained that a cadaver dog goes out to search for the missing and presumed dead.

What makes a good cadaver dog?

Drive, a good nose, and an ability to focus. A good cadaver dog needs to be deeply bonded to his handler and simultaneously be independent and to make decisions on his own. The dog needs to work as part of an inseparable unit with the handler, but also be independent enough that he's not constantly looking back for signals on what to do next. When Solo is working scent, he won't look back at me for minutes at a time. He will be out there, and I will be trying to stay out of his way so he can do his best work.

Do most searches end with finding a body?

Nine out of ten times you search, and you don't find someone. It can be very hard to find the missing. People think that it's easy once you have one or two things in place, but bodies can disappear forever. We're so used to having everything wrapped up in a 50-minute television show that we don't realize how many years investigators can work on cases and how many of them remain unresolved.

Why does law enforcement rely on volunteer cadaver dogs?

It's mostly about budgets. The fact is, cadaver dogs aren't needed every day in the same way a patrol dog is needed every day. There are larger departments that still have cadaver dogs, but more and more law enforcement depends on volunteers. A good dog and handler team can help produce some excellent results.

How does training a cadaver dog differ from training other types of sniffer dogs, like drug- and bomb-detecting canines?

Scent is scent, so the training itself is not greatly different. You introduce the dog to the scent, and you reward him for finding it. You're training a dog to get as close as it can to a particular scent, indicate it's there, and get his reward while making sure that the dog doesn't harm a scene or get harmed. One of the fascinating things about training human-remains detection is that it's a very complex scent. You're dealing with a range of scent, from dry bone to very fresh material. Understanding that and getting the dog to recognize that means going through a pretty long series of steps until you think that you and the dog are dependable. For Solo and me, I didn't rush it. I was inexperienced. We finally were ready when he was about two years old.

How much does science understand about how detector dogs do their work?

What's fascinating about this field is how much we don't know about how dogs detect scent. Chemists are starting to realize what the compounds are in certain drugs that dogs are interested in, but we're still a ways away from knowing exactly what the dogs are alerting on in cadaver scent. Forensic anthropologist Arpad Vass and fellow researchers at the University of Tennessee's anthropological research facility have identified nearly 480 different volatile compounds coming off decomposing bodies. We don't yet fully know which of those compounds are significant to the dog.

Are German shepherds, like Solo, better at detecting certain smells than other breeds?

Despite all the myths about the bloodhound having the best nose versus the German shepherd, we have no really good scientific studies about which breed's nose is the best. There are sometimes more variations between one Labrador and another than between two breeds. Many breeds have fine noses. It also has to do with how much the dog wants to work. You could have a Labrador with a great nose that is indifferent to doing the work, and you would simply never know it had a great nose.

Were you surprised at the innovative ways dogs are being used today?

I was surprised. The tasks that we're thinking up for dogs are multiplying by the day. It's not just bombs, drugs, and humans we're asking dogs to find. They are being trained to detect everything from invasive species to endangered species, from mildew to cows in heat to gas leaks. That's not to say that they're always successful, and we still have a lot to learn about, for instance, how good dogs are at detecting cancer and whether there's ultimately a practical application for that skill. Finally, I think it's important for people to realize that while dogs and their noses are amazing, they are not magical, and it's not easy work. It takes rigorous training, handling, and a fine dog to produce good results.

What's in it for the dogs?

It depends on the dog, but it has to be fun. I think that Solo works partly for the joy of the hunt and partly because he is bonded with me. But I know he loves getting a game of tug most of all.

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Take a Good Look at This Video…Then Think About What You Are Seeing: A Powerful Message That Every Dog Lover Needs To See… A Puppy is Not a Product

This tongue-in-cheek ad by Same Day Pups is to show you that breeders and puppy mills are using impulse shopping to place animals in homes. This ad is not real. It’s absurd and so is shopping online for a puppy like they’re a toy. Shopping online is surely convenient but bringing an animal into your home should never be about convenience. It should be about love. Adding a pet to your family is a real commitment because an animal is a real family member.

Many puppy mills operate online and pull at your heart strings. They have fancy websites and post adorable photos (and even videos!) of available puppies that they can be sent to your local airport (some even next day!). Don’t be fooled. Just because these puppies look pretty in the pictures doesn’t mean they come from a loving environment. Plus, sending these puppies can be so traumatic. These puppy mills are for profit, not for the good of the animal. Adopt, don’t shop! So many wonderful animals are waiting for homes!

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Adopt a Golden Organization: Now Accepting Adoption Applications for 36 Golden Retrievers from Turkey Rescue

Dozens of abandoned golden retrievers are adjusting to their new lives in metro Atlanta after a rescue took place in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Adopt a Golden organization helped bring 36 purebred golden retrievers to Alpharetta, Georgia last weekend. This is being called the largest international golden rescue ever.

The dogs arrived at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport late Saturday night. They were taken to Pet Lodge pet resort.

According to Adopt a Golden, the dogs range from 6 months to 10-years-old.

“Our guiding motto is that we never say no to a Golden Retriever in need. These dogs are in need because the novelty of having a Golden Retriever in Istanbul, Turkey, as a status symbol wore off, they were abandoned and are now living in crowded shelters, in the forests or in the streets,” explained Lauren Genkinger, founder and president of Adopt a Golden Atlanta, Adopt a Golden is calling these dogs “Freedom Goldens.” Each dog has been given a patriotic name, such as “Liberty” and “Glory.”

“I want these Golden Retrievers to be happy and have a better life,” explained Yasemin Baban, the lead shelter volunteer in Istanbul who was instrumental in helping Adopt a Golden Atlanta rescue the dogs. “I want them to find love and affection, a home to live in, and a cushion to sleep on,” she added.

The dogs have never heard English and have their own interpreter in Fulton County. The only commands they know, if any, are in Turkish.

"From a behavior standpoint, we didn't really know what we were getting in to," Genkinger told FOX 5 Atlanta. "They're very social though, since they're used to begging for food on the streets."

The dogs will be medically screened, taught to walk on a leash, be housebroken and of course will receive lots of TLC.

Adopt a Golden is now accepting applications for adoption.

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America’s Most Elite Dog: Enter the World of Military Dogs and Their Handlers (Video)

In this video, we get a backstage pass into the world of military dogs and their handlers, and what difficulties they must face together. From overseas in Afghanistan to the streets of America’s biggest cities, these working dogs serve our country with all of their heart.

it’s worth every minute of your time. Armed with an incredible sense of smell, combined with a work ethic that cannot be compared, these determined dogs have saved countless lives across the world.

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Dog Eats 23 Live Rounds of .308 Caliber Ammunition, and Lives

Mountain Home, Ark. — A Belgian Malinois, named, Benno, has eaten several strange objects over the course of his four years.

His owner had to take him to the vet's office after he ate 23 live rounds of .308 caliber ammunition.

He had chewed them vigorously to the point of mangling the ammo, then swallowing each round. Benno eating something inappropriate is not unusual, according to his owner Larry "Sonny" Brassfield.

"You can baby-proof a house," Brassfield said, petting the happy, hyper dog.

"But I don't think it's possible to Benno-proof a house. Lord knows, we've tried and failed."

The proof of Brassfield's house not being Benno-proof came on the morning of April 22.

The night before, Brassfield was putting several hundreds of ammo into ammo cans. He did not have enough room for the last 200 or so rounds of ammo, so he left them in a bag by the bed.

"Wednesday morning I woke up early, and my wife told me that Benno had thrown up," Brassfield said. "She said there was ammo in the vomit. I looked at the round and I thought, 'Oh my God, he got into the ammo.'"

Brassfield had no idea exactly how much ammo he had eaten, but was about to find out.

"We decided to watch him for a while," said Brassfield. "He ate like he normally does, no problem. Then about 15-20 minutes later, he threw up again and three more rounds came out. At that point, I knew I had to take him to the vet."

"We took him to the vet's, they took X-rays and counted 15 rounds. By the outlines, I counted at least 17 rounds.” Said, Brassfield.

"This is something they certainly did not cover in school. I've had dogs eat things before, mostly stuffed toys. Once I had one swallow a hearing aid but I think this takes the cake." said Dr. Sexton.

The vet asked was the ammo was made of lead and zinc, the two metals used in ammo manufacturing, can quickly be toxic for dogs. Brassfield told the vet, the ammo was made from brass and copper.

The vet operated on Benno and the procedure lasted approximately two hours. She removed 16 live, highly chewed rounds and one shell from the dog's stomach.

"It was an adventure. If you think of the stomach as a balloon, where I made my incision, all the heavy metal went to the bottom," said the vet. "I had to scoop it all up and bring it up to the location of my incision."

Once she removed the ammo from the dog, the vet had him X-rayed again, just to be sure she got all the ammo. Two X-rays were needed to cover the digestive track of the large dog. That's when the vet saw two more rounds in the dog's esophagus.

The vet made the decision not to open Benno up again to remove the last two rounds. The surgery itself went fine and Benno is expected to make a full recovery.

The vet said, "Since the ammo is not toxic, I decided not to go back in. I decided we'd give it a week to see if he would vomit them up or pass them."  

Five days later, Benno passed one round, and eight days later he passed the final round.

"I won't be leaving ammunition laying around anymore, I can tell you that," Brassfield said. "But really, you're never going to stop him. It's just a question of what he's going to eat next."

Here is a list of items Benno has eaten, much to the exasperation and displeasure of his human friends:

Stuffed animals

Rubber Toys

Coins

8-by-8-inch square pieces of cloth

Styrofoam peanuts

Cheese wrappers

Rocks

Paper

Wax paper

Aluminum foil

Shirts

Socks

Underwear

Bra

Tennis shoes

Rope

Nylon straps

Weed eater string

Gasoline-soaked lawn mower air filter

Blankets

Marbles

Plastic bag

Quilt batting

Sewing straight pins

Plastic soda bottle

Magnets

Bottle lids swallowed whole

Television remote

Loaf of bread (wrapper included)

Broken glass

Chicken legs (swallowed whole)

Nylon hairbrush

LEGOs

Travel size bottle of lotion

Baseboards

Drywall (just randomly ate a piece of wall). 

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Do You Know Why Your Dog Licks You?

It’s not much of a conundrum, really. The bottom line is that most of the time, dogs will lick their people as a sign of affection. “You are the sun and the moon,” their silky tongue would have you know. “And guess what? You taste good, too!”

But much as barking can be, licking is also a multi-faceted tool that seems to play many roles in canine behavior and, consequently, tends towards many different interpretations. Here’s a list of the many ways in which we humans have come to understand this culturally alien mode of communication: 

Licking is a natural instinct in dogs. When a mother licks her pups and her pups lick each other during the course of grooming and other social interactions, we’re observing quintessential licking behavior in dogs. Indeed, this behavior is held up as one that may serve as the basis for all other licking decisions a dog makes. 

Licking can play a role in the solicitation of resources, as when pups lick their mothers as a precursor to feeding or when lower-ranking pack members lick their superiors in the hopes of an invitation to dine on communal prey.

It’s just another sensory tool, say some researchers. Licking (and tasting) is like reaching out and touching something –– a sort of slobbery exploration.

Canine attention-seeking behavior often incorporates the tongue. Dogs often lick you to get your attention or as a simple greeting. As in, “Hey, I’m here. I’m cute. Pet me.”

Licking may be a way of playing. Many dogs who’s owners report as engaging in excessive licking behavior may be substituting their tongue for their teeth in the reserved dog’s version of a raucous play-fight.

In many cases, licking is a learned behavior. Dogs learn that when they lick their owners they get more attention, so they come to incorporate licking into more and more of their daily behaviors.

But what happens when extreme licking happens?

Extreme licking tends to be defined not so much by the dog as it is by the human beholder of the behavior. As such, any unwanted display of lingual attention –– even just a couple of polite laps every so often –– could be construed as excessive. In these cases it’s considered more of a human problem than an animal problem. After all, dogs will lick. It’s in their nature.

Nevertheless, dogs can be trained to turn the tap off, so to speak. Finding a veterinary behaviorist or certified dog trainer to aid in this process is strongly recommended.

Of course there are those times when licking may take on abnormal tones. Dogs who suffer certain types of obsessive-compulsive behaviors may manifest these as excessive licking. Typically, however, dogs affected by these behavioral disorders will turn to objects, or more often, themselves, by way of displaying their outsized penchant for licking.

All dog owners observing this behavior are encouraged to seek out the assistance of a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist for assistance. Many of these patients can be treated successfully so that their life might include more than what they might find at the end of their tongue.



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Ever Wonder Why Your Dog Eats His Food Away From His Bowl?

After you put food in your dog’s bowl, he takes a mouthful, walks across the room, drops it onto your carpet and then munches away. And he repeats this curious ritual until his chow is all gone.

It doesn’t seem like an efficient way to eat, not to mention that he's getting crumbs on your rug.

So what gives?

Possible Reasons Behind the Curious Mealtime Behavior
The answer to this propensity lies in two words: pack mentality.

When dogs in the wild make a kill, the outranked animals drag pieces of food away so they don’t have to fight the leader or a more dominant canine for it, says Dr. Julie Albright-Keck, DVM, MA, DACVB, an assistant professor of veterinary behavior at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/Pages/utcvm_home.aspx.

“Fighting is obviously very risky, so most animals, especially subordinate ones, will go to great lengths to avoid an altercation,” says Dr. Albright.

Although the competition in your house may not even be real, particularly if you only have one dog, it’s his evolutionary instinct taking over.

Another possibility: If you use a metal bowl, the noise of the food moving around in the dish or even his collar tags hitting the side can be frightening or annoying, notes Dr. Albright, so he may be taking the kibble away from the trigger of the sound.

How to Put the Kibosh on This Kibble Ritual
If you want to curb this unusual eating behavior, Dr. Albright suggests swapping metal bowls for plastic versions or paper plates to rule out issues with noise.

“If the dog still takes the food away, find a more secluded or confined area for him to eat,” she says. “And if there are other dogs in the house, separate them at feeding time to allow for privacy, so there’s no threat of competition, either real or imagined.”

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Washington, DC - Adorable Simon, a 3-Year-Old Pit/Terrier Mix Will Be Coming from a Loving Home to the Animal Shelter on April 1st, If He's Not Foster/Adopted Within This Week - Please Read His Story

Simon had a birthday yesterday, and would love to be fostered/adopted! He has only one week left before going to the animal shelter. He is an adorable dog, but unfortunately, city life is not agreeing with him. Please read what his dad says below:

Sharing from Simon's dad:

HELP NEEDED: Alan and I adopted Simon two months ago. He is such a sweet pup but we have come to the realization that Simon would be better served in a quieter neighborhood. He is wonderful inside the home, so sweet and cuddly, yet once we go outside he is so scared in our Dupont neighborhood with all the hustle and bustle. Simon is a 3-year-old pit/terrier mix and had a real tough life before he was rescued by the Humane Society last year. He has a slight wrist deformity in his front two legs but that doesn't stop him from being completely normal.

We are working with the Humane Society to try to find a new foster home in a quieter neighborhood. If you (or know of anyone) whom might be a good fit for Simon, either as a foster or a permanent home, we would greatly appreciate it.

We are trying to move fast because Alan and I will be headed out of town in 2 weeks and need to find Simon a good place to live before then. It tears us up to have to do this but we've realized that finding a temp/perm. home for Simon outside of our busy world is the best to allow him to be a dog.

If you are interested in fostering/adopting Simon, please contact Michael Bigley at:
michaelbigley@gmail.com

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Considering Adopting a Second Dog? Does Your Dog Really Need a Friend?

If you already own a dog and are thinking about getting a second one to provide your pup with some companionship, it may seem like an easy decision. After all, you’re an experienced pet owner. How different could it be? But adding another dog to your family dynamic comes with its own pros and cons, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into before making the leap.

Things to consider before you decide to adopt a second dog

Ask yourself if your dog needs a buddy

“If you leave your dog home alone for 10 hours a day [while you’re at work], they’re a candidate [for getting another dog] to keep them company,” Joseph Kinnarney, veterinarian and president-elect of the American Veterinary Medical Association, tells Yahoo Health. That may not necessarily be the case for, say, a retired couple who bring their dog with them to most places and spend all their time with their pup. In that case, the dog likely has all of the companionship it needs — namely, you. “Bringing in another dog may or may not hurt, but in general, that’s [already] a really happy family,” he says. “That dog is never alone.”




Consider sticking with the same breed

It’s true that dogs, including ones of the same breed, have their own unique personalities, so getting the same type of dog doesn’t guarantee they’ll be best friends for life. But in general, Kinnarney recommends choosing a second dog that’s the same breed since there’s a greater chance they’ll get along. “If you’re a Maltese person, then I would get another Maltese,” he says. “It will keep a closeness with them and those two dogs are more compatible.” Plus, as the owner, you already have experience with the breed. “You know what to expect by getting the same breed of dog,” notes Kinnarney. “The advantages of knowing your breed is more predictability and it fits in with what you want.”

Have a mutt? They tend to be more flexible and get along with a variety of dogs. So you can either choose a dog that complements your mutt’s disposition, or find a dog that matches the breed of one of the mutt’s parents.






Keep in mind that gender matters

Some experts say that mixing genders is best to prevent dogs from fighting for dominance, which is a higher risk when you have two female dogs together than two males. However, Kinnarney says that having a dog that’s neutered or spayed is more important than whether the dog is male or female.






Assess your budget

Doubling down on dogs also means doubling the cost when it comes to dog food, veterinary bills, grooming, and boarding. So make sure there’s room in your budget to care for a second furry companion.






Take into account your dog’s temperament

Above all, “know your dog,” says Kinnarney. If your pet doesn’t get along with other dogs and truly prefers humans, then bringing in a fellow furry companion may be more like having an unwelcome guest forced upon him or her. But if your dog is friendly and gets along with most other dogs at the dog run or when you’re taking walks, but seems a little lonely at home, a companion just might perk up your pup — and you.




Check animal shelters first

If you’re sure you want to add another dog to your brood, skip the pet stores, which often receive dogs from puppy mills, according to the Humane Society. Go to an animal shelter first, even if you’re looking for a purebred. One in every four dogs at animal shelters in the U.S. is a purebred, according to the Humane Society, and choosing a shelter dog often helps save the dog’s life. If you don’t find what you’re looking for at a shelter, then visit a responsible dog breeder in person. FOLLOW US!

Washington, DC - Urgent! Simon, a Lovable 3-Year-Old Pit/Terrier Mix Needs a Foster Home: The Busy City Life in DC is Not Agreeing with Him - Needs Fostering by April 1st, or He Will Go to the Animal Shelter

I am asking that you please share Simon's story. He has been living in a loving home, and for him to go to the animal shelter would be devastating for him. As you will read below, city life already has him scared.

Simon's birthday is today. What a wonderful birthday gift it would be for someone to foster/adopt him. If you have room in your heart and in your home for Simon, please consider fostering/adopting him.


I understand that if he is not fostered/adopted by April 1st, he will be going to the Washington Humane Society, Washington, DC.

Sharing from Simon's dad:

HELP NEEDED: Alan and I adopted Simon two months ago. He is such a sweet pup but we have come to the realization that Simon would be better served in a quieter neighborhood. He is wonderful inside the home, so sweet and cuddly, yet once we go outside he is so scared in our Dupont neighborhood with all the hustle and bustle. Simon is a 3-year-old pit/terrier mix and had a real tough life before he was rescued by the Humane Society last year. He has a slight wrist deformity in his front two legs but that doesn't stop him from being completely normal.

We are working with the Humane Society to try to find a new foster home in a quieter neighborhood. If you (or know of anyone) whom might be a good fit for Simon, either as a foster or a permanent home, we would greatly appreciate it.

We are trying to move fast because Alan and I will be headed out of town in 2 weeks and need to find Simon a good place to live before then. It tears us up to have to do this but we've realized that finding a temp/perm. home for Simon outside of our busy world is the best to allow him to be a dog.

If you are interested in fostering/adopting Simon, please contact Michael Bigley at:
michaelbigley@gmail.com

Please share Simon's story! FOLLOW US!