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It's double the training, double the feeding, double the toys, double the attention and double the poop.
The existing dog can help with some things (like potty training), so it may not be double the training.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheesenugget
Go to the shelter, meet the dog and ask plenty of questions. Short hair doesn't mean it shed less, medium-sized doesn't mean it isn't powerful, so keep that in mind. Always ask about its history: was it fostered? How is it's impulse control?
Bear in mind that the shelter may not know the history of the dog. Even if they do have history, people are often ashamed when they surrender a dog and may not have been truthful about why the dog is dropped off.
Thank you for all of the suggestions. I don't know how possible it is for me to spend some quality time with a shelter dog seeing how busy the shelters here are. I do want to adopt as the dogs at the shelters have this look in their eyes that is hard to resist but finding one that will be good for my dog is much harder than I thought. I am thinking about getting a puppy from a breeder. I am thinking about a specific breed as I think it might be a good match for my dog but it is off topic so I will post a new thread on it.
What about rescue groups that hold adoptions outside of pet stores? That's how we got Stella. I was going into the local pet store to get litter for our 2 cats, but had been thinking of getting a dog for a couple of years. Turns out one rescue group holds adoptions there every Sunday. There was a mix of dogs there, puppies and some that were a few years old. I fell in love with a nearly 1 year old lab/beagle mix who was very quiet, especially compared to the yappy puppies there. Filled out an application and was surprised that we were able to take her home the same day. It's been 3 months now and still a challenge with our 2 fraidy cats, but this dog is so sweet and good most of the time. Perhaps you could bring your dog to one of the adoptions to see how your dog reacts to the dog?
Another suggestion I can think of is see if you can hire a trainer or behaviorist to go with you when picking dogs. Or bring a friend with you who have experience reading dog body language. It doesn't guarantee that their recommendations will be correct but it's a good start.
When I was looking for my 1st and 2nd dogs, they both had no history. Relying on my experience working with rescues, strays and my previous pack, here are some tips that could help you:
Look for a dog in a kennel with at least another dog, the older the other dog, the better
When you approach, is your dog you are interested in too excited and tried to compete for your attention? Some snaps at their roommate, others just push their face or body in front of their roommate.
Is the dog you are looking at showing a lot of submission to his roommates? Licking their lips, showing the belly, tail wagging, etc.
If your current dog isn't into playing, getting a younger dog may only irritate him. Getting a dog similar in energy level is important.
I used to work at a shelter years ago and this won't work if a dog think that you like just came in... but ask the kennel staff that cleans the kennels and takes them outside, grooms them, etc. (not the front office staff- they only go on what the previous owners tell them and people LIE.
Kennel staff knows by being with the dogs all day what their temperament is like, if they are barkers, growlers around other dogs, timid, leash trained, house trained (is there poop in the kennel every morning?) Some of the dogs are just so sweet, and some might seem sweet but have a few quirks that a lot of people would find hard to work with.
Anyways, MOST dogs that have been in a shelter for a while will show their true colours after a while. The shelter becomes their home and the kennel workers are their "parents". Ask the parents lol.
What about rescue groups that hold adoptions outside of pet stores? That's how we got Stella. I was going into the local pet store to get litter for our 2 cats, but had been thinking of getting a dog for a couple of years. Turns out one rescue group holds adoptions there every Sunday. There was a mix of dogs there, puppies and some that were a few years old. I fell in love with a nearly 1 year old lab/beagle mix who was very quiet, especially compared to the yappy puppies there. Filled out an application and was surprised that we were able to take her home the same day. It's been 3 months now and still a challenge with our 2 fraidy cats, but this dog is so sweet and good most of the time. Perhaps you could bring your dog to one of the adoptions to see how your dog reacts to the dog?
Back when I had 3 dogs I went to a pet store to buy food and there was a group outside doing a dog adoption event so of course I had to look and a huge dog decided I was his person and came over and wrapped his front paws around my legs. Everyone was laughing as he was looking at me like "finally you came back for me"
. He was a sweet sweet dog and it broke my heart to have to have someone pull him off so I could walk away and leave him as no I could not add another dog to my home. I did mention him to every dog person I knew hoping someone would go adopt him but no one I know did.
My own Jazz came from a Petsmart adoption event, My other dog was elderly and had health issues. We were visiting my parents on a weekend and I went along with my mom when she went to get dog food and when I saw the adoption event once again I had to look. One cage had two puppies in it and a very out going male and his sister who seemed terrified. The little terrified one grabbed my heart strings and went home with me. She was not afraid of me or other people as she was really sweet and cuddly but she was terrified of other dogs thus was terrified at an event with so many other dogs. It was a very deep rooted issue but despite it she ended up being my once in a life time dog. All the work I put into her worth every minute.
But yeah take your dog along as before I got Dash I had considered a greyhound and once again the petsmart by my mom's was having an adoption event ad the greyhounds were there. I took Jazz and she was cool with the greyhounds and they with her and there was one large male both she and I liked. I visited my parents often so what ever dog I got needed to get along with their dogs too so next I took their big Mal X collie, Henry who was a gentle giant but when the greyhounds saw him they all acted aggressive towards him and and Henry was afraid and wanted to get far away from them so I did not get a greyhound instead I visited my local shelter and found Dash and he was a perfect match for all.
I used to work at a shelter years ago and this won't work if a dog think that you like just came in... but ask the kennel staff that cleans the kennels and takes them outside, grooms them, etc. (not the front office staff- they only go on what the previous owners tell them and people LIE.
Kennel staff knows by being with the dogs all day what their temperament is like, if they are barkers, growlers around other dogs, timid, leash trained, house trained (is there poop in the kennel every morning?) Some of the dogs are just so sweet, and some might seem sweet but have a few quirks that a lot of people would find hard to work with.
Anyways, MOST dogs that have been in a shelter for a while will show their true colours after a while. The shelter becomes their home and the kennel workers are their "parents". Ask the parents lol.
Yeah it was the kennel staff at my vets that really knew my dogs and not one of them was afraid of Jazz while Jazz had the vets all convinced that they were dealing with a beast. The time she snapped right in the vets face a hair away from it and terrified the vet when I came back to get her the vet said make the owner go get that dog out of the run as she is vicious.,Well one of the kennel girls was right there and said I will take her back and as we walked back, she started laughing and said Oops they for got to tell me she was vicious as when I saw Jazz was in here I had to go get some cuddles and kisses from her. So while the vets thought vicious dog and did not see this dog was controlling them by threatening them when they wanted to do something she did not like ( she never bit anyone but boy threatening them made them back off) the kennel staff knew the real dog and that she was actually a very sweet love bug, The kennel staff all loved her so yeah the kennel staff gets to know the real dog so I agree ask them about any dog you like.
I checked Petsmart and Petco stores around me and there is no upcoming dog adoption event unfortunately. Maybe dog adoption is very popular where I live or maybe month of Jan is just a busy time. I did visit 3 shelters but there weren't many dogs and there were 2 that I liked but none that would be good with my dog. Those 3 shelters are the closest to me and they are all no-kill shelters so I can look without feeling sick. There are others that I haven't visited but they are if not all, mostly pit mixes which I cannot have in my apt.
Talking to staff sounds like a good idea because I passed by some dogs that were growling or barking at me but maybe they are worth a second look. I only had one dog so I am not experienced enough to know true colors of a dog that I didn't raise.
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I did mention him to every dog person I knew hoping someone would go adopt him but no one I know did. 
,Well one of the kennel girls was right there and said I will take her back and as we walked back, she started laughing and said Oops they for got to tell me she was vicious as when I saw Jazz was in here I had to go get some cuddles and kisses from her. So while the vets thought vicious dog and did not see this dog was controlling them by threatening them when they wanted to do something she did not like ( she never bit anyone but boy threatening them made them back off) the kennel staff knew the real dog and that she was actually a very sweet love bug, The kennel staff all loved her so yeah the kennel staff gets to know the real dog so I agree ask them about any dog you like.
