Considering Dog Adoption

A visitor is considering dog adoption, but if two is company, will three be a crowd?

Visitor Considering Dog Adoption

I have a twelve-year-old neutered male Rottweiler and a five-year-old spayed female Labrador/Basset Hounds mix.

I'm considering adopting an unneutered two-year-old Bullmastiff. Will the younger male attack my older male? My Rottie is very laid back and easy going, and from what I understand about the Bullmastiff from talking with his current owner, he is very sweet and gentle.

What will be the best way to introduce all three dogs to each other? Should I have any concerns?

~~Vic

Expert Reply

Hi Vic,

You never know how a set of dogs are going to react to each other until you get them together. My suggestion would be that you and the Bullmastiff's owner bring all three dogs together in a neutral area like a park. This gives them the opportunity to meet without all the posturing over territory. Then you can get a sense of which one is the most dominant, and how that might work out at your own home.

If all goes well at this first get together, then have a second meeting at your place, and observe how the animals get along now that the new dog is in your own pets' territory. If this also works out well, then it's likely safe to go ahead and adopt the Bullmastiff.

As for anything else you ought to be concerned about, I'm just curious about why the other dog's current owner would want to give away a dog that is very sweet and gentle natured. Have you had a chance to actually meet this dog yet or are you relying on the owner's comments about the dog's temperament.

If you haven't already done so, spend some time with this dog yourself before you try to introduce him to your own dogs, and ask the current owner plenty of questions. You never know what you'll find out once you get someone talking, and it will help you make a decision with your head as well as your heart.

Finally, if you do adopt the Bullmastiff, I suggest having him neutered as well. It should definitely contribute to the harmony of your new pack.

Best wishes~~ Kelly

Should We Bring Home Two Dogs?

If you were going to bring home two Golden Retrievers, would it better to have a boy and girl, two boys or two girls? Should you get them at the same time, and do they necessarily need to be from the same family or not?

~~ Two Dogs

Expert Reply

Hi Two Dogs,

Bringing home two puppies at the same time can be a wonderful idea, as long as you are prepared to handle double the work in training. Two dogs from the same litter can comfort each other and make those first nights away from mom easier.

That said, let's consider your other questions.

• Do both puppies need to be from the same litter?

No, but observing pups from the same litter can be advantageous because you can get a sense of how well they already get along.

• Should both dogs be the same sex or opposites?

If you're going to have at least one of the dogs spayed/neutered to prevent a breeding, it really boils down to how well they get along. Some people believe that two males will get along easier than two females, but I personally don't ascribe to this opinion. Two headstrong Alpha dogs are going to have a difficult time getting along no matter which sex they are.

If you feel you're up to the task, I say go for it and bring two pups home instead of one. I recently did this myself, and I don't regret it.

Thanks for a great question.

~~ Kelly

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