Can We Ever Get Another Dog….?
October 11, 2009 by admin
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
So I currently own a Pomeranian dog, she’s three years old and a spayed female. We also have a eleven year old papillon whose is neutered and he is just a lazy old dog who doesn’t mind other dogs, he stays out of their way. Which, in my case, is a good thing because my Pom is very mean to other dogs. She even goes after HUGE dogs when we are on walks. She needs to be Alfa dog.
Just in case this info matters, we have dog sitters to watch our two dogs when we are on vacation, and they have two other dogs just like mine. One is lazy and one is Alfa dog and fights for it. So my Pom fights with both of them at first, but she likes the other lazy dog after a day or two. But she and the other alfa dog is another story. They fight and we need to keep them separated for a few days. Eventually they can be in the same room, but they aren’t happy and there is tension.
So, my question here is, will I ever be able to get another dog? Can my Pom learn to get along with another dog, or is it possible they will always fight? I think if the new dog is a lazy dog who doesn’t mind being lower than my Pom, then it will be okay. But if the new dog wants to be Alfa, that just won’t work. And my other question is, if the two don’t get along right away, is there some kind of training that I could do so they learn? And how should I introduce the dogs to make the meeting as stressless as possible?
Thank you so much for anyone who can help!
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Was your pomeranian ever socialized with other dogs as a young puppy besides your papillon? If she’s 3 and she was never introduced to lots of other dogs and people from 2-4 months of age then chances are no she won’t ever get along with another dog.
Just because she gets along with your older dog does not make her socialized, and her “aggressiveness” has nothing to do with her always wanting to be “alpha” dog. Chances are your dogs “aggressive” behavior is based on fear of other dogs. She’s learned that getting in another dogs face and yapping and fighting causes those dogs to run and leave her alone, so she continues to use it. Any dog that “threatens” her that’s how she will react to them. It’s not a need to be the boss it’s called the need to protect herself.
First you need to work with her on socialization, you need to show her that not all dogs are a threat, that she doesn’t have to “protect” herself when confronted with another dog. And I’m afraid this takes months of hard work to socialize and help her to associate only pleasant things when she’s around other dogs. This is something that will require a trainer and help in socialization.
Unless you bring in a puppy I’m afraid that another dog will cause severe stress on your Pom causing health issues over time as your dogs stress levels will be too high, over time this constant stress will make her shake and seem “nervous” due to the high cortisol levels. When a dog gets that stressed it takes 2-7 days for the levels to get back to normal.
Since your Pom is not socialized I would highly recommend you do not get another dog once your oldest dog has passed. She needs to be an only dog or you’ll end up cutting her life expectancy very short. I’m sorry.
ADD: Vixen: What you might perceive as another dog “not” doing anything your pom doesn’t see it that way, dogs “sense” things another dog doesn’t have to actually do anything. For example, my dog is very well socialized, she goes to the dog park almost daily, however, one time this couple were about to walk in with their two dogs, they hadn’t even made it in the park when my dog let off this huge howling bark, which she never does unless at home and protecting her territory, so this kind of shocked me, before the dogs even got thru the first gate my dog took off to the back of the park, then when both dogs entered the park they made a bee line for her she “freaked” out and ran herself into the chain link fence to try to escape. She has never acted like that before and she has never done it since. So dogs have a better sense about another dog before the other dog even does anything. Now, I know another Pom at the park that will play with smaller dogs but will go after larger dogs yapping and snapping at them, she isn’t mean and she isn’t aggressive, she is I would say territorial. Now this might be the case with your dog, it might actually be a pomeranian “thing” if she’s anything like Daisy. She is the sweetest dog but very yappy and snappy when other dogs invade the area around the table, is she unsocialized, no, is she dog aggressive, no, because she’s never “hurt” another dog, so without actually seeing your dog and being able to “view” her behavior in person, you might have a chance. But before you bring the pup into the house and find that it’s a nightmare for all involved you should work on her “attitude” before you are ready for a new dog.
It’s best to have someone help you do this, but when you see other dogs out on a walk and she “reacts” to them, make her sit, feed her treats and “distract” her as the person walks on by, first 30 feet apart, then closer and closer until your dog does not respond, then both go for a walk keeping yourselves between the dogs, over time she has to learn that other big dogs or dogs in general aren’t to be feared but something pleasant. Over time she might see other dogs = chicken or a nice tasty treat.
Try this now and get her used to other dogs and more socialized. If you are at an off leash park then do not keep her on leash, allow the dogs to meet off leash and on neutral territory have tasty treats and just practice till she’s accepting.
I would hate for you to spend the money and bring a new puppy into your house and it become a living nightmare for all involved. I’m not saying it would happen she might be very accepting but it’s better to be safe and train her now than sorry and have to give up the puppy.
Good luck I hope it works out for you, but if you are truly committed to getting a new puppy then start training now while there is still time. You might want to elicit help from all your doggy friends that are willing to help you.
Read as many training books that can help you with this situation. Also watching Victoria Stilwell on “It’s Me or the Dog” on Saturday nights at 9 pm on Animal Planet will give you some very good training tips that you can use.
she doesnt need an alpha DOG! she needs to know that you are the alpha! wrestle her to the ground and lay on her until she is calm. this sound cruel, but as long as you dont put your full weight on her, she will be fine.
once your pom knows that you are the alpha, you can get 10 more dogs and she probably will get over it
Don’t alpha roll your dog. That is a good way to get bitten. If you want to get another dog, you *have* to make sure the it has an omega personality.
I personally think it would be a pretty bad idea.
The first thing you need to find out is whether or not you’re even allowed to have 3 dogs – it’s not allowed by a lot of city ordinances.
Secondly, for me, it would simply be too much stress to deal with my dogs fighting over position. But, I guess there could be another dog out there that would work. The problem would be finding it.