If you scroll through the local classifieds you may come across more than one dog looking for a new home because it’s not getting along with another in the same home. Dogs at the local shelter are, often times, labeled as aggressive towards other canines and must go to a home in which he will be the only pet. This belief of dogs being aggressive to one another due to things like jealousy, territory, or plain dominance are usually human-caused.
For example, that dog in the shelter who barks and growls at every other dog he sees when walking past the other kennels most likely is a very friendly and outgoing dog. By nature, dogs are extremely social animals especially with others of their own species. But that one dog may be labeled as too aggressive to live with another canine in his new home. Not only does that make it more difficult to find that one particular dog a home, his supposed aggressive towards other dogs may in fact be human caused. This means it can be solved through training and very basic canine care.
The Multi-Dog Household
Keeping more than one dog in the home is common. People love their dogs, and having two can be more fun than just one. The dogs keep each other company, they play together and sometimes even sleep together. But in these situations problems can arise that lead to scuffles between the two pooches. This typically happens during meal times, play times, when treats are involved or even when a person is giving one dog attention. Humans, being the empathetic creatures we are, immediately tag human thoughts and emotions onto our pets, especially during situations like this. If you’re petting one dog, and the other growls or even snaps at him you may grow to believe that the attacker was jealous of the attention. Jealousy is a human emotion, not a dog’s. So what exactly is happening here?
If you just have one dog, it can be easy to be the leader and guardian your dog needs you to be. But when you bring in a second canine, you may forget or not even realize that you are lacking the leadership skills you need to help both dog live together in harmony. Both dogs need your leadership, and they will both follow your guidance in every day life if you are willing and able to provide it. You can enlist the aid of a professional trainer to help get you started, but maintaining a multi-dog household is actually easier than it sounds.
Many people will think that each and every dog needs one-on-one time with you. While this is true, it most certainly does not mean putting one in another room or shutting him outdoors while you spend time with, play with, or train the other dog. Instead, this means you need to teach both dog to cooperate together. Otherwise, the dog that is being shut out is getting negative reinforcement in this situation, and problems will grow from there. Work on training both dogs, and teaching them to respect you through positive reinforcement.
For example, if you wish to teach one dog how to sit but have no interest in training the other at that time, it is important that you work with both dogs. This does not necessarily means that you need to teach both dogs to sit, but one dog can lay quietly nearby while you work with the other. Both dogs should be rewarded for this. As the other dog is laying quietly out of the way, you can occasionally bring him a reward to reinforce this great behavior. He is learning to be relaxed while he is not getting attention, and he is enjoying it!
Your own actions and attitude is what is going to help make your multi-dog house a success. You can prevent fighting through your own leadership. Help both dogs to be relaxed and calm through positive reinforcement, and they will easily co-exist together. A common mistake made is separating the dogs for one-on-one training or play time. Ignoring one dog like this will only make him frustrated. Teach him how to behave in an acceptable manner instead, and the dogs will follow your lead instead of taking out their frustrations on each other.
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