does a dog need a pack?
so, there is a dog that lives down the street from me
and I've noticed every time I walk pass his house, toki runs and sits by the fence and waits for the dog to come out...is it better to have multiple dogs? (like how you need to keep multiple mice for them to be happy)
for those multiple dog owners have you noticed a change in your dogs behavior after you got the second one, and at what age is a good age to introduce a second dog?
and I've noticed every time I walk pass his house, toki runs and sits by the fence and waits for the dog to come out...is it better to have multiple dogs? (like how you need to keep multiple mice for them to be happy)
for those multiple dog owners have you noticed a change in your dogs behavior after you got the second one, and at what age is a good age to introduce a second dog?
Comments
In the end, I think a dog will always prefer companionship of some kind to being alone, so I tend to think that if the human family members are gone much of the time, having a second dog is beneficial. Some dogs need companionship more than others. Shibas, for instance, don't mind being alone so much. Tojo spends a lot of time just hanging out in his dog bed in the bedroom, away from all the commotion. Skella would prefer to have constant companionship. The people I bought her from have two other dogs, and for a while they just had one Iceland sheepdog. They both worked full time and said that their first dog was much happier when they got the second dog. I definitely believe it. Skella howls woefully if she gets left alone for too long.
I think dogs need companionship from either humans, other dogs, or both. What is ideal depends on the situation. If one of the dogs is a bully, it will make the other miserable, but the same can be said of an abusive owner. I recall someone on another forum saying that her two shibas barely even noticed she existed. She worked long hours and they always had each other, so they bonded to each other much more strongly than they did to her. Dogs that are born into feral packs don't seem to need humans at all, and dogs that are raised by human packs and never interact with other dogs seem to dislike other dogs and are perfectly happy with their humans.
Of course, dog companions have a few advantages. They play and act like dogs and they have a lot of free time. I don't have the time or the inclination to spend a full hour each day wrestling with my dogs in the yard, but they do this with each other and seem to really enjoy it. Also, I'm not fast enough to play their chasing games and I won't go splashing into the pond or running through the bushes. Then again, none of the dogs can throw a tennis ball as far as I can.
I mean they say cats are independent but Dahmer and Sassy are a wreck without each other. Rats should be in groups but I've had rats that rather be with me than with their rat buddies.
Toki may have associated this dog down the street as something good and a lot of fun. We also have a neighbor that has dogs, and is so much a dog lover she has installed a permanent false fire-hydrant, and is willing to suffer through weekly dog allergy shots. My guys have played there plenty of times, so every time we pass their house Tetsu is always pulling towards their yard to play.
Toki may, in essence, be doing the same thing, and want to play with the other dog.
Beebe was fine being an only, but looking back, she was really missing out on some social skills that go along with living with a house mate (primarily sharing-the bad word for Shiba, and polite play). Her behavior changed very positively overall, she was 14 months when I introduced Ike. She was very aloof with me until I brought in the competition, and Ike's good manners and calming energy really tone her reactivity down. I spent many hours working to resolve any exisiting behavior issues before Ike even came home so he didn't pick up on the undesirable things.
I, too, think two is a perfect number.