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Pugs and Other Dogs, Getting or Adding a Dog
Discussion about adding another dog to a Pug household, including what breeds to consider, and how to introduce a new dog to the household.

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Many owners wonder about the possibility of adding another dog to their household. "How will Pugsly react?" "Will the two of them get along?" "Does another breed get along with Pugs?" Frankly, it's hard to predict what success you'll have in adding a new dog to your household because there are such differences among the various breeds of dogs and between any two individual dogs within the same breed. Additionally, all dogs have to varying degrees, innate tendencies toward territoriality and dominance that can lead to problems when another dog enters the scene whether the same breed or not.

First though, stop and look at your own family situation. Why are you adding another dog? How old is the dog you have now? Say, for example, you already own one Pug, and he's just marvelous: housebroken, playful, obedient, all you could want from a dog. You think that Pugs are the greatest and you REALLY want to rush out and get another. (Some people use the "you can't have just one" phrase in this situation.) Don't do it. Give your first dog a chance to grow up and become a mature animal first. Far too many times we hear from people who purchased a second young puppy and suddenly, surprisingly to the owners, BOTH dogs have forgotten how to be housebroken! We hear that the older dog has reverted backwards, he's forgotten his house manners, he's peeing to get someone's attention . . . and so on. Actually, he's not. Your "older" dog is still a puppy, and he's simply doing what the other dog is. He's not old enough to hold his training in the face of another pup coming in and so everyone reverts back. Suddenly it's not so much fun. We would rather deal with the dominance issue than have two pups piddling everywhere, promise!

well behaved dogs - Pugs and other breeds tooDominance is the single most important factor in determining the success you will have in introducing a new dog into your home. For two or more dogs to live peacefully together, they need to establish a dominance hierarchy or "pecking order" which they all accept. Often the question of who is dominant is settled by a mere stare from one dog to another who averts his eyes and says, in effect, "OK, you can be the boss if you like," and it's over before we humans observe what happened. In other cases, the issue of who will be dominant is not settled so easily and the two dogs will do things like placing their forepaws on the shoulders of the other animal or pressing the chin down on his back and shoulders. If the issue still is not settled, further dominance displays such as growling, baring teeth, snapping, or outright fighting is likely to occur. Why do we need to know about all thsi dominance stuff? Because it's important that the owner not interfere with the order that the dogs establish between themselves. As owners, we observe that one dog constantly takes precedence over the other (eats first, comes to be patted first, climbs in the lap first) and so we try to "make it up" to the second or lesser animal by giving him preferential treatment. Don't. You need to support the order they establish rather than promote fighting by trying to make things equal. Put the dominant dog's food bowl down first, let him get in the car first, and greet him first when you return home. [Note: Remember that every single human family member, from grandma to the youngest child, must be recognized as higher in the dominance order by family dogs or serious problems can result.] There is no fairness or equality in the minds of dogs and they don't NEED it to be fair or equal. Size, age, gender, and temperament help in establishing dominance, but it's difficult to predict who will be the dominant animal. It's something that the dogs must work out among themselves and we should supervise the procedure as we're dominant to all of them.

But, having said all that, adding another dog of another breed or even of the same breed shouldn't be a problem with Pugs. They seem to naturally accept other dogs as part of their family and don't have a need to be the most dominant one of the bunch. So how should you choose and bring home another dog? Here's some ideas:

SELECTING YOUR SECOND DOG

Choose a puppy - Bringing in a puppy is normally the best choice for a second pet because your current dog will not see him as a serious rival. In nature, puppies are given a tolerance for antics that an older dog would be challenged or fought over. However, when the new puppy grows up, the question of which dog will be dominant may spring up, so an owner should not be surprised when this happens. When a new puppy is introduced, the owner should supervise the interaction with the resident dog closely. Well socialized adult dogs with good temperaments will set limits for puppies with a growl or snarl, but poorly socialized adults or those with a history of fighting may not know how to send more subtle signals and act aggressively towards a puppy when provoked. Give your current dog time away from the puppy, and when you are gone, separate them for safety until you are sure they have established a peaceful relationship.

Choose the gender - What gender should you choose for a second dog? Since you're a responsible owner whose pets are spayed or neutered, then normally the gender of the new pet is not all that important. Intact - un neutered - males seem to be the most aggressive towards each other, but females can also be aggressive to other females and two Pug girls fighting is a pretty nasty sight! Spaying or neutering usually reduces this aggression towards animals of the same sex., though there are some dogs who will retain an assertive attitude towards others of their gender even after the surgery.

friends even though not the same breedBreed and size - What about the size and breed of the new dog? It doesn't seem to matter all that much to Pugs, who are going to run things in the household just as they always have. What is important is that you choose a dog or puppy in a breed likely to have the characteristics you want, just as you did when you chose your first dog. Reading and researching the various dog breeds could be very helpful here but in general well socialized dogs with attentive owners can get along with each other without too many problems. Although it is true that there can be great differences between two individuals in the same breed, the various breeds have been bred for many generations to display certain characteristics (like herding, digging, guarding, scenting etc.), and it is wise to keep those tendencies in mind when choosing a dog. For example, we would not mix terrier types together as they tend to be more aggressive hunters and very possessive of their families.

BRINGING HOME THE NEW DOG

It's important to take the time to introduce your new dog properly to your current pet, which means taking into account the social and territorial natures of canines. These tips are primarily written for dogs of differing sizes, for example if you're bringing home a Doberman to live with your already established Pug. Here are some tips that should maximize your chances for success:

Choose neutral territory - Introduce the dogs in unfamiliar, neutral territory to minimize the chances of your current dog regarding the newcomer as a threat on his home territory. A park where you don't normally take your dog would be good, but an unfamiliar fenced yard would be better.

Fun introductions - Make the introduction a happy experience. Each dog should be on leash and handled by a separate person. Bring them close together and watch how they react. As the dogs sniff each other, the usual canine greeting behavior, both should be praised in a happy tone, "Such a good dog! You have a friend to play with!" After a short greeting period, both handlers should call or bring the dogs to them and reward them with treats and praise for their good behavior. Your aim is to get them both to associate the presence of the other with good things like attention, praise, petting, affection, and sometimes food. Take them for a walk around the area, letting them stop and investigate each other at intervals.

Take your time - If the introduction is going well, give the two more freedom to interact by using long 30-40 foot leads or just dropping their leashes if they are in a fenced area. Be close enough and alert to interrupt their interaction at the first sign of aggressive response like hair rising along the back, prolonged staring, growling, baring the teeth, or walking stiff legged. Don't punish this natural behavior, instead distract their attention to something else by calling or bringing the dog to the handler and rewarding good behavior with praise and food. Repeat the process for short periods, separating them before they display aggressive behavior.

We hope that adding a new dog works out for you. So many Pug people end up with more than one Pug, and many of the introduction problems simply don't exist. It's like Pugs recognize their own, accept them, and go on with life. Don't get another dog because you are feeling guilty about not spending enough time with the one you already have and don't get another to keep the first one company unless you have the time and ability to care for two. Remember both will need exercise, grooming, companionship, etc. So if one dog seems like more than you can handle, then none is probably better for you than two.