Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, believes that dogs in general are happier with other dogs. It is hard on social creatures not to live with their co-species members, she says.
. . . you can be reasonably sure when bringing home a second dog that your first dog will be better off for the company but never certain just how well it’s going to work . . .
Source: Tufts, Your Dog, March 2018. Link. Borns-Weil recommends following the three rules to increase chances of a better pairing when selecting a second dog:
- Generally speaking, don’t shoot for female-to-female
- Activity similarity is more important than breed similarity
- Similar age doesn’t matter as much as similar health status
INSIGHTS: The article is a worthy of sharing in social media and in e-newsletters. Consider sharing it with local shelters to help them match dogs to dog owners.