By Mariah Bennett | Assistant News Editor
What’s better than one dog? Two — for you and your furry friend. According to an article featuring the head of the Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic, Dr. Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, in most cases, getting your canine a fellow furry companion is the right thing to do, due to dogs being highly social creatures.
“I believe that dogs in general are happier with other dogs,” Borns-Weil said.
In fact, gifting your dog a companion can have multiple positive benefits for them. According to an article by The Spruce Pets, written by small animal expert Christina Donnelly, these benefits can include easing separation anxiety, making puppy training easier and allowing both pets to keep each other exercised and entertained. Another benefit to two dogs is twice the love.
“There’s nothing better than coming home to a pet who loves you unconditionally, and you can double down on that love with a second furry family member,” Donnelly said.
While multiple factors should be considered when adopting a second pet, including compatibility with the family and the potential companion, if you’re given the opportunity to save two dogs’ lives, the rewards outweigh the costs.
In my personal experience, having two dogs has always been beneficial for both animals. My dogs, Pepsi and Emmie, are two peas in an odd pod. Emmie is a gentle, giant golden retriever, and Pepsi is a maltipoo who is simply just there. While both are very different breeds, they’re around the same age with similar temperaments.
Pepsi’s behavior has improved astronomically with Emmie in her life, and she has definitely calmed down with her presence. Pepsi always makes sure Emmie makes it back inside, and Emmie always protects Pepsi from other pups at the dog park. And Pepsi’s companionship has eased Emmie’s separation anxiety immensely; she’ll never have to be alone, even if her companion is a little strange looking.
For the same reason we treat dogs as family, our pets may be in the same situation. Maybe try starting out with fostering a dog, but ultimately, the change from one dog to two will change your life for the better.
