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I (27m) am in the process of rescuing my second dog with my significant other. (27m) We have deliberated for over a year and agreed that we want to get a second dog since we have the financial stability (200k salary), history (both come from families with dogs), and time (both partial WFH and very flexible schedules.. like i could work 5 AM - 12 Noon and he can work 10 AM - 5 PM). We were waiting for a bigger apartment and to stabilize financially. We feel the apartment we live in, in New Jersey is big enough (1100sqft with a 12x8 balcony, multiple dog parks in complex, and a fenced in field) will be great enough. When my dog is alone for 3-4 hours some days, I think it would be great for her to have company. Even though according to my camera she sleeps lol.
I currently have a 3 year old female spayed dog that I have had since she was 8 weeks old. She came from a local family in NC whos dogs… had puppies. So i took her. She has the best thing ever. She is a 40 pound Lab-Shepherd-Hound mix. Something like that lol. She has 0 aggression, and looooves dogs smaller and the same size as her. Cuddle monster. Easy to train. And loves to walk and do stuff.
So, I volunteer every year at this shelter in Aruba. And its getting busy. I fell in love with the Cunucu breed. They are hound mixes and only get to about 35-40 pounds. Friendly. Easy to get along with. There are so many in the shelter. I feel the Cunucu breeds would be a perfect match for my family and our situation at the current time. Relatively active, good with another dog and loves people. I dont and wont have kids, so thats no issue there lol.
However, getting a second dog is always tough. I have a few questions regarding this:
1. Since I have a 3 year old female. Typically, what is the best type of dog to introduce to her. Another female, or male? I see conflicting answers everywhere. My dog reacts fine to both.
2. Is there anything you recommend I consider before moving forward? I have already began to adjust my schedules, got pet insurance quotes. From Trupanion, and have planned out the training schedules and time dedication if i move forward. After getting a dog three years ago and being heavily involved in the shelter, I feel I have a good decent amount of knowledge on what to do. However, I never want to assume.
3. The first few days/weeks we will be with them 24/7, both dogs, and watch interactions between the two. Any behavior tricks?
4. Furthermore, any tips other than tricks you should recommend to me that YOU wish you knew or others did before they got their second dog.
I would say we are ready. But I want this environment to be perfect for my new rescue in Aruba. Also, I will keep donating and volunteering every trip I make
I am open to any and all suggestions. Thank you thank you!!!
I volunteer every year at this shelter in Aruba. And its getting busy. I fell in love with the Cunucu breed. They are hound mixes and only get to about 35-40 pounds. Friendly. Easy to get along with. There are so many in the shelter.
I assume you intend to ship your newly rescued dog by plane? Rescues are stressed out enough already. To have them be in the cargo hold for 5 hours would really not be good for the dog at all.
I'm sad for the plight of dogs in other countries, but there are lots of Cunucu-specific rescue organizations right here in the US. There is one in NYC, in fact. That's where I would start. You could take your dog to visit to make sure they would get along (the rescue would probably require it anyway; mine does).
Good luck! I have four rescues, but I have a fenced-in yard and a doggy door. It can be a lot, but it's very rewarding watching them all play together.
I assume you intend to ship your newly rescued dog by plane? Rescues are stressed out enough already. To have them be in the cargo hold for 5 hours would really not be good for the dog at all.
I'm sad for the plight of dogs in other countries, but there are lots of Cunucu-specific rescue organizations right here in the US. There is one in NYC, in fact. That's where I would start. You could take your dog to visit to make sure they would get along (the rescue would probably require it anyway; mine does).
Good luck! I have four rescues, but I have a fenced-in yard and a doggy door. It can be a lot, but it's very rewarding watching them all play together.
On 1: Below seat rescue. They do not go on the cargo hold since they are under 15 pounds. Basically someone like you or I will volunteer to be a “flight volunteer”. The rescue I am interested in has 20+ flight volunteers throughout the next two months to EWR alone, but only 1-2 adoptions. Specifically, I am interested into a recently abused dog that passed away, her puppies. Animal abuse is legal in Aruba and theres no end in sight so I want to help them out too. Cargo hold is not allowed and has to be through Copa Airlines via Panama City, Panama. Something like that. The cunucu rescue here… one of them in Massachusetts works directly with the one im interested in and they get the dogs from them too. So i just help transport one less dog to the states? i guess this is the way im seeing it.
This is an issue too that I forgot to mention. My biggest hesitation of adopting a rescue, is not adopting the other ones. If I adopt Dog A, I feel an immense guilt on Dog B or Dog C that I didn’t take. That’s my biggest hesitation. I want to do whats right but deep down, Dog B and Dog C might get left behind when I could have saved them. Then what about the other rescues i didnt see yet? What about those dogs?
Anybody else have this guilt when getting your little guy and how did you overcome this?
They do not go on the cargo hold since they are under 15 pounds.
...
This is an issue too that I forgot to mention. My biggest hesitation of adopting a rescue, is not adopting the other ones. If I adopt Dog A, I feel an immense guilt on Dog B or Dog C that I didn’t take. That’s my biggest hesitation.
Ah, I thought you had said they weighed ~40lbs. That is much better!
I get where you're coming from, but you just can't save them all.
Ah, I thought you had said they weighed ~40lbs. That is much better!
I get where you're coming from, but you just can't save them all.
My apologies! They are puppies now. At full size will grow to be about 40sh pounds, give or take. I assume around month 6 or 7? But now the ones I am interested are 9 and 10 pounds.
Thank you for all you're doing for these poor animals. Life would be perfect if we all had acres of land and could adopt multiple dogs, but at least you will be giving one lucky dog a loving home. In my mind it doesn't matter where the dog is coming from, whether it's in your own country, or overseas, a dog in need, is a dog in need.
You seem to have all the logistics nailed down and I don't have much advice I can give. Ideally they should meet on neutral ground first before bringing the new puppy into your current dog's space. Meeting in a local park first for a walk would be a good idea. I've only had female dogs and they've gotten on perfectly. I've avoided males because (in my mind) I didn't want them lifting their legs and marking my furniture.
Some possibly helpful advice. There is no way to guarantee your current dog will get along with the new dog, but the most likely combination to succeed would be to get a neutered male.
Something that works well is to introduce the dogs by leash walking in a neutral area and then walking home and bring the new dog in that way... if the new puppy is vaccinated and trained to walk on a leash.
Focus your attention on the existing dog, Treat the existing dog as the favorite. Reinforce the existing dog's position of top dog. First treats, first dinner, first petting. That will make it a lot easier for the existing dog to accept the new dog and it will not hurt the puppy's feelings. On the contrary, it will give the puppy a clearly defined position in the pack and it will make the puppy more comfortable.
On 1: Below seat rescue. They do not go on the cargo hold since they are under 15 pounds. Basically someone like you or I will volunteer to be a “flight volunteer”. The rescue I am interested in has 20+ flight volunteers throughout the next two months to EWR alone, but only 1-2 adoptions. Specifically, I am interested into a recently abused dog that passed away, her puppies. Animal abuse is legal in Aruba and theres no end in sight so I want to help them out too. Cargo hold is not allowed and has to be through Copa Airlines via Panama City, Panama. Something like that. The cunucu rescue here… one of them in Massachusetts works directly with the one im interested in and they get the dogs from them too. So i just help transport one less dog to the states? i guess this is the way im seeing it.
This is an issue too that I forgot to mention. My biggest hesitation of adopting a rescue, is not adopting the other ones. If I adopt Dog A, I feel an immense guilt on Dog B or Dog C that I didn’t take. That’s my biggest hesitation. I want to do whats right but deep down, Dog B and Dog C might get left behind when I could have saved them. Then what about the other rescues i didnt see yet? What about those dogs?
Anybody else have this guilt when getting your little guy and how did you overcome this?
Years ago, almost 20 years now, I went to adopt at a shelter in the south, it was a high kill shelter. This was very, very difficult, but I went with the idea that I could save one. (PERIOD) It was either go with that in mind, or not go at all. I had picked out one on Petfinder, but saw 2 or 3 others while there as they were packed with pups, but ultimately left with the best pup I ever had in my life, the one I had identified on Petfinder. We adopted another senior adult dog from a shelter a few later, and again, I could save one.
You are saving one to give a good home. We do the best that we can do, save one. (at least one at a time)
I (27m) am in the process of rescuing my second dog with my significant other. (27m) We have deliberated for over a year and agreed that we want to get a second dog since we have the financial stability (200k salary), history (both come from families with dogs), and time (both partial WFH and very flexible schedules.. like i could work 5 AM - 12 Noon and he can work 10 AM - 5 PM). We were waiting for a bigger apartment and to stabilize financially. We feel the apartment we live in, in New Jersey is big enough (1100sqft with a 12x8 balcony, multiple dog parks in complex, and a fenced in field) will be great enough. When my dog is alone for 3-4 hours some days, I think it would be great for her to have company. Even though according to my camera she sleeps lol.
I currently have a 3 year old female spayed dog that I have had since she was 8 weeks old. She came from a local family in NC whos dogs… had puppies. So i took her. She has the best thing ever. She is a 40 pound Lab-Shepherd-Hound mix. Something like that lol. She has 0 aggression, and looooves dogs smaller and the same size as her. Cuddle monster. Easy to train. And loves to walk and do stuff.
So, I volunteer every year at this shelter in Aruba. And its getting busy. I fell in love with the Cunucu breed. They are hound mixes and only get to about 35-40 pounds. Friendly. Easy to get along with. There are so many in the shelter. I feel the Cunucu breeds would be a perfect match for my family and our situation at the current time. Relatively active, good with another dog and loves people. I dont and wont have kids, so thats no issue there lol.
However, getting a second dog is always tough. I have a few questions regarding this:
1. Since I have a 3 year old female. Typically, what is the best type of dog to introduce to her. Another female, or male? I see conflicting answers everywhere. My dog reacts fine to both.
2. Is there anything you recommend I consider before moving forward? I have already began to adjust my schedules, got pet insurance quotes. From Trupanion, and have planned out the training schedules and time dedication if i move forward. After getting a dog three years ago and being heavily involved in the shelter, I feel I have a good decent amount of knowledge on what to do. However, I never want to assume.
3. The first few days/weeks we will be with them 24/7, both dogs, and watch interactions between the two. Any behavior tricks?
4. Furthermore, any tips other than tricks you should recommend to me that YOU wish you knew or others did before they got their second dog.
I would say we are ready. But I want this environment to be perfect for my new rescue in Aruba. Also, I will keep donating and volunteering every trip I make
I am open to any and all suggestions. Thank you thank you!!!
This is completely your decision on whether to get a second dog. We have 2 family dogs in the house, thanks to my eldest daughter and my middle daughter for repeatedly asking their aunts. My youngest is really close to both of the dogs.
Dogs are a lot of responsibility but, they are great to have as a pet and around the house.
Get a male puppy and either a huge wire dogcrate or a small wire dog pen to keep the puppy in for 2 to 4 weeks while they get to know each other.
Then when they appear to be friends, get the male neutered. When the doc predicted he is recovered, then take them for leash walks while they sniff sidewalks and short trails together. No need for pen separation any longer.
They will now be friends and can sit and cuddle with both of you at home. In my experience.
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i guess this is the way im seeing it. 
