So your favorite pooch looks lonely, or you love them so much that you want to get them a friend, or you come across a stray at a shelter and have got to give them a forever home. Any one of these scenarios, and many more, may make your household go from a one dog home to a two dog home.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, and no one will ever complain about a shelter dog finding a place to call home, but there are some things to consider. Firstly, you may think that as pack animals, dogs would just naturally get along. After all, you are just bringing home a member of the pack, so all should be good, right? Secondly, even in packs out in the wild, there are rules and regulations that apply to all of the dogs that are banded together, and if these rules are not tolerated by single members of the pack, they will be expelled. So, keeping all of this in mind, here are some tips to make sure that you’ll have an easy time managing two dogs in the house.

You are the Alpha of the Pack

Every dog pack or clan has an alpha female or male that lays the groundwork and the rules. In your home clan, you are the alpha dog and what you say goes. You should not play favorites and treat each dog as equals. A stern “NO” will keep either of the two dogs in place, and fighting between dogs is absolutely not allowed. (Of course, play fighting doesn’t count.)

You rule, and you enforce the rules, and if you have to when one misbehaves, send them to the crate or their bed for a few minutes to teach them that what they did is not acceptable.

Feeding Time

A lot of fights and bad manners happen around feeding time, so keeping them separate during feeding is a very wise choice. Always feed the calmest member of the two first, and make sure you keep the other dog’s attention away from the first dogs food.

Fair is Fair

Make sure you divide your time equally between the two dogs, Fair is fair and neither one should feel neglected by you for the other. If one begs for more attention, make sure you reciprocate in kind to the other dog so they both see there are no favorites.

My Space, Your Space, Everyone’s Space

Unless there are dedicated bedding spaces for each dog, or dedicated crates, then all the space around the house should be shared equally. If one dog lays on the bed the other should be allowed that luxury too. If one likes to sleep on the couch, then let the other one sleep there as well. Obviously, if they have

their own beds that’s something else, but then just make sure they each have their own bed. If you can make them feel equal, you won’t have to worry about one or the other trying to take control.

Play Time

Playful dog fighting is common, and biting necks, tails, jumping and mouthing each other is all a part of the game. But make sure to watch them for the first several times they play together. If one tries to assert dominance and turn a play into genuine rough housing, you have got to be able to nip that behavior in the bud. If you don’t, you’ll have all kinds of trouble down the road.

Treats

Dogs love treats and you probably love to give them treats as much as they like getting them. But never tease one or the other and never ever show a preference for one getting a treat while the other just watches and gets nothing. If one gets a treat they both get a treat, and that way there will never be any animosity towards each other

Twice as Nice

If you use the tips above, both of your dogs will become great friends, they will respect you as a leader, and they will both do their best to please you any which way they can. That’s twice as nice for everyone.

About Author

A special thanks to Mary Nielsen who is a passionate dog lover, blogger, and part-time music teacher. She started MySweetPuppy  to share her ups and downs of being a pet parent to a bunch of adorable mutts. When she is not playing with them or teaching, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen.  Here is the link to Mary’s website website:  http://mysweetpuppy.net