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Pet adoption isn't an
impulse decision
June 26, 2008
When you share a household, every decision that's made -- from who's
going to do the dishes to what color to paint the walls -- is best
achieved when parties are in agreement. Emily, a sweet, shaggy
terrier mix, is an LA/SPCA shelter alumnus who was adopted by her
two humans, Scott and Dave, a year and a half ago. Emily is the only
dog in her loving and fun-natured home and her two human companions
are considering adopting another pet.
The decision might seem easy if we could simply hear Emily's
thoughts on the matter: "Emily, how do you feel about sharing your
favorite deck and your favorite back yard with a new friend? Would
you prefer a little brother or a little sister? Wag your tail twice
for yes, and once for no." Of course, if our dogs could communicate
with us in words or by encoded messages discerned from tail wagging
it would be much the same as asking a toddler to make a major
decision.
In the case of Emily, one of her humans would love Emily to have a
sibling she can interact and play with, especially when they are
both away at work. Emily's other human, on the other hand, is so
awash in the glow of how quickly Emily stole his heart, he can't
imagine spreading that love to another.
Their inability to come to a quick agreement is a good sign that
they both recognize it's a big decision to make. Bringing an animal
companion into the home should never be an impulse decision.
Does your lifestyle and that of your current dog make for a good
fit? Do you have enough time, expenses and space to handle the
addition? Another question to ask is whether your current dog is
socialized and able to interact with another dog. When a second dog
enters the home, it's natural for them to establish their pack
order, and little spats are common. Aggressive fights are much more
common when the second dog is the same gender as the first, so it's
recommended that a second dog introduced in the home be of the
opposite sex.
In the case of Emily, once her humans have done their research and
weighed all the pros and cons, I'm convinced the least of the
worries will be whether or not they have enough love to spread
around. In fact, when it comes to opening our home to more than one
furred friend, "polygamy" is often a very good thing indeed.
-
Gloria Dauphin
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