What is the ULTIMATE toy for your dog?

Couldn’t access your first audio. Don’t have flash either; why should I need it to access an audio?

But I figured out from the comments what the subject was.

I agree that having another dog can be a great thing in certain situations. I have a older dog, a chow shepherd akita mix that I adopted from a shelter. She’s great around people and other dogs. We have had other dogs staying at our house for extended stays when we dog sit.

But everything changed when, a month and a half ago, I brought my new guide dog home. My sweet Ginger, the adopted one, who has always been so well socialized and gotten along so well with visiting dogs, finally figured out that Misty, my guide, isn’t a visitor, that not only is she staying, but she gets to go out with me most of the time when Ginger can’t. My husband is home with her most of the time since he works from home. But now, she has started bullying Ginger mercilessly. She tries to get her food, gets the ball every time I try to play with them, tries to get to Misty’s food dish, pushes ahead when I take Misty out even though I still care for Ginger, feed her, walk her, groom her. They play well but often their “play” seems to be a bid for dominance or for my attention. I guess I’m going to have to call the trainers at the school where I got Misty because it is getting worse and I don’t want her to be intimidated by Ginger. I have seen that kind of thing ruin other guide dogs. It breaks their spirits.

But, the thing with guide dogs is a whole different situation. You can’t explain to a beloved pet why she can’t always go with you when another dog, one she considers an interloper, is allowed to go everywhere. I know of situations where it has worked out, even where the old retired guide watches a new guide assume what was the older one’s job. But htat is often because the older retired guide wants to spend his senior years enjoying his well-earned retirement. But gwhen I got Ginger I was between guides. I had lost my last to cancer and blindness and was still grieving so didn’t get another guide right away. But Ginger had always seemed submissive to us and gotten along so well with other dogs. She walked well on a leash, responded to obedience commands, was affectionate. Now I feel like everything is coming apart. So, while I agree in theory and even in principle that having multiple dogs can be a great thing, I know there has to be supervision and understanding on the part of the family and pack structure has to be maintained. I’m sure (Oh, I hope!) that this will work out. I saw a case recently with a friend of where it didn’t because her husband’s guide dog, who was there first, dominated and scared the new dog so he stopped wanting to guide. I need to get on top of this before something like that happens.
Marda

This is good to know. However, I would like to know if this even applies to older dogs. My dog is almost 9 years young and I wanted to get another dog. I feel that it might not work out since she is older and a younger dog might be to wild for her. And likewise, that the older dog might be too boring for the younger one. Did the trainer mention anything about older dogs? My girl has always been the only dog in the house. She does get along with other dogs just and also our cat. I love to hear more on this. Thanks again for sharing and helping us make choices that will lengthen our best friends’ lives.

I TOTALLY AGREE I HAVE 5 DOGS. I STARTED WITH 1. SHITZU ROTTIE MIX HIS NAME WAS KAYLO HE TRULY WAS THE BEST DOG HE STARTED IT ALL. tHEN MY KIKI WAS NEXT SHE WAS AN AKITA SHE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM. THEN i GOT 2 CHIHUAHUA’S NENA AND CHYNA. BUT KAYLO DIED WAITED A FEW YRS. TILL I GOT JADA (AKITA) i THINK I WAITED I LITTLE TO LONG. JADA IS A GREAT DOG BUT SOMETIMES SHE DOESNT GET ALONG WITH MY CHIHUAHUA’S A FRAID SOMETIMES TO LEave them alone. SO I GATE UP AN AREA JUST IN CAUSE SO THEY COULD GET AWAY IF THEY HAVE TO. SHE ALREADY GOT THEM ONCE AND HURT THEM BAD BUT I BELEIVE IF SHE WANTED TO KILL THEM SHE COULDVE. SHE IS A PUP NEXT TO THEM BUT SO BIG. HOW COULD I GET THEM TO GET ALONG ANY TIPS. THEY ALL KNOW I AM THE ALPHA BUT WHEN IM NOT THERE COULD BE DIFFERENT STORY….. ANY TIPS

Great info! Interaction with another dog in household is a wonderful way to burn energy as well as curb destruction caused by boredom! Dogs that have no interaction with their own kind lack socialization skills and doggie manners. For this reason alone, good idea to enroll your pup in daycare at a young age for proper socialization skills and also to burn energy! A tired pup is a well behaved pup!!