[Dailydrool] Getting another dog

[V. Tata-Phillips]

We have been rescuing Bassets (and one dachshund who thinks he is a Basset) for many years.  I write from our experience and recognize that you may not all have found what I have......but we always have found it easier to add a male dog, and younger, to an established household.  We had one alpha B...h for many years, good old Winnie, and she always was quite welcoming and willing to show the ropes to any young boy dogs who entered our happy home.  Our Alpha now is only 17 months old, but she is also a female rescue.  The older boys steer clear of her when she is eating or has a toy - the only one of our 5 not wary of her is her 7 month old brother who has been with us for 3 months now and is fearless.
 
Whew!  So from my experience, it is easier to add a younger male to a household with a female dog (or a pack of dogs) already there.  And about the bad habits - Sweet Pete is chewing on all new things that Hannah Lee Dawg never did - like the boxspring of our king size bed - and his older brother, Duffy, is teaching him to howl.  Pete mostly barks harmony but he is trying to howl to the moon, or the ceiling, or anything he sees when he points his snooter to the sky and lets loose.   I am sure Pete will teach our next rescue to eat poop-his worse habit!
 
Best suggestion?  A male dog around 1 year or 18 months old - unless you want to deal with a puppy which is always a challenging joy or a senior who will be just very grateful to have a forever home.   Whenever I decide I need a mostly black male or an older female - a buppy comes into our lives or an oldster or someone I never expected - and it becomes the very best dog I have ever had - every time! 
GinnyTata-Phillips, author of DOGKU and PETKU
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