Getting a dog..

Dh and I are looking into getting a second dog. We just lost Toby a few weeks ago but Sandy is miserable being alone. It maybe a little soon but I have a month of from school coming up so we figured is would be good timing. We are looking at rescuing a Shiba Inu. Sandy is a Shiba & we love them. My question is can 2 female dogs get along in the same household? Or should we get a male?

Re: Getting a dog..

I am not sure. I have a male and female dog and they get along great.

BTW, I am glad to hear you are considering a friend for Sandy.

I you are hanging in there.

Re: Getting a dog..

I have been told 2 female Shibas from different litters are a bad mix.

Re: Getting a dog..

Why a Shiba Inu? What about the breed interests you? I'm just curious. I never heard of them until I saw that live webcam of the Shiba Inu mom taking care of her puppies.

Does Sandy perk up with other dogs now, even with Toby gone? If not, I would wait a little longer to let her adjust to the change. Adding another new dog to the household will force a re-evaluation of the pack, and all the members in it. She might have even more trouble with that.

If you feel that she's ready, I'd spend a significant amount of time with a potential adoptee and Sandy. Consider that Sandy will see any dog as a challenge, coming into your home, so if they appear to be challenging each other a lot outside the home, it might not be good.

What kind of personality does Sandy have with other dogs? Submissive, dominant?

Re: Getting a dog..

Posted by MsMBV

I have been told 2 female Shibas from different litters are a bad mix.

Re: Getting a dog..

Sandy is a Shiba Inu but does not have the typical Shiba traits because of the way she was raised before we got her. We have always wanted to get one that has the shiba inu traits. They are funny, smart and curious dogs. We would love a puppy but we don't have the time to dedicate to a puppy at the moment.

Sandy does perk up when there are other dogs around. She is not at all aggressive & is submissive.

Message edited 11/15/2010 6:21:27 PM.

Re: Getting a dog..

Sounds like she could adjust well to any dog then. Obviously you wouldn't want a total brute, but we had a submissive dog and got one that was more dominant, and it's been fine. I heard the same about female/female, male/male etc and we happen to now have 1 of both, but it didn't dictate our choice. The right dog is the right dog, regardless of sex, color, etc.

And, I totally hear you on the puppy front. I don't think we'll ever have one, it's just not something we want to take on. I hope you can find an older Shiba Inu to adopt, they're gorgeous.