One of the first dog friends Pippi made when we moved to a new city was Caramel, a month-old labrador retriever puppy fostered by a family in our neighbourhood. During their first meeting, after playing for a while, Pippi cued Caramel to sniff around and soon she followed. Then, she got excited and began jumping all over Pippi, and he was done with her for the day. Caramel went home, and we continued our walk. Since then, every time we pass in front of Caramel’s house, she erupts in joy and invites Pippi to play — something he obliges on most days.
This heartwarming sight pulls at our heartstrings, and we wonder if it’s time to bring home another dog. We sometimes think it might be fun to see Pippi play big brother and share his colourful personality with the new pup. But that thought is soon eclipsed by the anxiety of how Pippi, a loner so far, might react to a new dog at his home. Should we or should we not get a companion dog for Pippi? We have been contemplating it for years because, like humans, dogs are a package of personalities and preferences, and striking the right match is not easy.
I’m not new to this idea. For about eight years of my life, our home was a two-dog household, albeit not planned that way. Rinky, a timid, ten-month-old malnourished Mudhol hound, was meant to be a ‘temporary’ guest at home but stole our hearts to stay forever. About a year in, Belli, a teeny-weeny one-month-old puppy, joined in when my dad came home with this fluffball clutched in his palms. Rinky’s motherly instincts soon kicked in, and she took Belli under her care, playing with her and caring for her until Belli turned into a rowdy teenager. Soon the love fizzled, and nagging fights took over. Yet, they tolerated each other without drawing blood and felt safe in each other’s company. Rinky’s separation anxiety vanished after Belli came, and she sorely missed Belli after she passed.
But Pippi’s personality and preferences are nothing like Rinky’s. We know for sure his predatory instincts are too strong to think of a cat or a rabbit or a hamster as our next pet. It will have to be a dog. While Pippi tolerates some adult dogs, especially females, he has a sweet spot for months-old puppies. But, the puppy must be ‘well-behaved’ in the dog world—it can’t keep jumping all over him or playing rough. If it did, Pippi would not hesitate to walk away and end the interaction. Worse, he’ll growl and let the puppy know his disappointment.
Pippi is extremely uncomfortable sharing his food or toys with others. His streetie life has taught him to guard everything that is his, including his humans, fiercely. He does not like even his closest doggie friends crossing the line here. He’d prefer eating in a separate space which other dogs would not have access to, having his own bed, his own car seat, and probably his own set of toys. The hypothetical sibling would have to toil hard and win Pippi’s trust enough to get close to any of us. I can also see wars erupt over a particularly cosy space on the couch, just like Rinky and Belli fought. But, unlike Rinky, Pippi is not the forgiving one.
Even if miraculously the two got along, there are no guarantees that would be the case for perpetuity. If their dynamics break down, we’d have to figure out what’s going on, often with professional help from a behaviourist and lots of self-guided research. In our busy lives, we’d have to carve out the time to care for another dog — a 15-year-long commitment to walk, feed and care for two dogs daily, come rain or shine. With busy schedules, it’s not easy for just one of us to balance the outdoor needs of both dogs and make it a rewarding experience. Organising pet boarding or pet sitting if we were to travel and planning for the vet costs add to the long list of things to consider.
But that’s not to say that pet parents should give up the idea of having a furry companion for our pets — after all, they are social animals just like us and would greatly benefit from having their own kind around. But, if one were to ask me, I’d hit pause. I’d try to list my pet’s preferences and personas based on my observations, and draw up a sketch of what my future pet would be like. Yes, there are no perfect matches, but shouldn’t we at least try?
Tailspin is your monthly column on everything that’s heartwarming and annoying about pet parenting.
The writer is a science communicator and mom to Pippi, a five-year-old rescued Indie, who is behind her drive to understand dogs better. She tweets @RamanSpoorthy