There’s a New Kid (Dog) on the Block
We have a new addition to the Samberts household! And it’s a boy!
No, we didn’t have a baby. We adopted another dog! He’s a 4-year-old rat terrier mix named Charlie that we got from the awesomest shelter around. He’s two years older than our other terrier, Penny, but it’s nice that she has a friend.
We got him last Tuesday, and it’s been a little difficult to be totally honest. If you’ve ever had more than one kid, you probably know what I’m talking about. Penny was jealous, difficult, and turned into a dog I’d never really seen before. At first, we didn’t want to correct her behavior because we didn’t want her to feel like she was punished or left out because of the new dog. We quickly realized that was not the way to go; as soon as we started correcting her behavior, it got a lot better.
Last night, however, Charlie got a little overwhelmed and started growling at Penny and Tim. We’re sure it was a combination of several things, but it was pretty nerve-wracking. Today was much better, so we’re hoping it was a fluke.
Charlie is still really nervous. He won’t come upstairs, and he’d rather be in his crate than anywhere else. Penny is sitting with me in my office as I write this, but Charlie is downstairs on the couch, even though no one is down there with him. We did take a really long, great walk today, though, so that’s positive.
I’m excited to welcome Charlie into our home, even if I’m a little sad that our one-dog family has changed so much. I definitely didn’t expect things to change as much as they did, but a lot of it is for the better. Penny and Charlie are teaching each other new things all the time, and it feels really great to know we rescued another dog. We’re still watching him to be sure that the growling was a one-time thing because we don’t want to endanger anyone, but I think it’ll all work out in the end.
So, to brighten up your Monday, here are some Penny and Charlie pictures! Penny is the brown and white dog, and Charlie is the black and white dog.
Congratulations on your newest addition! Being a mom of two dogs (and getting one three years after we had the first), I know the challenges (and joys) two dogs bring. Unsolicited advice if I may: make sure Penny knows where she stands in the pack. Obviously she knows that you and Tim are alpha (and probably equally so 😉 ), but she is probably confused as to where she stands. Is she the underdog? Is Charlie? What’s going on?!!! Make sure you to little things to help Penny know that she hasn’t been moved to the bottom of the pack. Things like making sure Penny gets her food and treats before Charlie (even if it’s just a minute or two) can help reassure her of her place. Or putting on Penny’s leash first. Correcting her like you did helped remind her that you guys are alpha, which reassured her because dogs need to know who their alpha is. I found tons of helpful stuff on-line when I knew we would be getting a second dog, and I really think it helped make our transition fairly easy. Good luck with your pups!