Who Are The Friends Of Your Best Friend?

After we discussed the different types of dog breeds and their possible matchup with their human friends, a question was raised by a reader (and fellow Animal Scene columnist) Stef Dela Cruz: “What would you advise someone to look for when matching a dog with other pets?”

- Johnny Filart

Interesting question! When doing so, one has to simply remember the dog’s origin being rooted in wolves. The wolf is a predatory animal, so anything it can fit in its mouth is fair game, if you go by instinct. Enough good temperament has been bred in most domesticated dog breeds that oftentimes we forget that they automatically react based on instinct, especially in a non-controlled environment.

Consider this: if you as a pet owner, spend at least fifteen minutes with your dogs per day, you can teach your pet dogs to live with most domesticated animals such as cats and other medium sized pets. Rabbits and guinea pigs, which are both wolves’ prey in the wild, may come to an intimate relationship with most pet dogs given the proper introduction and management when all your pets are around.

Jealousy occurs depending on our own actions towards both our pet dog and other pets. It largely depends on if we, as pet owners, are willing to serve as the alpha male or head of the pack for our dogs and other pets. That being said, you have to invest your time once you choose other types of pets to have around you and your dog. Obviously when you are at work or away, the wisest thing to do is separate your pets in that they have separate enclosures within the home.

If you are considering reptiles as your other pets, look at the nature and build of these reptiles. Large tortoises are not only hardy and big enough to defend themselves, the nature of these cold blooded reptiles who are not accustomed to go on offensive in the wild will simply drive your pet dogs away through sheer boredom.