Is it possible for a dog to be perfectly well behaved in a home with 5 dogs, yet be aggressive to his new house mate? What about a dog that comes from a hoarding situation, is there any chance this dog could be dog aggressive? One would think that a dog which lived with cats before would be fine in a new home with cats. Not always.
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| Size does not matter. |
We know that many dogs will be on their best behavior when greeting a larger pack of humans, dogs or even cats. However, this same dog may be much more pushy or aggressive if greeting just one member of a pack.
Many dogs love playing with other dogs, yet some dogs can only play in small groups or even with only one other dog at a time. If a litter is made of one or 2 pups, then these pups may not enjoy playing in a group as it is something they have never experienced.
Remember the environment plays a huge role in shaping our pups behavior. And, yes, the number of members in a home does matter.
Many dogs come out of homes in which they co-existed with many other species just fine. This does not make them love this species. Too often I hear about an adopted dog that was “thriving in a home with multiple cats, only to be terrorizing the cat in his new home.” Numbers matters and being a bully can be fun — especially when he’s no longer out-numbered!
I recently walked a small Scottie through a local park that was full of large sea gulls. This dog would normally bark and lunge at both cats and squirrels, however upon seeing a large colony of birds on the bank of the pond, this Scottie turned away and pulled on the leash in the opposite direction. I was surprised at first, but then quickly realized we were clearly out numbered!
As an owner, especially of a newly adopted dog or one who has recently moved to a new location or environment, be aware of the numbers! They matter!