Without a doubt, multi-pet households need one key ingredient for everyone to coexist: harmony. When you’re introducing a new pup into a household with other pets, it’s normal to feel worried if they will get along. After all, poorly managed multi-pet homes involve a mix of aggression, jealousy, and disobedience, which are all recipes for disaster when you’re trying to create a loving environment for your pets. As such, it is essential for your new pup to have these distinct dog breed characteristics to ensure that it will play along nicely and coexist with other pets in your house.
Recent 2021 data in the US showed that the majority of the households own a dog, making up 63 million from 85 million pet owners. Moreover, generations Gen Z and Millenials make up a large portion of all pet owners in the US alone. This finding may be because the younger generation prefers having pets to having children since having children requires more maintenance and time.
If you’re thinking of bringing in another family member into your home, then you need to take a quick look at dog personality traits that can match all types of personalities, energy levels, and empathy.
The Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever: Loyal, Gentle, and Easy to Train
What more can we say about the goodest bois on the planet?
Both the golden and Labrador retriever breeds are known for being gentle, loving pets at home. Because of their ability to provide unconditional love for every creature they see, there is absolutely no doubt that they will get along with other animals at home.
The goldies and their cousins, the Labs, are equally wired to be playful at all times and are relatively easier to train compared to other pooches! As long as you oversee your pets’ interaction with each other, goldies and Labs are going to fit right into the family.
The Dachshund: High-Spirited, Youthful, and Petite
The dachshund is classified as a miniature scent hound bred to hunt small animals, like badgers and rabbits, or to follow the scent of wild boars. Nowadays, dachshunds coexist with humans at home as loyal watchdogs and loving family members. These small dogs have a youthful and enthusiastic outlook on life, plus they are intelligent enough to follow advanced commands when trained properly.
The dachshund’s petite size also makes it the perfect companion for cats or hamsters in the household. With its combination of versatility and size, the dachshund is another fine choice for a multi-pet home.
The Beagle: Adaptable, Curious, and Intelligent
Human-beagle relationships have stood the test of time, and for good reason. Beagles were originally bred to be hunters and guard dogs due to their exceptional tracking abilities, but they are also one of the most intelligent and adaptable breeds out there that makes them a perfect housemate in a multi-pet home.
Their gentle, playful disposition would work well with cats and fellow dogs— in fact, beagles are known for enjoying the company of other breeds more than their own! Since beagles are full of energy, they won’t be running out of games to play.
The German Shepherd: Obedient, Agile, and Smart
There’s no surprise that German Shepherds are probably one of the breeds that are easiest to train. That’s why people often associate the breed with being police or service dogs, but their capacity to do such work is primarily because German Shepherds are intelligent, confident, and social by nature, making them an ideal breed for multi-pet homes.
Most importantly, German Shepherds are naturally protective and loyal—may it be to you, your children, or other pups. They may look serious, but they’re a loving and affectionate breed.
The Labrador Retriever: Energetic, Fast Learning, and Easy Going
We can’t deny the similarities of the Labrador Retriever breed with the Golden Retriever. Although Labrador Retrievers need to be trained as pups, they are a fast learning breed eager to please their owners, so training them to be around people or other pets will not be a problem. They are also a loving breed, much like a Golden Retriever.
Since they are energetic by nature, daily playtime, exercise, or interaction with other dogs is essential. They will surely match any pet’s energy because they like to do almost any activity, especially swimming.
The Border Collie: Gentle, Loving, and Self-Aware
A descendant of the old Landrace Collie in the British Isles, the Border Collie has evolved from merely being a herding dog to being a gentle and loving companion at home. This popular pooch is widely known for pleasing its owners with its unwavering love and loyalty. It just can’t stop wagging its tail when its humans are around!
But how does the Border Collie fair with other pets in the household? Would it be an ideal dog breed for a multi-pet home, or would it just create more havoc around your other pooches? Long story short: the Border Collie works! Its calm and self-aware disposition allows it to easily adapt to its home environment and accept the possibility of co-existing with other animals in one place. A well-trained Border Collie may even be able to make new playmates at first glance!
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Bold, Tenacious, and Outgoing
There has to be a reason why the Queen of the United Kingdom chose the Pembroke Welsh Corgi as the royal family’s official dogs. Legend says that this adorable dog breed was once used as war horses for fairies before they were discovered by humans. There has to be some truth to this myth if the pooch can enchant even the longest-reigning monarch in world history!
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is known for having a bold and tenacious personality, as it is obsessed with playtime all the time. While this may sound like a bad idea for a multi-pet home, the Corgi surprisingly does well with other animals in the house. Its outgoing attitude blends perfectly well with other pets because everyone seems to be a playmate to them. It doesn’t matter if you’re a canine, a feline, or a human: if a Pembroke Welsh Corgi sees you, it will definitely want to play with you all day!
While there is no perfect dog personality that can fit right into any multi-pet home, these specific dog breed characteristics will undoubtedly help you maintain a safe and loving environment for the animals in your house. Whether it be a dog, cat, or hamster, it is always important to do your research and assess your situation before you allow your pets to socialize with each other!
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