We already had two dogs when our rescue puppy Juniper came into our lives. Having had up to four dogs together in past we thought it would be a walk in the park to integrate Juniper into our little pack of two terriers, but we had some teething trouble, literally……
Feeling Outnumbered by Karen B London and Patricia B McConnell arrived in the post as a gift from a good friend. Not only was it a superbly informative but it was also a cathartic experience to learn that what we were going through was relatively normal: It’s never wise to assume that dogs should instantly like each other when they have been forced to share the same household.
Feeling Outnumbered delivered exactly what it said on the cover ‘how to manage and enjoy a multi-dog household.’ With just 42 pages, split into four chapters it’s an unintimidating read, the authors get straight to the point and it’s bursting with practical advice.
In ‘laying the foundation’ the authors guide the reader on how to work with each dog individually. I particularly liked the section ‘life is not always fair and that’s OK’ as it helped me to stop feeling guilty that I was spending more time with the puppy than with my two senior terriers.
Real life scenarios provide clear and logical guidance on how to manage key elements of day-to-day life such as being comfortable alone, greeting visitors and teaching one dog to be patient while another is getting attention. There’s also a very useful chapter on taking on a new dog and how to make initial introductions.
Prevention is always better than cure and Feeling Outnumbered provides some great pointers to help those with multi dog households stay out of trouble. It’s also a very realistic book with a closing section on signs that may indicate a serious problem and how, in some circumstances, rehoming may be the most responsible and the safest option.
Feeling Outnumbered has helped me manage a rather stressful period in this household and best of all it has given me better understanding of how to help my three hounds live in harmony. Thank you, Karen B London and Patricia B McConnell, and thank you to my good friend Cessi too.