Homes that already have pets always have a space for a dog! In fact, a dog can always be added to a house, no matter how many people and animals already reside in it. Some dogs, however, are friendlier compared to others and offer great companionship to other animals in the house. They become partners in crime, planning secret missions without you having a clue.
Be it a fellow grumpy cat, your parrot that just doesn’t stop talking, or another small dog that is super fast and agile, this dog doesn’t discriminate. It becomes friends with everyone! They are super-social and adaptable.
In this article, let’s discuss dogs suitable for homes with multiple pets and those that excel at making friends.
Dog Breeds For Homes With Multiple Pets
1. Labrador Retriever
A Labrador Retriever is one of the most nonchalant dogs out there, who can easily be a part of the pack in the house.
If you have multiple pets in your home, you can easily add this dog breed to it.
A multi-pet household requires a patient, peaceful, and non-aggressive mate, and a Lab is just exactly that. It not only mingles with cats, but it also becomes good pals with other dogs as well.
Showcasing a variation in its behaviour from being really fun and energetic at one point and down for a nap at the other, this dog gets along with high-energy pets as well as the procrastinators.
Socialise your dog pretty early in age so it knows how to behave in a multi-pet home.
Potential Best Friends: Parrots, rabbits (under supervision), Maine Coon cat
2. Golden Retriever
These dogs are absolute goldens at multi-pet homes!
The Golden Retriever wouldn’t care if a little kitten climbed on them. It would also let the rabbit sniff its paws. It is even friendly with the guinea pigs and loves hanging out with them!
They are smart! Their intelligence makes them easy to train. In a multi-pet household, you can teach them how to behave around other animals without getting triggered by their actions.
These dogs thrive in active homes. They are always up for an activity, and their friendly nature requires them to play along with other animals with whom they are mostly incredibly gentle.
Potential Best Friends: Cats and farm animals like cows and horses.
3. Beagle
Beagles are playful dog that has an extremely affectionate nature.
Being sociable animals, they can easily co-exist with other pets in the same household without being aggressive.
These are also highly adaptable. Hence, when they are already living in the home as the main pet and you bring home new pets, this dog won’t really throw a tantrum. Rather, it would adjust with the new pet and may even help it adjust to the house.
If you have multiple dogs in the house and one of them is a Beagle, you would notice how this dog would be really playful with them. In fact, this dog will play with them most of the time, and it will reduce boredom and the chances of potential destructive behaviours.
Potential Best Friends: Cats, Otters
4. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
This small dog with a gentle demeanor really comes with a sociable nature.
It doesn’t get jealous when you are playing with another pet in the house. Even if you serve the other pet its meal before the Cavalier, it wouldn’t really mind.
However, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel tends to get separation anxiety. Don’t be away from them for too long, or else you’ll start witnessing a change in their behaviour.
Given that you introduce this dog to other animals at a young age, the chances of it becoming their best friend increase.
Cavaliers are surely that one dog that has the potential to be a well-adjusted member in a multi-pet environment.
Potential Best Friends: Cats, parrots
5. Cocker Spaniel
With their affectionate and gentle temperament, the Cocker Spaniels are potentially wonderful companions in a multi-pet home.
As per Quora, they are sociable animals with a friendly temperament and would mingle with other animals quite well.
However, there are some special steps you need to take in order to ensure these dogs don’t showcase any unwanted behaviour. For instance, provide them with separate spaces, food, and toys to reduce potential conflicts.
Socialise these dogs with supervised, brief interactions. Don’t expect the dog to behave well from day one without training it first. Augment the proximity and time of interaction with time, and let the dog take its time to get comfortable with other animals
PDSA mentions that as these dogs have normal prey drive, they can live peacefully alongside small animals easily.
Proper training and socialisation will reduce the chances of fear biting and unpredictable attacks.
Potential Best Friends: Cats and other small pets.
6. Border Collie
Border Collie is originally a herding dog! Though it is a good companion in a multi-pet home and can even coexist peacefully in such a house, you’ll need to manage its certain behaviors, including gentle nipping.
The herding background of this collie may urge it to nip a new dog or a smaller animal in the house. By socialising the dog and training it well, you can manage this behaviour.
You need to start with fostering positive interactions and let the dog connect with the pets in the house naturally. Otherwise, it may want to dominate other pets of the same size.
Potential Best Friends: Cats, horses on the farm, guinea pigs
7. Boxer
This is a big dog with a very gentle demeanour!
PetPlan claims that Boxers, with their gentle demeanor, make great companions for almost all pets in a multi-pet household! They are loyal, affectionate, and full of love.
At times, a boxer may showcase an outburst of energy. In such situations, small animals like rabbits or hamsters should be kept under observation as they may get hurt by the boxer.
If you are bringing new pets into the house where you already have a boxer, make sure that it is similar in size. This is because boxers have a strong prey drive and may get tempted towards it if not socialized properly.
Potential Best Friends: Boston Terrier and Labrador
8. Shih Tzu
Proper introduction, training, and socialisation make a Shih Tzu a good addition to a multi-pet home.
If you are bringing this new puppy into the house, it will be able to adjust to other animals easily when compared to an adult dog coming to the house.
These dogs have an affectionate nature and get along with most animals. Thanks to their adaptability, they are able to have positive associations with pets in the house.
While you are socialising your dog with other pets, supervise the interactions and use positive reinforcement techniques.
Potential Best Friends: Maltese, Pugs, cats, and rabbits
9. Basset Hound
Basset Hound is an intelligent dog and a good choice for multi-pet homes.
When you bring a new pet into the home, you need to show some patience. This is because both pets would need time to adjust. During this period, socialise them gradually and let them deal with their own emotional challenges patiently.
Patience and initial supervision are the secret to a harmonious household. As Basset Hounds are laid-back companions, they rarely make any fuss over you giving more importance or time to the other pets!
Also, this dog comes with a pack mentality. Hence, once it is comfortable with other animals in the house, the Basset Hound World claims you’ll observe how great of friends they turn into, especially with the cats.
Potential Best Friends: Cats and other dogs of similar size
Conclusion
Dogs that are friendly in nature and showcase an affectionate nature to other animals make a great fit for a multi-pet household! If you pay special attention to the socialization of these animals, you can turn your home into a perfect living space for your family and all the pets you love!
