2nd Dog

Question

Winston   Hi, I have a beagle/bassest hound whose around 5yrs of age and was maybe looking into getting a second dog for him as a playmate and while im away at college. I still live with my parents so they still would have lots of company, while im away. I was looking into maybe getting something thats a little more high energy breed, but im not to sure. I was wondering what you think would be best if getting a second would be a good option and the best breed/mutt, or just not getting a second dog ?

Thnaks.

Answer
There are so many breeds and mixes out there it is hard to say.  And even within each breed, each dog is different.  Perhaps this is a case where you should go to a shelter and follow your heart.  There are many nice dogs, and you can see how they look with little or no grooming. You can also see how they behave. Look for dogs that want your attention, but are not going wild. Leave the ones that retreat to the back of their cage. Look at their teeth. Look for ones that still show a 3 lobed, clove like pattern on the front ones. Leave the ones that fight letting you look at their teeth too much. If the points are worn off the teeth, it is an older dog that may break your heart by dying too soon. Pinch the web between its toes. It hurts. It is OK for the dog to pull away or whine, but it shouldn't growl, snap or show its teeth. Think about size. In a small apartment, a Golden might knock over the lamps when it walks through wagging its tail. Since the shelter likely will kill most of the dogs, you may as well pick out a nice one.