Would it harm her to bring another dog into the house? Would she get used to it? Or would she always be jealous? We would like to bring in a puppy because we enjoy bonding from the beginning, and I would like to train the dog. Should it be female, male or a puppy? Does the breed matter? S.A., Silver Spring
DF: I appreciate your concerns. Your dog has been well socialized into accepting your friends’ dog staying with you while they are on vacation, so I see no problems.
Adopt a pup from an animal shelter, provided that he or she has a clean bill of health, has been wormed and treated for fleas and given core vaccinations.
The sex of the pup is not too important because neutering is to come, but a male who will grow to about the same size as your present dog might be your best choice.
Have the two dogs meet outside on neutral territory, such as a quiet side street or park, and walk them home after they have had time to sniff and check each other out. This will enrich all of your lives.
WILD THINGS
Dear Dr. Fox:
Three years ago, three feral kittens showed up at our campsite, begging and crying. The only thing I had to feed them was bread. For two days, I fed them bread and milk.
The next time we went to the camp, I fed them hot dogs and bread. Winter was coming, and they were terribly thin. Only the orange tabby showed up on our last trip. I took him home and bought a sack of dry cat food. He has been doing very well on that. He was treated for worms, checked for feline leukemia and given his shots.
The problem is that he will almost exclusively eat only dry food, with the exception of mashed cantaloupe. He does get a tablespoon of canned cat food, but eats only a small amount if it is mashed with water. I would like to switch him over to a diet you recommend, but he eats none of those things.
A.K., New Brighton, Minn.
DF: Feeding kittens born in the wild that are often dumped by irresponsible cat owners is a feel-good response, but unless they are caught, neutered, wormed, given good nutrition and found good homes, that response simply prolongs their lives and suffering. Those cats and their offspring that do survive will breed and multiply, which means more suffering and in many areas a significant loss of wildlife when the adult cats hunt and kill birds and small mammals to survive.
Good for you for eventually rescuing at least one of these feral survivors. Ideally, you should have caught all three when they were young and taken them home with you or to an animal shelter. The longer kittens stay out in the wild, the more difficult it is for them to lose their fear of people and adapt to living indoors.
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