… with Emily Beckett, St. Anthony
Emily and Marc Bastarache from St. Anthony adopted Kanuk, a Husky/Lab mix, a few months ago. Recently they adopted another dog, Storm, a Siberian Husky.
Emily Beckett from St. Anthony and her two dogs Kanuk and Storm (Photo Marc Bastarache)
Emily, how come you and Marc adopted two dogs in such a short period?
Dogs are pack animals. We found that Kanuk absolutely loves to socialise with other dogs. It is better and often even easier to have two dogs. My husband says if you have one dog, you might as well have two dogs.
Why is it easier to have two dogs than one?
When dogs are left alone, they can get anxious and show signs of neurotic behavior. Kanuk seems much happier with a playmate. Now, Marc and I can run errands in town without worrying about household items being chewed up by Kanuk.
How do dogs become chewers?
People should be aware that when they are away for several hours, to put the dog in a crate (or to chain a dog up) is not the ideal solution. That is how they become destructive. They don`t get enough exercise. They have separation anxiety issues. Dogs need company, they are like humans. They are social by nature.
So now Kanuk is not a chewer anymore?
No, Kanuk is a lot more confident and relaxed since we’ve adopted the second dog. He loves Storm! We also provide chew toys for him to satisfy his need to chew things but we never leave him alone with these toys because they could be choking hazards.
So you had no problems bringing the two dogs together?
Kanuk always wants to visit other dogs when we walk together. We often ‘dogsit’ other dogs and Kanuk has responded beautifully. When we brought Storm home, we saw Kanuk’s disposition go from a very happy boy – to ecstatic. It is very obvious that we did the right thing.
Storm and Kanuk from St. Anthony
What do you tell dog owners who are contemplating adopting a second dog?
Dogs are wonderfully resilient and will quickly adjust to their new environment. Provide reassurance for new pets by being there for them and giving them lots of attention (and exercise too). Having two dogs enriches our household so much!
Anything else that you’d like to mention?
Marc and I feel so lucky! We feel really indebted to Samantha Keats from St. Anthony who is always looking for opportunities to find better situations for needy pets.
