If you own a pet, you’ll surely understand which small pets can live with your dog. Owning a pet is like being a parent. Some parents are content with just one child. But there are others who simply can’t say ‘No’ to one more child, just because they already have a child. Similarly, some pet owners are content with just owning one dog.
But there are also others who want to share the bond they have with their dog with other pets. If you are someone who belongs to the latter category, have you ever thought of owning a small pet in addition to your dog?
Small pets are absolutely awesome creatures. In many ways, they are similar to your dog. They are affectionate, cute, can be trained, and will be happy to see you every time. But if you already own a dog and want to own a small pet, you have to make sure that your small friend can coexist with your dog.
In this blog post, we list three small pets that can get along with your dog. If, after reading this blog post, you are intrigued and would like to learn more about small pets, Small Pets Genie can help you out.
Guinea Pigs
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If it is a competition of cuteness, guinea pigs can definitely make it to the top ten list. They are adorable creatures.
In many ways, they are similar to your dog. Just like your dog runs to the door to greet you when you return home, guinea pigs run to their cage bars to greet their owners; Just like your dog loves to climb on you, they love to climb on their owners; Just like your dog loves to be cuddled by you, they love to be held by their owners; Just like you can teach your dog tricks, guinea pigs can be taught simple tricks as well.
If your dog is happy, he will wag his tail (Caution alert – A dog wagging its tail could have other reasons as well). Similarly, if a guinea pig is happy, she might start popcorning (What is Popcorning, you ask? It is an interesting behaviour to watch. Search for it on Youtube ;p).
Since you already own a dog, taking care of a guinea pig should be a no-brainer because guinea pigs don’t take up as much time, effort, or money as a dog. But if taken care of properly, they can live for 5+ years. So, they are great for kids (6+ years under supervision).
Guinea pigs can be great pets. But can your dog get along with a guinea pig?
Absolutely.
If you slowly introduce your guinea pig to your dog, giving time for them to warm up to one another, they can become great friends who would love to cuddle each other. But make sure you always supervise them when they are together to make sure that you can separate them if your dog becomes aggressive. Your dog will surely rejoice to have another interspecies friend other than his human master.
Chickens
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Many people count chicken out as food. Some others think chickens can only be farm animals, not pets. But amazingly, chickens can be great pets as well.
Chickens can be useful pets if you have a garden. They can eat the pests that infect plants. They can also help you reduce the food waste in your family. Instead of throwing away scraps of food, you can feed them to your chicken. As long as they haven’t gone bad and don’t contain spices, your chicken can eat them. So, unlike a dog, you don’t have to spend as much time and money on your chicken.
Chickens are generally quiet pets, even though they make some vocalisations now and then. Like many other pets, chickens have individual personalities. Hence, it is difficult to generalise their behaviour. But that being said, most chickens are comfortable around people if you talk to them from an early age. They allow humans to pet them. Some might even get attached to you, staying close to you when you are around.
Some of them are curious, following you everywhere to see what you’re doing. And some might fly and sit on your lap, showing that they are comfortable around you.
But keeping a chicken as a pet is not as simple as keeping a dog as a pet. They are social animals. So, they are better kept in flocks. If keeping a flock is not possible, keeping at least two chickens together is highly recommended.
Moreover, chickens are not suited to be pets that live indoors. They are happy outdoors. So, you may have to build a chicken coop for your chickens outside the house. And expect to spend some time feeding your chickens and cleaning the chicken coop. In addition to that, chickens can carry diseases that can spread to humans. So, if they stay indoors, these diseases can quickly spread to you.
So, you have to keep them outdoors. Also, wash your hands every time you handle your chickens. Owning a chicken can be challenging at the beginning. But it can be a rewarding experience if you’re willing to persevere.
Since chickens are prey animals, you might think that your dog would be a huge threat to them, and they would be scared of your dog. But surprisingly, chickens and dogs can get along together pretty well if you raise them in the company of your dog since they are chicks. However, it is advisable to supervise them when they are together.
Lizards
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I am sure that many people, my parents included, wouldn’t be able to digest the fact that lizards can be kept as pets. However, lizards, too, can be kept as pets. But you have to understand that they aren’t the same as dogs.
You can’t train them as much as you can train your dogs, and you can’t comfortably cuddle them. But they are pets in their own right and if you can like them for what they are, they can become awesome companions too. But before you decide to keep a lizard as a pet, you should first check with your country’s regulations, as some types of lizards are banned in some countries.
But if your country permits keeping the type of lizard you like as a pet, you can consider keeping a lizard as a pet.
Lizards are great pets for children as well as first-time pet owners. Unlike many other pets, lizards don’t need much maintenance. All you need is a tank to keep the lizard in.
Lizards are silent creatures too. So they won’t get you into any trouble with your neighbours.
Lizards are very inquisitive. They love to know everything that’s going on around them. If you enter the room where you keep a lizard, he will look at you to find out what you are doing. If he is bored, he might tap on his tank. Then, you can let him take a walk inside the house.
Lizards are intelligent creatures. So, you can teach them some basic tricks. But it cannot be done overnight. It takes time, patience, and persistence to train your little buddy.
Moreover, they can quickly bond with humans. Of course, they may not connect with you the same way as your dog. But hey, they can climb on your fingers and hold on to them to explore you (Your dog can’t do that, can it? ;p).
But while lizards can be very good pets, can a lizard and a dog get along?
Well, a dog and a lizard can coexist, if that’s what you mean by getting along. They may not be able to become best buddies. But you can teach your dog and lizard to tolerate each other. However, it won’t work if your dog belongs to a hunting species or if your dog or lizard is an aggressive type.
You must introduce the lizard slowly to your dog. Keep the lizard’s tank away from a place where your dog sleeps or feels possessive (territorial) about. If possible, keep the lizard’s tank where your dog cannot reach. If your dog tries to smell the tank when you bring your lizard home, let him smell it. It is a good sign.
But never let your dog lick your lizard because the skin of lizards might carry microorganisms that can make your dog sick. Moreover, your dog might eat your lizard. So, make sure your dog is properly disciplined and listens to your every command before letting your lizard walk around the house.
If you take such precautionary steps, there’s no reason why a lizard and a dog cannot live in the same household.
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