I just want to add that pack order can be upset when a new one is added. If you add an alpha anything you can end up with issues. Dogs do have an inborn personality type. Until the pup is a little older you just don't know what you are dealing with particularity with a group (pack) of dogs. If you add an alpha pup who decides to take over the role of an older dog you can have problems.
I have dealt with this in the past and it has about paralyzed me concerning the issue of adding another one now. I ended up having to re home a dog due to the problem we had. I did not want to have to constantly keep the dogs separated to avoid problems. I don't think it is a very common issue but it does happen. In decades of experience of having multiple dogs it has happened to me once. My point simply being; dogs do not necessarily decide the order of the pack by who was there first. It is the dominant personality that rules.
I guess you probably got a lot of food for thought with your question. It is really something to contemplate. I hope you come to a satisfactory conclusion. It's always fun to add a new dog. You are right to give it so much forethought. |