Goldendoodle Meeting New Puppy Sibling May Prove The 'Second Dog Effect' Is Real
Who can resist the charm of a tiny, fluffy puppy? In a sweet TikTok video that's been viewed more than 1.8 million times and racked up over 346,000 likes, Nala the goldendoodle seems a bit somber and low-energy at first — until the day her mom presents her with a new puppy sibling. The pair of pups quickly become inseparable, whether at playtime, naptime, or anytime, really. Text overlaid on the video reads, "The 'second dog' effect."
@ryliealbers Get the second dog!!! 🥹🥹#goldendoodle #miniaussiedoodle #bffgoals
One viewer asked how long it took for the dogs to become friends rather than fighting constantly, and Nala's owner responded, "It took about 3 months lol. They're pack animals I feel happier they have each other." Some netizens couldn't resist trying to channel Nala's thoughts upon meeting her new little BFF. "Is this mine? All mine? 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰" one wrote, while another exclaimed, "Mom, mom are you seeing this?!?! I made a fluffing friend!!!" One person observed, "Big + small dog combo = besties 🥰."
What is the second dog effect?
Have you ever looked at your pampered pooch and wondered if your dog is lonely without another dog? Many pet owners argue that life is easier with a second dog, and the second dog effect means an abundance of extra love, joy, and energy in a home. One netizen commented on the video, "When my dog died my Labrador (Daisy) was (we think) depressed and couple years later we got more dogs and we haven't seen her this happy since. 🥹" A pair of dogs can keep each other company, reducing boredom and increasing the amount of exercise that each dog gets. Bringing home a second dog from a shelter can also save an additional life, as shelter surrender is worse for a dog than you thought — and also eases separation anxiety for both animals.
On the other hand, some pet owners warn that a pair of dogs might never learn to get along. One netizen shared a heartbreaking tale: "We tried the second dog and my dog stopped eating, wouldn't stay in the same room with him and eventually started throwing up daily from the anxiety. So we had to rehome the 2nd dog."
When two dogs do get along well, a different risk arises. "And then your second doodle needs a doodle," one viewer of the TikTok video joked. Another shared, "We loved the second dog effect so much we had a third and fourth dog effect too 🤣."