All those multi-dog households out there will know how much several dogs can get along. And even those owners who have dogs with close doggy pals will know how much they thrive in the company of one another. And this can work surprisingly well when it comes to fitness, too, believe it or not - let me explain and a lightbulb may just ping on over your head...
Imagine a household has two dogs, and one dog is a nervous dog, and the other dog is a bubbly and willing dog. Imagine the nervous dog does not have the mental power to go outside of the home. Now image the bubbly dog grabbing a beloved ball and pulling the owner out of the home to go for a nice walk. The two dogs are good housemates, and therefore the nervous dog wishes to follow the bubbly dog and feels safe around this dog, where he/she wouldn't feel safe alone. Can you see now how having another dog in the house can really bring a nervous dog out of his/her shell? When the nervous dog would never have been brave enough to stray from the property alone, even with the owner? Dogs can communicate in so many incredible and amazing ways in which we humans cannot. We may have an amazing bond with our dogs, and be able to communicate with them through our own ways, however dogs speak the exact same language and can really help each other along when needed. Even just seeing another dog doing something the watching dog would not could encourage him/her to do it too.
And exercise is compulsory in all species. If a nervous dog is too afraid to go outside, due to a past negative experience or something else, this can be a real let down and can put everything on hold, never mind ruining the quality of life for that poor dog. I have heard of so many positive experiences from people who have been able to turn a nervous dog around using the help and encouragement from a canine pal to light the road ahead. And even if you only have one dog, meeting up and involving friend's dogs can work as well!
