Pooches: On Second-Dog Syndrome

Miss M was my first dog I had by myself as an adult.
I wasn't always sure what I was doing. But felt sure I would do something wrong. And that I would 'break' her.
We became regulars at the vet. Every upset stomach, pawing at her ear, or scratched paw pad became a sign that she was breaking.

I felt like I could redeem myself from my inadequacies as an owner by getting her the best education. Miss M moved beyond the basic classes taking every single class I could find. With all of her classes, I would say she earned a Phd in dog-years, and the simultaneous tongue out with one-handed wave was a result of her research dissertation.

Mere years later, we got Mr. B.
And he joined us.
Mr. B rarely went to the vet.
He didn't even take his first training class until 3 years after we owned him.
He didn't get a long sought out collar to match his personality, but he merely got a collar to match Miss M.

Is Mr. B just the unfair recipient of "Second-Dog Syndrome"? And does anyone else find this happening in your home?

Also:
Miss M's very own pet.
Mr. B can never win.

Check our Facebook page for more photos, comments, and storylines beyond the blog.