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One dog or two?
oscardelahoya
Posts: 4,902 Forum Member
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Currently I have one dog, a lab cross, and I am debating whether to get another one.
Anyone opinions on whether two are better than one or vice versa?
Am really unsure what to do.
Anyone opinions on whether two are better than one or vice versa?
Am really unsure what to do.
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Walking 2 huskies on my own is challenging but I'm getting there
Have you found any negatives to having two? Apart from the obvious double the cost of everything?
Only the walking, our adopted boy is trained to walk nicely (not to heel but I check him if he pulls and he stops), it's harder with a second one that has been trained differently (and I don't know how), I will do some 1 on 1 training which will hopefully get them bith walking nicely together.
Our previous husky woud have been jealous of another dig sharing our attention but I do think he would have liked the company when we were out.
It is lovely seeing them play together
But I have stated to OH when 1 goes thats it no more as im 50 now and the other 1 is 61/2, they are very tieing and as family have moved around the country it will be nice to just get up and go for a weekend or a day out.
They largely ignore each other as she is too old, and theyve had a few scraps, but not tearing chunks off each other.
The only downside is the cost obviously.
I had my boy first and he was about 18 months when i introduced his sister. I got her initially because i worried if my boy was alone for any length of time and I thought he might want company. They get on fine, but their temperaments are completely different. Whereas my boy is a pipe and slippers kinda dog who is content with one walk a day and sitting in front of the telly in the evening, my other dog wants to run and play. I feel sorry for her as, when she meets other dogs and gets to play chase with them she is in her element, but my boy doesn't want to play with her.
I have pondered the idea of getting her a playmate, but at 7yrs old now ... I wouldn't do it. I think our boy wouldn't like it if we introduced another member of the family.
I'm not sure that's true tbh (the age thing) as my collie x was 4.5 when we got the dobe, he was great with her (she was a little cow thou!), she died 3 years ago, he's now 11 and has accepted a new pup in nov, with no issues. I think it really does depend on the dog and their temperament!
Love the cow comment
To be fair, I just use the two years as a guideline. Yes im sure it does depend on the existing dog and their temperament.
I will always have two dogs as i like having two, but i still think next time i will get two very close in age again. I think if I had an old dog and a puppy, I would worry that the puppy climbing all over the old dog would be blummin annoying for it, and that he would feel passed over for a younger model (you see, thats me humanising them !!)
Suzie looks on Molly as her mother and Molly looks pn Suzie as a pain in the rear (
I've never seen them fight, only play fight, they love each other to bits.
Although I think we've been lucky, I also think it's how you bring the dogs up, we've given them lots of love and I think it flows from them too.
They didn't fall out at all, but didn't really seem to have anything in common either. Neither was interested in what the other was doing. A year after she arrived the collie/bernese died and we waited a few months to get a GSD male pup born in the shelter. That was three years ago and they get on really well and are constantly together.
Imo when the dogs are the same breed or part breed, they do have certain behaviours/characteristics in common. Which can help them build a bond. Most people think ours are related as they mirror each others behaviour almost as much as the first two sisters we had.:)
it was really nice having two dogs around, they were company for each other if they were left home alone, and they would look out for each other.
we got Jake when Missey was 10, she was a grumpy old girl, didn't appreciate a puppy jumping all over her, but she soon accepted him and they got on well, it is true what they say - introducing a younger dog can bring out a whole new lease of life in the older dog, and this happened with miss.
both had to learn things, the main one was that he learned to stay away from her when he wasn't wanted, but it was obvious that they cared for each other. towards the end when missey was ill, jake would keep going up to check on her & lay near her on my mums bed of an evening.
we worried about jake, how he would cope after losing missey, as he had always been with her right from being a pup, but he's adjusted really well to being an only dog as well. (probably hlped in part by his obsession with the budgie, did he not have the budgie as his friend, i think he's have got another pup by now!)
they were/are both border collies
I lost my beloved 10 year old Banjo nearly a year ago
The cost is an issue but as I have rarely had just one I've got used to it.
The other current downside for me is getting used to a boisterous chewy puppy after 9 years of adult dogs and also she needs much more exercise than Woody - they are large breed and he is getting arthritic, so he stuggles with too much exercise now.
Taking dogs out for separate walks is time consuming but this current weather helps:)
Now I can't stop looking at puppies
Good luck on finding a new companion but please please please consider a rescue dog before a puppy. A good rescue will have vetted it and researched behaviour so you know what sort of dog you'll be getting. Of course there are positives to a puppy being as it would be less threatening to your current dog but equally a puppy can be a bit much for an older dog too. A happy compromise would be a rescue pup instead. NEVER EVER EVER buy a Puppy from an unknown breeder and always make sure you cover every contingency to avoid a backyard breeder and/or Puppy mill.