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I adopted my first dog 3 years ago and her half sister 2 years ago. They were both adults when I got them.
Pros: They are totally bonded, the first dog suffered from terrible separation anxiety, but now that she has a pal there's no anxiety anymore. They are a joy to watch together and the 2nd dog is very affectionate.
Cons: Double expenses. Grooming, vet bills, boarding fees are out of this world. I also have a dog walker 2 days a week to ensure they continue to socialize with other dogs - that's an additional expense.
I also dread the day when one of them passes on. Right now they do everything together, even go pee together, and they refuse to be separated for any reason! Bonding is really cute and endearing, but I fear it has its downside.
I normally have only one dog but during the times when there have been TWO in the house , my dog has been happier and more relaxed. Dogs like to be with their own kind.
Dogs are pack animals and generally enjoy a companion dog. I've found that all mine have enjoyed the companionship of another dog. They can play rough with each other, share the burden of guarding the house, and keep each other company when you are gone. When I was a kid we had single dogs and it definitely seemed they did not enjoy being home alone.
Even with the additional expense and trouble I think it is better to keep dogs in pairs. Not all dogs get on with all dogs so it is important to watch the body language when they meet. Even my dog who hates all other dogs loved one of my fosters from the first day she met him. He also hates other dogs but hero worshiped her from day one. They both got on with my existing dogs but there were some I looked at who didn't so they were not adopted by me.
If possible get the opposite sex of your current dog. Definitely let them meet and greet a few times if possible.
This isn't to knock those who have a dog who really likes being a single dog. I've fostered at least one like that so I know they are out there. As I get older I think it would be nice to find the rare dog like this.
I don't really agree that dogs need to have other dogs around. My experience tells me that most dogs are very happy with their humans, and do not need other dogs to be happy. I sincerely believe that many people humanize dog emotions, and assume that most dogs are happier when other dogs are around.
Many dogs do enjoy having other dogs around. Other dogs are also distracting to them, and multiple dogs contribute to misbehavior. They encourage, in each other, obeying their own desires, as opposed to working within the boundaries set by their humans.
Notice, if you go to someone to teach you how to train your dog, they will insist the dog (and you) train by themselves. This is for a very good reason. If you tried to do this with multiple dogs, they would distract each other, and they would keep each other immature. Good training, and good doggy manners, are obtained by teaching a dog by itself, alone. Put two dogs together and try to teach the same lessons, and you will spend 10 times as many hours covering the same training.
Sorry to hear about Cleo, Mom. Knowing you will probably outlive your dog is one of the hardest things about owning a dog.
While I've owned more than one several times, I prefer owning a single dog. In my lifestyle, my dog can be my constant companion most of the time, and I've found a single dog is both happier and a lot less trouble for me in my situation.
Whenever I lose a dog, I always take some time before selecting another; there have been periods of several years at a time when I was dog-less, but I like to observe a puppy a lot before I take it, and my criteria for what makes a good dog is much more about a pup's intelligence and disposition than looks or breed.
I like a pup who's curious, but isn't the first one to come out and look me up. The first pup is usually the boldest of the litter, and a bold dog can want to be dominant later on, but that's a trait that isn't always bad; it depends on the person and the dog. I like the pup who takes his time, checks me out a little, and then comes over to meet me.
That dog is even better when he's a little lazy and likes to just hang around. I like a dog who thinks for itself, and accepts me on his terms. I've found them to be the most easily trainable, and generally the most content living with me.
2 dogs are more trouble in many ways than one. So for me, especially at my age, one is plenty. If I want a second pet, I'll go find a cat, as they are often better dog companions than another dog, and cats really aren't very much trouble to keep.
I had to put Katie to sleep in Oct. Since she Hated Lady & Lady was afraid of her I thought things would be fine 3 months later I woke up & Lady was Dead. After the Vet checked her body out the Only thing we came up with is she missed Katie & Died of a broken heart.
2 dogs is 3 times as much work. You have to take time to train each dog separately and then have another training session together.
Walking multiple dogs in the city is a challenge in multi-tasking. One will be trying to greet/trip a person coming towards you while the other uses the distraction to eat cat poop it found in the bushes.
There is no guarantee the dogs will like each other or play together. My (now retired) service dog and my parents terrier co-exist in the same house but they do not play together. They prefer different paces on walks such that when I dog sit I walk them separately. If one dies the other would be upset about the disturbance of their routine and the fact people are upset but they do not have any real attachment to each other.
Up until about 5 years ago we always had 2 dogs, for about a month we had none then rescued a 5 month old collie. It is a lot of work forgot how puppies are.
We fostered another collie about 2 yrs old in the hopes of adopting him for the puppy to play with but they had so much energy and never stopped playing that he went to another home.
She goes to daycare once a week and swims interacts with other dogs. Plus she is a therapy dog and the kids at school/libraries and Barnes and Noble read to her weekly.
The cons would be added cost of food, vet bills and grooming. But watching them play together is worth the cost.
Maybe when ours gets older and slows down we will add another one.
We started out with 1 dog 31 years ago. Jumped to 3 dogs cause we fell in love with a couple of siblings. We were up to 5 dogs at one time. They all got great vet care. We lost our 15 year old minpin on Easter morning. After all these years, this is the 1st time that we have had only 2 dogs. Seems weird.
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