What's the difference between 1 and 2 dogs?

[Smilla]

Hi all,

I'm hoping for some brutally honest responses regarding the difference (in money, caretaking, etc.) in owning one dog versus two. Jeff and I have wondered whether Lefty would benefit from having a "sister" since we are both gone all day; however, for that same reason--and others, such as money--we wonder whether that's the right option for us.

In the evenings Lefty sometimes seems bored, and he begins to whine. (He gets a LOT of personal attention and quite possibly could just be getting used to it.) Initially I thought he would benefit from more exposure to his own kind, but when we take him to the dog park on Sundays (where 30-50 dogs are off leash and running around sniffing each other) he often sticks close to us and seems a bit overwhelmed by the activity around him. I know that he lived with another dog in his previous home, and his owner indicated that they enjoyed "wrestling" together.

We don't know whether his "neediness" would disappear if he had a constant companion (a younger, submissive female would probably be the best bet), or if it would increase because he gets so much attention now. And again, we're also wondering what the financial picture would look like. As you can see, we're torn for SEVERAL reasons!

I'm sorry to log on with a problem after being absent for so long. Things have just been really busy for me at home recently. I hope all of you and your pets are doing well.

Sharyl

[lovemyshiba]

When we added Abbey to our household (she was #2), there wasn't much difference financially. She was from a rescue, and had been spayed and had her shots and everything already though. We did of course have to buy her a collar and leash and food dish, but all of the toys were shared.
We thought a submissive female would be best as well, and it was at first, but she started to challenge Kito's alpha status after a few months. They had a few scuffles, and one pretty bad one which resulted in her needing surgery and stitches

As far as companionship goes, we wanted her for the same reasons. Kito had lived with other dogs previously as well, but I think he did get used to being an only child for a while there. But he did always have a constant companion--they stayed together when we weren't home, and played together and slept together.

Kito isn't the best example though, because he's a spoiled brat. I know you're looking for the difference between 1 and 2, but when we brought #3 home (Riley)--then Abbey had the playful companion that she needed, and Kito could go off and do his own things when he wanted to as well. Riley and Abbey have never fought, and still stay together when we aren't home, and sleep next to each other every night.
If you find a relationship like that one, you are lucky, because you have succeeded in doing what you wanted to do--find a companion for your dog.

I wish you good luck in your search and making your decision--in my eyes 2 is better than 1, but multiple dog households aren't for everyone.

Keep us updated please.

[sirrahved]

So, sounds like you need TWO new babies to love! lol

[wolfie]

Oh, when I first read the title I though I was going to hear a joke!

We had Cocoa for 6 months before we got Daphne. Cocoa wasn't interested in other dogs, but she loved us, and our neighbor told us that she cried at the window when we were gone during the day.

My sister and I wanted a bigger dog that we could play with (Cocoa's a tiny Shih Tzu mix) so we looked at animal shelters until we found a puppy that we liked. We let Cocoa meet the new pup before bringing her home. Well, they got along great! The pup got down on her belly (to Cocoa's level!) and started playing with her. And Cocoa played too! We took the pup home, and named her Daphne.

After we got Daphne, Cocoa was a lot happier. She didn't cry at the window any longer when we were away, and in fact she slept next to Daphne's crate. They became best friends. Cocoa still doesn't like other dogs much, but she loves Daphne!

The downside of another dog is first off, training. Daphne was a puppy when we got her, and she chewed everything. We had to crate train her and obedience train her before she became well behaved.

Another problem is that you have twice as much dog - which can (but not necissarily) make it harder to bring them for car rides or walk them. Usually my mom walks Cocoa and I walk Daphne, so we don't have a problem.

Cost is the last disadvantage to another dog, but you really don't notice it. You have to buy twice as much dog food, and pay twice as many vet bills. But they share toys! Oh, and a new pup will need a collar, leash, and bowls, but those are cheap, and a one-time thing. For the vet thing, what we do is Cocoa goes for her shots in the summer, and Daphne goes in the winter, so we don't pay both bills at once.

Well, I hope I covered everything. Good luck!

[catnapper]

The difference financially wasn't that much. But when we blended my dog with my husband's dog when we got married... talk about explosive relationship. Both dogs were jealous of the other. Sammie died of cancer 6 months later, so I can't say whether the two girls would have become friends.

As for my cats, the best thing we ever did was get Allen a playmate. He's such a happy cat now.

I would think the reaction to a second dog would depend on the dog. Nicki's always been a jealous dog - jealous of other dogs, of other people who pay attention to me.

[rachel_in_FL]

Lucy was about six months when we got Zeus who is now definitely a big, pushy Alpha.

Both are shelter pups, and for Zeus, the cash outlay was about $250.00. This covered collar, leash, a new bowl, some separate toys to avoid jealous fights, his own brush (bc. Lucy is a fuzzy and we figured she should have her own), the Humane Society's adoption fee which inc. neutering, and the first round of shots at our private vet. Now that both are grown at respectively 70 and 100 +/- lbs., we spend about $40.00 a month on brand-name food which we buy in bulk, and approx. $150 every two to three months on vet care/insect preventive, etc.

Ugh, sorry, it's so tacky to talk about cash, but it's important to make sure you can do it right, too, huh?

As a very sweet aside, Z was way too little to go down the steep stairs in our historic home without tumbling, so L would smush him against the wall next to her and taught him how to climb and descend that way. She also would reprimand him lightly when he went to the bathroom in the middle of the yard, and would push him over to the designated corner. When he would try to run on walks (dorky baby), she would run in front of him and push him back into heel position.

Almost 18 months later, Z doesn't really like other dogs OR other people, but he loooooves L, aww.

[My Peanuts]

When we had just Sylvia she had terrible separation anxiety. She was alone for about 4 hours a day and would cry and cry when we would leave and come home. It was terrible. Plus, being that she was a puppy, she wanted to play all the time. We would feel guilty if we were too tired to play with her.

Anyway, it only took us about a month and a half before I got the idea to get another dog. We got Harley and after a few "getting to know each other" days things have been great. Sylvia has a constant playmate and she doesn't cry at all when we leave the house. Plus, she was aggressive with other dogs when she was the only dog in the house. She actually made her Shih Tzu cousin, Teddy, bleed from biting him! Now she gets along with every dog she meets.

The only problem I think you need to figure out for yourself is the financial cost of two dogs. Imagine everything is doubled, food, vet bills, treats, EVERYTHING!

Please keep us posted on your decision.

[Smilla]

Thank you to all of you who have posted replies (and keep them coming if anyone has anything else to add!)--you've given me a lot to think about. Wolfie mentioned the fact that I'd have "twice as much dog" and that's something I'd thought about that I forgot to mention--much of the time I do the walking because I'm home more, and Lefty, at only 45 pounds, sometimes pulls me along. I like his size, though, so I would want another dog about the same size, and that would be 90 total pounds of dogs I'd have to walk! (I weigh 100, which I think probably doesn't help.)

Catnapper, your Nicki looks a lot like my Lefty in the face--what is she? Mine is a Greyhound/GS mix with a brindle coat and floppy ears.

I've always loved the picture of Sylvia and Harley--that's the sort of thing I fantasize about when I think of Lefty with a sister!

[honor_fl]

We got Cassius because Greta really needed a companion. She was bored and lonely, and the difference is truly amazing since the two of them are together.

If you are concerned about walking the dogs together, I strongly urge you to try a Gentle Leader halter. These two dogs would pull my arms out of my sockets if I tried to walk them together without it. Because all of the pressure is on the dog's head, rather than neck or chest, it elimates the pull reflex.

It takes a bit for the dogs to get used to them, but the result is worth it, and it is totally gentle in how it works.

[clara4457]

Well I'm not sure I am typical, but I can tell you some of the mistakes and rewards I had getting a second dog with Penny Lane.

I always had a one dog household because I lived in apartments and didn't have a yard for the dogs. I didn't feel that in the area I lived in, I could safely walk two dogs at once. (city area - lots of traffic)

Last year when I bought a house I decided it was time to get another dog. I had made sure that Leo had remained socialized by putting him in daycare once a week, weekly visits to the park, petsmart, training classes - that sort of thing.

I fell in love with Penny Lane at the animal shelter. She was so scared in the cages next to the big dogs and when I put my hand in her kennel, she just melted into me. She was older (6years old) and I thought she would be a good addition to my lifestyle. I decided to adopt her the week I was closing on my house. I took Leo in for a meet and greet and they basically ignored each other, so I thought they would get along fine (mistake #1). I took her home and she hid under the table for about two days. I really thought she had a submissive personality. She was pretty needy, but I was crazy about her and wanted to make it work. I wasn't really worried about Leo because he was so used to being around other dogs with no problems. (mistake #2)

When I took Penny Lane in to get spayed and vet checked she had some medical problems. She had bad teeth, an infected dew claw and a cyst the size of a grapefruit on her ovaries. $700 later - she was all better.

When she had been with us for about 6 weeks, her and Leo got into a major fight and Penny Lane had some bad wounds on her leg - another trip to the vet ($300) As Penny Lane became a little more confident in my house she also became more and more snarky with Leo. I really began to think that I was just not suited for a two dog household. I didn't have any problem with the financial obligation, but I was terrified that I was making both dogs' lives miserable. I deeply considered rehoming Penny Lane, because I thought she would be better off in another home.

I brought in a behaviorist to help me manage the household, bought books, did a great deal of research and made the committment to make it work. Penny Lane is on Prozac and Leo has learned to ignore her when she gets snarky.

Now even with all this, I will never regret adopting Penny Lane. Her and Leo have become great pals - they play together, sleep together and are always there to greet me when I come home.

I don't really think my situation is typical - I just think I should have done a few things differently. Bringing a second dog into my home is not really twice the work - but it is close. It is also twice the cost. I should have had Leo better trained before I brought a second dog into the house. Bringing an untrained dog into the house kind of helped Leo regress in his training. I probably should have adopted a younger dog without the anxiety issues Penny has. When we did the meet and greet, I should have looked for a dog that Leo started playing with instead of ignoring. I should have adopted a dog that was a little more independent and didn't need constant attention from me (which is what I think caused the most friction).

Six months ago, I would have said "I wish I still had a one dog household". Now I say "I am so happy I have a two dog household".

If you make the right match with Lefty - you will love having a second dog in the house.

BTW - walking two dogs at the same time can be very tough if you have a puller. Gentle Leaders help a lot, or you can buy the waist leash with a second leash attachment - it really works well to help train loose leash walking. (If we hold onto a leash our natural tendency is to let the dog go forward - but if it is attached to your waist, our natural tendency to stop. which stops the forward motion of the dog)

Sorry this is so long - I just wanted to give you an idea of a worst case scenario that turns out good.

[Twisterdog]

Well, financially it's hard to say. Of course, food and vaccination costs will double, approximately. But one dog with medical problems can cost FAR more over its lifetime than two ... or even ten ... healthy dogs will. It's really impossible to say.

As for behavior - there are two sides to that coin.

On one hand, an "only dog" behaves much more like a person than a dog from a "multi-dog" household. If human beings are the only-dog's pack and role models, the dog emulates the behavior and social customs of that human pack. I have a few friends who swear they will NEVER own more than one dog at a time, because they like their dog to "act like a person, and not a dog." And, if you have enough time to devote to an only-dog, that one dog/one person bond can be great for both.

On the other hand, an "only dog" can be extremely needy, lonely and even a bit neurotic. My first dog, Lacie, was like this. She was fine for the first six months of her life, because I was finishing college and not working. She was with me constantly. Then, when I got a real job, she was suddenly alone ten hours per day. She ate my house, and my neighbors were ready to kill her. So, I got her a pet ... Sadie the basset hound. Yes, Lacie acted more "doggy" than she did before, but the other problems were solved. They were both very happy until Sadie died, twelve years later.

[catnapper]

Originally posted by Smilla
Catnapper, your Nicki looks a lot like my Lefty in the face--what is she? Mine is a Greyhound/GS mix with a brindle coat and floppy ears.

Nicki's mom was a ???? mix, and her dad was a bull mastiff. She's a big baby and very easy to walk - usually we start off with her pulling me slightly, and by the time we're done, she's dragging behind me. She's 100 pounds.

I would love to have a sister dog for her, but she's much happier as a single dog. Before we got married, I lived with my mom and Nicki shared my affections with my mom's dog... the only fights she and Addie had were over food and bones (which was an easy fix - feed them in separate rooms.) However, Nicki and Sammie fought over EVERYTHING. I guess having two queen bees was not a good thing. I remember crying my heart out thinking that I'd have to give her up to my mom because the Sammie/Nicki pairing was a nightmare. Then, Sammie got sick and passed on.

Now, my brother has two rescued Greyhounds and they LOVE each other. I swear one would die of a broken heart if anything happened to the other. It must be luck of the draw when you get two animals together. People tell me that I'm lucky my boys love each other so much... I can't imagine them any other way.

[binka_nugget]

So far for us, we haven't had any problems financially with two dogs. There might be emergencies later on but so far, we're doing really well with two.

Kai was the "only child" for a year and a bit but he's gotten along with every dog we met so we thought he'd be pretty okay with bringing another dog home. I always thought he was not dominant at all simply because he's never challenged me for alpha status so I thought that things would go pretty smoothly if we added another one. WRONG. Things were like hell for the first few weeks. When they met at the pound, they ignored each other. Then a couple hours after we got home, they fought. So we seperated them for a while and gradually gave them more time with each other as they got used to each other. They kept fighting for weeks. There weren't any serious fights..they were more of just the huff and puff type of fight, you know? Like lots of snarling, mounting and a small fight for a second or two. We seriously doubted we could keep Kaedyn any longer and were almost ready to give up until we found this awesome trainer. After obedience training, Kaedyn COMPLETELY turned around. So, I don't regret getting him at all.

Kai actually acts alot happier now. He's never really played with me like most dogs would play with other dogs. The closest to play time would be playing fetch. Now, Kai and Kaedyn are always playing and doing their wrestling. They love chasing each other around the living room and up and down the stairs. We've gone from seriously doubting being able to keep Kaedyn to having two dogs bond so nicely that Kaedyn and Kai will actually sleep right beside each other.

All in all, I think bringing another dog home was the best thing we've ever done for Kai. And I think living with another dog has done some good to Kaedyn too! He knows he can't always be the boss now.

[4 Dog Mother]

Well, having five dogs, I must say I evidently have been very lucky. Oreo was an only dog for 11 years and she was like others have said a neurotic dog that thought she was another person and in fact the person in charge around here. We added Dazzi two years ago and at first there was a little friction but not much. Taggert came about a year later and since he was a puppy, Dazzi adopted him as her puppy and Oreo just let him know he was an annoyance (but then so is everything else in her life). Snoopy was added a few months later. Again he was only 6 months old so Dazzi saw him as another pup and Taggert as a playmate. Jack was 4 when we added him a year ago and he took a litttle more getting use to but none of them fought. Jack growls and the rest back away. Jack has been trying to mount Dazzi lately (both are fixed) and that has created some friction but no out and out fights. I really can't say that the socialization between them has been difficult. In fact some of the time the difficulty is in their playing - they never want to stop teh wrestling and running around like crazy. If Ihad to do it again, I probably wouldn't have five dogs at the same time. Not because of the money or the social part of them getting along but because I don't feel I have enough time to give them all the attention they need. Especially now that Carl is in Florida. Oreo never wanted attention and would maybe come around for a pat for a few minutes a couple of times aday (maybe - she is really more like a cat and likes to be left alone). The last four want petted, held, rubbed and my lap just isn't big enough for all of them at once.

Christy has 3 females and they all get along great. They sleep on top of each other, play well together and are very bonded to each other. I can't say the cost of dog food went up much because their first was a Great Dane and she eats teh most - I doubt if Destiny and Sierra together eat as much as she does.

Amy's 3 are great friends too - she has 2 females and a male.

I think that in the future I will always have two dogs - I think the cost etc is worth the companionship they get from each other. Which is probably all I should have said in the first place.

[Smilla]

Thanks again to all of you. I believe we're going to have to think long and hard about this. I may wait a few months just to see what happens. I've only had Lefty since October, and he's a bit of a "special needs" dog anyway, so I think I need to tread carefully.

As always, I appreciate all of your help!