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.