One Dog Vs. Two Dogs

[katiadarling]

My hubby and I have a lab-mix who is about 3 years old and loves other dogs. I recently started working at a humane society and although I've always been on the look out for a second dog, now there are so many dogs in need that I see everyday, that I'm thinking pretty seriously about getting another dog.

What are everyones experiences with having one dog versus having two? Is it a ton more work? Do they get into a lot of trouble while your gone? Just looking for more opinions! Thanks!

[camberne]

We don't have two dogs, but we have a dog and a couple of cats. Our observation after we got the first cat last year (the second we adopted a couple months ago) was that our dog was a lot happier with another animal in the house. They play together and have a good time together and then ignore each other... but it was very noticeable how much happier he seemed. I would have gone for another dog, but my son had his heart set on a cat.

I have dog-sat for a friend who had three dogs. They got along great and weren't any more trouble than one dog would have been... from a sitter's standpoint.

[julietchicago]

We started with our lab, who was/is very attached to us. Then we got our german shepherd, lab likes her, but prefers to be around us. So we got our bassett hound, and now they all play together and are one big happy family.

Yes, adding another dog is more work and more money. I think there are people out there who have one dog because thats part of the American Dream. Then there are animal lovers, like me, who have a few because my heart is just too big for only one. ;)

[kam]

It is slightly more work but I wouldn't say double the work. In the beginning, you'll have a lot more work than you will as time progresses. You'll spend more in vet bills.

The positives:

They learn tricks from each other
They keep each other busy when I can't play with them
They look to each other for comfort
They aren't jealous of one another - they look after each other

The negatives:

The second dog got up much earlier than the first!
Rough-housing can lead to accidents leading to more trips to the ER (happened only once so far though and it ended up being fine)
They learn each other's bad habits

That's a huge negative but is temporary. That will ease itself out eventually.

We love having two dogs. I think our lives are more rich as a result but so is our first dog's.

[Chimichanga]

Growing up I always had at least two dogs. Now we only have one - a lab.

I feel bad for him at times - DH and I can't always play with him, so he'll just stare at us with his puppy eyes. Heartbreaking! :(

When we had two (or three) dogs they were a support ring for each other. They could play together or not.

My parents just got a second Chihuahua. The first doesn't always like her, but they are getting better. It's the same when you bring home a second (human) baby. The older sibling doesn't always like him/her but they get used to each other. ;)

[gayle]

I am a firm believer that dogs are happier in pairs. They are after all, pack animals, and are extremely social. They don't enjoy being alone as they get lonely.

I have never found two dogs to be more work than one. They can keep each other entertained, and provide really great company for each other.

[bird_feet]

I've got three dogs and they're great at keeping each other company. We also make sure that we spend individual time with each dog so that they still see us as the alpha of the pack.

If you can handle the additional cost for vet bills, food, toys, beds, etc. then I think it's totally worth it to have more then one dog.

[AngieB]

I have 2 dogs -- just a little more food and higher vet bills but the rewards are far greater - they love each other. We found it way easier to train the second dog since he followed her lead on everything (poor guy didn't even know to lift his leg to go!! :D )

[katiadarling]

I was hoping you would all say that! :)

We have two ferrets, but they aren't really anything special to Marley (our dog) because he isn't allowed to play with them. I think another dog would be really great for him because he would have something to do when we aren't playing with him. He also has mild separation anxiety and we're hoping that another dog would give him something else to concentrate on while we're gone. Currently he goes to doggy day care and loves it. They have a nap time in the middle of the day and I believe that he does settle down and nap when he's in with another dog. I just think it'd be awesome.

The next question in the series is puppy or a little older? I love puppies, they're so cute, but I'm just not sure I'm down for how much work they are!

Anyway, thank you all again. It's great to hear your perspectives on having two dogs! (Now I just have to talk DH into it ;)

[jesvet]

Yep, 2 dogs is slightly more work but definitely not double! Having one active dog already, I found that adding a second took a little bit of pressure off me to play all the time since he had a buddy to chase around. It was a great decision for us.

[craftyT]

We had Buddy for about 2 years before adding little Bella to our dachshund loving home - At first, Buddy was less than amused about Bella...Up to that point he truly was the apple of our eye and when Bella came along Buddy kept looking at us as if he was saying "Who and When is someone coming to pick up this dog???" (yes, sad to admit, but we speak for our dogs :rolleyes: )

Bella was about 3 months old when we got her - so we had to go through the training all over again (just when we thought we had it down with Buddy :rolleyes: ) But I think she learned faster than Buddy because she followed his lead... we did have a month or so when Buddy was following HER lead (if you know what I mean) but that was quickly corrected and now they are trained and doing well. Of course, Bella with or without Buddy did her puppy things like eating shoes, mail, and anything in her path but that's puppy-life.

It took about a month before Buddy realized this little puppy was sticking around and now a year and a half later they really are the best of friends. Where one goes the other follows - they love to play and run together, they do have their "bickerson" moments but all in all it was one of the best decisions we made.

I agree with the other posters - it is more expensive with food, toys and vet appointments... but the companionship between the 2 is all worth it. We have it pretty easy too b/c our dogs are very little and don't eat much food - we also spaced their vet appointments about 6 months apart which lessens the blow to our checking account.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d927b3127cce92e35f4445a000000016108IYs3Dlqxa4

[Jazz]

Just wanted to say I'm there with you. I'd like to add another dog (would like to be able to cut back on doggie day care, but ours gets anxious outside her crate, so that limits the time we can leaver home alone), too. She loves the cool summer evenings, and begs us to come play outside with her, which we do, but not for the 3 hours she'd like us out there ... so I think she'd like a four-pawed buddy. I'm just waiting for hubby to come around, too ...

[maxandmolly]

I had a wonderful beautiful, unbelivably nervous, seperation anxiety ridden Beagle mix (some kind of hound, not sure what), who destroyed anything and everything she could get her paws on (as in, the comforter, mattress pad, fitted sheet, box spring, and FEATHER bed, all in one day). Then I lost my job, and with it my apartment and had to leave her with my mom & step-dad, who had two other dogs at the time. Within a week, she stopped having accidents iside, stopped destroying things, followed Rusty around like his shadow, and was generally about 20 times happier. It was the absolute best thing that could have happened to her.
So, yeah, get another dog!

[ee_chick]

I agree that two is slightly more work than one, but certainly not double. The only time I thought that it was twice as hard is when we were in obedience classes. I have littermates though, that needed to be trained at the same time. I don't think you'll have that problem. In fact, your dog will likely be a great teacher to the new guy. :)

They do a great job of entertaining each other, and they wear each other out much more than I ever could. I think it helps them stay out of trouble, actually.

[Kristen78]

I have 2 dogs. One is a 10 year old mutt. She is about 70 pounds or so. 3 years ago we moved into our house and we got a labrador puppy. So now we have a 3 year old lab too.

2 dogs is alot of work. There are times when all they want to do in the house is run around and wrestle with each other. It can get annoying at times. At the same time, they can go outside and have fun together, which is nice.

I think the biggest problem with 2 dogs is double the amount of dog hair. I can't stand it! I love my dogs though, but I am vacuuming all the freakin time. (I also have 2 cats though), I think once our older dog dies we will probably remain a 1 dog family after that, but I love having 2 dogs too. They love each other and its so cute to see them together. It might be easier with smaller dogs. My shepard/mutt is 70 lbs and my lab is almost 85. So they aren't exactly lap dogs, even thought they think they are.

You asked if they got into trouble - not really that much because the older dog is old enough to know better.

You go thru double the food, which can get expensive. Also, bringing the dogs places is hard. I can't handle 2 dogs by myself. And its harder to bring the dogs to a friends house or family members house because 1 dog is usually all people want to deal with.

[katiadarling]

I'm not too worried about going to peoples houses. Marley is super well behaved, if people don't want him to sniff around, etc we just put him on a down-stay by us and you wouldn't even know he's there.

We're totally a pet family, I don't think the hair will be a problem either. We'd just like another dog for Marley and for us. So, I think the verdict is that sometime in the not too distant future we'll be getting another dog! I'll let you guys know when that happens = )

Yay!!! (and thank you all for your stories and experiences. They really helped me realize that another dog is something that would be great for us.)

[Belm]

We have two dogs as well. It really isn't that much more work. (Now vet bills is a whole other tread! :mad: )

The two of them entertain each other and give each other a good workout in the backyard (they love to chase each other).

[cr8zyforaf]

I am also interested in the pros and cons of 2 dogs. DH desperately wants to breed our 4 year old lab to get him a play friend and I am very much against it since I am the one who primarily takes care of our current furbaby. I also want to get our dog fixed, which we've agreed to do in December if I still haven't changed my mind about breeding.

I feel bad because Bailey is alone all day and it would be great to have a play friend but I just worry about the extra work involved. DH says I am being selfish. I also worry about taking two dogs places - I always take Bay with me when I can and think that two dogs would be way too much for most people to handle visiting.

We are currently in the process of fencing in our two acre lot - so that might sway me to say OK - having a place for them to play outside of the house may change my mind.

[SingleWhiteFemale]

I am also interested in the pros and cons of 2 dogs. DH desperately wants to breed our 4 year old lab to get him a play friend and I am very much against it since I am the one who primarily takes care of our current furbaby. I also want to get our dog fixed, which we've agreed to do in December if I still haven't changed my mind about breeding.Please please please do not breed your lab! There are already enough pets out there looking for a home who can't find them. I can tell you that in my area's shelters, there are a dozen labs in one shelter each week! There are wonderful play friends out there looking for a second chance, looking for their home. Plus, you won't get just one puppy in a litter, and you never know, those other pups can land in a shelter and unwanted too. There are 8 labs listed online (there are so many animals that they can't put ads for them all online) at my local shelter The Washington Humane Society (http://washhumane.org/adopt/adoptdog.htm) , and even on their homepage (http://washhumane.org/) the 2 featured pets are labs. There are 2 month old pups there! And 2, 10 month olds in addition to a 6 month old, plus three 4 month old mab mixes and two 3 month old lab mixes! Please help the pet population and don't add to it.

::Steps off soapbox::

[katiadarling]

Just wanted to add that I totally agree with SingleWhiteFemale . I work at a shelter and the number of homeless animals is enough to boggle your mind. We're fortunate in that we are located in such a pet friendly area that we can actually import dogs from other shelters, but please leave the breeding to professionals. Spaying and neutering can reduce your pets chances of getting a number of diseases and also helps to cut down on over population.

That's all I have to say about that!

[Kristen78]

I coudl not agree more with the previous posters. there is nothing more irresponsible that you can do to you pet than to breed him. Have you had your dogs hips and eyes certified by the appropriate doctors? Breeding is best left to professionals who have the time. money and experience to devote to breeding. Labs are the most popular breed in the US and there are more than enough of them to go around. Either buy from a reputable breeder who can guarantee the health of their puppies, or adopt a dog from the pound. Please do not breed your dog! get him neutered!

[smiles33]

ITA with the previous posters about encouraging cr8zyforaf to look to the local shelters and rescue groups for a second dog. My little terrier mix was adopted from a local rescue group and it breaks my heart every time I think about how he could have been "put down" if he hadn't been adopted.

As for the original post, my ILs have had at least 2 dogs for over 15 years now and I can see how much happier their dogs are. The first dog just has so much energy, she really needs a playmate. DH recalls when she was a puppy and he could spend HOURS throwing toys for her to retrieve (while he read a book) as she just loves to play.

The only "down side" is that it can get hot with 2 dogs in your bed. :) We have all 3 in our bed as we're dog-sitting this week.

Good luck making the decision!

[Kristen78]

Oh yeah. Forgot to mention that 2 dogs in bed gets old really fast!

[jh124]

I think 2 dogs is the way to go, unless you have older children who are content to play pretend with your dog all day. I am a firm believer in staggering out their ages, so that the younger dog can learn from the older dog.

Yes, there is more hair, more poop, more food, more vet bills, but they keep each other entertained and play for hours. How would you like to be left alone for nine hours a day with nothing to do?

[mjfish]

I'm all for 2 dogs, as I have 2 myself, however I just want to point out that almost everything doubles -- poop, vet bills, toys, treats, collars, leashes, dog bowls, etc. as mentioned many times above. Like kids, you will need to make sure their individual needs for attention are met as well. Walking 2 dogs at once can be challenging (trust me on this one), although certainly not impossible. I always get asked "who's walking who"? :p Will you have someone to take in 2 dogs if you go on vacation? If not, the cost to board will be double--not sure if a house sitter would cost more.

While most dogs will learn to get along and play and such, there are cases where they do not and will need to be separated. If this happens, you can separate them for the rest of their lives or return the newly adopted dog -- tough in either case. I know you said your lab loves dogs, but I just wanted to mention this in case others are thinking about it. Something to consider at any rate...

Additionally, you cannot rely on them playing for hours with each other as the way they will be exercised. In fact, I would say that the chances are definitely higher that they will sleep while "their people" are gone rather than play. So, don't think that you'll be "off the hook" when it comes to exercise just because there are now 2. ;) (Not saying that's what you're looking for, just wanted to mention it.) I do think that it helps some dogs knowing that they have company/companionship at least, even if they are just snoozing all day. Be prepared for some rough-housing in the house -- put valuables up high! :)

I think it's great that you want to give another dog a forever home! He/she will love you for it! :D

[steviem]

In January, we added a 2nd dog to our family. I was very concerned and hesitant at first, and turned to the boards for opinions, just as you have done. The feedback I received proved to be very helpful! :)

Like most of the ladies have said, 2 dogs means more poop to clean up, the monthly food bill has doubled, and vet bills have increased. However, the rewards have far out weighed the extra work/expense.

Our other dog is so much happier now that he has a "friend" to play with. Both of our dogs are young- 14 months and 10 months and they have a ton of energy. DH and I love to watch them play in the yard together. They are true companions, and I am so happy we made the decision to add another dog to the family.

Our kitties, on the other hand, were not so happy with us.... they felt 1 dog was more than enough :p

[katiadarling]

I work at a humane society and consider myself to be very good at reading their body language, so I'm really not concerned about having altercations between the dogs. I also get a discount on supplies (leashes, collars, toys, food) and on vet care, so I guess I'm not too worried about those costs either. Finally, Marley is totally not allowed to sleep in the bed and he only gets on the couch at our request (while we're home at least) so crowding on the furniture won't be an issue either.

I'm pretty psyched for getting another dog, but I think it'll be a while before we actually do. In the mean time I'll probably do a lot of fostering dogs in need of "work" from the humane society. So, yeah! Thank you all again for your input, it's really wonderful to hear both the good and bad points of having two dogs. I do think it would be great for Marley, I'd love for him to have something to do while DH and I aren't paying attention to him.