2 dogs better than 1?

rwhite0714

We have a 2 year old black mouth cur (adopted so she is a mix with something else)

My husband is really pushing for another puppy and of course I am a sucker for that idea, but I just am thinking it is going to be too much work.

I have heard from some people that having 2 dogs is sometimes easier than just one because they entertain each other.  Does anyone think this way? It sounds kind of like a crazy idea to me

[Poll]

abstika

We thought this way when Bogart was two years old.  We adopted Rocko and didn't choose the appriopriate dog for us.  We adore him but his energy is out of control.  My advice is to think very carefully about it and keep in mind you'll also have twice as many vet bills and expenses.  

nital

Better?  Yes

A lot more work?  Hell yes

Worth it?  Definitely, for us.

It really depends on the dog.  Coral is much happier with friends to play with.  Duke would be much happier as an only dog. 

closapio

nital:

Better?  Yes

A lot more work?  Hell yes

Worth it?  Definitely, for us.

It really depends on the dog.  Coral is much happier with friends to play with.  Duke would be much happier as an only dog. 

What Nital said, only substitute Trixie for Coral and Max for Duke.

gingerfeathers

We had an only dog for years, and in November brought a new dog home (spur of the moment adoption). It was an adjustment at first because our older dog was like, "Umm, okay, visit has been fun and all, but you can take him back anytime.." But after a few months, our older dog not only finally accepted that the new dog wasn't going away, but now I would even dare to say he likes his younger brother... though he'd never admit it.

I love having two dogs. They're a little bit more work, but not a ton. Just twice the number of muddy paws. And it's totally worth it.

gatorwife

nital:

Better?  Yes

A lot more work?  Hell yes

Worth it?  Definitely, for us.

It really depends on the dog.  Coral is much happier with friends to play with.  Duke would be much happier as an only dog. 

QFT.  You definitely need to make sure the dogs will mesh together.  

kellbell1919

For us two is definitely better/easier than one but we adopted our second as an adult from the pound and chose her by taking our first dog around and letting him meet the other dogs.  As soon as they met she was licking his ears and trying to get him go play.  As an adult owner surrender she was easy to train, already potty trained, and they get along so well that it's no big deal.

kellbell1919

I wiLl add that our first dog had mild separation anxiety.  Adding Molly has completely cured it.  She also would be a horrible only dog and constantly looks to him to figure out what situations are ok, how to act, wtc.  Personality wise they are both dogs who need another dog to feel confident and comfortable.

sandollar1010

For us it really ins't any more work, but we adopted a 4 year old dog when our first pup was a year old.  They play and sleep and play and sleep some more.  It is slightly more expensive with food, vet bills, and dog walking.  I know for us, getting a puppy as our second would have been WAY too much since our first is still very much a puppy.  I love having two dogs and can't imagine life without both of them.

abby0313

the more the merrier right! Just make sure that you budget appropriately for everything (obviously twice the expenses) and see if the shelter you are working with will let your dog meet his/her potential new pal before you bring him/her home.

Caz1221

I love having 2 dogs, but it is more expensive and overall more work.  In particular, you need to set aside time to train each dog one-on-one before training them together.  With a puppy (who needs to learn pretty much everything), that's a lot of time.  Also, your current dog may regress when the new dog arrives, which means even more training.

The transition for us was not difficult at all, and I think it really helped that dog #1 was 1000% rock solid on all training (including having his CGC), and we adopted an adult (dog #2 was almost 4 when we adopted him).  Also, we found a dog that matched dog #1's energy level and who meshed in terms of personality.  Even so, dog #2 had zero training (he was housebroken, but that's it), so we had to start from scratch, including walking him separately in order to teach him leash manners.  I signed up for classes with each dog, which really helped.  GL!

KenziK

Are you cat people? My DH and I had talked about getting another dog for ours to have a playmate, but we would only get a puppy and the thought of potty training/constant walks outside, teething and everything else deterred us. We ended up getting a kitten instead which is a MUCH easier pet. They are basically potty trained from the get go and really take care of themselves, and honestly the cat and dog are the best of friends. We now have two cats and the dog, but back before the other one joined us we constantly caught the dog and cat snuggling and playing together. At first I felt incredibly guilty for bringing a new pet into the home because I was worried our dog would get jealous and hate us, but now I'm glad we did because they all keep each other company during the day while we're at work

lmd812015

I really think that it depends on the situation/dogs, and a lot of more work, but entirely worth it (at least in our case).

Luke (9y/o black Lab) would be completely happy as an 'only child'. In fact, he's even a bit more subdued around the other two dogs and seems to prefer a little alone time now and then (easily arranged - extra one on one time with myself or SO).

Now Jett (8y/o Border Colle/Pit mix) is busy. REALLY busy. This is part of where it depends on the dog (at least in my personal opinion). He can be a little domineering, something we constantly work at with him, so he's a little more high maintenance in that regard. He also requires more structured activity than the Lab (again, my personal opinion).

We were crazy (yes, crazy) enough to get a third, Diesel (2y/o Border Collie/Golden Retriever mix). Diesel and Jett play - constantly. I'm beyond thankful for this, because they typically tucker each other out. I only vaguely remember the time before we got Diesel, and Jett tended to be a bit more on the destructive time (though that was due to a variety of factors, not JUST the lack of a playmate).

In summary - we were lucky to end up with three dogs who 'cliqued'. I think that's a big part of the equation when deciding whether or not you should go from one to two.

Good luck with your decision!

Laura&Ashley

I thought 2 dogs were better than one, that turned into 3 dogs are better than two. I love my three babies to pieces, but they are a lot of work!