Are two really better than one????????

[TINKSMOM]

I have been thinking about adopting another dog, to keep TINK company while I am at work and to help "wear her out" and expel some of her endless energy. If I could I would have 100 just like her.

Financially we can afford it and we have plenty of room outside, but my husband is not crazy about the idea - I am working on him though.

I know most of you have multiple dog households, are two easier than one? Other than the obvious financial costs and extra poopy pick up in the yard.

I origianlly was going to wait until she was a year old and then maybe adopt a young adult dog. Two puppies in the house of her size would definately be too much with me working full time.

I need advice, share with me your pros and cons of multidog living and adjustments. I know for sure the cat will run away from home! lol.

[TINKSMOM]

I think I can convince Tim. He wasn't quite ready for TINK (our other dog had to be put down 2 mos earlier) But they are inseperable now. That is him in the pict with her.

She is soooo needy when we get home, she is only 6 months old. She got fixed Friday and is on restricted activity and she is going crazy. She wants to run and jump and get rowdy and she isn't allowed. I think she is going to explode soon.

My problem is going to be picking the new fur baby. I just can't walk the line at the pound/shelter without feeling guilty about leaving someone behind. When I got Tink I made them bring her outside to me, because I knew she had 6 more litter mates. That definately would have got me divorced! lol.

I would like fate to just step in and let my next fur baby find me. Tink is the first dog I actually sought out and picked from the shelter. Needy dogs have always just found us.

I definately appreciate your advice and I will think about it some more. When I am ready, you can all call Tim and we will gang up on him! lol

[GoldenPyrs]

We've had just one dog in the family, then two at at time, and for the last 15 months we've had our three and I don't think that we'll ever go back to just one dog at a time.  For us the main downsides are what you'd expect, vet expenses, lots of grooming, and hair on the furniture, floors, etc. but the upsides are wonderful.  I love to see them play & snuggle together and I love their individual personality traits.  They are each so special in their own ways, that now I can't imagine life certainly without them  , but also without all of the diversity of a multiple dog home.  I love to watch them interact.

Another big advantage for us is that Daisy is much, much calmer now.  She has always had severe anxiety around thunder, fireworks, etc. and she developed horrible IBD after Halley passed away.  Although she is older now (so that may be a lot of it), it does seem that she stays calmer now that we have Sammy & Cassie and her digestive problems are much better now than when she was a single pup.  A three dog family has been great for us!

[Icerotti]

Three can be fun too....lol. We decided after we lost our Katie girl we would be a 1 dog family.Puck was so lonely.  That lasted a few short weeks, then we had put a deposit on Farley.  Then about 6 months later we added Rosie to the family.

It is a bit more work with 2 and a bit more expense. The companionship they provide for each other and yourself is worth every penny.Plus there will be no more fighting over Tink , you and your husband can each have a dog to cuddle with...lol   Ours have provided endless hours of entertainment and it has been great to see how unique they are all. I can't see us having just 1 dog ever again 

[lorim2]

I def agree that two are easier than one.  We got at 8wks old in Aug...Marley came along at 10 wks old in Oct...it was great!  Other than the potty training...Lan ie was super easy and Marley was super hard...but they are best friends and really keep each other company when the kids are at school and we are at work...

[marypyrs]

I don't know that I could say if two are easier than one. But I can say the only time I had only one dog in my life (adult life) was when Rainbow was a pup and my Joey passed away. I waited almost 3 1/2 years for Whisper and by the time - right before - he came into my life I was starting to wonder if I was doing the right thing. I started to think how well suited we were to each other. Rain and I. How this was my sweet, sweet, baby. She excelled in every way. Therapy Dog extraordinaire . I wondered if a new furbabe would upset everything we had worked so hard for.

For me. And for Rainbow. And for Whisper. It was the best thing I've ever done. I'm reminded each and every evening as well as all day long. When all is quiet their bond is quite apparent. They truly love each other and this is the special time we share. If you have the time. And if a person can provide the care and love necessary I would certainly say "two are better".

[maxsmom]

I will never have less than 2 again.  I probably will never have only 2 ever again.  My bunch are great company for each other as well as for us.  They entertain each other, love each other, protect each other and still have time left over for us humans.  I knew when we lost Hamlet, our springer and Chichi was alone, that we needed a second dog.  Then, with ChiChi getting older, 14, I knew Max needed a playmate.  When we got Cody and he was not a playmate, nor would he even play, we knew Max still needed a playmate.  When we lost ChiChi, we got Jake, to play with Max.  When I got the call about our new ChiChi, I thought I would just pick her up and ship her to the rescue group, out west.  When I found out her name was ChiChi and got her home, I still was kind of on the fence about shipping her out west.  When she let me touch her and didn't take my hand off, I knew she was mine forever.  I would not trade my 4 for all the tea in China.
Kathy

[pyr4me]

I really love having 2 dogs, but I know for my husband, it's too much. I will probably only be able to have 1 dog at a time from now on. I had just Tipper for almost 6 years, so I am used to having 1 dog only and there is something nice about the closeness and intimacy of companionship with only 1 dog; however, if I had my way, I would probably have 2 dogs, it's a nice number for me personally and I think it's nice for the dogs to have a canine companion.

In terms of work and level of ease, I think 2 is just as easy as 1--you're already putting down 1 bowl, now it's 2, I'm already going on the walk with 1, now I take 2, etc. It's not really all that much work from having 1 dog. But that is assuming an adult dog, I also like to adopt dogs age 2 yrs or older. I think 2 puppies would be harder, but I don't actually know if that's true cause I've not had that experience.

[ZooCrew]

Other than the bills, i do think that 2 is easier than one.  3 is good too, but why stop there?..........lol.  I'm at 4 and things are good, now that we're past puppy stages. I will never again have 3 dogs under the age of 2 in the same home.......... ...lol. 

They keep each other company when I'm not home.  The 2 boys are very bonded as are Nigel and Posey to each other, and Gunther to Keiko (she could really care less.........l ol) and Posey adores Gunther and is his not so secret admirer. 

I think if you can afford to, and  you can get your husband to go along with it (that may be the hard part, as it was with me)............th en I say go for it!  You won't regret it. 

[waffles717]

  ;)WE HAVE TWO SAINT'S TWO TOY POODLES AND JUST GOT A BRINDLE BOSTON TERIER,THAT IS TAKING OVER THE WHOLE HOUSE!!

[waffles717]

yES I AGREE,WE HAVE SIX ACRES, AND MOLLY HERE IS 3,SHE LOVES SNOW! MAGGIE THE OTHERE SAINT IS 4,SHE LOVES SNOW,OUR TOY WAFFLES IS 10,AND DIXIE IS 11, VERY QUIET DOGS,OUR NEW BABY IS THE BOSTON TERIER,GIVEN TO US BY OUR DAUGHTER, SHE HAD TWO 14 WEEK OLD BUT GIZMO THAT IS WHAT WE NAMED HIM NEEDED MORE LOVE, AND AFFECTION,AND HE LOVE THE SAINTS AS FUNNY AS THAT IS! ALSO WE HAVE CENTRAL AIR,THERE ARE VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF I AM RETIRED AND JUST LOVE MY COMPANY,VACATION COULD BE TOUGH,WE HAVE A FARM THAT BOARDS WITH CENTAL AIR,BUT IF IT IS A MESSY SITUATION NOT GOOD AVERYTHING NEEDS BE BE CLEAN,AND THEY ALL NEED FRESH FOOD AND WATER,AND VET CHECKS,BUT UST LOOK AT MOLLY HERE SHE IS THE BEST DOG,HEATH!!!!WE LOVE THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MarleyPyr]

I just went through this!! We debated for a long bit and eventually went and got a second dog. We went the puppy route. The first month was more of a "why did we do this?" month but things are settling down now. In hindsight getting a puppy wasn't the BEST idea given our schedules as it is proving a bit more difficult to train her but we did and we are dealing. Now that our Pyr is taking to her a bit better it is easier.
Double the everything is true - not that big a deal for us. My only hardship is walking two dogs so different in age. It is not easy and at time down right frustrating. We are getting there slowly but keep in mind it won't feel like all puppy breath and fuzzy fur all the time until you get a good groove going!
good luck!