If you have two dogs...

[finally]

We adopted Apple in June and she's just about a year old (aka - very high energy).   DH and I work fairly long hours but we do have a dog walker that comes to play with her for a half hour two days a week and then she goes to daycare the other three days.  We do spend a lot of time with her at night but I'm thinking it might be good to have a companion for her.  I've read that you shouldn't get two dogs close in time to each other because you need to be established as pack leader so maybe in the spring we'll think more seriously about adopting a second.

But for now, I am just curious for those of you who have two dogs, are they good companions for each other?  Are they "friends" or do they just do their own thing.  I've never had two dogs or had friends or family that have had more than one so I really don't know what to expect.

[redheadbaker]

I have two dogs. One is older, maybe 7 or 8. The other is younger, maybe 4 years old. They get along and play together frequently at night, though on the occasions I've worked from home, they both sleep all day.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[G22]

I have 3 dogs. The love each other and hate being separated. It started out we adopted our GSD from a family with 2 other dogs. He had major separation anxiety. Tore thing up, Houdini-ed his way out of cages, etc.

So about 8 months later we adopted a husky mix and ever since the GSD's neurotic anxiety has been gone. That was 3.5 years ago. We've added a 3rd dog since then and he fits in perfectly now. When we got him, he challenged our husky a few times over being "top dog" but they are absolutely inseparable now. They are 6, 5, and 2.5 years old now.

I'm a SAHW so they wrestle and play with each other all day. 

[purrbox]

I'm so glad you asked this. DH and I are in the same boat. We adopted our dog (about a year old) in June, and we've been considering getting another dog eventually. She loves playing with other dogs, so I often wonder whether she would love having a brother or sister around.

I'm looking forward to seeing the responses.

[purrbox]

Tagging aweilba because I remember she recently adopted a second dog.

[wineenthusiast]

I have 2 and they are BFF's for sure. My female used to be a pretty anxious dog and would pee when left alone even if I just went outside for a few minutes. After I got the second one, she never did it again. I had her about 6 months before I brought the male home and they are a year apart. I did crate mine for the first few years if we weren't home. I'm prefer to crate until dogs have matured some and I feel they wont harm themselves or each other but now they are gated off to 1 room and they just sleep in a dog bed together while we arent home.

The female, who I had first is definitely the dominant one. She is so attached to him though, she is almost always touching him. A few examples...

[purrbox]

Oct 24, 2013 22:56:55 GMT -5 wineenthusiast said:

I have 2 and they are BFF's for sure. My female used to be a pretty anxious dog and would pee when left alone even if I just went outside for a few minutes. After I got the second one, she never did it again. I had her about 6 months before I brought the male home and they are a year apart. I did crate mine for the first few years if we weren't home. I'm prefer to crate until dogs have matured some and I feel they wont harm themselves or each other but now they are gated off to 1 room and they just sleep in a dog bed together while we arent home.

The female, who I had first is definitely the dominant one. She is so attached to him though, she is almost always touching him. A few examples...

They're precious. <3

[brittmk0922]

I have had Dav for 4 1/2 years, she was in my life before we even moved in with my husband. In March we adopted Indy. The two of them are like long lost best friends! I was very hesitant at first, not sure how Dav was going to react, but now seeing them together I am so happy that we made the choice we made (plus my husband now has HIS dog as he was often slightly jealous of how bonded Dav and I are lol).

[nomad100]

We are still working on integrating our second dog with our first. We adopted Cricket about 10 weeks ago. Willow, our 1st, is 4. Cricket is 2. Willow isn't sure about her little brother since he is still kindof spastic and very "verbal." But he knows she is the boss and doesn't challenge her.

But they are constantly touching while laying down, switching food bowls and Kongs and Nylabones, but there are some jealousy issues we are dealing with.

[kris356]

I will say that there is a chance they will never be buddies. Our first dog(shephard/great dane mix) tolerated our second dog (lab). She was never really a fan of him, so much that if he even touched her when he sat down she acted like hot coals touched her. It was like this for 12 years. They didn't fight but she would have been much happier without him in her life. He like her but the feeling was far from mutual.

Now the second (lab) and third (american bulldog) got a long just fine (both males which supposedly is a bad idea). After my lab passed, DH got me a boston terrier and he adores our american bulldog who is really good with him. We do crate the BT during the day when we aren't home. But from my experience, all of my dogs sleep all day until we get home.

[aliciar6]

we just got a second. for a while we only had the dog, then got a cat, and they became best friends, but somehow I lost my mind and we adopted a rescue puppy. He is really able to help entertain her. The cat was there to ease her anxiety but they didn't really play. these 2 play and wear each other out and I think overall it will be really good for our older do who has bad separation anxiety. though, the pup keeps taking any toy that our older dog is playing with, I think that will go on for a while, but Koda is so good she just lets him.

the cat however isn't exactly sure of the new pup yet, but because he has so much energy, but she will investigate him and is fine with him when he isn't bouncing around like he's on meth.

[buddysmom]

Definitely not BFFs, but they do love each other quite a bit. Maxim is very protective over Buddy, they give kisses, when they were younger they wrestled a bit. Now they just kiss and go on their merry ways

Each pairing will be different (just like humans), one pair will be inseparable while one pair will barely tolerate each other. I don't think when you adopt is nearly as important as how you train them. That being said, adding two new dogs to the house at the same time can be stressful! Good luck adopting your second when you decide to!

[lolanjoe]

I have 3. The first two are best buds, and the third usually gets included in play but not really in snuggles etc. The first two really help with #3's separation anxiety though, and calm her enough so that she doesn't panic when there isn't a human in the room.