From one dog to two - what do I need to consider?

[FiddleFigs]

We've been seriously considering adding another dog to the family. Currently we have one (4 year old cocker spaniel).

We've thought about the extra expense (vaccinations, grooming, insurance, etc), as well as the time commitment required for a puppy, but just wondering what else we might need to consider. I've only ever had one dog at a time, so it's not something I've really had to think about before.

Please do share your wisdom!

Have you considered your ddog may not want a mate?
We had 1(3yo) . A grumpy buggar tbh.
We planned 2 close together dpuppies. That way she could bow in /out of bothering with them but they had each other! Worked an absolute dream!!
Ddog 1 passed away at 11 and they never had a cross word in all that time.

I got a second dog when the first was about eight. I shall never do it again. It was some time before they could be walked together as older dog needed a longer walk than was advisable for the young one. So at least two different walks each day. Plus time to train and socialise the puppy. And older dog loathed the puppy, and I felt guilty for upsetting him and guilty that puppyhood wasn't as pleasant as it could have been. Nine months on it has quietened down and they do walk together. But when older dog dies I shall never get a second dog. I know many people have a different experience but mine was a nightmare.

We got a second one when our oldest was about 20 months. They love each other and play nicely together. We got a second for company for each other. The problem we have now is the youngest one is very attached to the oldest so if the oldest isn't there she isn't happy and just waits by the door for him to come home. The oldest one isn't like that. It makes me worry how she will cope if he dies before her. But it is a total joy having the 2 of them and watching them together.

Make sure your first is impeccably trained before you get a second as the later arrival will copy all the bad behaviour and very little of the good. One is easy, two becomes more like a pack and has potential to ignore your commands in general excitement. One dog is easy to walk, two harder if either one has reactive issues with other dogs/cars/people etc.
I found it very difficult to train my second dog because the first was always muscling in to get the treats, and my house is too small and her hearing too good to isolate them effectively.
Having said all that I miss those days so much now one of mine has died. The fun you have with two is priceless.

Thank you.

Yes, @Pumpkinpatchlookinggood - this is a major consideration. Ddog is very friendly, well socialised and happily shares his space with other dogs. He's quite happy when my DSis's dog comes to stay, so hopefully won't object too much.

@Spanielsarepainless - ah this is what I needed to hear. It had slipped my mind about the walking issue. Ddog is a friendly, puppyish chap, so hoping he won't loathe any new ddog.

@InsanityRocks - good points, thank you. Ddog is well trained and very well behaved. He is greedy, but has no issues over resource guarding - not sure if this is something that might develop if he feels there's competition for the treats/food.

Do you have time to walk them separately for the first 6-12 months so you don't overdo it for the puppy and so the older dog gets plenty of exercise?
Does your current dog have any bad habits you wouldn't want to pass on to a puppy?
Are you strong enough to cope with two dogs on the lead at the same time? IME spaniels can be strong, pully dogs and two is much harder than one!
Do you have the space to feed them separately and have them sleep separately if needed? Current dog might want plenty of space away from the pup at first.

The 2 dpuppies and as adults with ddog 1!

We've had at least two dogs for about 15 years, and the issue for us is finding the time to train the puppy. There is no scientific support for the '5 minute rule' so you don't tend to need separate walks, though you do need separate training times.

We introduce the new puppy on neutral ground like a friend's garden. If your dog is sociable, introducing a new puppy shouldn't be too tricky. IME a puppy can have a really good influence on an older dog, provided their personalities work together.

@EdithStourton - great advice, thank you.

@Pumpkinpatchlookinggood - love it! What a gorgeous bunch you have!

@thelobsterquadrille - great points, thank you. Ddog is great on the lead - I've spent a lot of time on loose-lead training so that he's easy to manage, but definitely need to keep up on that for walking two.

It's also worth remembering that while the puppy can learn from the adult dog, the reverse can also be true

So if you walk them together and (for example) the puppy pulls as you've not fully trained them yet, the older one may well start pulling again as well.

I'm a dog walker and walk two spaniels - one the owners have had from a puppy and the other is a rescue. The older one is fantastic on the lead on his own, but as the other one arrived with no training, she still pulls and if I take them both together, they pull like trains 🤣

So you need to be able to walk them both nicely separately before putting them together imo.

We have just gone from 1 to 2

Its very early stages for us so there is still a fair amount of managing their interactions eg trying to have them both in the hall in a small space when your back from a walk, feeding seperately. Im sure we will be soon but we are currently having to have a low stimulas enviroment so no big fusses for the older dog, or giving him chews for him to growl at puppy for interupting

Walks is a big thing. As we have an older dog, and a older puppy (rescue) they dont have wildly different stamina so can go on the same morning walk,and mid day walk but evening walk is harder. they prefer to walk together as it give pup confidence. We have to both go out as cant walk them both on my own. I have to turn around with little one while the bigger goes on a longer walk, but mostly as its impossible to walk them both while training her to heel, manage them both at roads, and they both want to walk different speeds

Im sure a few months down the line it will be fine, but currently its either double the people,or double the time out on walks!

I've found it really hard to get dog sitter for two when we go on holiday. never had much of a problem when just booking for one.

I know someone who has a completely out of control (large) dog - it attacked my dog when mine was small so we never walked together. It was only after a few other unsociable behaviours (fighting with other dogs, jumping up, being just generally OTT) happened when dog was 2yo that they finally saw a behaviouralist to deal with the dog. The behaviours are still there and very obvious. Then, for whatever reason, they got another puppy! Now they have 2 out of control dogs. I saw this person after they’d had both dogs for 2 weeks and he said the first dog had gone for the puppy and it was terrified of the other dog.

My advice is to make sure you have your first dog under control, they are ok with another dog in their home / territory.