crazy to get a second dog?

[noodlesofoodles]

DP and I have a lovely 2.5-year-old toy poodle and are thinking about getting a second. We're currently in an apartment but are renovating a house near lots of green space with view to move in mid-summer – we would probably look at getting a dog sometime next year after our current dog has settled into the new house as we wouldn't want too much change for her. We don't have children, so that isn't a consideration when introducing a new dog.

I was wondering what other people's experiences are with getting a second dog – I've heard really mixed experiences from others (including some horror stories where the second dog had to be rehomed as the two dogs just wouldn't bond or get along and couldn't even be in the same room together). We would get another toy poodle – we love the breed and our current dog generally gets on well with other dogs, but doesn't like puppies that are bigger than her! We would also get another female, as she is definitely friendlier towards other female dogs and doesn't really seem to like playing with male dogs (especially males who haven't been neutered – she gets grumpy if they start sniffing her). We have been on a few holidays with friends with other dogs and she is very happy to share a house with another dog (after a day or two to settle in!) and she goes to a daycare with other dogs one day a week.

I am, however, a bit wary of upsetting the balance – puppy years are hard! And I put so much effort into training our current dog and she's grown up to be really lovely and perfectly suited to our lifestyle (happily falls asleep under the table in restaurants / pubs, generally lovely to walk, no separation anxiety, very friendly, sleeps in her own bed in our room, crate trained (which was very useful when she had to have an op!!) etc...) If it's too much of a risk, we wouldn't get another! Although I have heard people say that it's easier to train a second dog if you have a well-behaved, sensible older dog as they will follow what that dog does.. I'm not sure how accurate that is!!

Any advice or experience or things to consider much appreciated!

I got my second dog when first dog was 8. All went swimmingly. FD dies at almost 16, SD 8 by this time. New puppy arrives. SD made the puppy stage so difficult. He was absolutely evil. I won't be replacing SD when he goes to the Happy Hunting Ground. I would quite cheerfully have strangled him at the peak of the nastiness. It has all calmed down now, over a year later, but never again.

We got our second one quite soon after the first. There’s 10 months between them. Our first is male, our second is female. They adore each other. They are both collie crosses, with 3/4 collie. The 1/4 is different. They bonded really well. Our youngest follows the oldest around and hates it if we take him out without her, to the vets etc and waits by the door for him to come home. It is very cute. My only worry is if she outlives him she will be bereft where he would miss her but cope better.

I did think that having 2 might be a bit less work as they entertain each other, but they are actually more work, but I wouldn’t change them and I love having 2.

@Spanielsarepainless this is my worry! It all seems a bit luck of the draw with the personality of the dogs and whether they get on.. I guess dogs are like humans – they like some dogs and they just don't get on with others! I'm glad to hear that your two have calmed down!

@MagentaRocks I definitely think 2 would be more work! And I shudder to think of monthly grooming costs for two poodles...! tbh the more I think about it the more nervous I get.. If I could be 100% certain they would get on well and be happy to share I home I would do it in a heartbeat, but I can't think of anything worse than having a puppy and a grumpy older dog terrorising the puppy at the same time!

I waited until first dog was three. Then we got a pup. First dog did act up a little and hated the pup to start with. But now they are great friends. Puppy has been so much easier to train. Maybe that’s partly as I have a bit more of a clue now but I also think she copies older dog. They have such fun together on walks. I wouldn’t want to go back to one.

Two dogs are definitely more than twice the work of one!

I have a male and a female ( labs) , there’s about 5 years between them. The bitch was a rescue so was past the worst of the annoying puppy when she came to us. I was advised to get a bitch as my male was quite a softy.
They get on great, have played well together and she lets him think he is the boss 🙄
Labs generally do well in pairs I think, but I know nothing about poodles.

My miniature poodle lived with another dog until he was 8 then his friend died at 14. I thought they were inseparable but he didn’t seem that bothered. He has lots of doggy friends who he regularly walks with and has always been happy for other dogs to come into his house/garden. Last year a very reputable breeder of a breed that I have previously owned has a young male dog for sale he and his full brother were kept as potential stud dogs his brother was simply a better example of the breed. He was friendly well socialised in all ways and importantly used to living with other dogs, crate trained house trained very well handled (he’d been successfully shown). I wasnt keen on getting a puppy and this seemed like a the perfect solution. My existing dog now 11 took time to adjust and accept the new dog they’ve had the odd spat but now they generally get on well I wouldn’t say they are inseparable but they happily knock along together they are currently lying side by side on the floor. I do separate them at night in the beginning I felt the older dog needed a break from the younger one and I’ve kept this up it seems to work well.

I'm intrigued as to why?

I only have one dog but three cats...with cats, two are barely much more work than one on its own.

My first dog has still not forgiven me for bringing him to her home.Very jealous at first and still possessive 18 months later. He bullies her by sitting and staring at her, and she can’t bear to see him being fussed.

Love my second dog, but wish we’d stuck with one.

We've introduced a puppy to an existing dog three times. There's always been a bit of the puppy being put in its place but not much more. The first two times, the dogs ended up having a good relationship and could be kennelled together, would sometimes play, like by the fire together, but usually slept apart. The third time - we have ended up with a duo who are joined at the hip. The older one is boss, but they have so much fun together.

We always introduce the new puppy on neutral ground, and give the older dog breaks. That seems to help.

Do it😊

We did it 12 months ago and even though we had 2 DC , 2 rabbits and 1 dog our second pup made our family.

I think that as well as managing two dogs you are manage the relationship between them. It's hard work and I won't be doing it again.

Personally I don't think its anymore work having two but then apart from a few years we've always had 2 dogs. When the miniature poodle dies I'll definitely get another dog I cant imagine having only 1 dog.
I do think cats are different we used to have three it was no problem. I inherited an elderly dog and I did find having three dogs to much, mainly because you've only got two hands and I found walking three dogs very difficult but in the house it was fine but I do have sufficient space.

I got a second dog when my lab was 2, it was hard at first, I thought he'd love a companion as always desperate to play with other dogs on walks but he wasn't that keen. So it took about 6 months for them to get used to each other.

10 years on, lab died eight months ago and I'm back to one dog. Looking at the pros and cons -
Pros, more interesting with two, seeing them play and interact, they used to make me laugh every day.
Cons, a LOT more work, cleaning, bathing muddy dogs after walks. It would take hours in winter. More noise, if one barked it would set the other off. Both competing for my attention.

I miss my lab so much and would have him back in a heartbeat but life is easier now and the house is cleaner and smells better!
Lone dog is much calmer and doesn't seem to miss lab at all.

Thank you everyone for replying - it’s so interesting to hear all your experiences with 2 dogs! I’ve given it a lot of thought and think for now we will stick to one. I have a feeling Ddog might not love having a constant companion in “her” home - she loves most other dogs, but does seem to prefer human company (she’ll often ignore other dogs in the park and try to play with their owners instead 😂). And if she doesn’t like another dog she isn’t the type of personality to just put up with them (and she always want to be the boss dog so if we got another dog with a similar personality it could definitely cause issues!) I’d love to have two but not sure it’s fair on our current one in this case.