Is a second dog twice as much work?

[WarningOfGails]

For some reason I’ve been thinking about having another dog… currently have a lab/pointer who is 5 years old.

I really didn’t enjoy having a puppy, I found it quite stressful, and I work more than I did when our current dog was a puppy… on the other hand the children are older. I guess the practical reason for another dog would be to keep current dog company. But am I being daft? Would it be twice as much work or does it just slot in? We look after friend’s dog sometimes & it makes no difference, just taking 2 dogs on a walk/letting them out for a goodnight wee instead of one…

Whether they get on now is kind of irrelevant - they’re very likely to, they’re puppies.

But what will you do if they start fighting in say 8 months time? When they’re not puppies anymore

Im aware of the herding and that, i just meant some tend teach them to nip at the rear legs which can make it worse. Or so I've been told honestly never had a collie only a rescue cross breeds and many rescue breeds. And my spaniel likes rounding us up running circles and loves when collies do it to him but we got him from a farm eventhough was the family dog, used to run and join the others, another accidental mating with ther 12yr old male spaniel sprocker and 3 Yr field spaniel.

I'd never have less than 2. They keep each other company. Yes I train mine separately, less as they get older and I can work them together (we have working dogs), but it feels easier. We only have two at the moment but will increase with a lab puppy and a part trained spaniel in the spring.

I do have separate rooms and could separate them easily and I will get one if not both done. And training, if not a new home for collie I don't want to stress either out and I will find away around it if all went pear shaped, like I said I would wait anyways. I just don't know how it's all going to pan out job wise

To be honest we take on at all ages with dogs of all ages. Providing you are actually training both young dogs separately and giving them proper training time it isn't an issue. Ours aren't allow to slip behaviour wise.
I wouldn't get a collie though. Tbh they are an entirely different kettle of fish - we used to have them when I was younger. I'd add a lab. Far easier as if you do gundog training etc (you don't need to shoot and it is what they were bred to do) when they get older you can train them together.

You tell them off and stop them!

I do have a crate and he would wait if I told him too for half hour if I was training him as my dog and my dog might help train him as he does with my partners mums one of her dogs the lab puppy didn't know how to sit till mine as he sits and does wait and knows to lie down when we eat and stuff he's good at recall and his mum let's go of the there lead when my dog and her two other dogs are there as the lab pup will then come back and won't run off so might be an idea

Good lord - there are a few posts on here that makes me think dogs are running everything!! We have entire males. We add new pups or older dogs in as we want as we have working dogs and if we need to increase numbers then we do - for example currently we have a 10 year old lab and 2 1/2 year old spaniel. In spring I'll add a lab pup to train ready for current labs retirement, and a part trained 3 -4 year old spaniel to ease the load picking up for the 10 year old.
They will sort themselves out and work out their relationships. We won't be having any fuss or fighting, because I am in charge, not them! Behaviour will not be allowed to slip and everyone will be perfectly happy.

I can always train separately anyways as partner be home can take one I take other in evening that way get used to both, won't be much of an issue at all. He waited, when they were training a rescue gsd and using food he wasn't bothered as he will wait as he knows get a toy or treat later he's a good boy and can play with the other dogs if need too. Lots of enclosed parks and things and ways to train them both. I don't really know a lot about collies was all.

Huge difference between presumably decently bred gun dogs with appropriate training and outlets for their instincts and what the OP’s set up is though.

She has one “accidentally bred” puppy and is thinking of adding in another “accidentally bred” puppy of a breed that’s often nervy and not fantastic with other dogs even when well bred.

i was more pointing out that then getting on as puppies doesn’t really mean much

So many posts! Your comment about not sure how your job will pan out does leap off the page though?

I mean my grandad always chucked them all in together as long he was the leader as a farmer he didn't care and lucky and touser labs were like 5 months apart and the springers were like 5 years older and another was 13 so idk I'm just gonna wait I'm getting real mixed reviews I just wanted an idea on dog breeds I have time and I can train and get respect from my dog and he's so good and I just thought he could use a friend and wanted advice on what sort.

Well my partner will want me to quit as he won't want the dog left as I don't want him to not get his dream manager job as dog never been left and is is with other dogs and he will be left 3 hours on his own. I don't want him under too much stress

Was a litter of 13 and had both jabs was there Till 13 weeks and was biggest as is this one as I don't like many breeders and puppy farms who let home at 8 weeks and not properly socialised or boundaries with other dogs and have more issues

My dog is constantly socialised on daily basis and the other one would get used to eventually and may already be social and I've never had a nervy dog for long even rescues who have never been outside and on leads I have trained and now she loves being out so you have no idea

8 weeks is the right time for most breeds of dog to go to a new home, genetics and poor socialisation before 16 weeks are more likely to cause behavioural issues.

You can’t train out collie nerviness, it’s part of their make up… to a certain extent it’s what they’ve been bred for, for hundreds of years. Being really alert and wanting to have things just so is an asset when herding sheep, not so much in a pet.

They’re also prone to being very obsessive and neurotic about weird things - again fine for a sheepdog, a bit harder to deal with as a pet.

Some collies aren’t as bad, you can’t tell from a puppy though - so you need to be aware that it’s entirely possible that no matter what work you put in you might end up with an adult collie that is always aloof with other people and dogs, that will get upset by things like children playing or dogs rough housing and want to herd them and isn’t happy about places like dog parks.

I think you need to do a lot more research into getting a dog before you consider a second. Introducing a puppy at 8 weeks is actually much better.

Thank you all I wanted to know is temperament and what there like if its actually a good fit as I'm not hundred percent sure of them as a second pet as only ever met cross breeds have the other breeds characteristics. And 8 weeks not always especially how big and boisterous my dog can be and I don't like it I like there mothers in fluence as they learn boundaries much quicker and mouth and more gentle in my expirence however usually better before 16 weeks and the collie is 17 weeks so I have some concerns and wanted advice and what is another high energy dog be a good companion

Not really -
Aside for the first few months. And after that my two looked after each other really which made my life much easier. A third dog, 7 years later in the other hand is a very bad idea indeed, as I am now finding out.

Crosses tend to have the collie traits diluted, which makes them worse sheepdogs but better pets.

I’m obviously giving worst case scenario… but I think you genuinely have to be prepared for that when taking on a dog - it’s always a little bit of a gamble and the better you can make your odds the better it tends to go.

Your dog is still a puppy, he’ll calm down, I mean a bit, he’ll still be a spaniel obviously 🤣 but another gun dog would be a better bet and if you wait till he’s older he’s less likely to want to play with it so boisterously that you have to worry about it.

My collie is lovely, very sweet - but, we live rurally, have a big house, he can go to work and when we took him in it was very much a case of he urgently needed somewhere to go, he was very underweight with an untreated injury and if he wasn’t for us then he’d at least get vet treatment, decently fed and then we can rehome him properly.

In a town somewhere and no work to go to - he’d need a really intense hobby to be manageable.

Well we all decided that may be a better idea and that's what we're hoping for that they get along have company and that they will eventually be inseparable.
I know not always the case and we have plans if goes wrong in the future I farmers in my family so looking for similar breed and I looked up what breeds were best I got collie and setters so I just wanted to know temperament and things. As possible collie pup.

Well I live in a town with a beach and fields and dog parks, have a big 3 bed house with me and my partner with big garden and I'm very grateful for all you're help ill try and find a mix breed collie or another spaniel type or pointer or lab just a lot of breeders round me are puppy farms and things why I like to get accidental ones or ones at 12 to 13 weeks so had both jabs can go straight out with our dog and get one when he's through adolescent.

I work as a dog trainer, have my own pointer, and adopted a rescue dog just over a year ago. Speaking from experience I would say

• Initially, yes, a second dog is a lot more work. A lot of training and possibly even walks will need to be done separately (trying to train new dog with yours hanging around virtually impossible). This does calm down as new dog starts to get the hang of things.
• If your current dog has any behavioural issues at all - in my experience this is likely to be made worse by second dog. So - pulling on lead, any reactivity, blowing recall - adding a second dog into the mix in my experience amplifies all of those things. So definitely ensure your current dogs behaviour is 100% where you want it to be first
• Cost - x 2 everything. Food, vets bills, kennels. Costing me a fortune, Also taking two dogs to places - pubs, cafes, other people's homes - can be more challenging, and less welcomed. Just something to factor in depending on your circumstances. Having them both really well trained to settle will obviously help .
• Don't rely on the fact that the dogs will be pals or enjoy the company. Mine get on fine - they have the occasional play, and the occasional grumble, and the rest of the time are pretty neutral around each other. I think if one disappeared tomorrow, the other wouldn't care less - they're not particularly enhancing each other's quality of life. It's impossible to predict until you get the dog, so you have to accept they may not be best friends, ever, and be prepared for that.
• Think carefully about the type of dog you get, and what their interests are likely to be. My pointer and my rescue dog are into completely different things, they also have completely different strengths and weaknesses, and that makes it more difficult to manage them, they enjoy different types of walks, I end up doing different activities with them (mantrailing for one, agility for the other). With hindsight, would have definitely been easier long term if I'd got another pointer or more similar breed.

Saying all that - I love my new dog and still glad I got him :-)

Many rescues will have adult dogs who they want to rehome with a companion dog and will do meet and greets to assess compatability. An older dog is usually an easier option.

Is your current dog well behaved and friendly with other dogs (especially dogs coming into his space at home)?

As I said when this thread was new to the original poster…

my dogs aren’t best friends, they’re fine, they do play sometimes, we did have some settling in issues but that’s because the other one just has some issues in general (a rescue) but now they rub along together ok.

But what we have is effectively housemates that are friendly enough with each other but not 2 best pals.

My other dog is a mutt, but we’re pretty sure there’s a large chunk of something herdy in there… and he still has very different walks than the collie - even though it’s actually a walk they go on together about half the time 🤣

But they enjoy different things and are motivated by different things.