I've always believed that two dogs were always better than one. Not because it was an excuse for us to get both of the Nihon Ken breeds we wanted, but because humans can't give dogs what dogs give dogs... if that makes any sense. A dog will never play with a person the way they play with each other. They also keep each other company. All this said, you have to make sure that the two dogs are somewhat compatible personality wise... You don't want to add a temperamental dog to a household with a super friendly dog...
From our experience with ChoCho and Goro, we love their relationship! We probably got lucky, but most likely Brad and Jen picked out the perfect pup for ChoCho and us! We can't imagine ourselves with just one dog. Two is the way to go!
It's not necessarily "easier" to have two dogs... Two dogs is more work than one for many obvious reasons like: bathing two dogs instead of one, walking, brushing, getting ready to go. If I were doing it all alone it would be tough, but I almost always have my husband helping me and taking care of one of the dogs. So, "Better": YES, "Easier": not exactly (but worth it).
Two dogs are twice the training, twice the cost (for food, flea/tick/heart worm prevention, vet visits, etc.), twice the work to walk/take on vacation/etc. In a lot of ways it's more work, especially if you are keeping up with training and teaching the dogs new things.
But it can be helpful in some ways, also. When Mitsu was a puppy, my dalmatian really was instrumental in her upbringing. He is a well-mannered adult with TONS of tolerance. He helped tire her out and she grew to adore him. I'm positive she would have grown to be a different dog without him.
Even so, though, it does complicate some situations. For instance, Kratos can be off-leash no problem, but Mitsu cannot. However, if Kratos is off-leash, Mitsu - who normally loose leash walks no problem - will pull and pull against the lead. So, I can't have one on the lead and the other off the lead at the same time. There's also been a little competition with things like who gets to run into the yard first, so training self-control is really important. And even though both of my dogs adore each other, I have to give them bully sticks and other high-reward chews separately or they bicker - not fight, but I don't want to risk that one dog harassing the other will turn into that, so they get separated or given the items in their crates. This lets them eat their bully sticks in peace without having to worry about who finishes first, etc. Other chews, like antlers and toys and even peanut butter filled items, are not a problem. They share and play with them together.
We feed them separately also. Kratos used to have a problem within inhaling his food (we theorize that it is because he spent a lot of time in a multidog household that wasn't managed properly - he was SUPER skinny when we got him and ate like he was worried about losing food), so it's better for him to have some privacy to eat. And if Mitsu is chewing a bone (we feed raw), she's more inclined to growl if Kratos approaches her because it's taking her time to eat and she doesn't want to be bothered. Otherwise she's usually good (and in fact the routine is that she waits until Kratos is done so she can clean up after him, haha). We have a system now that both dogs respect and understand, so even if one finishes before the other, they leave each other alone, but that took some establishing of a routine/boundaries.
When we're training new concepts, I have to separate the dogs. Reinforcing old concepts isn't hard to do with both of them around, but to ensure that I have their undivided attention for new things, I separate them. And I love training them both - especially because getting individual time with them, in addition to pack time, is important to me.
I'm married, so having my husband to help out is really great, but when he's out of town or working long hours, I have to make double the trips to the park for long walks or choose between my dogs because I can't walk Kratos and Mitsu together. Or, well, I can - they actually are fine on walks together - but I'm concerned about having to divide my attention that way just in case. The trail we use gets a lot of joggers, bikers, and other dogs, so it's easier for me to walk them separately.
I've taken both dogs to the vet by myself before and once again, it's doable, but those trips are easier on me when it's only one dog.
If you take classes with your dogs, it can be double the running around with them, also.
If one dog gets hurt or sick, it's a little complicated because the other dog may try to get him/her to play, etc. Kratos pulled a muscle a couple of months back and we had to walk him exclusively on a leash to keep him from running in the yard so it could heal. But, as it began to heal and get better, he reinjured himself jumping up to play with Mitsu out of the blue. So, healing time was doubled.
These are just my personal experiences - a lot of it will depend on the individual dogs. But I would say that it's harder in some ways (training, etc.), and a little easier in others (the dogs play with each other and tire each other out). That said, I definitely love owning two dogs, and they love each other. To me it's worth the extra work.
I thought it would be great fun, good company, easier to exercise for my #1 dog to have more dogs around, despite the fact that she got a LOT of dog social time. I imagined she;d play with and cuddle up with Dog 2. In retrospect, this wasn;t necessary for this reason. She'd have been fine, fulfilled and happy with no other dogs in her home, but she is also fine with dogs. She doenst cuddle up with ANYBODY- she;s just not that kind of personality. She doenst get lonely, she doesnt NEED to wrestle. So really its neither here nor there for her happiness, just mine- I wanted a 2nd dog, so I got one.
I assume you dont need to be todl about costs for vets and meds and so forth, so im skipping that obvious stuff. Because you already have toys, beds, crates, leashes etc and have dog-care habits (like walks and routines) going from 1-->2 is easier than from 0-->1 But dont kid yourself because you will still buy toys, etc. specifically for Dog2! You'll also love watching them play and interact together and learn so much more about them as dogs and as individuals when you have more than 1. Having more than 1 also takes a lot of pressure off yourself and Dog 1 to be My Dog- Ive found as i got more dogs, I appreciated them as individuals more than I realized I could, and its great! Reilly is the steady reliable chief, Sage is sensitive and I should not let him get overwhelmed, Juno is busy and funny and loyal. This realization alone is worth its weight in dogs.
Dog 2 is healthier emotionally for having dogs around him. And that one of them is Chief Reilly is both comforting and intimidating. That one of them is diplomatic Juno is forgiving, relaxing and fun.
Dog 3 has never known life as an only dog. I am not sure of it, but I think she also benefits socially and behaviorally from having other dogs in her family. She was a brassy pup, (in all her puppy videos, she's the growly spitfire puppy- which is hilarious to me now in retrospect) but she is very balanced all grown up, but I wonder if she was an only dog if her spitfire nature would run a bit more unchecked. I think she and our family are perfect for each other and make each other the best we can all be.
I still have to give each dog some daily individual time, so it doesnt take you off the hook in terms of making things 'easier'- I can dump them all in the yard but they want me there too. I dont just leave them out there and go do stuff on my agenda., its dog-time for me as well. I can leash walk dog 1 & 3 together in the rain or ice, but even at 2 Dogs, Id need to go out inthe rain 2x: Dog 2 is reactive and needs to be walked alone for training and bonding primarily, but also because he will redirect on other dogs if he feels too much pressure and thats unsafe and unfair. (a valid point is that you can have a perfect Dog 1 and expect Dog 2 to be more or less also well adjusted, but in my case, Dog 2 turned out to be a Project Dog, and didnt make my life easier at all, cost us a lot of money to work with and manage, and costs our family a lot in emotion and attention. There's a lot we can't/don't do "because of The Boy."
I guess the short answer is "Depends on who Dog 2 is." If I had just Dog 1 and Dog 3, I guess I would say that having two dogs isnt "easier than 1" but it isnt very much *harder* than 1 (you do have to spend more time, and you have dog-dog stuff to observe and manage and train, even with two perfect dogs) and it does bring more fun and greater perspective and knoweldge, outweighing the extra work and costs.
One thing that changed form having 1 to multi is that whenI just had Rei, I would ask if I could bring her to anything I was going to- from errands to parties. She was My Dog. But when I got two dogs, I found it to be more of an imposition to ask friends if I can bring two dogs to the cookout, and if I DID bring them places, I spent more attention being aware of what they were doing than on relaxing and visiting. With two, you dont want to bring one without the other, so they all stay home. With 3 however, now its an assortment of dogs to choose from, and I find myself assessing - I can bring Juno to the Dog Days Fair, or I'll bring Reilly apple picking, and I dont feel bad choosing one to go out while the others stay home. In thiis way, I also am more frequently bringing the right dog to something they will like and NOT feeling like I want to bring a dog whod rather stay homenapping in a square of sunlight out to some social activity.
I do kindof miss Me and My Dog, but I also love the pack, and even my Project Dog within the pack. I woudl go nuts if the only dog I had was Sage (Project Dog) but I could be best inseparable buds with just Juno or Reilly, I think- but I'd go back to that one dog being my 'familiar' and having to go everywhere with me, which is a lot of pressure. That said, I'm in Pack Mode at this time of my life, so I say bring on the dogs!
I want to second the motion that atlas brings up- I think dogs are like yogurt, and having a 'starter culture' is awesome for puppies. I dont think Sage could overcome his issues by Reilly's example much, but I do think Juno so quickly understood What We Do Here and how to be a good offleash dog because of Reilly doing it already. I am very grateful that solid Reilly is my Foundation Dog, she's a good one!
I've never had only one dog, really. Not for any extended period of time. One dog feels so vacant to me at this point--not enough healthy chaos in my life. I -thrive- on a healthy dose of chaos and love having the dogs around to focus my attention on, really.
Otherwise... I echo a lot of the sentiments/opinions spoken here. I don't think two dogs are easier than one, but it's certainly easier to add a second dog once you've got an understanding of how things work with the first. Having two dogs around certainly isn't easier for me (they both have very different needs), but I do think it's better for both of them, emotionally - they compliment one another well even though they have very different personalities.
A lot of good thoughts here. I do think that the time and training investment is more than double with two dogs though. Maybe like 2.5x. Also instead of budgeting for a vet emergency with one dog you have to budget for two - what if they *both* get into rat poison, or *both* get hit by a car, or *both* get sick, etc. When it rains it pours.
Putting aside the costs, training, and management (which I agree does more than double)... I think dog's benefit from having a buddy. Dogs are social animals and enjoy company. BUT, one has to be careful to make sure they are providing each dog with their own personal one-on-one with mommy/daddy time too.
Yep, I agree that two is better but not easier. For instance, Rakka was down to being an only dog after Tojo died and Skella was rehomed, and we didn't think it affected her that much until we got Sosuke and really noticed the difference. I think her quality of life is much better now, as in hindsight, she was pretty mopey and bummed out when she was an only dog. Rakka's not even very good with other dogs a lot of the time, but she definitely likes having her little brother.
Thanks for the responses. I understand the increase in cost and difficulty in training and other issues based on how the dogs interact. I always felt two is good because like @brada1878 said they are social creatures. Most of us have to be gone once in a while at least for work or other obligations and it would be nice that when those times come, they still have someone around to keep them company. I notice that Toshi enjoys company when we are out running errands even if it's just our cat. Our cat does not like paying with him often because she's not happy with his puppy ways of playing. I can always take Toshi for runs and walks but I don't see him get as much out of that (or as tired) as when he plays with other dogs. I think by the time a Kishu becomes available he will be more mature and will help teach a new puppy how things work. My wife is due in March so there's no rush yet for puppy #2. I've just heard from a lot of people that in a lot of ways two can be easier and they seem to be happier than one dog families.
For me, besides from all the costs and everything that everyone has said, Bea really needed Kaiju. What I mean by this is when Bea was alone (she was in a kennel all her life), she looked really sad and depressed. She did not know how to play with toys or anything. After I got Kaiju, I think he really taught her how to play, especially tug o war. They love eachother and play with one another often.
Unless the first dog is extremely dog aggressive or flat out hates other dogs, my perception is that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks at least for the other dog, since as Brad points out, they do usually enjoy having a dog buddy to be with when mom and dad are away from the home working. Now, if you are lucky enough to be a stay at home pet owner, you may have all the time and desire to be your dogs best buddy so another wouldn't be "needed" unless you wanted another for yourself. It's harder work in many ways for the human however, IMO to have more than one due to time, cost, space, etc.
I agree with WrylyBrindle post having only one dog makes it easier to go to a birthday party, or BBQ with the dog especially if one is hyper and other behaved..
Plus double duty to make sure people don't give your dog piece of chocolate cake or cooked chicken bone or whatever.
There is a lot of pros and cons.
Coarse if your dog don't enjoy company of other dogs might be best to keep as only pet.
Saya and Bella do enjoy human attention and both wouldn't mind pet only I think..
Though having both is nice they play together and so on.
Comments
From our experience with ChoCho and Goro, we love their relationship! We probably got lucky, but most likely Brad and Jen picked out the perfect pup for ChoCho and us! We can't imagine ourselves with just one dog. Two is the way to go!
It's not necessarily "easier" to have two dogs... Two dogs is more work than one for many obvious reasons like: bathing two dogs instead of one, walking, brushing, getting ready to go. If I were doing it all alone it would be tough, but I almost always have my husband helping me and taking care of one of the dogs. So, "Better": YES, "Easier": not exactly (but worth it).
Two dogs are twice the training, twice the cost (for food, flea/tick/heart worm prevention, vet visits, etc.), twice the work to walk/take on vacation/etc. In a lot of ways it's more work, especially if you are keeping up with training and teaching the dogs new things.
But it can be helpful in some ways, also. When Mitsu was a puppy, my dalmatian really was instrumental in her upbringing. He is a well-mannered adult with TONS of tolerance. He helped tire her out and she grew to adore him. I'm positive she would have grown to be a different dog without him.
Even so, though, it does complicate some situations. For instance, Kratos can be off-leash no problem, but Mitsu cannot. However, if Kratos is off-leash, Mitsu - who normally loose leash walks no problem - will pull and pull against the lead. So, I can't have one on the lead and the other off the lead at the same time. There's also been a little competition with things like who gets to run into the yard first, so training self-control is really important. And even though both of my dogs adore each other, I have to give them bully sticks and other high-reward chews separately or they bicker - not fight, but I don't want to risk that one dog harassing the other will turn into that, so they get separated or given the items in their crates. This lets them eat their bully sticks in peace without having to worry about who finishes first, etc. Other chews, like antlers and toys and even peanut butter filled items, are not a problem. They share and play with them together.
We feed them separately also. Kratos used to have a problem within inhaling his food (we theorize that it is because he spent a lot of time in a multidog household that wasn't managed properly - he was SUPER skinny when we got him and ate like he was worried about losing food), so it's better for him to have some privacy to eat. And if Mitsu is chewing a bone (we feed raw), she's more inclined to growl if Kratos approaches her because it's taking her time to eat and she doesn't want to be bothered. Otherwise she's usually good (and in fact the routine is that she waits until Kratos is done so she can clean up after him, haha). We have a system now that both dogs respect and understand, so even if one finishes before the other, they leave each other alone, but that took some establishing of a routine/boundaries.
When we're training new concepts, I have to separate the dogs. Reinforcing old concepts isn't hard to do with both of them around, but to ensure that I have their undivided attention for new things, I separate them. And I love training them both - especially because getting individual time with them, in addition to pack time, is important to me.
I'm married, so having my husband to help out is really great, but when he's out of town or working long hours, I have to make double the trips to the park for long walks or choose between my dogs because I can't walk Kratos and Mitsu together. Or, well, I can - they actually are fine on walks together - but I'm concerned about having to divide my attention that way just in case. The trail we use gets a lot of joggers, bikers, and other dogs, so it's easier for me to walk them separately.
I've taken both dogs to the vet by myself before and once again, it's doable, but those trips are easier on me when it's only one dog.
If you take classes with your dogs, it can be double the running around with them, also.
If one dog gets hurt or sick, it's a little complicated because the other dog may try to get him/her to play, etc. Kratos pulled a muscle a couple of months back and we had to walk him exclusively on a leash to keep him from running in the yard so it could heal. But, as it began to heal and get better, he reinjured himself jumping up to play with Mitsu out of the blue. So, healing time was doubled.
These are just my personal experiences - a lot of it will depend on the individual dogs. But I would say that it's harder in some ways (training, etc.), and a little easier in others (the dogs play with each other and tire each other out). That said, I definitely love owning two dogs, and they love each other. To me it's worth the extra work.
I thought it would be great fun, good company, easier to exercise for my #1 dog to have more dogs around, despite the fact that she got a LOT of dog social time. I imagined she;d play with and cuddle up with Dog 2. In retrospect, this wasn;t necessary for this reason. She'd have been fine, fulfilled and happy with no other dogs in her home, but she is also fine with dogs. She doenst cuddle up with ANYBODY- she;s just not that kind of personality. She doenst get lonely, she doesnt NEED to wrestle. So really its neither here nor there for her happiness, just mine- I wanted a 2nd dog, so I got one.
I assume you dont need to be todl about costs for vets and meds and so forth, so im skipping that obvious stuff. Because you already have toys, beds, crates, leashes etc and have dog-care habits (like walks and routines) going from 1-->2 is easier than from 0-->1 But dont kid yourself because you will still buy toys, etc. specifically for Dog2! You'll also love watching them play and interact together and learn so much more about them as dogs and as individuals when you have more than 1. Having more than 1 also takes a lot of pressure off yourself and Dog 1 to be My Dog- Ive found as i got more dogs, I appreciated them as individuals more than I realized I could, and its great! Reilly is the steady reliable chief, Sage is sensitive and I should not let him get overwhelmed, Juno is busy and funny and loyal. This realization alone is worth its weight in dogs.
Dog 2 is healthier emotionally for having dogs around him. And that one of them is Chief Reilly is both comforting and intimidating. That one of them is diplomatic Juno is forgiving, relaxing and fun.
Dog 3 has never known life as an only dog. I am not sure of it, but I think she also benefits socially and behaviorally from having other dogs in her family. She was a brassy pup, (in all her puppy videos, she's the growly spitfire puppy- which is hilarious to me now in retrospect) but she is very balanced all grown up, but I wonder if she was an only dog if her spitfire nature would run a bit more unchecked. I think she and our family are perfect for each other and make each other the best we can all be.
I still have to give each dog some daily individual time, so it doesnt take you off the hook in terms of making things 'easier'- I can dump them all in the yard but they want me there too. I dont just leave them out there and go do stuff on my agenda., its dog-time for me as well. I can leash walk dog 1 & 3 together in the rain or ice, but even at 2 Dogs, Id need to go out inthe rain 2x: Dog 2 is reactive and needs to be walked alone for training and bonding primarily, but also because he will redirect on other dogs if he feels too much pressure and thats unsafe and unfair. (a valid point is that you can have a perfect Dog 1 and expect Dog 2 to be more or less also well adjusted, but in my case, Dog 2 turned out to be a Project Dog, and didnt make my life easier at all, cost us a lot of money to work with and manage, and costs our family a lot in emotion and attention. There's a lot we can't/don't do "because of The Boy."
I guess the short answer is "Depends on who Dog 2 is." If I had just Dog 1 and Dog 3, I guess I would say that having two dogs isnt "easier than 1" but it isnt very much *harder* than 1 (you do have to spend more time, and you have dog-dog stuff to observe and manage and train, even with two perfect dogs) and it does bring more fun and greater perspective and knoweldge, outweighing the extra work and costs.
One thing that changed form having 1 to multi is that whenI just had Rei, I would ask if I could bring her to anything I was going to- from errands to parties. She was My Dog. But when I got two dogs, I found it to be more of an imposition to ask friends if I can bring two dogs to the cookout, and if I DID bring them places, I spent more attention being aware of what they were doing than on relaxing and visiting. With two, you dont want to bring one without the other, so they all stay home. With 3 however, now its an assortment of dogs to choose from, and I find myself assessing - I can bring Juno to the Dog Days Fair, or I'll bring Reilly apple picking, and I dont feel bad choosing one to go out while the others stay home. In thiis way, I also am more frequently bringing the right dog to something they will like and NOT feeling like I want to bring a dog whod rather stay homenapping in a square of sunlight out to some social activity.
I do kindof miss Me and My Dog, but I also love the pack, and even my Project Dog within the pack. I woudl go nuts if the only dog I had was Sage (Project Dog) but I could be best inseparable buds with just Juno or Reilly, I think- but I'd go back to that one dog being my 'familiar' and having to go everywhere with me, which is a lot of pressure. That said, I'm in Pack Mode at this time of my life, so I say bring on the dogs!
Otherwise... I echo a lot of the sentiments/opinions spoken here. I don't think two dogs are easier than one, but it's certainly easier to add a second dog once you've got an understanding of how things work with the first. Having two dogs around certainly isn't easier for me (they both have very different needs), but I do think it's better for both of them, emotionally - they compliment one another well even though they have very different personalities.
----
I agree with WrylyBrindle post having only one dog makes it easier to go to a birthday party, or BBQ with the dog especially if one is hyper and other behaved..
Plus double duty to make sure people don't give your dog piece of chocolate cake or cooked chicken bone or whatever.
There is a lot of pros and cons.
Coarse if your dog don't enjoy company of other dogs might be best to keep as only pet.
Saya and Bella do enjoy human attention and both wouldn't mind pet only I think..
Though having both is nice they play together and so on.