• This topic has 32 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by igrf.
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  • Getting a second dog …
  • stox
    Free Member

    Got a 13 month old lab … Wife is badgering me to get another puppy .
    There are some very local to us for sale which is making it all the more tempting.

    I’m not against it … The only issue for me is the practical side of having two dogs …
    The wife looks at it as company and a playmate for our current dog which I fully understand.

    How much more demanding is it adding a second dog to the equation?
    We are talking Labradors here …

    samuri
    Free Member

    I’m interested in this too.

    What’s the thinking on the company and playmate for the current dog idea also. Right now we’re reluctant to ever leave our dog along for more than 3-4 hours which is hard to manage some times. Usually once a week we struggle and end up getting someone to call round, take the dog out, spend some time with her.

    If I work from home she just sleeps all the time anyway.

    stox
    Free Member

    Samurai, don’t get me wrong, current dog is left a few hours on a morning and a few on an afternoon . Wife pops home at lunch for an hour then I get home at 4ish so I don’t mean I’d like another dog because she is left alone all day . That’s not the case.
    I mean general company for when she is at home but more in the way of walking, running around the forest, beach etc etc current dog loves playing with other dogs so she would be in her element I’m sure … But I’m trying to think if the practical side of having two dogs and the issues it may bring.

    Is it a case of if you have one its just as easy to have two???

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    mogrim
    Full Member

    I had two for a while, and you’d be surprised (or not!) at how different their personalities can be. TBH the second dog was a pain, wouldn’t stop barking, had health problems (it was a rescue dog), eventually we had to give it back to the home.

    So:

    Is it a case of if you have one its just as easy to have two???

    No, not always.

    sm
    Free Member

    We did this last year. Our Westie (then 2yrs old) was always a bit wary of other dogs but after a while would play with them. I figured a new pupy would help her with the pack instinct. It has worked really well she’s so much more confident all around.

    There isnt really a downside other than more poo to clear and more food to buy.

    They play together constantly, walks are great fun and they run a lot more when they are out together than when we only walked one.

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    I’ve got a 7 year old female Labrador and in the spring we also got a Labradoodle puppy. A few things to think about but nothing major, two dog beds which take up a fair amount of space, more food and therefore more poo, more noise as they play alot but that’s no biggie and it’s about 20 per month to insure them both. The biggest issue is our Labrador is quite small whereas the doodle is massive so the boot is a bit snug for them both.

    headfirst
    Free Member

    We’ve got two dogs and I strongly believe it’s easier than having one. They run each other ragged when out and about so they get a good run out in a shorter time than one dog on it’s own. In the morning their ‘walk’ constitutes letting them out the backdoor for a mad 5-10 minutes (depending on the weather)run around. The vet says they’re the fittest dogs she’s seen for a long time.

    headfirst
    Free Member

    the boot is a bit snug for them both.

    +1

    Have been looking for a ‘small car’ with a big boot for some time, any suggestions?

    stox
    Free Member

    Looks like I’m in trouble when the wife reads this if you all keep up with the positives!

    igrf
    Free Member

    We’ve just done this, had made the unfortunate selection of a Doberman in the mistaken idea he would turn out to be an excellent trail dog – big mistake, long story cut short, came back from a long trip got ambushed into another puppy, this time a dobie cross jack russell (because they colour match and go with the furniture), so that now leaves the three of us battling it out at the foot of igrf towers food chain.
    It has calmed the older dog down a bit as an upside, the downside we have another year of puppy destruction and house training.. nightmare, even better, a couple of weeks after we got them, they (the wimmen of the house) fecked off on holiday leaving the wolfpack to fend for itself..

    SiB
    Free Member

    Got our second dog 16months ago and although a few teething problems (the extra work a puppy brings, the mess, the destruction etc etc) everything is now fine and so glad we’ve got two.

    Original dog is Lola, a 5year old spanish water dog bitch, new dog is 18month old springer spaniel dog called Fin and they are ‘best of mates’ and great company for each other. Luckily the springer isnt a mad one but certainly plenty of character and energy!

    There used to be the odd occassion when we only had one dog that the evening walk would get missed out if lashing it down with rain but not anymore now we’ve got two, two big walks a day without fail so thats a bit more demanding but something I should have always done. Bit of authority needed by me when it comes to feeding time as Fin would finish his then eat lolas food but thats all sorted now, apart from that I wouldnt say having two dogs is more demanding, just a bit more time consuming (and twice as expensive!).

    I couldnt seperate them now as thay are partners in crime, god forbid if I had to get rid of one they would both have to go together, couldnt seperate them now.

    Twice as much fun and more character from original dog now, its like she’s regressed to a puppy again!

    Fin much larger/chunkier but lola still puts him in his place if he oversteps the mark (often), funny to observe them.

    Lola better behaved since second dog.

    Hard work to begin with but as everything settles down its just as easy, easier in some aspects, as having one.

    More room needed for two beds, bowls etc

    Good luck!

    stox
    Free Member

    (because they colour match and go with the furniture)

    🙂

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    No idea on a small car/big boot but looks like we’re getting an old CRV which was not part of the plan but they are cheap and good and have plenty of dog room and a low boot sill for the older one.

    Helios
    Free Member

    Good to hear lots of positive stories – my Lab is 8 months and when he gets closer to 18 months I really want to get him a little brother. MrsH is a little more hesitant – so hearing good things from you all strengthens my case. It will mean *another* 12 months of short walks and destructo-pup – but I figure that having two for the best part of a decade after that will more than make up for the short-term hassle.

    Teetosugars
    Free Member

    We’ve got 2, granted, they are both Westies, so not big dogs, but yeah, do it.

    Eric was 3 when we got Esme, and they adore each other, granted he cracks and he pops at her, but they seem happy enough together, infact he’s lost without her.

    House training Esme was easy- she just followed Eric..

    Great idea.

    Get 2.

    You know you want too… :mrgreen:

    Dancake
    Free Member

    Twice the fun, twice the bills (just spent £211 on biopsies on the both of them. )

    Every six months or so we have a bit of silliness where they need to sort out the hierarchy between themseves (food guarding etc) but apart from that no problems

    No harder than having one

    sharkbait
    Free Member

    Having two dogs is generally fun. The only thing I would add is that you end up with two old dogs though – which in my experience isn’t brilliant.
    If I do it again I’d leave more of a gap between #1 and #2.

    stox
    Free Member

    Shark bait – that’s a valid point.

    You are all not helping my argument for discouraging the wife ! 🙂
    I Appreciate the informative posts … Useful info

    anagallis_arvensis
    Full Member

    I would add that I see many idiots i the local parkwho failed to train one dog and so got aother in the hope it would someone train the older and its self These peple end up with two poorly behaved dogs. Also dont get two dogs of similar ages.

    pingu66
    Free Member

    I don’t think its for everybody but if I had the space I would have more than 2.

    Apparently its best not to buy dogs together but leave a period of time. I got out second when my first was just over a year old. They are brilliant together,takes some pressure off as the dogs can play together rather than seeing you as the only person to play with etc. Having the two makes my life a little easier.

    igrf
    Free Member


    Obligatory ‘ooh aren’t they cute’ photo, they ain’t, they are complete b’stards and I am one of anagallis_arvenisis’s idiots (one who can put a phrase or sentence together without appearing to be drunk)and they are poorly behaved, the elder b’stard now educating the younger in new ways of b’stardness that up until now we couldn’t have imagined possible in mess creation, this very lunchtime they’d totally shredded this lovely piece of carpet Mrs iGRF had put in their beds because it is becoming cold.

    br
    Free Member

    We’ve a working cocker who’s 5, and are thinking on getting another one next year so they ‘overlap’ – keep him young.

    Karinofnine
    Full Member

    Get two – you’re no more tied with two than with one. I’ve had two lurchers, it was just so brilliant to watch them off the lead doing crazy mental dog chases, a human could never hope to run as fast. They used to do this mad play-fighting thing too, no teeth, just lots of noise and movement.

    (I’m picking up two retired greyhounds tomorrow – I can hardly bear the wait!)

    samuri
    Free Member

    How **** ace are dogs!? 😉

    Innes
    Free Member

    We have had two dogs for nine years now.

    We have had one older dog and one younger which has been good.

    Our first Collie, Sally almost trained the younger Collie, Meg for us, a younger dog really watches the older one and copies.

    As time has has moved on, Meg is now the older dog to a Black Lab, Maisie. They are both very different in personalities, but with a little help dogs sort out their place in the family.

    We really enjoy having the two of them, it really isn’t any more work with two, and having two different breeds has worked out well too.

    jonahtonto
    Free Member

    two dogs good one dog bad. however i like to space mine by about 6 years so one trains the other and i dont get too broken hearted when the older one dies. thats not right actually, im just as broken hearted its just i have a dog to help me mend it. only problem is hols… one dog babysit is easy, somehow two is much harder

    stox
    Free Member

    Well, bit the bullet , decision made .. Collect her on Friday.
    Thanks for the replies… It did help … I’ve chewed over getting a second dog for weeks now so fingers crossed it works out …

    Woody
    Free Member

    Good decision and this is what happens when they tire each other out. Have fun 😀
    [img]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5041/5247802744_a9ac022b2a_z.jpg[/img]

    Dancake
    Free Member

    Oh Go on then.


    104_0231 by Dancake2010, on Flickr

    1 year apart

    Basil
    Full Member

    Lil Ba**ard and bigger Bas**rd

    stox
    Free Member

    Lil Ba**ard and bigger Bas**rd

    🙂

    Basil
    Full Member

    Would I lie to you?

    igrf
    Free Member


    The Wolfpack rides out.

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