Adopting the right dog(s)
July 22, 2009 7:07 AM Subscribe
NewDogOwnerFilter: One dog or two? Or just give me some general advice.
My wife and I have been looking to get a dog lately. We've been cat people previously, and she grew up with dogs -- me not so much. We found a Weimaraner that we think we would love very much: He's 1-2 years old, was found starved, abandoned in a dump and has been nursed back to health.
Upon contacting the shelter, the women I spoke to (one of the volunteers/doggy foster parents) told me about two other Weimaraners, an 8 month old brother and sister at the shelter. While the first dog is loving and happy, he's more emotionally needy, and not so outgoing. The two siblings are just joyous bundles of outgoing happiness and activity, apparently. She seemed to be gently implying we might be a better fit with the siblings. (They're not puppies, so a definite prerequisite to this is making sure that they're both properly socialized -- i.e. will not ignore humans because they're just too in love with their doggy buddy).
We both work full-time during the day, so the dogs will be home alone between about 7am and 4:30pm, with occasional exceptions. We're more than willing to dedicate a lot of time and effort with training, playing and exercise outside those hours -- we just don't want to get in over our head.
I know that no one can really answer this save myself and my wife, but: is it a good idea to get two dogs? Will they require a lot more effort/time/money than one dog (okay) or will they require an incredible increase in effort/time/money (not so okay)?
I'm not looking for you to make a decision for me, I'm looking for your experiences and thoughts so that we can make a decision. :)
My wife and I have been looking to get a dog lately. We've been cat people previously, and she grew up with dogs -- me not so much. We found a Weimaraner that we think we would love very much: He's 1-2 years old, was found starved, abandoned in a dump and has been nursed back to health.
Upon contacting the shelter, the women I spoke to (one of the volunteers/doggy foster parents) told me about two other Weimaraners, an 8 month old brother and sister at the shelter. While the first dog is loving and happy, he's more emotionally needy, and not so outgoing. The two siblings are just joyous bundles of outgoing happiness and activity, apparently. She seemed to be gently implying we might be a better fit with the siblings. (They're not puppies, so a definite prerequisite to this is making sure that they're both properly socialized -- i.e. will not ignore humans because they're just too in love with their doggy buddy).
We both work full-time during the day, so the dogs will be home alone between about 7am and 4:30pm, with occasional exceptions. We're more than willing to dedicate a lot of time and effort with training, playing and exercise outside those hours -- we just don't want to get in over our head.
I know that no one can really answer this save myself and my wife, but: is it a good idea to get two dogs? Will they require a lot more effort/time/money than one dog (okay) or will they require an incredible increase in effort/time/money (not so okay)?
I'm not looking for you to make a decision for me, I'm looking for your experiences and thoughts so that we can make a decision. :)
It can be great to have two dogs, especially because they'll keep each other company when you're out, but a puppy is a big responsibility and will need to be properly trained. And training takes a LOT of time.
If I were you, I'd lean toward the older dog (especially since you don't have much experience raising a puppy, let alone two)-- UNLESS the reason the shelter lady is pushing you toward the siblings is because the single dog has some serious doggy-psychological conditions.
posted by oinopaponton at 7:21 AM on July 22, 2009
If I were you, I'd lean toward the older dog (especially since you don't have much experience raising a puppy, let alone two)-- UNLESS the reason the shelter lady is pushing you toward the siblings is because the single dog has some serious doggy-psychological conditions.
posted by oinopaponton at 7:21 AM on July 22, 2009
I got two female littermates at 6 weeks of age that were Lab/Golden/Irish Setter mixes and have had them for 12 years. At the beginning it made things much easier; they did not cry at all when they got to my house and kept each other company while I was at work and so never got too destructive (although they once climbed up on the dining room table and ate all but a small piece of a chocolate cake-without leaving a crumb anywhere but on the plate). They were hard to train at the same time as they would distract each other, but I would leave one inside and work with the other and so was able to teach them enough basic commands that they were easy to live with. Another hurdle was that a couple of times I had other dogs for a few months and the other two did not react well to that and tended to team up on the newcomer. It was not so bad that I had to get rid of the other dog, though (there were other reasons why those were only temporary pets). They started to show their age a few years ago and a few weeks ago one died in her sleep. Her sister seemed a little depressed and didn't eat well for a few days (the one that died often tried to hog all the food) but all in all took the transition better than I did. I don't know how other gender combinations would work out, but all in all I was very glad to get two dogs instead of one.
posted by TedW at 7:21 AM on July 22, 2009
posted by TedW at 7:21 AM on July 22, 2009
I'd say two young dogs are much harder to train than one. You have twice as many bad behaviors to correct (and positive ones to encourage), which is a lot to keep up with when they're bundles of activity, as you say. Walks become more difficult, there's twice as much poop to pick up, twice the vet bills, twice the opportunities for destruction of your home. It's different to acquire a new dog after have one dog that is already well-trained. But getting two untrained pups at once could be very difficult.
posted by pitseleh at 7:28 AM on July 22, 2009
posted by pitseleh at 7:28 AM on July 22, 2009
The extra effort involved in 2 dogs is really very minimal. Moneywise, well you're clearly doubling up on food, treats, boarding and vet bills.
The main thing that might change is the dynamic between you and the dogs. If you have one dog then the pup is reliant on you for all of it's at home interaction. If you have two dogs then they may get some of that interaction from each other, or they may totally ignore each other, or they may be crazy jealous of each other. All dogs are different. Some dogs seem to do better as single dogs, some thrive in their little gang of two or more. Problem is you won't know until you've had them a while how it's going to go. In that way it's pretty much like having a family.
Really, I don't think there's a clear cut answer here other than on the financial aspect. One option is not better than the other, they're just different.
posted by merocet at 7:28 AM on July 22, 2009
The main thing that might change is the dynamic between you and the dogs. If you have one dog then the pup is reliant on you for all of it's at home interaction. If you have two dogs then they may get some of that interaction from each other, or they may totally ignore each other, or they may be crazy jealous of each other. All dogs are different. Some dogs seem to do better as single dogs, some thrive in their little gang of two or more. Problem is you won't know until you've had them a while how it's going to go. In that way it's pretty much like having a family.
Really, I don't think there's a clear cut answer here other than on the financial aspect. One option is not better than the other, they're just different.
posted by merocet at 7:28 AM on July 22, 2009
Two dogs are more than twice the work of one, since they instigate each other. I'm pretty surprised the woman at the shelter suggested getting littermates- this is a pretty big no-no in the world of dog rescuing, as the littermates tend to bond to each other, rather than you.
posted by emilyd22222 at 7:29 AM on July 22, 2009
posted by emilyd22222 at 7:29 AM on July 22, 2009
Best answer: Having two dogs is great. Three? Even better! But given your backstory, I think jumping in the dog pool at the shallow end would probably lead to more happiness. That way the older/needier dog can act as a doggie ambassador and show you the immense joys of canine companionship. Then, if the household and dog are so inclined, another can be added to the pack later.
posted by hecho de la basura at 7:34 AM on July 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by hecho de la basura at 7:34 AM on July 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
I do have two dogs, adopted the first one December 1st and the second May 30th. Romero (first dog)was pretty much a spur of the moment decision. We met him at a shelter drive in Petsmart. I thought about him over night, spoke to my husband at lunch the next day and he was ours two hours later. He was just the perfect dog for us and our kids. Then I thought that he might need a companion and it took about a month to find Bella. She took a little while to fit in with the family but they love each other.
In terms of time, there is very little difference with two short haired dogs like weimeraners. You walk them together, play at the same time, eat at he same time. Training will take more time since you need to do it with each dog individually and together. Money is doubled for everything though. I found that behavior problems increased slightly with Romey when Bella came home. Rather than sleeping while we were out, he had a partner in crime.
You also need to consider a dog's breed background when deciding if they have a good chance of fitting with your schedule and lifestyle. Younger dogs will want and need a great deal of exercise.
After having brother/sister cats for 18 years and now my two dogs, I believe that animals get something from their own kind that it is just not possible for us to give. I will try to always have a pair from now on.
posted by Talia Devane at 7:41 AM on July 22, 2009
In terms of time, there is very little difference with two short haired dogs like weimeraners. You walk them together, play at the same time, eat at he same time. Training will take more time since you need to do it with each dog individually and together. Money is doubled for everything though. I found that behavior problems increased slightly with Romey when Bella came home. Rather than sleeping while we were out, he had a partner in crime.
You also need to consider a dog's breed background when deciding if they have a good chance of fitting with your schedule and lifestyle. Younger dogs will want and need a great deal of exercise.
After having brother/sister cats for 18 years and now my two dogs, I believe that animals get something from their own kind that it is just not possible for us to give. I will try to always have a pair from now on.
posted by Talia Devane at 7:41 AM on July 22, 2009
I really like Weimars. They're smart and active and tend to be very good-natured. That said, I don't think they're the best fit for first-time dog-owners. The combination of smart and high-energy means that not only can they get destructive, they can find ways to get destructive that you'd never think of. I've known quite a few Weimars and have never seen a family that didn't have to go to great lengths to prevent tehir dogs from destroying stuff or escaping the yard when they were left alone for extended periods of time, either with crate-training or a custom outdoor secure area in addition to a solid fence. They also tend to be very vocal dogs, so if a lot of barking is likely to create a rift in your household or with your neighbors, that may be something to take into consideration.
Rergardless of what dog(s) you get, definitely do some group training classes. Also do some reading - Jean Donaldson's The Culture Clash is always highly recommended as a starting point.
I'm not saying don't adopt a Weimar. Just saying be very considerate of the commitment you're making in doing so. Smart, active dogs can be fantastic companions - I have a spitfire Border Collie/Lab mix myself that is still as active as 9 month old puppy at ~4.5 years old - but the due diligence, trials and tribulations are kicked up a bit.
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:08 AM on July 22, 2009
Rergardless of what dog(s) you get, definitely do some group training classes. Also do some reading - Jean Donaldson's The Culture Clash is always highly recommended as a starting point.
I'm not saying don't adopt a Weimar. Just saying be very considerate of the commitment you're making in doing so. Smart, active dogs can be fantastic companions - I have a spitfire Border Collie/Lab mix myself that is still as active as 9 month old puppy at ~4.5 years old - but the due diligence, trials and tribulations are kicked up a bit.
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:08 AM on July 22, 2009
Two dogs is a lot more dog than one. Two is a pack.
Even more so for Weimaraners, who need a very strong alpha dog (you) as leader. They can be very willful, and two willful, strong, not-well-trained dogs is a hazard. If you've never had a dog, you might want to start with another breed.
We had two dogs for 12 yrs (mother and daughter). They fought with each other quite a lot (mother-daughter issues) and were really a handful on a walk. We have one dog now, same breed as the other two, and life is much simpler. And the vet bills much lower.
Whether you get one or two, make sure you really go through a program of obedience training with him/her/them. You'll need to learn the skills as much as they will.
posted by mmw at 8:12 AM on July 22, 2009
Even more so for Weimaraners, who need a very strong alpha dog (you) as leader. They can be very willful, and two willful, strong, not-well-trained dogs is a hazard. If you've never had a dog, you might want to start with another breed.
We had two dogs for 12 yrs (mother and daughter). They fought with each other quite a lot (mother-daughter issues) and were really a handful on a walk. We have one dog now, same breed as the other two, and life is much simpler. And the vet bills much lower.
Whether you get one or two, make sure you really go through a program of obedience training with him/her/them. You'll need to learn the skills as much as they will.
posted by mmw at 8:12 AM on July 22, 2009
Most of my extended family have dogs, generally in pairs. On the whole I think having them in pairs reduces loneliness when their owners go to work but makes for a tougher training period.
One family member has had a bad experience though. She got two lakeland terriers from the same litter which turned on each other during doggy-puberty. Over a period of a few months they went from occasional bickering to outright war. They now live two completely separate lives within one household, alternating between family-time and alone-time on a rota using a sort of airlock system so that their paths never cross (if they catch sight of each other even through frosted glass, they rage).
As an aside, if you do opt for a weimaraner, you might want to have a look at William Wegman's artwork.
posted by SebastianKnight at 8:33 AM on July 22, 2009
One family member has had a bad experience though. She got two lakeland terriers from the same litter which turned on each other during doggy-puberty. Over a period of a few months they went from occasional bickering to outright war. They now live two completely separate lives within one household, alternating between family-time and alone-time on a rota using a sort of airlock system so that their paths never cross (if they catch sight of each other even through frosted glass, they rage).
As an aside, if you do opt for a weimaraner, you might want to have a look at William Wegman's artwork.
posted by SebastianKnight at 8:33 AM on July 22, 2009
Frankly I am amazed that the shelter worker would suggest a sibling pair to a first-time dog owner. Siblings notoriously tend to bond with one another rather than their human, which means that they are most definitely more than twice as much work as one, at least if you're doing it right. They will need to be trained separately and walked separately. This is standard advice when raising sibling pairs.
If you start with one, you can always add a second later, and in the meantime you will not only have established a strong bond with the first, but you will have learned so much about training and behavior management, which will make raising the second much easier.
posted by HotToddy at 8:44 AM on July 22, 2009
If you start with one, you can always add a second later, and in the meantime you will not only have established a strong bond with the first, but you will have learned so much about training and behavior management, which will make raising the second much easier.
posted by HotToddy at 8:44 AM on July 22, 2009
One dog, not two, is much better for you as you describe your situation; And I would suggest, not a Weimaraner; get an easier dog.
posted by anadem at 8:58 AM on July 22, 2009
posted by anadem at 8:58 AM on July 22, 2009
I recommend starting out with one dog. In the future, you can always adopt another dog if you want, but starting out with one would be easier.
posted by parakeetdog at 9:49 AM on July 22, 2009
posted by parakeetdog at 9:49 AM on July 22, 2009
This isn't something you can decide on the phone, or over the internet. You're talking about a theoretical single dog or sibling pair. You will be adopting an actual dog or sibling pair.
They are not the same thing. What sounds right, logical or preferable on paper may well not work out that way because these dogs are not abstract concepts; they are individual beings with unique interests, personalities and quirks. In other words, I've met thousands of dogs in my life but only a handful I'd want to raise for the next ten years. Animal adoption is, in ideal circumstances, very much a pair matching exercise.
So, perhaps you could meet all of the dogs concerned and re-consider from there.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:55 AM on July 22, 2009
They are not the same thing. What sounds right, logical or preferable on paper may well not work out that way because these dogs are not abstract concepts; they are individual beings with unique interests, personalities and quirks. In other words, I've met thousands of dogs in my life but only a handful I'd want to raise for the next ten years. Animal adoption is, in ideal circumstances, very much a pair matching exercise.
So, perhaps you could meet all of the dogs concerned and re-consider from there.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:55 AM on July 22, 2009
Best answer: I would recommend starting out with one dog. You can always add a second down the road.
This is what I did and am very happy with my two labs. Both are from rescues and my first lab puppy was very high energy and destructive. I don't think I would have been able to handle him and get him over these bad habits if I would have had two at the time.
Also, you are gone most of the day, I use a dog walker as I work similar hours and find this greatly helps for the dog (and human's ) happiness. Two dogs cost twice as much with a walker....
posted by jek at 11:34 AM on July 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
This is what I did and am very happy with my two labs. Both are from rescues and my first lab puppy was very high energy and destructive. I don't think I would have been able to handle him and get him over these bad habits if I would have had two at the time.
Also, you are gone most of the day, I use a dog walker as I work similar hours and find this greatly helps for the dog (and human's ) happiness. Two dogs cost twice as much with a walker....
posted by jek at 11:34 AM on July 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
I got littermate bro/sis puppies from a rescue org and my experience has been good, very similar to what TedW describes (although they are going to live forever and never die, so there's that).
They play very well together and keep each other company but have also both bonded to me very strongly, especially the male (the female loves every breathing organism, except for male children under 4 feet). In fact, I've never had them ignore me in favor of each other.
Now, I got them very young (6 weeks), which I'm sure isn't recommended (the rescue org probably isn't a good one, apparently, if they gave me them that early and had no reservations about sibs for a first time dog owner), so the bonding issue might play out differently, and they are lab/pit/beagle-ish mutts, so that might change things.
Anyway, just a data point. I've never regretted getting both.
posted by Pax at 12:15 PM on July 22, 2009
They play very well together and keep each other company but have also both bonded to me very strongly, especially the male (the female loves every breathing organism, except for male children under 4 feet). In fact, I've never had them ignore me in favor of each other.
Now, I got them very young (6 weeks), which I'm sure isn't recommended (the rescue org probably isn't a good one, apparently, if they gave me them that early and had no reservations about sibs for a first time dog owner), so the bonding issue might play out differently, and they are lab/pit/beagle-ish mutts, so that might change things.
Anyway, just a data point. I've never regretted getting both.
posted by Pax at 12:15 PM on July 22, 2009
I've been a dog guardian* for 12 years now. All my dogs have been shelter dogs and I've had 4 in total. Currently, the line-up is at 3 dogs.
For anybody's first time, I would recommend starting out with just one. Dogs are complex creatures and there's a shitload to learn about them. Likewise, they're also still learning about you as they go along. It's best to do this when you only have to learn about one creature than two. I also like the idea of an older dog for beginners, as their personalities and quirks are pretty firmly formed by about 1-2 years old in my experience. Puppies are cute and all, but they do grow up. And believe me, it's not always a smooth ride to adulthood!
If you find that the pup needs some company, you can always adopt later. This way, you'll be more confident in your abilities and, as a result, find it easier to sort out all the issues that may come up. It will also give you a more realistic idea vis a vis workload and the costs of dog ownership. This will make it easier for you to decide if you even want to try adding a second dog to the family.
*I know "dog guardian" sounds pretentious, but calling myself a "dog owner" just does not sit right with me.
posted by arishaun at 1:50 PM on July 22, 2009
For anybody's first time, I would recommend starting out with just one. Dogs are complex creatures and there's a shitload to learn about them. Likewise, they're also still learning about you as they go along. It's best to do this when you only have to learn about one creature than two. I also like the idea of an older dog for beginners, as their personalities and quirks are pretty firmly formed by about 1-2 years old in my experience. Puppies are cute and all, but they do grow up. And believe me, it's not always a smooth ride to adulthood!
If you find that the pup needs some company, you can always adopt later. This way, you'll be more confident in your abilities and, as a result, find it easier to sort out all the issues that may come up. It will also give you a more realistic idea vis a vis workload and the costs of dog ownership. This will make it easier for you to decide if you even want to try adding a second dog to the family.
*I know "dog guardian" sounds pretentious, but calling myself a "dog owner" just does not sit right with me.
posted by arishaun at 1:50 PM on July 22, 2009
I'm wondering why the shelter is pushing the 8-month old dogs - have they already shown bad behavior when separted? And do you know how they ended up with the two 8-month old dogs? Statistically, it's most likely that the previous owners dumpted them when it turned out they were dogs, not puppies. They're at a classic age for that. If so, they don't just need to be trained, they need to unlearn all the bad information they got in their last home.
The starved dog might have some serious problems. (Or not. It's just a possibility.)
As a first-time dog couple, my advice to you is not to take any dog that you cannot meet in the house where it's living.
Most dogs who end up needing a home are just lovely and make fine pets. However, there are dogs here and there who have some rough edges that would be too much for a first-time dog couple. See this recent thread about a problem with an adopted dog.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 8:21 PM on July 22, 2009
The starved dog might have some serious problems. (Or not. It's just a possibility.)
As a first-time dog couple, my advice to you is not to take any dog that you cannot meet in the house where it's living.
Most dogs who end up needing a home are just lovely and make fine pets. However, there are dogs here and there who have some rough edges that would be too much for a first-time dog couple. See this recent thread about a problem with an adopted dog.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 8:21 PM on July 22, 2009
I vote for TWO! Sure you can get another dog later, but what if the dog doesn't get along with your new puppy or is food aggressive? Much better to adopt the sibling duo. They'll love you more than you can imagine. Two aren't harder than one. At 8 months old they probably (hopefully) know the basics likes no peeing in the house, which is by far the hardest thing to teach a young puppy. They would always have each other to mess around with which makes them more independent. You do not want a needy dog with separation anxiety. You'll be away for a significant part of the day so think about the poor solo dog being all alone versus having a buddy to hang out with. Plus dogs are pack animals. They thrive best when they have a fellow canine around. Imagine if you had to hang around with creatures of a different species who didn't speak your language or understand your needs. You'd long for one of your kind. Two dogs are better than one.
posted by wherever, whatever at 4:13 AM on July 24, 2009
posted by wherever, whatever at 4:13 AM on July 24, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
There's always going to be "one more dog" with an enticing backstory. Don't take on more than you can handle, and I'm telling you, two dogs IS more than you can comfortably handle.
posted by BostonTerrier at 7:16 AM on July 22, 2009