# How do you KNOW when you're ready for a 2nd dog?



## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Do you just KNOW when you're ready? Do you spot a dog and get an immediate feeling that they should be yours?

Jackson will be 2yrs old in October. Up until late last summer, he never lived as an only dog. I still live at home with my mom, stepdad and sister (in a separate part of the house) and they had a dog, Carmen, who passed away in late August last year. He loved her and took him a few weeks to get used to being the only dog in the house. He's a much happier dog when with another canine. We visit over at my dads house around 2-3x per week (and sleep there) and they have 2 other dogs. He is sooo much happier when over there, it almost makes me guilty taking him back home. He's not miserable or anything, he will still play fetch with me, or wrestle around with me, chew his bully sticks, etc so he's not like a depressed dog, ha, just more lazy around the house when by himself naturally.

Basically, I've been looking for another dog for a while. I've been debating between a few options, breeds, breeders, rescues, etc and just can't make up my mind, LOL. Is that a sign that I'm not ready? I know I could handle 2 dogs, and afford them, etc. I used to do it when Carmen was still alive, I pretty much took care of that dog all the time.

A little on my living situation.... I'm 20 years old. I'm not a typical 20 year old though, I don't party or do drugs, I don't drink. I'm not a total geek or anything (ha!) and I have a few close knit friends and that's all that matters to me. I'm currently single. One of my good friends is going to moving to my area late this year/early this year and we want to get a place together (not an apartment, renting of a house or townhouse). Jackson is small (15lbs), trained and nonshedding as will be my second dog. So I'm hoping renting won't be a huge problem with two small dogs.

Basically, Jackson is my best friend and companion and I think I'm a little scared to mess things up? He would be happier with a playmate, so I'm not worried about him. He goes alot of places with me... when we visit my grandma's house, he goes. Visits my aunts house, he goes. etc. They each have a dog as well, and not sure they'd be happy with 2 dogs coming over instead of just Jackson. My dad also dogsits for me whenever I go away (which isn't a whole lot) and I don't know if he'd be so willing having 4 dogs at his house total. 

Everything is very easy with just one, for sure. But is it that much harder with two? Arghh. Sorry for the long post. If anyone has any advice, or been through this 1 vs 2 dog thing, please help!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Ha, you have to realize that we are getting a fifth!

I personally wouldn't ever go back to just one dog. I had Emmy first and she was my only dog for over a year. I was hesitant to get another dog because I thought it would be too hard on her. Boy was I wrong. I get Bailey and the two of them fell in love. It was wonderful to see them play and snuggle together. It was like Emmy was telling me something was totally missing from her life without Bailey. Jon and I got together and he already had Shiloh. Then we wanted another dog for Shiloh to play with since she didn't play too well with my two. We got Akasha and it made all the difference. All four of the girls have bonded and become a family pack. They all interact with each other and they all have their places. It's incredible to watch them communicate with each other, which you totally miss out on with just one. Dogs are pack animals and most of thrive in a pack. They feed off each others energy and emotions. They work together. 

Is it harder to have more than one? On a day to day basis I say it's not because they keep each other company and occupied. They don't depend on you for playtime, they always have a friend to do something with. It definitely is harder to find people to watch our dogs when we go out of town, but we have a lot of friends that have dogs so we all switch off the duties of watching dogs for one another. It's more expensive that's for sure, food and vet bills! To me this is a non issue because they are my kids (and I know human kids are far more expensive LOL) and I would do anything necessary for them. 

It sounds to me that youre ready, what breeds of dogs were you thinking of? What do you have the time to handle (puppy, rescue, etc)?


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Sounds to me like your ready too. You have obviously thought this through. :smile:

I have always had two dogs and love it. My husband thinks that once Lucky is gone we will just have one....hahaha. I just think that for some dogs it is good to have another dog in the family. Like Natalie said it provides companionship, a playmate, etc. Once Lucky is gone, I will begin to "work" on the hubby! :tongue: I would love to get another Black Russian.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

Jacksons Mom said:


> Do you just KNOW when you're ready? Do you spot a dog and get an immediate feeling that they should be yours?
> 
> Jackson will be 2yrs old in October. Up until late last summer, he never lived as an only dog. I still live at home with my mom, stepdad and sister (in a separate part of the house) and they had a dog, Carmen, who passed away in late August last year. He loved her and took him a few weeks to get used to being the only dog in the house. He's a much happier dog when with another canine. We visit over at my dads house around 2-3x per week (and sleep there) and they have 2 other dogs. He is sooo much happier when over there, it almost makes me guilty taking him back home. He's not miserable or anything, he will still play fetch with me, or wrestle around with me, chew his bully sticks, etc so he's not like a depressed dog, ha, just more lazy around the house when by himself naturally.
> 
> ...


Brit,

As long as you are renting your living space, it's going to be nigh on impossible to find a place that will accept TWO dogs even if that place is a house/townhouse. 

So I would have to say that you need to approach this from the POV that FIRST you find an acceptable home, THEN you start looking at whether or not your lifestyle would accommodate another dog.

We too have been talking about another GSP now that Zio is 3 years old. But we own our s/f home and are "empty nesters" who run our own business. So whether or not we get another dog is less problematic for us than it would be for you.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

I can't add much so I'll keep it simple.

Dogs are pack animals. 

They WANT to be with other Dogs. :wink:


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Just wanted to add my .02 cents on the whole renting thing. :smile:

If you are planning to move out of your parents to rent I would start looking now for a place that allows dogs. How many places can you find? What are there specifications? Requirements? Is there a pet deposit? Any breed restrictions? Etc, etc.

Not to start a debate, but in my several years of renting with two dogs I never had a problem (also keep in mind one of my two LARGE dogs was a 100+ pound male Rottweiler). Within those few years I ended up moving 4 times before getting married and buying a home. Each time I had to search around. I made up a packet about my dogs. In the packet was the training each dog had received up until now, that they were kennel trained, and that they both had their CGCs. Also in the packet I had a contact number of a person who could vouch for me and my dogs. Each time I moved I had the previous landlord write a letter of recomendation stating that my dogs were well behaved and not destructive. I never had a problem.

From my experiences, keeping in mind that your two dogs will be small, I don't think you will have too many problems. You may have to put a little more effort into looking around, but in the end it should pay off. Yes, there are some landlords that don't allow any pets, but then there are those that do...you just gotta find them. I did. :smile:


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

MY experience renting with animals: it's super easy to find a lace that will allow two, especially if they're small, and not pits. (lots of rentals ban pits.)
It's really tough to find a place that will allow MORE than two, but two is pretty easy. You will pay a little bit more, but they're out there.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I really think you have several issues to think about! You don't say whether you work or go to school or not, so how long you are gone from the home is an issue as to what kind of dog you get, my dogs are people dogs and want to be with you always, I feel very guilty about leaving for work on a daily basis.

Depending on where and what city you live in is an issue with pets and deposits, some cities in general are more pet friendly than others.

And depending on the dog you currently have, sometimes when you bring in a new dog they are fine with it for awhile until they realize its not leaving. 

But having 2 is no more an issue than 1, but when you add a 3rd is when you start to see a difference in dynamics.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

SubMariner said:


> Brit,
> 
> As long as you are renting your living space, it's going to be nigh on impossible to find a place that will accept TWO dogs even if that place is a house/townhouse.
> 
> ...



Yeah, that's definitely something I've been considering. It may be easier for me to just wait until I'm already in a place of my own... that's been my goal for a while anyways and I just recently started looking again and getting that itch to have another dog. I think I need to stop listening to my heart so much and listen to my head!


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> I really think you have several issues to think about! You don't say whether you work or go to school or not, so how long you are gone from the home is an issue as to what kind of dog you get, my dogs are people dogs and want to be with you always, I feel very guilty about leaving for work on a daily basis.
> 
> Depending on where and what city you live in is an issue with pets and deposits, some cities in general are more pet friendly than others.
> 
> ...



Oops, forgot to add those details. Currently, I'm a dogsitter. I could not get a job anywhere else so decided to start my own venture up. It's just all cash paid right now but I have 3 dogs I visit and walk daily. Then I have two Boxers I watch pretty much every single weekend. I also design websites on the side. Currently, I'm home a lot. The most Jackson is left is 4-6 hours. Jackson goes with me to walk the other dogs, so that's another thing I've thought about... I couldn't really do that with two. I'll be back in community college in the fall (almost finished my AA). I'm not 100% what I want to do but right now I wanna aim to finish my associates in criminal justice, and then decide when I wanna purse a BA, if I do.

This area (Annapolis, MD) in general is pretty pet friendly. I have a few friends who rent with a dog or pets. There's a particular area that's cheaper that I'm looking at and it's close to my dads house. Also, Jackson pretty much lives half of the time with other dogs (at my dads house)... he is SUCH a dog's dog, LOL. He really truly would love a companion and misses another dog living here. I think he'd be annoyed by a puppy at first tho, definitely. But what dog isn't? ha.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

You sound like you have a great future ahead of you, and if you just take your time and think things through things will fall into place like they should.


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## xxshaelxx (Mar 8, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> Is it harder to have more than one? On a day to day basis I say it's not because they keep each other company and occupied. They don't depend on you for playtime, they always have a friend to do something with.


That is TOTALLY true! When I had just Amaya, I found that it was MORE work, because I had to spend TONS of time working with her, playing with her, keeping her entertained, but then when I got Ryou, they clicked instantly, played hard, and never looked back. I mean, I still love spending tons of time with them, but when I can't or don't want to, then they can easily keep each other company. Same goes for Kuso. He's a little butt, so he'll push them into playing with him. XP But yeah, they get MORE exercise now than they ever would have being single dogs, just because they can keep up with their playing while I have to take breaks after only short periods. haha.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

xxshaelxx said:


> That is TOTALLY true! When I had just Amaya, I found that it was MORE work, because I had to spend TONS of time working with her, playing with her, keeping her entertained, but then when I got Ryou, they clicked instantly, played hard, and never looked back. I mean, I still love spending tons of time with them, but when I can't or don't want to, then they can easily keep each other company. Same goes for Kuso. He's a little butt, so he'll push them into playing with him. XP But yeah, they get MORE exercise now than they ever would have being single dogs, just because they can keep up with their playing while I have to take breaks after only short periods. haha.


I LOVE visiting at my dads house because he's so much less maintenance. lol. The dogs all entertain each other.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> It sounds to me that youre ready, what breeds of dogs were you thinking of? What do you have the time to handle (puppy, rescue, etc)?


I forgot to answer this!

Well, I have a few. Jackson was sold to me as a Yorkie, but after research (and emailing with Silky breeders) I tend to think he's a Silky Terrier. I did not get him from a reputable place. He's been an absolute joy of a dog, he's almost perfect in every way. *Almost*. hehe. So I've looked into a few Silky Terrier reputable breeders. Papillon is probably my second choice. I love their versatility and big dog in a small dog attitude. I've heard they're not barky and pretty friendly. Very active which I want, etc. They just seem perfect for me. Westie's were another one I looked into but I've met quite a few who tend to be testy and some what aggressive at the dog park, which I don't want. I don't know if they're just more terrier than other terriers (if that makes sense) or if their owners didn't train them right.


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## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

What Silky breeders have you looked into?
Our breeder where we got Duncan also breeds Silkys. She has over 30 years experience and has bred Champion after Champion. Her kennel name is well know in the dog show world. I have met some of her Silkys and they are total dolls.

PM me if your interested. :smile:


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## StdPoo Dad (Jun 7, 2009)

I had one dog (Seamus) for 3 years. I just got Teaghan this spring. IMO, it's much easier with two dogs. Seamus is pretty well trained, Teaghan learns a lot from him, waiting at the door, things like that. I just have to try and prevent her from picking up his bad habits. (he's a countersurfer par excellence)

They play outside for hours, I don't have to exercise Seamus as much as I used to. 


Bottom line though; as Kevin Bradley said, "dogs are pack animals"

Joe Fisher



Jacksons Mom said:


> Everything is very easy with just one, for sure. But is it that much harder with two? Arghh. Sorry for the long post. If anyone has any advice, or been through this 1 vs 2 dog thing, please help!


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## StdPoo Dad (Jun 7, 2009)

I have several friends that have paps as companion dogs, they love them. I'm also quite involved with dog agility, there are some amazing Paps running!

Joe



Jacksons Mom said:


> I forgot to answer this!
> Papillon is probably my second choice. I love their versatility and big dog in a small dog attitude. I've heard they're not barky and pretty friendly. Very active which I want, etc. They just seem perfect for me..


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