I think our Leo would like some company, he's 13 months now if we get him a friend it wont be until he is about 18 months but im just looking for some experiences.
Last year we took him to the Lake District and were planning on going again this year.... do any hotels let two dogs in a room or do they prefer only 1?
Leo also goes to the office with oh most days and not sure what they would think to two dogs so obviously we would have to talk to them first.

My parents had two dogs for a while but they stayed home with one of us in the day and when we went out they stayed on their own etc so there was no office and they didnt come on holiday with us either so that wasnt an issue.

Any negatives of having two dogs? except of course for fighting etc that might happen

We're thinking the same thing with ours.... we're about to get a dog and further in the future would like to get aother to keep him company.

Breeders and trainers have advised us to get a dog and a bitch (spayed of course when the time comes)  as apparently it can sometimes be a little risky with 2 of the same sex.

Having said that, Some friends of ours have 2 lovely little pugs, both male, who get on like a house on fire, (They had 2 before also, one died and the other was sort of fading from sadness, so they got another to keep him company, now the old one is like a lively puppy again :) )

I'm not really an expert, but I think if one is grown up and the other is a puppy, the puppy will accept the other's dominance?  But please don't take my advice as an expert's as I could be totally wrong :)  Speak to your breeder, or to some of the more experienced dog owners on the board.

I think if people have made special allowances for one dog they might be hesitant to then make allowances for 2, but it depends on the people in question.... Also if a hotel is dog-friendly I don't think it would be any problem to take 2 dogs, as long as they're well behaved?

GOOD LUCK!! :)

There are some negatives which, I admit, we didn't give enough thought to before we got our second dog.
One is visiting relatives and friends. Some people are quite happy for you to bring one dog but not so keen when there's two. So you either leave them at home or don't go visiting as much !
But we have taken the two on holiday with us. Many self catering places allow a maximum of 2 dogs although they often specify they have to be small breeds. I'm not sure about hotels etc.

If you have a really easy older dog you tend to think the second is going to be the same. We found out that this isn't always the case ! :) 

We have two dogs, one is 5 the other almost 2, male and female. It has made a huge difference to the male dog as he was becoming quite set in his ways, now he has company. I make sure they get their own time with one of us each day, as the younger dog can be annoying for the older one. They play a lot together, and it stopped the older one being so fussy about his food as he knows now that if he don't eat it, she will.

We've taken ours on holidays with us, stayed in self catering with no problems. Visiting, well we tend to leave them at home as some people are not used to larger dogs.

Taking two to the office could definitely be a bit much. My OH on occasion takes our male to work with him, and the dog settles down under his desk, but I could see problems with two, as our female is very busy and would be into everything.

Don't expect the second to be like the first, even if you are getting the same breed. Dogs are children, no two are the same.

I have 2. I had mine for 6 years before my boyfriend moved in with his. There were scrappy fights at the begining, but this was only at feeding time which we trained them. My dog eats first and then his dog goes next. His dog gets jelous if I give my dog attention and tries to butt his head in, but overall they get on really well, but I think that I would just go for one dog when these 2 have gone.

It is best as onje poster has said that one is fully mature bvefore you get the second, and then sex in breeds tahat are dog cociable isn't usualy an Issue. 

Some of the more dominant breeds are best kept to dog and bitch combinations.  With my medium size slow maturing breed I prefer about a 3 year age gap, and a minimum of Two years. 

Could be their particular personalities, and the fact that she came back in as an adolscent,b ut the relationship between mother and daughter that are two years apart was more competitive, whereas with the ones that are 3 or more years apart there have been no issues at all.

As for staying away I ahve had no problems staying in hotels with two dogs sharing a large crate when I wasn't in the room than with just one.

Most self catering that allow dogs will allow two, or moer in certain circumstances.

I have a freind who goes with freinds from her training club on holiday each year with around 20 dogs!!!  They keep references from each place they holidayed at previously saying how clean and tidy they left things and that they were no trouble.

I have a lovely group photo of the dogs if you would like to see :D

I have two dogs and they get on great, the older one is four in june and is a JackRussel x Lakeland Terrier and the other is 2 in june and is a Dobermann, both are boys but the terrier is nuterd (sp) but the terrier is definately the boss.  But had no trouble at all with them being same sex. They play together for hours and then curl up together in the same basket, did have two baskets but one never got used.

A caravan park that we went to last year would allow 2 dogs per caravan,

have to admit I would never dream of taking my dogs to other peoples houses, in much the same way I wouldnt be happy if someone smoked in mine.  But I know some people obviously dont mind visiting dogs

I have 2 beagle bitches, one is 2 the older one is 7 and have never have any problems with them - moreover, they're really good company for each other. 

We have 2 GSP's no problems with them fighting etc, Bronnie is too soft and will give Ellis anything he wants.

They are very very close and love each other dearly.

I definitely recommend making sure your present dog is up to scratch on his training. Trying to train a new puppy if you don't have total control of the other dog can be a total nightmare, and trying to retrain an older dog with a new pup in the picture might be nigh on impossible! I don't know what size dogs you have/will have, but if they're med-large then just keep in mind how difficult it will be to keep hold of two of them if they both decide to lunge, either together or in opposite directions!!

Hopefully this doesn't apply to you, and your dog is a model citizen :-P  But I've seen countless people being dragged around by their fully grown dog and 'new' monster sized puppy apologising for the fact that 'it's just a puppy'. That may be true of the younger one... but what's the other's excuse?? ;-)

Having said that, I've now got 2 dogs, and couldn't be happier   :-)  (even when nosey people point out that they're apparently killing each other... :rolleyes: )

I'm glad we kept a puppy from our Maggie's litter - I adore him and he's a gorgeous dog - but I didn't realise quite what hard work it would be. Maggie is very laid back and easy-going, so I hoped her son would be likewise but he isn't! He's a very boisterous 16 month old teenage lab, and much bigger than his mum to boot! As I've posted elsewhere, I still walk them separately, as I can't cope with them together.
We'd had two Cavaliers in the past,who always visited with us everywhere, but it hadn't dawned on me that 2 large dogs are much more difficult in this respect. We have taken them on holiday, though, self-catering, and we're going to do it again this year.
On the positive side, they do have a wonderful time playing together, and when they're curled up together in their "posh" lounge bed ( they have to be in together as Luke destroyed his.....) they look fantastic....a bit like the kids when they're asleep....hth.

If I remeber rightly though in your case the Mum was found to be in whelp at a very young age,s o you really ahve had two pups more or less to bring up as opposed to a more mature bitch who would probably have been firmer with her son :D

I do think it is quite important to preferably have a decent age gap sao that the older dog is fully mentally and physically mature, and they then can have a positive influence on the younger one.

I ahve foudn each of my younger dogs much easier to bring up with the benefit of an older example than I did the first two who were both only dogs to start with.  Of course I am getting more expereinced too.

hi im thinking of getting another 1 for company for our female daschund. we were originaly getting a puppy and put our name on the list for 1,then we seen meg shes 6 and i fell in love with her so we went and got her. but im still in to minds to get a puppy aswel 4 company! would a male or a female matter? shes getting spayed!
sarah x

I have got 3, all boys, and wouldn't want to go back to one, ever! If you have got a male then you would be ok getting either a boy or a girl. It's 2 girls that can be a problem, although I do know of one person with 4 bitches and she's never had any trouble. I think it depends on the temperament and the breed to some extent.

If your dog is with you a lot, I wouldn't go the trouble and expense of getting another dog just to give him some company. Make sure it is for the right reasons, i.e. you want another one and everyone is in agreement. {She says, living at home with a mother who doesn't like dogs and owning three!:D} Also, I think 18 months is a bit young. He hasn't finished growing up yet and if he hits that 'teenage' stage, he could take your new one with him! I personally would wait until he is at least 2, depending on breed. (Some mature later than others)

Best of luck,

Claire

P.S. We go on holiday with them too. Welcome Cottages let you take up to three with no extra charge.

Id never had two before but its great :)
Not much harder than one really- except when walking on your own
Thats the only thing Ive found the hardest
I Would always opt for two if poss in the future :)
Good luck :D

Oh i forgot to say Leo is a Sheltie didnt i

We dont really take him to friends houses only my parents who sometimes look after him, its actually only lately hes been going to the office a lot. He does get left on his own when we go out at night or if we go to other peoples houses and hes actually a little angel, although of course a second dog might not be such an angel

In your case I would wait until yoru bitch has fully integrated into your houeshold and had soem traingin and doggy socialisation, say 6 to 12 months would be ideal.  she will then be roughtly half way through ehr lifespan, so you will then be at about the same age with the next one when she is no more, so you can lways have two dogs.

Thanks, Brainless, it's really nice that someone remembered so accurately how we came so unexpectedly to have puppies! You're absolutely right, I'm sure it would have been easier if Maggie had been older. :) :) :)

I have found that bitches are more strict when they are mature than when young, and past the mothering stage act the saem with their own young as they would if you had brought in a puppy so the age gap does make a difference3 to how hard it is for you :D  the dogs enjoy having another to hooligan with.

I have 6 dogs...my first pairing was male/female and since then I've added males.  The only problem I have is leaving on vacation as it's much harder to make plans for 6 dogs than 1.

A puppy, yes, will accept the dominance of the older dog but only until that puppy reaches an age where it gains confidence and it's own personality.  It may or may not decide that its job is to be the leader of the pack...you won't know.  It's often not a problem either way.

IMO, I would never have just one dog again, probably not 6 either, but definitely not 1.

i have 2 labs a male aged nearly 5 and a female 2 in july, they get on really well never any fights, just love to play and sleep together.

I have five and it adds so much more dimentions to dog ownerships watching the interplay betwen them.  they are of course the most natural company for eachother, which means less guilt for me on the occasions they are left for longer than a couple of hours.

I would never have just one, and think for the average family it is nice to have two spaced out so that they have ojne half way through the life of the one before and so on that way by the time the older one starts getting a bit staid the newcomer adds interest and keeps the other one active and young and then the next does the same with that oen.

The other advantage to having two is that when the older one dies there isn't mthe sudden need to decide about getting another dog, as there is already one in place,a nd gettin another can wait a while or not as seems appropriate.  The remaining dog is a focus to ease the grief, and then when a new family member joins the home the former younger dog takes over tha mantle of techer and giuide for the new.

Only negative that I can think of that others haven't (I don't think) mention, is that most costs double :) Vets bills, food, vaccinations, kennels etc etc :)

Daisy