Dog Lovers...I need some good advice! (kind of long)

[princessaj0603]

I just wanted to know if anyone here as more than 2 dogs and if so, how do you find it works? I have 2 dogs right now who are basically my life and I have been wanting a third for a while. They get along fantastically and we slowly introduced them so that they would get used to each other. I would never call a dog a "hassle" because they are so wonderful and loving and I would have 100+ if I could. But I was wondering how you handled 2+ dogs. I know it can get kind of pricey but really just having 2 dogs isn't as bad as I thought it would be. My BF and I live in a condo and I wouldn't get a HUGE dog but I would love a Yorkie or another Chihuahua or anything really!

Just wanted some feedback/advice. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE another dog...BUT I know they are a lot of work and I wouldn't want to find myself being totally overwhelmed. I dunno why I am stressing so much but I wouldn't want to be a bad mommy by having to many dogs and not being able to spend special time with each of them like I do now.

Thanks for the advice...I suppose I am making this a bigger deal than it is...I just love dogs so much and after my BF and I adopted Max my heart just broke thinking about all of the other dogs without a home..

 

[dallas]

If you get a 3rd dog are you going to be satisfied with 3 or are you then going to want 4? If I were you, I'd stick to the 2 happy doggies you have. You already know you can look after them without feeling overwhelmed and it would be a disaster if you did get a 3rd and realised it was one too many.

 

[Leelee]

We were a lot like you and your BF. We had a perfectly wonderful family with two dogs. But something was missing and we felt we needed a third. We chose a rescue dog and I admit, at first it was awful. The girls (my first two dogs) were quite upset and the rescue dog was absolutely wild. It took some time for the household to adjust to a new member, but in the end we all came out winners!

All three dogs love each other very much. It's been seven years now since our last adoption. One of my dogs is a senior now (she's 12) and if she were a couple of years younger, we would think about getting a fourth dog. At her age, though, we are especially worried about her feeling displaced.

The only real problem, and it wasn't so much a problem as a "perceived" problem, was that in the beginning I didn't think all my pets were getting enough "mommy time" since it was a bit hectic. But, as I said, the situation resolved itself and everybody found their niche.

Good luck to you as you make your decision. It sounds like you have a lot of love to share with your pets and one more would be good for you and the doggie you bring home.

 

[thelace]

Go and read Cesar Milan's books. Thing is, it is all about 'the pack'. Any new dog has to fit in with the current pack and you can so easily choose the wrong one - because he seems the sort of dog you want, rather than a dog the pack needs.

It sounds complex, but the theory is actually very simple. Look stuff up on Google about being 'Pack Leader' etc.

Good luck

 

[princessaj0603]

^ I have heard so much about him and the things he has done with dogs and their families. I will def. check it out and this isn't a decision I will make tomorrow, I just love dogs so much and the joy they bring is irreplacable.

Everyone always says I will never be able to have kids because of how much I love my dogs...my baby Sophie (my first dog) hates when I hold babies until she can come up and smell them. At least I have a while before I need to worry about that!!