# Advice please.



## Topnotchtree (May 24, 2013)

So we have raised 2 large dogs from pups, a rottie and a boxer. Both males about 5 years old and get along well. We spend lots of time working with them and receive many compliments on their good behavior. So recently my wife starts wanting to adopt a 3rd dog from the local shelter. I voiced my opinion that 2 dogs were enough and 3 was too many. Well, after 3 weeks of prying I finally caved. So yesterday she came home with a 3 yr old male mix, (bulldog/boxer/pit/?). Shelter had no background of the dog, but in its 3 weeks at the shelter, shown no signs of aggression to dogs/cats/or humans. He did very well the first night. The next morning my wife called me home from work, to deal with our cat which was injured by the dog(s). My wife didn't see who started the fight, but all 3 dogs were pretty worked up and our cat had to be put down. As I am home today, the 3 dogs seem to do well together, but this 3rd dog in the household causes me great concern. Returning the dog to the shelter will really disappoint my wife, but I fear she/we cannot have control over 3 dogs. This all just happened so I am trying to digest it all, but also looking for advice. Thanks.


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

Very sorry for the loss of your cat  ... There is nothing wrong with your ability to have multiple dogs, but each dog needs to be at the same sheet of music with skills.. It's like working double time protecting everyone from being put into poor situations that the new dog doesn't know at the same time putting the new dog through learning the ropes, (knowing that he doesn't know them) making special arrangements in the house hold while he is learning. Dogs thrive in structure, they thrive having exact rules and boundaries taught to them. My guys thrive in a group because it's always an individual win situation for them as an individual. Again very sorry for your loss.. Its great to give a new dog a chance but there is nothing wrong in realizing it may not be working for the long term.


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## Topnotchtree (May 24, 2013)

Well the cat was a leftover from our daughter that went off to college 2 years ago. Without trying to sound too cold, we didn't like the cat anyway, and would have gladly rehomed the cat if we ever had the chance. That being said, the cat didn't deserve what it got, and although I was the guy that always said I hated the cat the most, it wasn't easy for me to deal with the poor thing. Common sense tells me this new dog is not a good fit in our household, and possibly a bad influence on our other two well behaved dogs, but I have a feeling what will happen to this shelter dog after we return him, and that kinda tugs at my heart strings too....


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## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

It's not that he's a bad influence, it's that more than one dog can start a pack mentality type situation (like what happened to your cat). We used to have three large dogs who were amazing and lived with multiple cats with no issues....pack mentality set in outside one day and they killed a stray cat that had come over from one of the barns. For the rest of their lives they never attacked any of our ones. 

Good luck with the three and it isn't terribly difficult to have that many.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

SDRRanger said:


> It's not that he's a bad influence, it's that more than one dog can start a pack mentality type situation (like what happened to your cat). We used to have three large dogs who were amazing and lived with multiple cats with no issues....pack mentality set in outside one day and they killed a stray cat that had come over from one of the barns. For the rest of their lives they never attacked any of our ones.
> 
> Good luck with the three and it isn't terribly difficult to have that many.


and this is why only ONE of my dogs is ever allowed free roam when no one's home, and the others are confined in separate rooms or crates. I have cats, terriers, and a lot of size different amongst the dogs. "Dog-piling" got it's meaning from somewhere. Just not a risk I'm going to take.

OP: If the new dog isn't working and you dont' want to take him back to the shelter - rehome him yourself?


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