# 2 dogs vs. 3 dogs (or more)



## patrickandduncan'smom (Aug 6, 2007)

I have 2 dogs. One is an 8yr old lab mix and the other is a 1yr old standard poodle mix. I am seriously thinking about getting another dog. I really want to adopt a dog from the local shelter. I had 3 dogs briefly (for about 5 months) but I don't think that was long enough to get a good idea about the pros and cons about having 3 dogs. Both of my dogs are neutered males and both get along with other dogs. They both weigh right around 100lbs. What are the pros and cons about having 3 dogs? Is it much more difficult than having 2 dogs--and I mean besides costing more as this is obvious I think? Also, would another male or a female dog make any difference--I have always prefered males but would be willing to adopt a female? I have always loved dogs and was never allowed to have more than one while I was growing up and I always dreamed of owning multiple dogs. I can afford it now and I would love to have another one.

Thanks, Michelle


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## 007Dogs (Aug 22, 2007)

I have found my dogs get along better when kept in even numbers rather than odd. But that does not mean it applies to all dogs. Any particular reason you want to add one more?


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## the-tenth (Jun 29, 2007)

Well I can tell you from experience, that a 3rd dog is proving to be a lot more work than I was expecting. Something as simple as holding the dogs while wifey props open the door turns into a bit of a circus act. Feeding with a 4 month old puppy is fun too. It was easy to keep one dog away from the other's food. It's proving much more difficult to keep her away from 2 food dishes, all the while trying to make sure that none of them begins to get any food aggression issues. The Golden will eat anybody's food if not watched. The Lab mix wants the puppies food, and the puppy wants anybody's food but hers. I can say this though. It has definately given our Golden a break from being constantly harassed by our much more active Lab mix. I almost feel sorry for Chewy though, she can't seem to get a break from the pup. She was the same way with Daisy, but it has definately calmed her down a lot. I guess as with everything else, it has its pros and its cons.


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## workingdog (Oct 19, 2006)

I have four dogs right now and there are times that i wished i only had one. Of corse two dogs are more work than one and three dogs are more work than two and so on...I guess you could say that there are good days and (i really don't want to say bad days) active days i guess. My house is wall to wall crates, wich dosn't leave much room for other stuff i may want. But when i really think about it, i wouldn't have it any other way, in my life the good days out weigh the bad.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

i have four right now and come next yr will have a 5th if all works out.....our male stays home w/ my hubby as he is getting old and can't do the same activities as my girls.....but, my girls go w/ me everywhere and they get along great.....the only time i think it gets tough is when playing ball and they all want to play (+ a couple others that we go play w/).....throwing multiple ballscan get quite confusing and really keeps you going (just as you throw the one the other 2 are coming back and ready again)......

as for male vs. female? .....i really can't say in that matter.....my dogs know that no matter what i bring in, it is here and they better bloody well accept it.....no if, ands, or buts (Noah-Fanzer-Butz, name for a new dog?)


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## onyxdaily (Apr 3, 2007)

I agree with the-tenth that 3 dogs is definitely turning into way more work expected. We have 3 right now, 2 males (13 months and 10 months) and 1 female rescue. Even when husband and I are both at home with them, it often feels like we need a few more hands and another set of eyes. And I won't even comment on the time it takes when I'm at home with them myself. I guess the bottom line for us, though, is that we love all of them and wouldn't trade them for the world, so we just find ways to tackle all the grooming, exercise, vet care, etc, and at times we pray that we don't lose our minds (kidding. well, not really, lol).


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## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

For me going from two to three was/is a much bigger jump that from one to two was. Adding number two was a piece of cake, and the extra work required is made up for by the times they entertain eachother. Number three has turned our house upside down. Not necessarily in a bad way, but there are more disagreements btwn the dogs, I can no longer walk them all together, so I _have_ to take two walks, whereas before I walked them seperately when I wanted to. The unruliness has basically multiplied. Crates are everywhere and toys are everywhere, but that doesn't really bother me. Now I will say that all of mine are under 1 y/o, so that is a huge part of the chaos. We're still training and the new girl is still learning house manners. I'm expecting (hoping) that to settle down over the next year. Overall though, it's managable and I wouldn't want to go back to two.

As far as male or female, I had two males to begin with and I added a female. I found her stray, so I didn't chose female on purpose, but it seems to be ok. They seem to play in same sex pairs I've noticed, either Ripley and Penny or Frosty and Penny, but there hasn't been any fighting over the girl or anything like that.


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

We are down to 1 female Sheltie and 1 male Sheltie right now. When we had 2 males (Sheltie and Minature Poodle), things got a little rough at times. It's been said that a dog owner gets 500% more exercise than a non-dog owner. So, now I'm down to just 1000%....feels about right!


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## the-tenth (Jun 29, 2007)

sheltiemom said:


> As far as male or female, I had two males to begin with and I added a female. I found her stray, so I didn't chose female on purpose, but it seems to be ok. They seem to play in same sex pairs I've noticed, either Ripley and Penny or Frosty and Penny, but there hasn't been any fighting over the girl or anything like that.


Lost me there. You mean one of the boys seems to constantly play with the girl?


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## Shalva (Mar 23, 2007)

I have seven and I dont know about the others but I liked having two and I liked having four+ plus three was hard for us because one of us can easily take two dogs someplace..... and have enough hands for leashes.... but with three we found that someone was always being left behind..... with four we could take two and there were still two at home..... with two we could take them both obviously but with three it was just hard...... I always felt bad that someone was being left.... getting the fourth was a bit of a relief...... 

as far as work.... I think the biggest adjustment is from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 
after 3 its just another bowl..... from one to two to be honest I find two easier than one.... from two to three its logistics.... you are now outnumbered if you are one person..... after 3 to me its not a big deal as long as the dogs are spread out in age.... and because we work our dogs we like to have them at different stages of competition.... 


just my two cents..... 
s


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## the-tenth (Jun 29, 2007)

Shalva said:


> I have seven and I dont know about the others but I liked having two and I liked having four+ plus three was hard for us because one of us can easily take two dogs someplace..... and have enough hands for leashes.... but with three we found that someone was always being left behind..... with four we could take two and there were still two at home..... with two we could take them both obviously but with three it was just hard...... I always felt bad that someone was being left.... getting the fourth was a bit of a relief......
> 
> just my two cents.....
> s


I agree. Although I'm a big sucker, and feel bad leaving any behind if I take any, so I tend to leave them at home more than I used to. I can walk our three, but it's kind of hard to work on leash training with the pup, while having Daisy and Chewy in the other hand. Maybe you can talk to my wife about gletting me get another dog?


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## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

the-tenth said:


> Lost me there. You mean one of the boys seems to constantly play with the girl?



Yeah, kinda. It may be that she is new to the house, not that she's a girl, but the boys are more interested in her than eachother right now. They don't all play together, they pair up, usually it's her and Frosty. The main reason I even mentioned it though is that I had read somewhere that if you had two males and added a female that the males may fight with eachother over her, but that was not the case with mine, not yet anyway.


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## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

For me, 2 dogs wasn't a big deal. Dan and Eddie are so far apart in age that it wasn't a big issue in terms of logistics. Dan is old and doesn't have the patience dealing with younger dogs anymore. There were a few issues we had about Dan being aggressive and attacking Eddie for no apparent reason. That has seemed to settle down on its own to some extent. 

However, with me, adding a third has been a bit harder than two. It has also made things easier in someways. Eddie and Uallis are both young and have each other as playmates. Which helps with Eddie leaving Dan alone. Uallis helps with burning off some the energy Eddie has and Eddie keeps Uallis from being too much of a couch potato. For us it was also a huge jump financially because it costs as much to feed and vet Uallis, alone, than it does for Eddie and Dan together. The hardest part now IS logistics. Eddie is food aggressive and HAS to be fed separately from the other two. Uallis wants to eat his food PLUS Dan's food and the cats food. Well, just everyone's food. He's on different food than Eddie and Dan because anything other than Eagle Pack gives him MASSIVE gas. So when he gets in other food the entire house suffers for it and as a result, he has to eat separately. We DON'T walk Eddie and Uallis together. I am not physically strong enough to control a Mastiff and a very strong Lab. Both seem to lose all leash training when walked together. However, I don't feel bad about leaving one at home because if I took them together NO ONE who have a good time or a nice walk. With just one, everyone is happy and I get to spend one on one time with each, which I think is important. Also, we live in a smallish house and there always seems to be a dog in my way that refuses to budge...namely a certain black Lab... Also, we have become "minimalists" because of our dogs.
Mastiff's have VERY strong tails. When you get hit with one, it feels like you got hit with a whip. Anyway, it can instantly clear coffee tables and end tables. He will be able to reach whatever he wants off of counters and dining sets. So we can't have anything on tables...So in some ways its the breed of dog being added, at least for us. But I love all three and the occasional problems and headaches are worth it too me.


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## poodleholic (Mar 15, 2007)

I have three dogs; two Standard Poodles and a Shih Tzu. The two were by design, the third was a foster who ended up needing a home. I would never have deliberately set out to obtain a third dog, until the time came when my two were getting way up there in years. It takes a lot of time, energy, and effort to do right by one dog, let alone with two or three or more. With multiple dogs, it's essential to spend one-on-one time w/each dog, to keep the bond to you stronger than w/the other dog(s). I'm hard pressed to provide this with the addition of this 3rd dog, but, I'm single, own my own home, work full time, and have 3 dogs whose grooming requirements are much more extensive than most breeds (a bath & clip takes 5 hours for one Poodle) so . . .

I've established a daily routine where the dogs are provided w/some structue. They like it, and it makes life easier for me. 

One-on-one time away from the house and other dogs is done once a week. Monday is Maddy's day, Wednesday is for Beau, and Friday belongs to Luke. I take them to Starbuck's, then down to the Pier where we people-watch, walk along the beach, and play - be it tossing a frisbee, playing fetch, or whatever. 

Walking the 3 together isn't a problem because the Poodles are excellent on lead, and the little guy is able to keep up. I only take the little guy around the block, then drop him off at home, and continue with the big dogs. We do this twice daily.

Interactive games are part of each day, inside and outdoors, and I make one mealtime more interesting by putting the better part of breakfast in a Buster Cube for the Poodles, and lay a track for the little Shih Tzu (until I get him one more his size). 

Daily 30-min down stays are required of all three, while I tend to what I need to do.

I put them to work. The Poodles do everything from sorting laundry, bringing in groceries, & taking the garbage out to the back gate to finding the remote, my phone, or whatever. Keeps their brains engaged so they don't get bored. The little guy supervises.

Daily Quiet time/naps in crate.

So, it can be done. Just make sure you're up for the committment!


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## petsgalore (Jul 3, 2007)

I didn't have any problems going from 1 to 2 dogs or even from 2 to 3 dogs when my then roommate got a dog.I always walked them all together and fed them together-never any real problems.Then she got married and I moved back home after my dad died to help my disabled mother.She had Midget-who at the time was only a puppy.That transition was also okay-no problems.When Midget was about 3 and started developing his issues-it became more work-or rather-he became more work.I was still able to walk and feed them together.After my Mom moved to a retirement village and I took over-Midget became even more work-but still no major issues between the dogs.If Midget got out of line-Candace[Aussie]would just take her paw and body slam him.When my Aussie died and I got Lady Mindy-Midget's behaviors/issues hit an all time high and Lady Mindy has a few issues of her own.I still walk them together-but instead of peaceful walks with all three on the left side-they are high energy walks with Lucy and Midget on my left and Lady Mindy on my right[otherwise LM and M feed off each other's energy and walks are impossible].Feeding became harder as LM is a total foodie and will dive at the others' food bowls and devour their food as well as her own.Midget of course-who's dog aggression reached an all time high after I got LM-would attack her.Midget's issues have subsided some and LM is getting better trained everyday so feeding time is more peaceful now.They also get along very well.I still get an occasional fight over bones or toys-but mostly they dwell here together in relative harmony.
My experience has been it's not the number of dogs but the combination of dogs that has caused issues.Of course part of that equation is Midget who is more work than all the pets I have ever owned put together.
As far as gender-it's always been 2 females and 1 male and that doesn't seem to have effected their relationships at all.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I have to agree that 2-3 dogs was a lot more work than 1-2. I really think 3 is a breaking point. And after that it's not so bad either. 3-4 dogs was much easier than 2-3. However, we added our third dog when the older two were pretty old- 8 years. When we got our fourth, it was nice because he'd play with the young dog. When our puppy died, we didn't spend long before we went back to four. Now we *may* be looking at #5.

Three is harder because it is easier to do things in pairs. Three just seems to make the house seem a lot fuller. It's a herd of dogs instead of a pair, lol. Learning to juggle them is a bit of a challenge, but not too bad. We had three males (two intact) and a female and now have two males (one intact) and two spayed females. No real fights, though our oldest dog did not like the puppy much, lol. He'd bother her and she'd get really annoyed. No serious scuffles or anything of the sort, but that depends on the dogs.

I really enjoy having multiples. It's much more work, but imo so much more rewarding. Dogs are very social and for the most part seem to enjoy each other's company. I won't ever have a single dog for long again, that's for sure.

If you're willing to put in the time and extra money and work into having 3+ then I say go for it! It's been a blast for us. (Though my friends think I'm a crazy dog lady)


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