For dogs that love to socialize with other dog friends, dogs that have a ton of extra energy, or dogs that get anxious when left alone, adding a second dog to the household can seem like the perfect solution. But… is it?

Many dogs benefit from living in a multi dog household. As a trainer, I currently have three border collies that adore each other and get a ton of extra enjoyment from having their buddies. That being said, there are a few things to consider before making a decision on whether or not to add a dog to your family.

Does your dog like other dogs?

This may seem obvious, but I have seen and worked with many households where a second dog was recently added and the first dog was NOT happy about it. That could look like fighting, growling and posturing, avoidance of the other dog, avoidance of beloved humans, increase in stress behaviors (like chewing paws, destroying things in the house and yard, barking, etc.), and more. In many of these cases, the owners stated that they either did not know whether the first dog liked other dogs, or their dog only liked one or two (or sometimes no) other dogs, but they hoped things would be different with adding one to the household. 

Even if your dog doesn’t love meeting all other dogs, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t enjoy having a companion! It just means that it’s extra important to choose a companion that matches well in temperament and energy levels, introduce carefully, and implement management and separation as needed. 

If your dog is one that doesn’t love all (or most) other dogs, it’s also important to consider – what’s your plan if your current dog doesn’t like your new addition? Are you willing to work with a trainer until it can be resolved? If it can’t be resolved, are you willing to crate and rotate or keep both dogs separated? Or return or rehome the new dog? This is definitely the less pleasant side of multi dog households, but one that every trainer has either seen or experienced themselves in some way.

How is your current dog’s behavior?

In many cases, the reason someone may consider adding another dog is to help burn off their current dog’s boundless energy, or to help mitigate the destructive effects of separation anxiety. While there are certainly cases where a second dog can help with both, it can just as easily go the direction of having TWO dogs that have boundless energy, destructive tendencies, and more. 

My easiest rule of thumb for when to add a second dog is… wait until your current dog is at a MANAGEMENT LEVEL of training for all life skills important to you. You can (and should!) continue to reinforce recalls, loose leash walking, crate training, and other skills, but ideally shouldn’t be working on fixing major behavior problems like reactivity, severe separation anxiety, housetraining, countersurfing, or other issues, unless you’re willing to manage carefully and continue to work towards resolution with your first dog individually.

For example, if you have a leash reactive dog who you or your trainer suspect will continue to be reactive in certain situations for a long time and you would like to add a new dog, make a plan to walk each dog separately. That way, your first dog can get the training time they need to change their emotional response to triggers, and your new dog can get the exercise time they need without another dog reacting and potentially sensitizing them to triggers they otherwise wouldn’t care about.

It is MUCH easier to train one dog while the other dog is being “good” than it is to try and train two dogs that are both causing chaos.

Do you have the resources?

Multiple dogs are more work than one dog. More training time, more food to eat, more attention to be distributed, more vet bills to pay, more classes to attend, and more walks to take. Money can be a factor that affects this for many owners, but one resource that every owner has in finite supply is TIME. 

Two dogs means at least twice as much time and energy spent training, exercising, caring for, and managing. With two dogs that are easy, that can be a breeze. But if an owner is adding a second dog because they haven’t had the time or energy to work with their first dog, they may be in for a rude awakening.

Before considering another dog, take a good look at your average schedule, and how much time you’re spending on training, exercising, and playing with your current dog. If you’re excited by the idea of doubling that, then another dog is a great option.

Don’t forget the financial side of the decision too. What if both dogs have medical emergencies at the same time – do you have the funds to cover that, or plans to get health insurance on both dogs? What if you need to hire a trainer to help make the intro process go smoothly, or to resolve any new issues that pop up? What if you need to hire a dog walker to stop in for mid day exercise while you’re at work? There are a lot of unexpected expenses that can occur with one dog, and unfortunately the chances of those expenses go up quite a bit when adding a second dog to the mix.

Still not sure?

So far, it may seem like this article is anti-new-dog. As someone who has three dogs myself (and at one point, four), it’s absolutely not. I love training and doing activities with my dogs, both together and individually, and love how much enjoyment they get from playing, snuggling, and living with each other in the same household. 

If you aren’t sure on the answers to any of these questions, that’s ok! That means you’re thinking carefully about them, which is great. 

You can help answer some of these questions by having playdates with your dog’s friends (if they have friends), watching your friend’s dog while they’re out of town (make sure to have a plan in place to keep everyone safe if the dogs don’t get along), or fostering a dog through a local rescue. If you’re working with a trainer, they can also help advise you on whether a second dog would be a good addition for your household, and may also give pointers on how to choose the perfect new pup.

At the end of the day…

While adding a second dog to your household may enrich your current dog’s life, keep in mind that adding a second (or third, or fourth) dog should be because YOU want another dog, not because you think your dog needs a dog. You are the one who will be responsible for both your current dog and the new dog, potentially for the next 10-15 years. But if you’re like me and many others who love dogs, love training, and love spending time with your four legged best friend, then bring on the multi dog mayhem!

Still need help deciding? Send me an email and let’s get in touch!