For those with one dog, why do you only have one?
 

Just a question, and discussion.

As alot of you know, I've been debating a second dog for a long time now for a buddy for Jackson, but I have not yet found that right dog, or the right time.

There's a lot of threads about the benefits of adding a second dog, but I wanted to know what most peoples reasons are for only having one. I know I see a lot of posts of people who only have one, so speak up! :)

I know, for me, right now, one is easy with my lifestyle. I am a single girl and I like to bring Jackson with me to family events (Thanksgiving, Christmas, summer parties, etc, at families homes), I enjoy traveling with him (my dad has an RV and 2 dogs of his own, and it's fun to tag along on some trips), and bringing him to pretty much everywhere he can go, cousins little league games, etc. I often think how different it will be with 2 and that's what always makes me wimp out on getting a second... lol.

Jackson was my first dog, besides family dogs growing up, and so he will always be special to me for that reason, plus he was the first thing that made me truly happy since my 6 year old brothers death in 2006, and we share a really special bond. I'm worried that I won't feel that for a second dog.

Right now, it's just easy with one, and I don't want to screw up what we have right now. So those are my reasons for having one right now... why do you only have one?

My Yorkie was 4 years old and we adopted a ShihTuz mx, it has been a blessing for Tricksie, they get along so well, love to cuddle and play.

I would like to get Thor a sister. The main things stopping me:

- I would probably have to move.

- Thor is a fearful dog, and I've read that dogs tend to pick up on negative behaviors, rather than positive. Like with barking, if one dog barks, all the dogs bark.

- Thor is really neurotic, and I will need a dog *perfectly* suited for him. Very small, playful, but not too aggressive, excellent temperament.


That being said, if the right dog comes along, I will most likely snap it up as it will be a rare find. I volunteer at a rescue on weekends, so I see a bunch of potentials every week.

We tried adding a sister for Sophie but it didn't work out well and I had to let my niece adopt her. Hazel became very aggressive with Sophie over everything from the couch to toys. After trying for some time to work it out we decided since we had Sophie first and didn't want her bullied we would let Hazel go with my niece where she could be the only dog. Sophie fills our lives with so much joy that we decided to be a one yorkie household. :)

Pros and Cons of TWO
 

i'll give you the pros and the cons both :D

:thumbdownCons of having TWO:

1. You can get away with hiding one dog in a kwigy-bo and going somewhere.
2. Costs of food, shots, vets, passing illnesses back and forth, any other pet supplies doubles in cost.
3. taking two dogs by yourself anywhere can be a major challenge if they both are not perfectly behaved.
4. you always feel bad because you divide your love now, you do have special moments with each and a special bond with each, but neither really is a favorite anymore.
5. your first and at the time only love has to share you with a sibling and it's hard for them sometimes
6. if you have a dominant dog like sadie is they can be aggressive and bite/fight their sibling dog
7. twice the accidents when routines change and twice the mess, twice the paws to wipe, two coats to put on at the door each time, two harness and leashes to get ready. it's kinda tough to get them moving when you got to go somewhere
8. dog sitter and boarding is way expensive with two and it's hard to find a place to go that accepts TWO dogs staying with you.
9. two dogs to train to learn things both seperately and together
10. two crates really do fill up a car and two dogs loose from crates make a mess ;)


:thumbup:Pros of having two:

1. when you come home too tired for a tug game or chase game they just amuse themselves together.
2. more warm bodies to keep your lap warm all the time. :D
3. double the pleasure double the fun :p
4. watching them snuggle up and keep each other warm
5. knowing that your pup has a lifemate that they depend on and exist with for their entire life on earth is a great happy feeling.
6.seeing them smile and run and play and knowing they are pack animals that have their "pack" mates
7. knowing that Sadie is a better dog with Bentley there. he calms her down and she brings out his playfulness. she's stopped biting and has a much more even personality since he came in. and when she does have a crazy moment then she takes it out on him and they play hard until she goes back to sleep :D
8. you don't feel quite as guilty leaving them home for a few hours or if you really have to putting them together in their x pen for the afternoon to go out and do something together.
9. when you loose one dog hopefully you will still have that other one to hold onto while you grieve.
10. they become a pair very fast. life before having two just doesn't seem possible. they go so well together and they make you happy and each other happy and giving a gift of a partner to your single pet is a wonderful feeling.

it takes a long time and a lot of trial and errors to find the right match but from my point of view it's worth it and we wouldn't trade Bentley for the world. he made Sadie happier and fulfilled and she makes him feel loved and accepted despite her humps and her bites :eek: she does need him and he needs her. it's a perfect family.

This pretty much says what I would have said. We tried and at first he liked having a friend, sister, whatever you want to call her, but within a couple weeks he became introverted and changed his personality and behaviour alot. He wasn't happy, and no matter what we tried, it didn't change the fact he was that unhappy. Found the other dog a new home and he came back out of his shell. He's the happiest little guy now, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm not saying he'll never want a buddy again, sometime down the road, but for the moment, this is what works for us, and as long as he's happy, that's all we want. :)

Beth and Taylor

:pyou really do have to have a super calm stable dog with a neurotic one. take Bentley and Sadie for the best example. he tolerates her so much more than he should and she loves to push him around. but they do work. she barks a ton, he rarely ever does. he's the big brother that kinda lets her do what she will be secretly i think he does have the last say when he really wants to

we found out the hard way that Sadie WILL NOT tolerate females in her territory. but somehow this little male was the perfect fit.

I have also thought this through time and time again. I would love to get Prince a playmate but the cost of veterinary care, in addition to monthly flea & tick and heartworm meds, would put me waay over budget.

I'm also a happy-single-gal and enjoy bringing Prince with me (almost) everywhere I go. I think two dogs would be too much for me to handle and "I don't want to screw that up" either. Someone suggested I should give it a try and get a second dog. But what if it doesn't work out? He/She is not a Prada bag. I could never return a dog because he/she didn't fit into my household/lifestyle.

So it's just my Prince and Me
:aimeeyork & :)

Brittany, your concerns are exactly why I only have one dog. I'm an empty nester and it's much easier to bring one dog with me when I visit my family. It's also much easier to take one dog to run errands. Lady is very special to me and I would never want to have to divide the love and attention either.

Lady also has tons of health issues and I am so glad I never got another dog. Those vet bills can really rack up as a dog ages anyway, but I can't imagine doubling them. :eek:

that's the hard part of two. vet bills esp. dentals go up and up and up over the years...also instead of just taking Sadie everywhere i went, now i leave BOTH at home and that's sad when now i go up home and i'm alone. the whole reason i got one dog was to never go anywhere alone, and now look i leave them both at home because sadie is neurotic so she can't go in cars anymore, (so i guess it's good she has a buddy) and i can't just take one and leave the other :( it's hard on me sometimes, but then again i wouldn't trade the love they both give me and each other and it is nice to be able to leave them at home and not worry they are lonely :p

There are times when I wish I had two dogs. Sammy is older now and I wouldn't get another dog (can't really afford it anyway). My cousin has two dogs and my friend has a beautiful golden retriever who is 2 and she wants to get another one to keep the golden company. I think it would be nice to have more than one dog. If I had to do it all over again I think I would have gotten two dogs. When I got Sammy I really didn't think about getting more than one dog. Right now, I'm just so glad to have my little love bug in my life!!

I find that having one is plenty. She is my first dog, and sometimes I feel like a year later I am still learning so much about dog ownership.

Costs for her care have way exceeded what I thought they would, so I know I definitely could not afford food, grooming, toys, vet care, Heartgard, and Frontline for 2 dogs.

I hate to sound pessimistic, but if DBF and I ever part ways, I know that I can care for Roxie on my own. I don't know if I could handle 2 dogs by myself.

Roxie is very territorial. I don't think she would handle having a companion too well.

I seriously thinkI would still be a one-dog owner if Cooper had not been in such dire need of a home. I was bringing her home "temporarily" and well, 1 and a half year later, she is on the Christmas card. ;)

I think you and Jackson have a special relationship and I understand your concern of not wanting to change that. :)

Adding Cooper absolutely reshaped the realtionship I have with Maddie. We are still close and best buddies;) but we have to share moments that were always just ours with Coop now.

For us....this is our "first" dog. As in adults with a family and able to take care of it ourselves LOL! We only have one because we live in a small house and already have a cat and two kids. That takes up a lot of room. :) We probably won't get a second dog because we already have 2x the vet costs (with the cat) so that would add a third and that would be pushing it to much. Also, our dog is a rehome and we were absolutely lucky to get such a wonderful dog. He is well behaved, well trained, and housetrained to the tee. I would be afraid to push our luck with another dog (or cat for that matter) because we have two wonderful furkids. Oh, and I wouldn't be able to buy as much "junk" for them as I do LOL!