Do you guys think its wrong to favorite a dog if you have more than one?
 

Just wondered what everybody thinks about people having favorite dogs.

We have 2 one is my favorite the other is my Husbands so they both have someone who favors them

It's ok if they both have someone to favor them. They both need attention. It's not ok if theres one dog being favored & the other dog is lonely and jealous.. That's not right.

It would be like favoriting a child, if you have more than one....just seems wrong to me.

We have 4 and can't help but favor my oldest Merlin, don't get me wrong I love all my babies and they all get loved and spoilt to bits but..... Merlins my first baby it was just me and him for the first year of his life and I only tell him he's my favourite when the others are out of ear shot lol

I love all my babies but there's something special about Niko. I got him when he was 6 days old. He was bottle fed every 2-3 hours. He went everywhere with me under my shirt to keep warm and so I could feed him when needed. He just needed me so much that the bond will always be there.

I have my favorites, but I try not to let it show in front of the others....we go thru the same rituals every morning when we wake up or anytime I come home....these meet and greet sessions are always a priority, and they will line up around my feet for each one of them to be kissed and hugged and made a fuss over. I always whisper to each one, that THEY are my favorite. I always have a special time with each one, alone time, where we talk, some like to be brushed, some just like to be hugged and kissed on, some like to do tricks for treats..... Hopefully each one feels they are my favorite....it would break my heart if I thought someone was feeling less loved than anyone else.

We have 3 yorkies and Max is my DH's dog. Max prefers him to me! I probably focus most of my attention on my girls because they always want my attention! They are the ones who want on my lap, follow me around and always want some cuddly time. Max is just a Daddies Boy and my girls are mommy's sweethearts! It is not really playing favorites if they choose who they prefer! Teeka and Tatiana get the same amount of attention....at least I think so! :)

Same here. Rosie is my baby and Mikki is DH's. but I love them both. Rosie is my first Yorkie and will forever hold a special place in my heart. She is just an extra special baby to me. I think it's ok to have a favorite as long as the others don't know it. DH gives Mikki the extra attention while I tend to do the same for Rosie.

I honestly didn't like Momo when I first got her. Yoshi was my first Yorkie & he definitely has a special place in my heart. But as the months went on, I learned to love Momo for who she is...rather than what I expected her to be. I totally fell in love with her. Although she's a rough & tumble tomboy, she's the sweetest little pup I've EVER known. Now I can honestly say, I love them both equally.

I don't think it's WRONG to have a favorite. You can't really force yourself to feel a certain way. But I think that even if you do favor one over the other, you should definitely treat them equally.

I think it's natural for your 1st pup to hold an extra special place in your heart. Bevo was here a full 2 1/2 years before the others. He is my baby. However, Mack is just a sweetheart and a little miracle! I would have to say they are tied for "favorites" between our 4. But, the other 2 are my teenagers babies. And I love them dearly too and know this will be their forever home when the kids graduate. My daughter will be goin off to college in the fall so we will have to pick up on all the extra love that Bryleigh has been given from her the past 2 years. At that point, she may also be tied with the boys! And my bed will be 2 pounds fuller at night! Lol

No way, I don't think it's wrong at all. I think you can love another dog just as much but still have a favorite if that makes sense.

:thumbup: Same here...mine all get special treatment...I love them all...each has its special attributes that I love them for over all the others. If I have/had a favorite, I would never let that connection interfere with the love and devotion each of the others gets. Sometimes, you do make a stronger connection with one than the others...often it is the dog (or cat)...or situation...that makes that connection happen.

It isn't wrong to be 'drawn' to one over the others...it is (morally) 'wrong' IMHO, however, to allow that connection to be detrimental to the others.

This board has SO many kind and generous soles on it, and trying to equally make/treat multiple animals within a household/Pack, seems so fair. However, in a natural Pack environment there is a Pecking Order, that is bread into our animals, and they are quite ok with it.

So many times, when we introduce a new Dog into the Pack, there is a struggle for dominance. This can be controlled so easily, if the owner/provider understands the mentality, and supports the resident Alpha. That tenure in the residence, is what should determine that, even though most think it takes a Male to hold that position.

This is not true with the Yorkshire Breed, the Females are excellent pack Alphas, and the ones I've raised, hold and control the pack with grace and a very cool head when there's conflict.

So often, we think that when there is conflict in the Pack, that we Humans must intervene. Most times that it totally unnecessary, IF we have supported the Pecking Order in our Pack, and shown our "authorization" of who's in charge, besides us.

When there is the introduction of a Male, who comes under the authority of an existing Alpha Female, as time passes She will let him have the Alpha position. BUT, that is in appearance only. Subtly she will still be in charge, and from my experience, that's just fine with the Male.

A natural application of "the Power behind the Throne". ;)

One can have a favorite Dog, but if you intend to create a stable environment within the Pack, you shouldn't show that preference openly to the Pack, unless that animal is the Pack Alpha. This is so difficult for some of us.

Interesting. I'm curious to know your thoughts on a female being introduced to the home of an established male, when the newer female is clearly more dominant. Would you still regard the male as resident Alpha & support him in that role? I apologize for veering off topic. You may PM me if you'd like. I'm just very curious to know your thoughts on that.

I don't think you can say anything is "wrong" when it is an emotion that you can't control.

Just like Moms tell their kids, "I love you both. I don't have a favorite." Oh come on!! You can love both or all of your kids equally but there will be one or some that you connect with on a deeper level. It's just the way it is.

So, no - IMO - it is not "wrong" or even "abnormal" to have a favorite pet. Just as they have favorites. Shelby is definitely more connected to me than my hubby. He loves my hubby so much and is all excited when he calls him. But at the end of the day, Shelby is always right by my side if I'm asleep, sitting at the computer desk, or watching tv on the couch. Mandie is a Daddy's girl. She loves me and comes to me without me calling her all the time. Gives me those kisses and just melts my heart. But she sleeps with daddy. He's her favorite. That is a connection thing. I had more of a connection to my Pom that passed away than I do to either Mandie or Shelby.

At this point, though, my relationship is still building with Mandie so I can't say if she or Shelby is my favorite. They both have aspects, attitudes, and personalities that are my favorite.

Good topic and question :)

I agree with the connection you had with your Pom. I had such a connection with my first yorkie who passed last fall. It is so amazing and even when they are gone, they are still there in spirit and in my heart!

It's not wrong if both dogs get enough attention, love and care :)
I like Rufus more than Nena because of his personality, it can be compared to mine lol :)
And my boyfriend favors Nena over Rufus :D

Every Yorkie should be somebodies soul mate. Gracie is my favorite and I can't help it. Like the rest of YTers I would be so sad if the other four felt slighted at all. Each Yorkie has some special something, I love best. What is weird is when dogs decide they don't like a dog and we haven't a clue why.

I don't think it's wrong... Couver is seriously my soul dog. There is just something about him that I connect with. I love Khloe with all my heart, but she is my husband's dog. She loves him to pieces and that is okay with me. I try not to show my preference, but Couver was here first, so he gets everything first so he knows he is still top dog.

That is why I have one human child and 1 Yorkie they are both my favorites hehe. No really I don't think it's wrong and as long as they are treated equally its fine. I think we naturally gravitate to a certain personality even in our fur kids:) I also think they pick their favorite humans and that's ok too:)

I too feel that there are just some dogs you connect with on a very deep level.
I've used the term heart dog, for my oldest boy Magic, and he is. I love Razzle a whole lot, but in a different kind of way.

For me all our dogs have actually bonded the most with me, and not my hubby. Which is sad really. Don't get me wrong they love him, but usually all our dogs are where I am.

I know with Zoey she was supposed to be hubby's gal; and she loved him alright; but again it was me she went to for most things. She even over time kicked Magic out of his place on the floor beside my side of the bed. Magic has a good even temperament so no fights ensued. Just like Razzle has commandeered laying on my feet - now that Zoey is gone.

We have 7 dogs and although I love them all to pieces there is one that is ultra special to me. His name is Oliver and he's a 2 year old shih tzu. He is the most gentle dog I have ever seen ever since he was a tiny puppy. He's gone though so much in his short life and he's such a trooper. He just went through juvenile cataract surgery and he's had liver problems since he was a baby. He always has a kiss for everybody even the surgeon.

We have three dogs, and I think I have different connections with them all. Layla has been with me since she was just a puppy. We always had a really deep connection. She did change a little after her paralysis - she used to be so cuddly and wanted to be with us and on our laps all the time, but all of a sudden she didn't want to sleep in our bed anymore (and it wasn't safe anymore), and she didn't want to cuddle as much. But she still knew she had our full attention.

Then we adopted Kash and Lucy. Layla changed even more. She and Kash were at war for a bit - she didn't like him jumping all over her mommy! They tolerate each other now, but she still gets jealous. She has distanced herself a bit more from DH and I. She would rather be napping on the floor in the middle of the room than on our laps or sitting beside us. She still loves to play, but only if Kash and Lucy are not around - so we try to give her one-on-one attention as much as we can. I think it's all a part of sorting out their personalities and where they stand in the pack.

Lucy and I are still building a relationship but it is leaps and bounds from where it was when she came to live with us. She was abused and most likely from a puppy mill. She's extremely timid, but she will play every once in a while, she doesn't hide from us, and she likes sitting beside us.

But by far, Kash is the babiest, cuddliest, most kid-like dog we own. It's so easy to be in love with him. He wants to be on my lap all the time, or playing with me, or running around the house like a nutcase. He makes me smile all the time! He sleeps in bed with us (he used to be on the floor with Lucy and Layla, but he was a jerk and kept pushing Layla out of her beds all night).

I don't like to say I love him more than the others because I would go to the ends of the earth for any of my dogs! We just all relate differently, I think. And they ALL prefer me over DH, which hurts his feelings sometimes! So I make Kash cuddle with his daddy sometimes, and I will lay on the floor with Layla. We really try to give them all the kind of attention they want. Kash is just more human-like to us because he behaves like a human kid would! So it almost makes him more relateable.

But of course I do love them all!!!

I think if you treat them both equally, I love both my dogs but Pixie is my baby. I am not sure that I favor her more but I do baby her. They both get treated with love and affection. If I buy pixie something I buy Daisy something, they both go to the groomers, and vet appointments, fed treats, brushed loved and taken care of like my children. There is nothing that I would not do for these girls, they have stole;) my heart:)

I can honestly say, this isn't true for me, I think we can appreciate different aspects of their personalities in different ways, and even their flaws can be endearing to us, but there's no way I could have a favorite. I’m not saying this is true for everyone, my Grandmother once told me that my Dad was her favorite out of her 6 children, I really didn’t like that and maybe his brothers and sister sensed that, which is never a good thing.


As far as my Yorkies go, when I got Ralphie, he was very needy and a lot of my attention had to go to him, but there's no way, one is my favorite, I see them as different and my love is different in some ways, but I really feel like I love them equally even though we haven't had Ralphie as long. However, I do agree with you, we can't control how we feel, only how we behave.

Yes, I can definitely agree that what I said is not true of every single person. There are definite exceptions to any blanket statement. It doesn't surprise me at ALL to learn this of you :)

Oh what a sweetie you are, now you are my favorite!

Teegy will always have a special place in my heart because I lost my dad just after he came to me and he's a sweet little soul who's just all about loving me. Tufty is my monster beast he's cheeky and does what he wants and likes to bug his big brother, but all of this endears him to me and I have to smother him in kisses

:D Yay!!!! (I suck-up good huh? hehe)
*whispers* don't worry, I won't tell anybody!