To get a second dog or not to get a second dog.

"Shamoononon drives like a farmer" (shamoononon)
05/17/2020 at 00:36 • Filed to: Doglopnik, Doggo

I am a single parent. My child is heading off to college and would be gone by now if not for covid. I work a lot and have been working through this whole thing as an essential computer programmer. I am fairly happy remaining single.

I live in a condo, I do not have a yard. I do live in an area with a ton of open space though but no fences, no yards, and TONS of coyotes, rattlesnakes, and sometimes a cougar.

I currently have a 70lb cattle dog/hound. He is super friendly and LOVES other dogs but is extremely high energy and a general hard dog to have. I mean, I have never encountered a dog that needs so much stimulation before and I have had dog aggressive pit bulls.

I have been thinking of adopting a second dog, it’s a homeless 25lb dog that was living with a homeless feller. It’s a young dog, like mine, maybe 1.5 years. Both dogs are very social and I bet they would get along very well.

But, I have a ton on my plate. My reasoning for adopting a second dog would be to keep the stress the same or lessen it. And also no have another living soul in my condo. I truly couldn’t handle two of the dog I have now though so when I went to adopt the second dog I freaked out and left.

To second dog or not? I admit I pay a lot for my vet, probably a cool 1200-1500 a year but I am guessing that’s not normal.

DISCUSSION (19)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 01:16

I think the “companion to the current [pet] ” angle is highly overplayed in general. If you want the dog because it would make *you* happy, then do it.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 01:21

No.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 01:21

Your second dog should be a cat!

Chariotoflove > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 01:28

The only thing I can think of is if the first one is lonely and obviously needs a companion, like when you take him for a walk, he obviously perks up at the chance to socialize. It sounds like you’re home plenty though, so I don’t see how the math adds up where you live now.

That said, all my animals have always fallen from the sky on me, and I just adapted to what the universe thrust upon me.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 01:55

I got Dog B with the reasoning that two dogs should have been the same approximate work/stress/etc as one. This was not the case. The dynamic changes substantially when going from 1 to 2 and everything gets... complicated. If you had a yard for them to entertain each other in I’d say a hard maybe, but without...

RPM esq. > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 02:55

My experience with this is mixed, but it can work if you’re lucky. We adopted our current dog as a puppy she could learn from our older dog while the elder could still tolerate a puppy. That aspect worked great, but they had such different needs that it was definitely a lot more work than having just one, although you can still coordinate a lot of stuff like feeding time and routine vet visits so it amounts to something less than double. On the other hand, my son adopted a puppy while at school and brought it home for the summer, and the two young dogs entertained each other constantly and really did reduce the overall need for human-based stimulation. With just the two young ones, at least after the puppy stage, the second one wouldn’t have been much extra work at all.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 04:45

We picked up our 2nd dog a year after the 1st. It’s nice that ours get along with each other but there is still twice the poop and twice the personality quirks to deal with. They also take a lot more effort and attention to walk together than individually.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
05/17/2020 at 06:57

+1 on this. If Shamoononon had a fenced yard, then a second dog could get play energy out of the first one. But I’d also be concerned about the size difference. In my experience it is rare that a 40-50 lb heavier dog can restrain itself well for a long time in play with a smaller dog.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 09:43

I’m not much help. Mainly because I would never have a dog in a condo. And I would never have just one dog.

We are currently dogless... because we can’t get around to sorting out fences on our acreage. Roaming dogs get shot around here....and we are also fox baiting. So no dogs again...yet.

In your case...nope.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 10:33

Two doggos can be fantastic, but there was a major learning curve when we went from a one doggo to a two doggo household. I had a doggo almost my entire life, but adopting the head of household security was the very first time having multiple doggos. It’s a different game. The relation between number of doggos and the amount of time, money, energy, hair in the house, ect.. is exponential , not linear. Somehow two dogs are more than twice as much of everything. They also don’t really keep each other company when you’re not around so much as they just miss you together, which if anyone has separation anxiety it will still continue to be an issue.

Pack dynamics are also a big thing. It took us awhile to learn how to manage that. I wouldn’t trade my two doggos for anything, but it is a way bigger commitment with two of them. It’s wonderful if you can make it work, but running a pack isn’t for everyone. My parents, for example, will probably always have a dog, but they would struggle to deal with two of them.

facw > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 11:57

Get a second dog! Two is a good number of dogs! Allows them to entertain each other to some extent.

The only question I think is whether you should do it now or wait a few years so you don’t have two dogs getting old at the same time (having a younger dog around will really energize an older dog). Of course you could rescue an adult dog now!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
05/17/2020 at 12:14

I agree with the 1st part but not the 2nd. These two used to play together really well and 75lbs Dog B (on the left) has all the grace and restraint of a drunk toddler.

Kinja'd!!!

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Chariotoflove
05/17/2020 at 16:10

I actually work outside the home so I’m gone about 9 hours most days. I currently send my one to dog camp a couple of times a week which gives him lots of socialization.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
05/17/2020 at 16:11

I want to do that totally!!! That would be ideal, but my daughter is allergic.

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus
05/17/2020 at 16:17

Ha!

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
05/17/2020 at 16:18

Yeah, I live in an area where houses with yards are over a million. So I’m stuck in a condo. I do hiking a lot though. Thanks.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/17/2020 at 19:05

Solution... get a Sphinx breed of cat:

Kinja'd!!!

Like Mr. Bigglesworth!

Shamoononon drives like a farmer > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
05/18/2020 at 11:05

Where do you find a cat like that? All the cats I can find are mutt cats.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Shamoononon drives like a farmer
05/18/2020 at 12:08

If you’re willing to spend some money, it’s not too hard to find them:

https://www.kijiji.ca/b-cats-kittens/gta-greater-toronto-area/sphynx/k0c125l1700272

Apparently this breed originally came from Canada, which explains why you can find one more easily in the Toronto area.