As you all know I have Duke and I keep on reading from people who have two or more dogs. I am wondering if there is a benefit of owning two dogs. I wouldnt mind adding another female doberman to the house so it would be Duke and Her. I would spay and neuter them. What do you guys think?
Benefit of owning two Dobermans.
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There are lots of dobermans (and other dogs) who lead perfectly contented lives as only dogs. I think the decision should be if YOU want a second dog, first and foremost. Two dogs means double the work, double the training, double the care, double the cost-and double the problems if you can't keep control of the situation.alienex said:
That being said, I think it's best to give your dog time to grow up, get trained and mature before adding a second dog. The bond you form with the dog will be greater, and raising two puppies isn't for the weak of heart.
I absolutely love having two and can't imagine not having two ever again. I was lucky to have gotten a laid back boy but was prepared if the 2nd had been as firey as Da'Kari. She is quite a handful so it balances out.
Some say that the older one will teach the younger one bad habits but I have not found that to be the case with me but I am sure it does happen. Infact it seems that Da'Kari is much better with Nash around. They play together and that burns off a lot of energy.
They love being together but they also love my attention and are very affectionate toward me. So they have not bonded with each other to only leave me hanging. It seems to work really well with my two.
It is twice the dog food, twice the vet bills etc but I was prepared for that. So there are pro's and con's for a decision to have two and everyone is different in what they can handle.
I suppose the only thing I can say that is a negative and it is something we work on continuelly is that Da'Kari is a little possessive of us and doesn't want to share. Even yesterday she about bit Nash's head off for getting close to me so we put her in time out. LOL
But I LOVE both my dogs equally and I don't regret and have never regretted adding Nash to the family.
Some say that the older one will teach the younger one bad habits but I have not found that to be the case with me but I am sure it does happen. Infact it seems that Da'Kari is much better with Nash around. They play together and that burns off a lot of energy.
They love being together but they also love my attention and are very affectionate toward me. So they have not bonded with each other to only leave me hanging. It seems to work really well with my two.
It is twice the dog food, twice the vet bills etc but I was prepared for that. So there are pro's and con's for a decision to have two and everyone is different in what they can handle.
I suppose the only thing I can say that is a negative and it is something we work on continuelly is that Da'Kari is a little possessive of us and doesn't want to share. Even yesterday she about bit Nash's head off for getting close to me so we put her in time out. LOL
But I LOVE both my dogs equally and I don't regret and have never regretted adding Nash to the family.
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I also love having two around. It is important to think about the pro's and con's before hand. I am opposite of DK and lucky that my first was laid back. My second is still laid back, but can still be a spitfire when he wants to be.
The bills will increased which is a given. Will you be prepared to give each their time for individual training and them time? I am constantly telling them that I only have two hands. In my house, when one starts to get petted, the other cuts in for the attention. They can't stand to be left out. When one is staring out of the window, the other has to stare out to see what the other is looking at. But all are different. Would they be happy as single dogs? Sure, all that attention just for them. Are they just as content with eachother? I think so. They have eachother to romp with in the backyard and chase. I don't think they would act different in either situation.
I agree with Murreydobe though. I would wait until your puppy matures. Give Duke the time he needs as a puppy. They need the attention now more than ever. It takes a lot of work and time to raise a puppy right. Harmony was 1 1/2 before I brought home Asher. I think a lot of people go through a stage where their puppy gets older and they want that puppy again. So they think about getting another one. I guess it is kind of like when kids get older and they want that baby in the house feel again. I don't know. I don't have kids. My SIL is going through it. She has been since my neice hit 2. She's 4 now. You always hear people talking about it. Maybe its a farce.
The bills will increased which is a given. Will you be prepared to give each their time for individual training and them time? I am constantly telling them that I only have two hands. In my house, when one starts to get petted, the other cuts in for the attention. They can't stand to be left out. When one is staring out of the window, the other has to stare out to see what the other is looking at. But all are different. Would they be happy as single dogs? Sure, all that attention just for them. Are they just as content with eachother? I think so. They have eachother to romp with in the backyard and chase. I don't think they would act different in either situation.
I agree with Murreydobe though. I would wait until your puppy matures. Give Duke the time he needs as a puppy. They need the attention now more than ever. It takes a lot of work and time to raise a puppy right. Harmony was 1 1/2 before I brought home Asher. I think a lot of people go through a stage where their puppy gets older and they want that puppy again. So they think about getting another one. I guess it is kind of like when kids get older and they want that baby in the house feel again. I don't know. I don't have kids. My SIL is going through it. She has been since my neice hit 2. She's 4 now. You always hear people talking about it. Maybe its a farce.
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Someone said to me that owning more than dobe at a time would drive you insane Hahahahahahahahahahahahaah, i got a piece of paper from the mental home saying that i am sane now!!!No seriously every dobe is different personality wise, so you need to let Duke grow up a little to see if he would get along with another one,there is a minimum of about 18 months between the pack and thank heaven they get along pretty well,but they do have their moments,if you feel you can cope with more dobes then go for it,but i would wait a little longer and get Duke trained up a bit more.
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I'd wait a little long than 18 months between dogs, and this is why: they all die sooner or later, and it's too much of a heartbreaker to lose multiple older dogs close together. Better there's some gaps between them age-wise, so you can space the losses out a bit.
I agree with Murreydobe--I nearly always have multiple dogs (mostly Dobes) but mine generally are spaced 2 to 3 years apart--that give sme time to civilize one dog before the next puppy comes along. Well behaved older dogs go a long way to teaching puppies what is expected of them. I haven't had to teach a puppy a sit or down in years--the older dogs do it for me. The puppies watch to see how the big dogs earn treats and copy them.
I make sure that each puppy in his time has a lot of time and attention from me. They also get to play with older dogs who are pretty good at making sure that the pups end up with good dog manners.
I think the pups loose something when you have two that are very close to the same age being raised together.
I make sure that each puppy in his time has a lot of time and attention from me. They also get to play with older dogs who are pretty good at making sure that the pups end up with good dog manners.
I think the pups loose something when you have two that are very close to the same age being raised together.
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Totally agree.dobebug said:
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I don't have two dobes persay, but I do have three dogs altogether. I love having more than one dog at a time, and probably always will. They get so much energy out from eachother and with the right work and training all get along and balance eachother out.
My personal recommendation is to let Duke grow up some first. You've heard some reasons why, so I won't repeat them. But we brought Harley, our second dog into the house when Scrappy was 3, (he was a year old already), and then we introduced Lexus when Harley was about 4ish. So there was about three years between all our dogs. It worked out perfect for us, although I know some people have had less time in between and been happy.
Harley was a fabulous playmate for Scrappy when she was younger, now he is still at the age were he is a wonderful chew toy for Lexus and still enjoys it. And Scrappy, who is 8 now, just primarily just sits back and watches.
(Lex and her dog Harley)
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My personal recommendation is to let Duke grow up some first. You've heard some reasons why, so I won't repeat them. But we brought Harley, our second dog into the house when Scrappy was 3, (he was a year old already), and then we introduced Lexus when Harley was about 4ish. So there was about three years between all our dogs. It worked out perfect for us, although I know some people have had less time in between and been happy.
Harley was a fabulous playmate for Scrappy when she was younger, now he is still at the age were he is a wonderful chew toy for Lexus and still enjoys it. And Scrappy, who is 8 now, just primarily just sits back and watches.
(Lex and her dog Harley)
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I go along with Murreydobe on both points. I am constantly thinking about getting a rescue female but I never go thru with it. The real reason is, I am looking at pictures and not the real animal or I would have the first one I looked at but I also think in my case GKar is happy being the only dog. He has dog visitors over for dogsitting and he gets his fill of having a friend after two or three days. He is usually as happy to see them go as I am.Murreydobe said:
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I love having my 4 dobermans.. Raven would have been best as an only big dog.. She is great with little dogs but she thinks she has to be alpha in our group and she is not.. Spirit is so laid back.. Iris is still quite the puppy sometimes and Gypsy Well, she is just Gypsy.. But I love them all just the same!! Shh! Don't tell Raven, She thinks she is the favorite!!
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Rush was 4 when I brought Razzle home..that's about a year longer than I actually wanted to wait. But he was delighted to have her join the family when she did, and remains delighted by her every day.alienex said:
I think about 3 years is ideal, but everyone is going to have a different idea about that more than likely.
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I had a bit of a different experience than the previous posts. We had two dobes for a short while but came to the conclusion that we are strictly a one dog home. Considering work commitments, other activities and monetary constraints as well as the personality of our first Dobe - a single dog works out better for us and we think better for our single spoiled puppy (2 years old).
Time is a huge factor because you want to give both dogs the attention they deserve and its important (i think) to give them individual time with you, for training or affection or whatever. We were really looking forward to the two dogs being able to wear each other out but then we realized that spending time with Abby (walking, jogging, playing hide and seek, fetch, etc.) was what we enjoyed the most about having a dog and we didnt' need a 2nd dog just to wear the 1st one out.
Time is a huge factor because you want to give both dogs the attention they deserve and its important (i think) to give them individual time with you, for training or affection or whatever. We were really looking forward to the two dogs being able to wear each other out but then we realized that spending time with Abby (walking, jogging, playing hide and seek, fetch, etc.) was what we enjoyed the most about having a dog and we didnt' need a 2nd dog just to wear the 1st one out.
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Dobedad said:
I agree 100% Great things to consider!!
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IMO, the current dog should be at least two years old before adding another dog.alienex said:
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Ditto I agree did the two dobes and the one dobe, I prefer the one dobe, and so does our dobe, all the toys, couches, and love is ALL THEIRS!!!!!!!!!Dobedad said:
I loved both the dogs, and when it was time for the other to pass I missed that little personality, waited and thought I would get another and as time went by we had a family decision we all liked having one dobie in the house.
Some people love having more than one whatever you decide to do, the only thing I suggest is let the little pup mature, there are many stages along the way to adulthood. It is kind of like having kids to close together the other one is pushed along to grow up quick when their inner time clock is not ready. Enjoy the pup and get a good solid start on rules, training and bonding with the family.
I think three is nice, two years olds sometimes slip a little
short term memory at their convenience only of course kinda like teenagers lol.Java is 17 months and I am looking to get another Dobe - possibly a young rescue this time around - in a year or so. Once she is well-mannered and listens properly, then we will think about introducing another female.
Our breeder had five adult Dobes - two she inherited from a show friend who passed on. When we visited for the first time, they were all running in the yard and then flaked out on the couches in the sunroom. All were well trained and crate trained as well. Mind you, these Dobes were all well-trained and I think that helps immensely.
Our breeder had five adult Dobes - two she inherited from a show friend who passed on. When we visited for the first time, they were all running in the yard and then flaked out on the couches in the sunroom. All were well trained and crate trained as well. Mind you, these Dobes were all well-trained and I think that helps immensely.
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