CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: Geordietyke on March 06, 2010, 05:56:22 PM
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Hi, I've been reading with interest the varied subjects of this forum and noticed that a lot of people have at least 2 dogs. Do you think it is better to have 2 (or more) if you can? I've had Odie (10 wks) for 2 weeks now and have been wondering whether it would be better to have a companion for him or not. I have 2 daughters aged 5 and 6 years and I'm at home all day but as Odie is just a wee pup, he doesn't like being left alone when I go on the school run/shopping etc. Would another dog help him or would they bond and just ignore me?! :005: What are your thoughts on this please?
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Very few of the people on here have two dogs that have grown up together from puppies....
Having two pups at the same time is INCREDIBLY hard work - you have to devote enough time to training and exercising two dogs seperately, because if you don't they will bond with each other rather than you....
Additionally two dogs who are very close in age can develop issues getting along together as they hit adolescence.
There are people here for whom it has worked out well - there are other tales where people have had to take the agonising decision to rehome one of their beloved pets. :-\
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Hi, I didn't mean another pup, I meant an older dog (2+ years?). I don't think I could cope with two puppies at the same time! :lol2:
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That's a different kettle of fish altogether..... :D
You would still need to devote a good amount of time to individual training, especially initially, but with an age gap, there would be much less risk of friction.... :D
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We have Molly 2 and half and Poppy 17 weeks and they get on fine but even that is hard work. I have just started making the main walk a seperate one as it's hard to do anything constructive training wise when they are together. I think having one older with a puppy is certainly easier than having two pups but you still need to be prepared for a lot of hard work. It's worth it though...when they're asleep cuddled up together :luv:
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2 or 3 years difference seem perfect to me. The younger one can learn from the older one and the older one is not too old to play with the puppy. And they probably will not have to cross the rainbow bridge in quick succession. (Sorry to mention that talking about young dogs.)
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i have lola 2 & half and dodger 7months. since getting dodger we think lola has grown up alot! at first she mothered him and now shes like his older sister really. dodger has learnt alot from lola and they get on very well. they play together aswell and are great company for each other. if i have to leave them at home for awhile my mind is at rest knowing how well they get on. it was hard work at first (like it is with any new puppy/dog) but now 7months on its hard to imagine what life was like before we had 2! infact next yr when we move house we will get another 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 :005:
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We have Molly 2 and half and Poppy 17 weeks and they get on fine but even that is hard work. I have just started making the main walk a seperate one as it's hard to do anything constructive training wise when they are together. I think having one older with a puppy is certainly easier than having two pups but you still need to be prepared for a lot of hard work. It's worth it though...when they're asleep cuddled up together :luv:
When you say hard work do you mean the amount of time they take up?
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I have had 2 since November and would never have 1 again! Holly is an 8 year old springer and Charlie is 1. They cuddle up together -Holly doesn't get a choice! And they are company for each other! In fact we may get another later in the year!
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When you say that Odie doesn't like being left alone when you go on the school run, what do you mean? Also, do you do anything to prepare him for your going, to help him settle?
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Odie doesn't like not being near me (ie not in the same room). He will poo in his puppy pen every time I leave him (whether it is for 2 mins or 25 on the school run) despite having toys/water/bed/wee pad. About 30 mins before I put him in it, I play with him, take him outside to toilet (which he always wees and usually poos too). By then he should be tired (but never is!). I tell him I won't be long and leave. A poo always awaits me on my return. :016:
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Odie doesn't like not being near me (ie not in the same room). He will poo in his puppy pen every time I leave him (whether it is for 2 mins or 25 on the school run) despite having toys/water/bed/wee pad. About 30 mins before I put him in it, I play with him, take him outside to toilet (which he always wees and usually poos too). By then he should be tired (but never is!). I tell him I won't be long and leave. A poo always awaits me on my return. :016:
Do you only ever put him in his puppy pen when you are going out?
Do you leave a radio or TV on when you leave? (it can comfort them) Or an item of your clothing (worn) that smells of you?
When our doggie was a pup, I'd always sprinkle a few little doggie biscuits on the floor by him just before I left. As he got older, he would actually get excited when he knew we were going out! He'd run to his bed and wait expectantly for the treats!
Whether or not you decide to get another dog, it might be an idea to try and help make Odie feel more secure first.
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Odie doesn't like not being near me (ie not in the same room). He will poo in his puppy pen every time I leave him (whether it is for 2 mins or 25 on the school run) despite having toys/water/bed/wee pad. About 30 mins before I put him in it, I play with him, take him outside to toilet (which he always wees and usually poos too). By then he should be tired (but never is!). I tell him I won't be long and leave. A poo always awaits me on my return. :016:
separation anxiety is more often than not about being with us and not other dogs - I have seen 1st hand really bad SA even when there were other dogs in the household
At any time an owner should sort out their current dog's behaviour problems before thinking of getting another dog as you can sometimes end up with 2 dogs with problems or the problem can become worse in the 1st dog.
You need to work on this in other ways - practice coming and going - I don't overfuss new dogs that come into my house on foster - they are often quite clingy - I won't let them follow me everywhere and will settle them in the crate 1st before I leave to go to bed or out (ie, let them chillout on their own while I do something else without them). Telling them you won't be long could be telling them anythign - they don't understand
I would start this again in pups or behaviour re possible SA but bear in mind he is also still quite young anyway so soem of problems can be related to that (not every dog is fully housetrained so quickly and it can take up to a year)
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I do think a lot of people get more than 1 dog for themselves really (if they were honest) not for the other dog - I did becuase I wanted another + I foster because its nice to have more than 2 sometimes
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I think have at least 2 years between each dog, that way each dog has the time to mature before you introduce another.. I have 4 and Ill be honest the more dogs you have the harder it is to get the individual training in.. something will slide.. so wait a while
Ive seen folk with 4-5 dogs all under 4 or 5 and its obvious some dogs just arent getting the one to one they need. and believe it or not some dogs do better as only dogs.. you can always come on col meets to meet more spaniels and its good to have dog walking buddies where you can go somewhere safe and let them off lead to rollock around and play.
also Ive no idea of your circumstances but 2 dogs is twice the expense and with the credit crunch and everything its something to take into consideration.. Im 50 my kids have flown the nest.. Im lucky enough in that I can please myself.. if I was early 20s thinking of starting a family then Id say stick to one dog as when new human kids come along circumstances can change ie more expense , constraints on your time etc..
enjoy the dog you have and wait a wee while.. :D
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I will try leaving the radio on for him and giving an item of my clothing too. I do sprinkle some treats in the pen so he goes in it rather than me putting him in. I am putting him in it when I need to do other things (which involves passing the pen as it's in the kitchen) but even coming and going doesn't stop him having his 'little fragrant present' :P waiting for me at some point in the first few minutes! I'm just hoping that as he gets older he will eventually learn that I am coming back and settle down. TBH I'd rather just have the one dog as he currently gets all of my attention (maybe that's the problem? :huh:).
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I had this problem with Roly and it's something you need to work on daily if only for 10 minutes or so. Give him something to do - a frozen kong with kibble/peanut butter/cream cheese. Sit with him while he enjoys it. Take yourself out of the room, but stay in sight, just for a second and come straight back - do this a few times or until he doesn't bother to take notice and carrys on with his kong. Then build to just being a second out of his sight, not enough time for him to react - keep doing until again he starts to ignore you or take little notice. Gradually build up the time and try to de-sensitise him to each amount of time. I used to go from sight but let the dog see an arm or a leg and then come back.
What really helped as well was when he was doing his KCGC Gold (only 8months when he started), as there was a part of the test which involved leaving the dog for a few minutes out of your sight - boy did we need to practice this. Roly used to howl even in the company of 5 other dogs. Spent a lot of time working on his stay which really helped him focus (it's one of the things that he's really good at), and then I would move out of sight around a corner (started at just a metre away and built up).
I think the key is to start in very small increments, so that the dog never feels too challenged.
Having another dog won't make any difference - Misha was my first dog and it never helped Roly at all having her there.
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Thanks for your advice. I will try this method and hopefully he will learn not to react in time... ;)
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I do think a lot of people get more than 1 dog for themselves really (if they were honest) not for the other dog - I did becuase I wanted another + I foster because its nice to have more than 2 sometimes
I think you hit the nail on the head there!! I wanted 2 dogs, and always have, although Chewitt was 1 when I got Chops, and when he passed, Chops was 8 when I got Smartie.
I can imagine 2 puppies would be heaven for a while, but the practicalities of having 2 excitable bundles wreaking havoc, and 2 young children winding them up all day, would soon drive you to distraction!
Good luck working on leaving him, he's still only a pupster!
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We have Molly 2 and half and Poppy 17 weeks and they get on fine but even that is hard work. I have just started making the main walk a separate one as it's hard to do anything constructive training wise when they are together. I think having one older with a puppy is certainly easier than having two pups but you still need to be prepared for a lot of hard work. It's worth it though...when they're asleep cuddled up together :luv:
When you say hard work do you mean the amount of time they take up?
Yes it's time as much as anything. Molly is really good off lead and is used to an hour a day off lead and then a shorter walk and it's obviously not something Poppy can do yet. I try to walk Molly off lead then come back and take Poppy for about 25-30 minutes on a long lead and do some recall work with her. I then try and get Molly on a road walk later and then do the same with Poppy to try and get some lead work and socialisation done with her. There will obviously come a time fairly soon when they just walk together but I think the hard work comes in the early days.
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I have two puppies, with only 4 months difference in age.
We were having two from the same litter originally, but one died, so we waited for the next litter from another dog belonging to the breeder.
Mine are now 12 months and 16 months old..................we are absolutely delighted with them, but it has been joy tinged with frustration sometimes. It is hard work with respect to training. We had two cocker girls before, with 2 years difference in age, and they were much easier to train.
When I look at them now, I feel everything is rosy in the camp............they play, they huddle together, and they groom one another.
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Hi I had this with Jake for a bit when I went to school even though I have Jess he seemed to want to be out of his cage with her all the time. He did use his cage other times of the day and not just when I was going out. I know it sounds funny but I found the thing that settled him the most was to cover the top and sides (but not the front) of his cage with a large throw to make it a cosy den and not look like a cage anymore. We used this until he was 1 and it really worked. We also had a DAP plugged in near him which was on when we went out. This helped too. Nic
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I have 3 pups under a year, I got 2 cockers from the same litter now aged 10 months and have been delighted every day with them. I also have a small cavalier aged 5 months now, again an absolute joy. I dont work and do spend a fair bit of time walking them, we have a four field walk and a good sniff in the woods daily they love running in the long grass of the overgrown fields. However i found that training them both separate and together has worked well for me. They adore me as i brush and make a fuss of them daily. My kids adore all the dogs so am lucky that they dont wind them up, but then i have taught them to treat them with respect and love.
In fact i am so grateful that i have wonderful dogs who i feel i dont have any problems with. The are very affectionate and do get excited however they are taught what they are allowed to do and not - full positve training.
The other thing i have to say is that i have had lots of experience in dog ownership from a very young age. So i wouldnt recommend it for a novice.
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I have two, and did similar to what you are suggesting - but it was for me not the dogs. To cut a long story short, after loosing a real livewire cocker at only 6yrs old, I got another pup and it was clear very quickly he was never going to be the handful that my first one was and I really missed the energy and challenge the first one was. So when the second pup was 4 months old, I rehomed a big 2 yr old Weimaraner and she gave me all the challenges and thrills I could possibly dream of :lol:
It was incredibly hard work and I'll be the first to admit that the rescue took up so much of my time that the pup's training was a little neglected but I it wasn't too much of a problem as he's so easy going.
They are both fantastic dogs today (nearly 3 years later :005:) both have phenomenal recall, are loads of fun - we cycle and hike with them, play at gundog stuff to keep them stimulated and I'm very proud of them :luv: But I still put a lot of individual training time and walking time into them and the house is easily twice as disgusting as it would be with just one dog :lol:
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Thanks everyone for all your replies ;) I've come to the conclusion that one is perhaps best for now! Even though I'm at home all day, its manic when the kids get back so we will concentrate on our pup and his training. My mam has a mega soft 2 year old whippet who I can pinch every now and then when I feel the urge for another in the house! :005:
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You can always get your fix of Cocker pictures from here, when you get the need!! :D
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Definitely two dogs!! But not the same age. Getting an older dog is a good idea.
Good decision to wait for a while ;)
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We don't have children and don't have any plans to have kids so our pups get all our attention and are certainly my babies :luv: - we have been blessed with two wonderful pups - our oldest is 10 months and baby is 6 months - the past two months have proved to be very quiet after the concentrated housetraining and training in other areas we had initially. It hits us now how calm and quiet they are during our mealtimes and sofa times - they are happier doing their own thing (whether with toys/chews etc) than manic noisy play time! I do think that we have learnt a lot about training and interaction through this forum and positive training books but I am delighted with how well adjusted and content our pups seem to be so far. One thing I think is difficult to predict is the individual personality and behaviour of each pup - ours are SO different in terms of behaviour even though they have essentially been brought up in the same household - that we work with what they have built in. It is an important lesson for me to learnt how a pup 'works' and respond and adapt accordingly to its needs so it is difficult for me to make sweeping statements about when it is right to get a second dog.
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I have two that are 18 months apart. Smudge (Goldie boy) being the elder one. Altho we do have the odd spat, they get on quite well. I found that when I was working, Smudge was much more settled when I went out with his little sis to keep him company (even if she does nick his chews - cheeky girly ;))
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We have recently got number 2 and are finding it great. Alfie has added some well needed life into the house and we are loving every minute of having him (well, most minutes :005:). Meg is 8 now and it never occured to us before about getting another, but for some reason we started discussing it all, and well here we are - a two cocker family :luv: and couldnt be happier! I dont think 2 or more dogs are for everyone, you need the time for the individual training, and not only that, each dog does need that one to one time purely for some peace and quiet and to get some time alone. We make sure Meg gets some space at some point every day, and she gets seperate walks to Alfie too. We have made a big deal of not leaving her out and i think thats really important :luv:. They get on well considering Meggy is a grumpy old mare :shades:. Alfie loves Meg to bits, although im not sure the feeling's mutual just yet ;). Good luck if and when you decide to get another :luv: xxxx
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Thanks to everyone for your replies. ;) I have enjoyed reading about all your families. Odie is much more settled now. He still poos in his pen whenever I leave him (even for 5 mins!) so I've devised a cunning plan. I leave him in his pen a few mins before I need to go out. He provides his 'present'. I clean up then can hopefully go out and on my return there normally isn't anything to clean up! Sneaky eh? :005: He is now sleeping all night (good I think for nearly 11 weeks old) and I'm trying leaving the room every time he play bites too hard (yes I spent most of the day out of the room at the minute :005:). I'm hoping that he'll get better with the biting as he matures. Counting the days when we are allowed out which will definitely help (2nd jab this Monday). Then he can meet my mam's whippet.... Cheers! :D
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I have two dogs, Taz is a 2 year old cocker, and a 18 week old lab (Kira). I had an 11 year old collie cross when i got Taz (she died in January) and although there was a big age difference they got on really well. Kelly almost took on the grandmother role and taught him how to behave in the house. Having the two young ones now there is a completely different dynamic, they play together and i manage to train them together (and individually). I couldnt cope with two pups together though - my parents bring their 18 week old border collie on a thursday evening, and it would drive me mad to have them together full time :luv: