Do you treat your dogs as individuals?

[Paige]

Does that even make sense? I have three dogs and even though Spank and Bandit are so different they really do just seem like one dog to me. One dog with a split personality. They rarely are ever seen doing something the other isn't. If Spank is sitting, Bandit is sitting. If Spank is peeing, Bandit is peeing. If Spank is chasing butterflies, Bandit is chasing butterflies. If one sleeps, they both sleep as goes for eating, pooping etc. It actually really creeps people out who do not know them. Those two have a tight bond and even though we have times where they aren't overly fond of one another you'd have two very depressed dogs if you took them away from each other.

Miles, on the other hand, is very much an individual. In my mind she isn't one of the dogs. She is more like a cat. She eats different, has her own agenda. She isn't usually walked at the same time, doesn't eat at the same time, never goes out to potty with them. The boys won't even play with her. Spank and Bandit are a packaged deal and Miles is lucky if she gets to be a third wheel.

So for those of us with more than one dog do you treat them as individuals? Or do you see them all in a lump?

 

[Dekka]

Each of mine are individuals!

 

[4dogs3cats]

Mine are all individuals.

Kody and Chance have very needy personalities, but Bailey is fine sleeping on the couch all day.

Kody needs to be loved and held ALLLL the time. If Im sitting, he wiggles his way onto my lap or jumps up into my arms.

Chance likes to play, but doesnt like to play rough.

Kody likes to play rough but doesnt like frisbees

Bailey doesnt like toys at all.

When we go for walks, bailey likes to walk, chance likes to jog, and kody likes to RUN

I couldnt treat them as one if I TRIED!:lol-sign:

 

[Paige]

I guess what I mean is Spank and Bandit just seem like an extension of each other. Is that common with litter mates? Because any other dog isn't full rejected but they don't usually have more than mild interest in it. They forsure have that twin bond going on.

 

[Dekka]

Snip and Dekka are so much individuals its not funny (and they are littermates) they whippets are similar but still each very much their own dog.

 

[shazbot]

Mine are all very much individual.

They can all 3 be barking and I can tell who is who by their bark alone. Each has their own favorite thing to do, favorite toy, favorite spot on the couch and so on. Their personalities are very different. One is very outgoing and people friendly, one is people friendly only if I tell him it's ok and not super outgoing, and one is not fond of people at all, she deals with them but would rather not be around them.

So I treat them as individuals, when I buy toys, I buy ones that I know each dog will like. I always buy 3 of whatever in whatever flavor, shape etc whatever I buy come in...lol...if that makes sense.

 

[Paige]

I can tell my dogs apart too. I don't have to see them to know which one is on the left and which one is on the right. But you won't have them come up to you without the other one glued to it's side.

Don't get me wrong. Spanky and Bandit have different personalities. Bandit is much more mature than Spank. Almost like watching the same dog six years older. They are different and I know that but watch them for awhile and you swear that you must be seeing double. I should get a video of them. It's really cute. I love how much of a duo they are.

 

[wishbone]

Wow they are really stick up together for everything. We only have one dog and is like a toddler superstar of our family.

 

[Paige]

I swear they both just winked at me on purpose because they secretly can read my mind and know about this thread. Darn Collies. Somedays I think they must know how to read.

 

[smkie]

each here are unique

 

[MyHorseMyRules]

Raja and Tempie have different personalities, but they do absolutely everything together. Just like your two: If Raja is sitting, Tempie is sitting. If Raja is peeing, Tempie is peeing. If Raja is chasing butterflies, Tempie is chasing butterflies. If one sleeps, they both sleep as goes for eating, pooping etc.

 

[bubbatd]

Mine were like my own kids .... loved each one but they all had their own needs and personalities .

 

[Paige]

Raja and Tempie have different personalities, but they do absolutely everything together. Just like your two: If Raja is sitting, Tempie is sitting. If Raja is peeing, Tempie is peeing. If Raja is chasing butterflies, Tempie is chasing butterflies. If one sleeps, they both sleep as goes for eating, pooping etc.

Exactly. Scares anyone who comes over for a visit. I've heard the "how do you live with thos two freaks?" so many times. I love it when they both have the Border Collie stare on. People freeze. Then they move in unison and creeps them out more. I find it dreadfully amusing.

I love my two headed demon dog.

 

[Doberluv]

Then they move in unison and creeps them out more. I find it dreadfully amusing.

LOL. That's hilarious. We need a video of that! Those two sound like two peas in a pod.

When Lyric was alive, he and Jose` did a lot of the same things together. If there was a noise in the woods, they'd both high tail it up the hill together, where as Chuli would stay back on the porch with me. One would pee and then the other would. But I don't think they did everything like you describe your two doing.

Chulita and Jose` are best buddies and snuggle and play together...are usually curled up on the couch next to each other and Toker too. They all get along great but all of my dogs are definitely individual in personality and needs etc... and are treated/handled very much so as individuals.

 

[chanda]

each of my dogs has their own weird behaviors and characters...

 

[mrose_s]

Buster and Mac like to be joined at the hip. Nearly everytime I go to find them, they are beside each other.

That said, they can be quite individual. They have very different personalities.

 

[ACooper]

Phoebe and Orson are VERY different and don't do much of anything together on purpose, LOL

 

[v-girl]

I have 6 dogs. A mother, father and 4 pups from the same litter who are now a year old. We orginially kept only 2, who have been bonded from the start. Though they have different personalities and needs. Then we had 2 of the pups returned, (the families were related so the 2 pups grew up toghether), because of this they have a very strong bond also. But are also completely differentt in personality. Depending on circumstances I may address them as a pack, or couple, but most of the time they pair up in twos and I will address them as such. Kind of like dealing with a married couple! lol They are so different in their responses, one will listen to certain things the other won't and vice versa. Chance, one of the returned pups, won't even play with me when my husband takes Blaze (other returned pup) to work with him. He becomes very lost without her. lol The poor guy, those two have been through a lot together. It's great they are still so bonded.

 

[FoxyWench]

vixie and dodger are like a package deal, they are very different from eachother yet always togehter, to the point i could never split them...id say there more like an old married couple than the same dog lol

ruby however is like the neighbors kid to them, they let her play once in a while but most of the time give her this look as if there sighing at how weird she is.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

I have Beagles and I have Cleo and I have Buckwheat.

The Beagles, or as they're also known "the hounds", have different personalities but when I talk about them I say "the Beagles" or "the hounds"...they are very similar in traits...what makes them happy sad, peeved. Ellie and Susie are Mother and daughter and pretty much the same dog...even down to body mannerisms.

Nonnie is a bit apart mainly because right now she wants nothing to do with the other two since she's got little ones.