One Dog Household

[mjpeter]

I have to ask everyone's opinion on this...

We currently have a seven-month-old neutered Golden who is fitting in with our family wonderfully. I'm married with three young children. Our pup is currently in his second series of obedience classes, and rounds out our family nicely. Here's my question...is it fair to be a one-dog household? I keep hearing how dog's are pack animals and happier with companionship, but I can't decide if I want to take on another next year. Luke ADORES the company of other dogs, so sometimes I feel a bit guilty. However, my husband and I both work from home, so he is rarely alone. Advice? Is your one-dog household a happy one? Thanks!

 

[Gempress]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a one-dog household. Until I got my current menagerie, I've always had only one dog at a time, and they never seemed to suffer for it. It sounds like your dog gets plenty of love and attention, and has a lot of family to keep him company. I'm sure he's very happy.

 

[casablanca1]

I've always had one dog at a time, partly from finances. I could afford normal care for two, but it would kill me to be unable to afford an emergency or serious health crisis. Partly, too, I've been influenced by those wonderful Albert Payson Terhune books about collies (Lad, Wolf, etc.) in which he repeatedly says (despite his owning a kennel) that adding a second dog diminishes the relationship between the dog and the owner because the dogs, naturally, relate to each other sometimes instead of always with the owner. Now, I've never had a two dogs, so I wouldn't know, but it has always been in the back of my head.

I once read a training book I liked very much, about shelter dogs, in which the author said that only buy a second dog if *you* want it. Her opinion was that dogs are mostly very happy to be only 'children.' Frankly, watching my dog go beserk when the resident Yorkie tries to talk to me, I'm inclined to agree.

 

[Bailey+Ralph]

I am sure that he will be just fine with 3 young children to occupy his time

 

[RetrieverLove]

I think it is good for the dog to have another companion, however it is not detrimental.

 

[Zoom]

Staying as a one dog household means that you and your dog will have a tighter bond to one another. Adding a second dog will change that bond, even slightly. That's not something that is strictly a "good" or "bad" thing, just different. Although I have noticed that dogs with 'siblings' start to prefer to play only with them and not quite as much with other dogs.

If YOU want a second dog, if you are ready for the added responsibility, bills and chaos that comes with a dog, then go for it. Otherwise, your dog will be just fine and dandy being a spoiled only child with lots of friends to go play with.

 

[mjpeter]

Thanks for the responses...the problem is that I don't know if I want a second or not, lol. I guess I'll sit on it and assume I'll just have the one until a time when I'm 100% sure.

 

[jn527]

Just got our Mochi and I love him lots. I think our baby Stefan was getting a bit spoiled. Depends on the time you have, and for us Stefan actually likes the company because of his anxiety issues and he's alone all day.

 

[Roxy's CD]

Before we got Hades Roxy was an only child, lol. And she loved it! She got all the attention she got ALL the treats etc.

I see nothing wrong with a one-dog household as long as when your home he gets plenty of love and affection.

 

[yoko]

i've always only had one dog. but when i moved home with yoshi it turned into a two dog house. unfortunately lady is an outside dog because that is what my parents want and ihave no say in the matter. but when i am outside they will compete for my attention. yoshi spends a lot of time with lady but i think they both still like spending time with me over each other

 

[pup-man]

1 dog is fine, 2 is better ..... they need that canine companion that us humans can't provide.